explain why the following disease AIDS is characterized as a autoimmune disease?
150291
The HIV virus, human immunodeficiency virus, causes the disease AIDS, auto immunity deficiency syndrome. Basically the infection of these viruses can just sit around and the person is a carrier but does not have AIDS but they do have HIV, or what happens more often is they go on to develop AIDS. The virus does attack white blood cells as the previous person stated. Once someone has full blown AIDS they can no longer fight of any infection. They generally fall prey to pnemonia.
597586
It attacks the Helper T cells of your body, making your immune system weaker, making your body more susceptible to diseases a person without HIV/AIDS can usually fight off.
598202
Acquired (or acute) Immuno-Deficiency Syndrome.\n\nIt had other names in the past, most people are unaware of that and think of it as a sudden plague but it's been around for a very long time. \nOccasionally an aggressive strain of the HIV virus can cause it to be very deadly but HIV is not the only cause of a deficient immune system.
1046449
There is much misconception about this.\nThe Human Immunodefeciency Virus, aka HIV is a virus (obviously) that infects humans, specifically recognising cd4 and cd8 receptors. \nAuto Immunodeficency Syndrom, aka AIDS, is a condition when you the amount of white blood cells in your blood drops below a certain level.\n\nHIV infections, in the latter stages, can lead to AIDS.\nBut other things can cause AIDS. AIDS is not only caused by HIV.\n\nOh, point of note - you don't die from HIV or AIDS. You actually die from a secondary infection, due to having AIDS. Feel free to contact me for more info.
424980
Great question - there is intense scientific interest in this issue, however the answer is unknown.  \n\nDiabetes is an disease in which the body fails to regulate blood glucose.  Often, Beta cells (located in the pancreas) fail to produce insulin, a hormone that is required for this process.  This can be caused by dysfunction of the beta cells, but more commonly it is the result of an autoimmune disease where the body's own T cells destroy the beta cells.  Normally, the body regulates the activity of self-reactive T cells to prevent this sort of outcome, so the defect in diabetes and other auto-immune diseases is most likely at the level of regulation, not activity, of these T cells.\n\nRecent scientific data indicates that CD4+CD25+ T regulatory cells (T-regs) are an important component of the body's natural immune dampening mechanism, and these cells appear to be essential for limiting auto-immunity in several mouse models as well as in human disease.  The mechanisms of Treg function are only now becoming understood, and include expression of surface CTLA4 and secretion of TGF-beta and IL-10 - each of which seems to dampen CD8 T cell cytolytic activities.  Which of these functions is required in general for Treg activity, or for the case of diabetes specifically, is not known.  Based on current understanding, it is likely that the inability of CD4+ Tregs to control self-reactive CD8 T cells is a major factor involved in diabetes and other auto-immune syndromes.
729527
The other answers are close, but not quite.\n\nAIDS is Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome.  It's caused by HIV.
990071
I believe AIDS is a condition in which HIV has weakened your immune system enough to lower your white blood cell count below a certain amount.  Below that amount your body is incredibly susceptible to illness and disease.  Some patients never reach that point.  Magic Johnson, for example, the professional basketball player with HIV and the worst talk show know to man has been living with HIV for some time now.  He has faught it of so well that his recent tests show that the HIV virus is no longer detectable.
965872
As far as I know, Magic Johnson does not have AIDS, he has HIV.  The disease is only called AIDS when the person's Tcell count drops down really low.  At this point, opportunistic diseases attack and those are what kill the person.  People die from AIDS-related illnesses everyday and it is still very rampant in the United States.  There are very expensive drug cocktails (that have uncomofortable side effects) that help people live much longer with the disease, but it's still a killer.
375216
Actually, KS is one of the diseases that defines a case of AIDS. If you have KS, then chances are high you have full blown AIDS, so you need to see the doctor about your T-cell count.\n\nMedLine has some great info about KS\nhttp://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/kaposissarcoma.html\n\nAny reputable AIDS advocacy organization or website will have more information on KS. But beware of who your sources are. Make sure they are REPUTABLE.
6803
hiv is the virus. aids is the disease that stems from the virus.hiv is a virus that kills your immune system slowly.
685252
An easier way to look at it is a primary immunodeficiency disease would be something you were born with or had a tendency to occur because it's programmed in your genes at birth. A secondary immunodeficiency would be one that occurs because of something else, for instance while on chemotherapy or exposure to poison, etc.
