Describe how HIV weakens the immune system of an infected individual?
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.
587551
first off i would like to say b4 u get AIDS u get HIV. u can have HIV for YEARS (ova a decade for some ppl) and the scary thing is HIV has NO SYMPTOMS. understand that clearly, the person will look and feel healthy but they are infectious, ie. during this asymtomatic phase they can pass on the virus. the HIV will develop into AIDS which can manifest in many ways.. loss of weight, repetitive infections (most common being THRUSH [vaginal and oral types]).\nthe reason is that when sumone has full blown AIDS they have a very weakened immune system and therefore are sitting ducks for infections. diseases u would ordinarily fight off with ease become life threatning. so as for symtoms, u will display the symptoms of the disease u have got at that moment. AIDS kills u because it renders u too weak to fight other diseases so AIDS patients will die because of TB, pneumonia and other opportunistic infections.\n\nHIV/AIDS IS A KILLER. for real. IT HAS NO CURE. the message of safe sex, EVERYTIME, is not there to bother its to protect. all it takes is one time without a rubber. remember u CANNOT TELL BY LOOKING if someone has HIV. and dont rely on jus asking and expecting an honest answer... ppl lie or they themselves may not know they have it... talk is cheap. i have personally seen AIDS patients, they die slowly. they end up being walking skeletons, its not pretty.\n\nfor anyone with misconceptions about HIV/AIDS, 1.get informed FROM A RELIABLE SOURCE for the cold facts\n2.condomise ALWAYS... be smart, stay safe...
558700
CD4 (cluster of differentiation 4) is a surface antigen, a small molecule that is part of certain cells in the body, which helps the cell to communicate with cells around it.\n\nIt is found on all 'T Helper' cells which are a normal and important part of the immune system.  Other cells in the immune system are responsible for picking up foreign molecules in the body, such as viruses and bits of bacteria, and these are then 'presented' to T Helper cells.  The CD4 receptor on the T Helper cells then recognises the molecule and activates the T Helper cell, starting an immune reaction in the body.\n\nT Helper cells are particularly important in fighting viral infections.\n\n\nHIV is a virus that infects CD4 T Helper cells, stopping it's ability to protect the body from infection.  As more and more T Helper cells are destroyed by HIV, the body can no longer prevent dangerous infections, and this is called AIDS.
3414
a disease caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which kills or impairs cells of the immune system and progressively destroys the body's ability to fight infections and certain cancers. HIV is most commonly spread by sexual contact with an infected partner. The term AIDS applies to the most advanced stages of an HIV infection.
68875
Well, I think if you're still here, then somebody's doing something right, but that's really a question you should be asking a doctor, doll.\nUnfortunately, I am not familiar with the specifics of HIV or AIDS.  What I do know is that HIV can lead to AIDS, which stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome.\nA deficient immune system is what would keep you from getting better if you did get sick, and would obviously be more likely to result in death.\nSo aside from the HIV-AIDS link there, I don't know what to tell you except ask a doc.
160489
AIDS, per say, say was not "discovered."  It was named. AIDS itself is NOT a disease.  Rather it is the end manisfestation of infection with HIV.  AIDS is a "collection" of opportunistic infections which prey on the immune system which has been compromised by HIV.  HIV infection/AIDS continues to spread in all corners of the world.  It seems that in the US people have again become complacent about it, with rates increasing in all metro areas.  One factor that the increase of infection is being attributed to is the use of Meth.
10057
Hi!!\n\n"HIV is the virus that may causes AIDS. HIV belongs to a subset of viruses called retroviruses or slow virus. \n\n\n \nThis is because it is a progressive disease. HIV is entered through the body through the mucous membranes or thru blood to blood contact. \n\n\nOnce you get the virus it slowly begins to attack the immune system, killing off healthy immune system cells. The deterioration and destruction of immune function leads to AIDS. \n\n\nAIDS is the final stage of the HIV infection. A person is said to have AIDS when the cd4 counts drops below 200 and or a person has 1 or more opportunistic infections. The OIs, as they are called, are normal infections that a healthy person would be able to fight off. \n\n\nThe four stages of the HIV infection are as follows: \n\n\n1) The period following infection is called the window. It is called this because it reflect the window of time between infection and that which antibodies are devlop in a person. The HIV test looks for antibodies not the virus. \n\n\n2) The second stage is called seroconversion. This is when the body begins to develop lots of antibodies to fight off the virus in the body. During this period a person may have flu like sympton. Also during this period is said to be very infectious. \n\n\n3) The third stage is called symptom free. During this period a person may have no sympton what so ever. This can last any where from 6 months to well over ten years. The medical world is not sure why some people are living sympton free for so long. \n\n\n4) The final stage is called AIDS. This is the period when TCELL drop to below 200 and the OI"S are present. \n\n\nSo, as we see, HIV is a infection that will leads to AIDS. \n\n\nThe body immune system is slowly being attacked until it is destroyed and can't fight off infections. Once this happens a person is said to have AIDS. AIDS is the final stage."\n\nI hope the above answers your question.\n\n>>> Naveen Kumar
144598
well AIDS is caused by HIV retrovirus . it affects the immune system by drastically reducing the number of white blood cells in the blood stream . if a person gets AIDS he/she is prone 2 evry disease in the wrld cuz of their weak immune system. a person has 2 b HIV positive 2 determine if he/she has AIDS . a person might eventually die of  AIDS . i said MIGHT therez a chance of survival ... but the person has 2 take a regular dosage of medicines 2 keep away frum diseases and there are chances of the disease spreading to the affected pplz children 2 . once again i sad CHANCES. hope i helped.\n\ncheers\nanu
736037
Misconceptions about HIV?\n\n1. It is communicable in any form. \n\nHIV is only picked up through exchange of bodily fluid (mucus membane {such as the mouth} or via an open wound).\n\n2. Someone with HIV will die quickly.\n\nWith the development of medications, HIV is kept at bay. Usually, as long as the person is free from an active illness, that person can have a fairly healthy life.
