HIV

~Introduction Section~ Human immunodeficiency virus, also known as HIV, is the virus that causes Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, or AIDS. A person with AIDS has less Helper-T (CD4) cells in their body than a healthy person. Helper-T cells help the body fight off infections and are part of the immune system. Because the person's immune system is weakened, it is much more dangerous if they are infected with something. Even something like the common cold could be deadly to a person with AIDS. (Daar, 2011) __Virus Diagrams:__ __SEM Picture:__

~Mechanisms Section~ __Mode of transmission/infection __ HIV is spread through sexual contact, by contact with infected body fluids (such as blood, semen, breast milk, or vaginal fluids), and from mother to fetus. Sexual contact is the most common way the virus is transmitted; the second most common way are intravenous needles that have infected blood on them. Casual contact such as shaking hands does not spread the virus (Postlethwait & Hopson, 2006). If a person is infected with HIV, the virus is present in different degrees in that person's blood or genital secretions, even if they don't show symptoms (Daar, 2011). __Replication__ HIV is a retrovirus. Retroviruses convert RNA to DNA. Glycoproteins on the surface of HIV bind to the receptor proteins on macrophages. The virus attaches to the corresponding receptors, and the viral envelope then fuses with the cell membrane and the virus's capsid is released into the host cell. The capsid enters the cytoplasm, and the viral RNA and reverse transcriptase, an enzyme, are released. Reverse transcriptase uses the viral RNA as a template to make a double-stranded DNA version of the viral genome. The HIV DNA then inserts itself into the host cell's nucleus and chromosomes, which makes it a provirus. The HIV genes are then transcribed and synthesized. After that, the cell membrane forms a viral envelope, and the new HIV particles separate from the cell. Since viruses can remain dormant in the lysogenic cycle, the virus can remain in the lysogenic cycle then progress to the lytic cycle for reproduction. (Postlethwait & Hopson, 2006) ~Application Section~ __List of symptoms:__

Oftentimes, individuals infected by HIV are asymptomatic, especially during the early stages of the infection. Symptoms of the virus common after a month or two of infection include: Fever  Fatigue  Rash  Swollen Lymph Nodes  Sore Throat  <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #130202; display: block; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; text-align: center; text-decoration: inherit;">Oftentimes, these symptoms will disappear after a week or two and are commonly mistaken for the common cold <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: inline !important; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; text-align: center; text-decoration: inherit;">or flu. Individuals with HIV are especially infectious during the early stages of infection, due to the fact that the virus is especially prevalent in genital fluids and blood at this time. ("HIV/AIDS" 2009) <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #130202; display: block; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; text-align: center; text-decoration: inherit;"> As the virus begins to weaken the immune system greatly, the severity and prevalence of symptoms raises. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #130202; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;"> Symptoms common in the late stage s of infection include: Rapid weight loss   <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #130202; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; text-decoration: inherit;">Reoccurring fever or night sweat  <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #130202; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; text-decoration: inherit;">Extreme and unexplained tiredness  <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #130202; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; text-decoration: inherit;">Sores on the mouth, anus, or genitals Pneumonia <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #130202; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; text-decoration: inherit;">Memory Loss, Depression, or other neurological disorders  <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #130202; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; text-decoration: inherit;">("HIV/AIDS" 2009)

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">__List of treatments:__ <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">HIV is the predecessor to Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). HIV always leads to AIDS, so it is not a curable infection. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">(Dean, Carrington, Winkler, Huttley, Smith, Allikmets, Goedert & Buchbinder, 1996) <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Instead of curing HIV, it is possible to slow down to transformation into AIDS and suppress the virus so that there are fewer HIV cells in the body. <span style="display: block; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; text-align: center;">Today, there are 31 antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) that are FDA approved to treat HIV ("NIAID," Jun). Some medications, such as azidothymidine (AZT) inhibit reverse transcriptase's ability to make a DNA copy of the viral DNA. Others, like protease inhibitors, block the synthesis of new viral capsids. Combinations of both protease inhibitors and AZT are used. (Postlethwait & Hopson, 2006). Even while suppressing the virus, it is still possible to transmit HIV to another person ("NIAID," Jun). __<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Vaccine: __ <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">As HIV is not curable, there is currently no effective vaccine. HIV can quickly become resistant, and it evolves very quickly, making it a challenge to create a vaccine that works well (Postlethwait & Hopson, 2006).

~Sources Section~ AIDS HIV Treatment Research. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.aids911.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/HIVInfection.jpg

Alam, Manal. //Treating HIV by Inhibiting Viral Membrane Fusion//. Columbia University, Retrieved from http://w ww.columbia.edu/~bo8/undergraduate_research/projects/manal_alam_project/what_character.HTML

Daar, M. (2011, September). //Medicinenet.com//. Retrieved from http://www.medicinenet.com/human_immunodeficiency_virus_hiv_aids/article.htm

Deerink, T. (Photographer). (n.d.). //Cell infected with hiv, sem//. [Print Photo]. Retrieved from http://www.sciencephoto.com/media/395108/enlarge

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #050000; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; text-decoration: inherit;">HIV/AIDS. <span style="color: #050000; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; text-decoration: inherit;">(2009, April). Retrieved from http://www.niaid.nih.gov/topics/HIVAIDS/Understanding/Pages/symptoms.aspx <span style="color: #130202; display: inline !important; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; text-align: center; text-decoration: inherit;">NIAID. (2009, 3 31). //National institute of allergy and infectious diseases//. Retrieved from http://www.niaid.nih.gov/topics/HIVAIDS/Understanding/Biology/pages/structure.aspx <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #050000; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">NIAID. (Jun, 2011 24). Retrieved from http://www.niaid.nih.gov/topics/hivaids/understanding/treatment/Pages/Default.asp

<span style="color: #050000; display: inline !important; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; text-align: center; text-decoration: inherit;">Postlethwait, J. H., & Hopson, J. L. (2006). //Modern biology//. (5 ed., Vol. 1). Austin: Holt Rinehart & Winston. "Signs of HIV Infections in the Body." //STDtesting//. Institute of Sexual Health, 2012. Web. 8 Mar 2012. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;"> Dean, M., Carrington, M., Winkler, C., Huttley, G., Smith, M., Allikmets, R., Goedert, J., & Buchbinder, S. (1996). Genetic restriction of hiv-1 infection and progression to aids by a deletion allele of the ckr5 structural gene. // Science //, // 273 // (5283), 1856-1862. Retrieved from Genetic Restriction of HIV-1 Infection and Progression to AIDS by a Deletion Allele of the CKR5 Structural Gene

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