874366
The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) causes acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). ‘Acquired’ means not inherited. ‘Immune deficiency’ means a breakdown in the body’s immune system. ‘Syndrome’ refers to a range of diseases that may be associated with another disease.\n\nIn this case, diseases that take advantage of the body’s weakened immune system are used to define the onset of AIDS. In Australia, HIV is most commonly spread by sexual intercourse without a condom and through sharing needles, syringes and other injecting equipment.\n\nSymptoms\nSymptoms of HIV are common to a number of other illnesses. If you think you have been put at risk of getting HIV, or if you have any of the signs below (or a combination of them) for a month or longer, you should consult your doctor. Symptoms can include: \n\nFlu-like symptoms \nExtreme and constant tiredness \nFevers, chills and night sweats \nRapid weight loss for no known reason \nSwollen lymph glands in the neck, underarm or groin area \nWhite spots or unusual marks in the mouth \nSkin marks or bumps, either raised or flat, usually painless and purplish \nContinuous coughing or a dry cough \nDiarrhoea \nDecreased appetite.\nHow it is spread \nSomeone who has HIV may not have any symptoms, but they carry the virus and could pass it on through blood or body fluids. HIV can be spread in a number of ways, including: \nUnprotected vaginal or anal sex with someone who has HIV \nSharing injecting equipment and needles with someone who has HIV \nFrom a mother who has HIV to a child during pregnancy, birth or via breastfeeding \nUnprotected oral sex with someone who has HIV (this is less common).\nHIV can’t be spread by social contact\nThere is no evidence to suggest that HIV is spread by ordinary social or family contact such as hugging, shaking hands, sharing household items or through toilets seats, swimming pools or pets. HIV doesn’t live long outside of the body. It can be killed by ordinary household bleach, or soap and warm water.\n\nSafe sex explained\nSafe sex means sex where semen, vaginal secretions or blood are not exchanged between sexual partners. Some safe sexual activities include: \nMutual masturbation \nTouching \nCuddling \nBody-to-body rubbing \nErotic massage. \nCondoms \nUsing condoms properly during intercourse (anal and vaginal) will greatly reduce the risk of spreading HIV. Condoms must be used correctly and with plenty of lubricant. Water-based lubricant should be used, as other types of lubricants will cause condoms to break. Female condoms are also available and should also be used with lubricants. \n\nSafe sex can prevent infection\nHIV can be spread by unprotected anal or vaginal sex with someone who has HIV. Safe sex is recommended if either partner has HIV or if either partner is unsure of whether they have HIV. Other sexually transmissible infections (STIs) such as herpes, chlamydia and gonorrhoea can also be spread by unprotected sex. If either partner has an STI, or if either partner is unsure of whether they have an STI, safe sex is also recommended. HIV infection is more readily acquired or transmitted if either partner is infected with another STI.\n\nHIV and oral sex\nUnprotected oral sex is low risk for spreading HIV but using a condom or avoiding ejaculation into the mouth is recommended when either partner has ulcers or bleeding gums, or has recently brushed or flossed their teeth. Condom use may also prevent the spread of other STIs such as herpes, chlamydia and gonorrhoea. These STIs may be spread more easily by unprotected oral sex.\n\nHIV and deep kissing\nOnly very small amounts of HIV are found in the saliva of people who have HIV. For you to get HIV, a lot of saliva would need to get into your blood via ulcers or bleeding gums. Deep kissing is a low risk behaviour for spreading HIV.\n\nHIV and blood products\nSince May 1985, all blood donations in Australia have been tested for HIV. This means that blood transfusion
1067675
"Human immunodeficiency virus (commonly known as HIV, and formerly known as HTLV-III and lymphadenopathy-associated virus) is a retrovirus that primarily infects vital components of the human immune system such as CD4+ T cells, macrophages and dendritic cells. It also directly and indirectly destroys CD4+ T cells. As CD4+ T cells are required for the proper functioning of the immune system, when enough CD4+ T cells have been destroyed by HIV, the immune system functions poorly, leading to the syndrome known as AIDS. HIV also directly attacks organs, such as the kidneys, the heart and the brain leading to acute renal failure, cardiomyopathy, dementia and encephalopathy. Many of the problems faced by people infected with HIV result from failure of the immune system to protect from opportunistic infections and cancers.\n\nHIV is transmitted through direct contact of a mucous membrane with a bodily fluid containing HIV, such as blood, semen, vaginal fluid, preseminal fluid or breast milk. This transmission can come in the form of: penetrative (anal or vaginal) sex; oral sex; blood transfusion; contaminated needles; exchange between mother and infant during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding; or other exposure to one of the above bodily fluids.\n\nHIV is hypothesized to have originated in southern Cameroon after jumping from wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes troglodytes) to humans during the twentieth century[1][2]. Infection in humans is now pandemic. As of January 2006, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and the World Health Organization (WHO) estimate that AIDS has killed more than 25 million people since it was first recognized on December 1, 1981, making it one of the most destructive pandemics in recorded history. In 2005 alone, AIDS claimed an estimated 2.4 - 3.3 million lives, of which more than 570,000 were children.[3] A third of these deaths are occurring in sub-Saharan Africa, retarding economic growth by destroying human capital. Current estimates say that about 28 million people have died and that HIV is set to infect 90 million people in Africa, resulting in a minimum estimate of 18 million orphans in Africa.[4] Antiretroviral treatment reduces both the mortality and the morbidity of HIV infection, but routine access to antiretroviral medication is not available in all countries.[5] HIV/AIDS stigma is more severe than that associated with other life-threatening conditions and extends beyond the disease itself to providers and even volunteers involved with the care of people living with HIV."