109688
The lack of T-cells would be an almost complete collapse of the immune system.  T cells become CD4 (helper T) and CD8 (cytotoxic T, "killer T").\nAIDS is the condition a person has once the HIV virus has killed off all there helper T cells and thus they are very susceptible to infections.
879503
A person who is infected may not show active signs of the disease and therefore even without proper medical care could live for years, however it is best if anyone thinks they are infected or conduct themselves which could lead to infection should get tested.\n\nTechnically AIDS/HIV does not kill a person..it merely weakens and compromises the immune system allowing other diseases/germs to weaken the person and kill them (possibly) shen the disease is active. With proper care and medication people who are infected can live for years and lead a "normal" life.\n\nIt is transmitted through the transfer of bodily fluids. Such as unprotected sex, sharing needles, blood transfusions (done years ago), open wounds, etc. You cannot get it from a handshake, sharing the toilet seat, casual contact.
1168409
HIV is a retrovirus that attacks Helper-T-cells and macrophages.  Its viral RNA is reverse-transcribed and incorporated into these cells' DNA.\n\nMost cells, when invaded by viruses, place viral proteins on their surface combined with major histocompatibility complex proteins that show immune-system cells (generally cytotoxic T's, if memory serves) that they are infected and should be destroyed.  HIV-infected cells, however, do not do this.  The HIV virus prevents it from happening, but I cannot remember how.\n\nUpon initial infection, the virus replicates significantly and causes the well-known flu-like symptoms, but your immune system is able to fight it and keep it under control and restore you to health while the virus enters a dormant or "latent" state.\n\nFor some reason (which either I do not know or modern science does not know) the virus becomes active and begins replicating.  But it does so in a truly remarkable way.  Remember, the DNA of infected Helper-T's and macrophages contains HIV DNA.  This viral DNA is incorporated into an area of the cell's DNA that is activated and transcribed whenever the cell is called upon to perform its function as an immune cell.  Basically, HIV not only attacks the immune system, activation of the immune system causes more production of HIV virus.  This explains why IV drug users who share needles progress to AIDS (helper-T count below 200)  much more quickly.....their immune systems are exposed to so many different pathogens that the HIV virus is replicated at a much higher rate.\n\n...at least, this is what I recall way back from immunology in dental school.
880472
Acquired Human Auto-Immune Deficiency Syndrome.\n\nBasically, it's a virus that hides from your body's immune system, and then kills your cells and turns them into "AIDS Factories."
141178
Don't know how urine therapy is going to help the trasnmission of HIV/AIDS. Boosting the immune system is great but aids is a highly specific virus that attacks T-cells and macrophages. Often times the fetus is taken as a forgeign entity and attacked by the mother's own body. By these very same leukocytes. I don't know how likely it is but I would assume the chance is very high for transmission to occur. We can't even cure AIds at this stage in time. How could we isolate the disease in one area of our body and keep it from others. It's not entirely feasible.
895065
Hi buddy,\n\nThe HIV virus is a very fragile virus that gets easily killed on drying or contact with ordinary toilet soap or even very dilute spirit.The world wide fear of this infection is not because it gets easily transmitted or that its a tough virus to kill.Its just because the virus attacks the patient's immune system. Death in an HIV infected person comes in the form of other diseases that attack the person when his body's defence mechanisms are in a weak state.\n Human saliva is not demonstrated by research to contain enough load of virus as to cause infection to another person ingesting it. There is a theoretical possibility of the virus getting transmitted thru deep kissing, if the kisser has a mouth ulcer. The virus in that case has a (very small) chance to enter the body of the individual thru this open wound in the mouth. Still the virus may not survive the variable pH levels and salt concentrations of the human saliva.   And all the more, the probability of this type of  transmission is less than 0.01% . In day to day life that kind of probability is considered as ZERO chance...!  Hence we, healthcare workers don't consider saliva as a potential source of infection. Like wise, the chance of a mosquito transmitting the virus is somewhere near 0.004%..!!\n\nRegarding Web sources on AIDS, the United Nations' website is the ultimate knowledge bank ... Log on to www.unaids.org and find a wealth of info and links.\nAll the best.\nBye.
815106
Simple ! The intake of ARVs inhibits the reproduction of the HIV virus thus reducing the Viral Load in the blood and other body fluids.\n\nARVs do not change the molecular structure of body fluids.
490213
Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome or acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS or Aids) is a collection of symptoms and infections in humans resulting from the specific damage to the immune system caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV),[1] the late stage of which leaves individuals prone to opportunistic infections and tumours. Although treatments for AIDS and HIV exist that slow the virus' progression, there is no known cure.