7193
As you may already know, AIDS is the disease that develops from the viral infection HIV.  All AIDS means is when the person's body falls victim to an everyday infection because of a weakened immune system.  The only sure way to test for HIV is to have an HIV antibody test...  :) hope this helps!
554696
Vitamin B12, deficiencies have been linked to autoimmune diseases such as, Multiple sclerosis, pernicious anaemia, and aids. Get a second opinion or see another Doctor. Long term use of B12 shots could also be damaging to your health.
271089
Bingo!  In fact, when doctors test for certain kinds of diseases, including HIV, they don't look for the disease itself, but for antibodies in your blood that are specific to that disease.
76769
HIV (āch'ī-vē') \nn.\nA retrovirus that causes AIDS by infecting helper T cells of the immune system. The most common serotype, HIV-1, is distributed worldwide, while HIV-2 is primarily confined to West Africa.\n\n\nHIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is a retrovirus that infects cells of the human immune system. It is widely accepted that infection with HIV causes AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome), a disease characterized by the destruction of the immune system. In the United States and Europe, antibodies to HIV are one of the criteria for a diagnosis of AIDS.\n\n\nHIV is transmitted through penetrative (anal or vaginal) and oral sex, blood transfusion, the sharing of contaminated needles in health care settings and through drug injection, and between mother and infant during pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding according to a leading international health care source UN AIDS in UNAIDS transmission (http://www.unaids.org/en/Resources/faq/faq_transmission.asp#7). The use of physical barriers such as the latex condom is widely advocated to reduce the risk of sexual transmission of HIV.\n\nThe WHO estimated in 2000 that 25% of the units of blood transfused in Africa were not tested for HIV and 5% to 10% of cases of HIV infection in Africa were transmitted via blood.\n\n\nHIV enters a CD4+ helper T-cell by bonding with either CXCR4 or both CXCR4 and CCR5 depending on what stage the HIV infection is in. A cofactor protein (fusin) is required to assist binding of the viron to the membrane of the T-cell. During the early phases of an HIV infection typically both CCR5 and CXCR4 are bound while late stage infection often involve HIV mutations that only bind to CXCR4.\n\nOnce HIV has bound to the CD4+ T-cell a viral protein known as GP41 penetrates the cell membrane and the HIV RNA and various enzymes including but not limited to reverse transcriptase, integrase and protease are injected into the cell.\n\nThe host T-cell can process RNA into proteins (as in Polio virus) but this doesn't happen with HIV. Instead, HIV is stabilised by copying it into DNA and inserting it into the host cell's chromosomes. This means the virus can perform more subtle functions by using the host transcription machinery. The virus generates DNA from the HIV RNA using the reverse transcriptase enzyme to perform reverse transcription. This process can be inhibited by drugs. If this succeeds the pro-viral DNA must then be integrated into the host cell DNA using the integrase enzyme. If the pro-viral DNA becomes integrated into the host cell's DNA the cell is now fully infected but not actively producing HIV proteins. This is the latent stage of an HIV infection during which the infected cell can be an "unexploded bomb" for potentially a long time.\n\nTo actively produce virus, certain transcription factors need to be present in the cell. The most important is called NF-kB (NF Kappa B) and is present once the T cells becomes activated. This means that those cells most likely to be killed by HIV are in fact those currently fighting infection.\n\nThe production of the virus is regulated, like that of many viruses. Initially the integrated provirus is copied to mRNA which is then spliced into smaller chunks. These small chunks produce the regulatory proteins Tat (which encourages new virus production) and Rev. As Rev accumulates it gradually starts to inhibit mRNA splicing. At this stage the structural proteins Gag and Env are produced from the full-length mRNA. Additionally the full-length RNA is actually the virus genome, so it binds to the Gag protein and is packaged into new virus particles.\n\nInterestingly HIV-1 and HIV-2 appear to package their RNA differently - HIV-1 will bind to any appropriate RNA whereas HIV-2 will preferentially bind to the mRNA which was used to create the Gag protein! This may mean that HIV-1 is better able to mutate (HIV-1 causes AIDS faster than HIV-2 and is the majority species of the virus