2. What other names are there that mean HIV?
● Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) [Scientific Name]
● Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS [Scientific Name Alternate]
● Isandulela Ngculazi [Common Name in Zulu, South Africa]
● Thins/Slim’s Disease [Common Name used in Africa by native tongue]
● The Worm [Nickname in Africa]
● Standing on a Nail [Nickname in Africa]
● Gay Plague [Named before AIDS and HIV]
● Gay-Related Immune Deficiency [Named before AIDS and HIV]
3. What is the definition of this microbe, HIV?
Human Immunodeficiency Virus is a retrovirus that causes life-threatening
infections in your immune system, and the virus acts as an early stage that develops
AIDS eventually.
4.
5. What is the shape and structure of the microbe, HIV?
● Spherical [Shape]
● Diameter of 1/10,000 mm [Size]
● No cell wall nor nucleus [Features not included in the virus]
● The viral envelope - The outer coat of the virus that composes two lipid layers interspersed with protein
molecules.
● Glycoprotein 120 - Forms spikes sticking out of the HIV particles and binds CD4 in human cells
● Lipid Membrane - Used for the budding process, which forms new particles. That’s how the virus spreads.
● Glycoprotein 41 - Used for the cell fusion process
● The HIV Matrix Proteins - Helps transfer the HIV Core to the cell’s nucleus and guides the spiky proteins
(GP120 and GP41) to the envelope.
● The HIV Core - Contains the P24 protein, and informs genes to make structural proteins for the new
particles.
6. What does HIV cause?
This causes “Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome” (AIDS), which is the final stage of the
infection.
If untreated, HIV could lead to this pathogen.
“Without treatment, people who are diagnosed with AIDS typically survive about 3 years.
Once someone has a dangerous opportunistic illness, life expectancy without treatment falls
to about 1 year. People with AIDS need medical treatment to prevent death.” - Aids.gov
8. What is the mechanism action of HIV?
1) Enters the body by unsafe sexual intercourse or blood transfusion
2) Finds an acceptable host cell (CD4 + T Lymphocyte)
3) Infects the host cell’s receptors with the help of the protein molecules of HIV’s
structure
4) Attaches the host cell by the receptors using HIV’s protein molecules, which
bind the co-receptors. Because of the binding process going further, the gp120
decreases till it’s gone. Glycoprotein 41’s assistance would be connecting to the
cell membrane before letting viral capsid entering the cell. This releases two
viral RNA strands and three enzymes: Integrase, Protease, and Reverse
Transcriptase.
5) Reverse transcripts the DNA cells to make the genetic information of HIV in the
host genome.
6) The RNA, protein molecules, and core form together. The viral capsid leaves the
host cell. The host cell becomes controlled by the virus, and is now activated to
invade other cells.
9. What are the immune responses for HIV?
● Cellular Response - If the disease progresses, then the CD4 and CD8 T cell would refuse
to fight against HIV.
CD8 T cells can either kill the infected cells directly or sneak the chemokines into the
cell.
● Humoral Response - Develops 4 to 8 weeks later after the infection controls the host cell,
and it acts as an antibody against HIV. However, a small amount of people across the
world don’t include antibodies due to immune abnormality.
10. How to treat yourself from HIV? Are their vaccines
and/or cures?
● Antiretroviral Therapy is a type of treatment recommended to ALL people infected by
HIV, and a combination of medicines given to them for a longer lifespan than those
untreated.
○ Side effects include: nausea/vomiting, diarrhea, sleep deprivation, xerostomia, headaches, rash, fatigue,
hypotension, and pain.
● HIV Drug Classes have medicines grouped into 6 classes:
○ Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs)
○ Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs)
○ Protease inhibitors (PIs)
○ Fusion inhibitors
○ CCR5 antagonists (CCR5s) (also called entry inhibitors)
○ Integrase strand transfer inhibitors (INSTIs)
11. Continued...
Unfortunately, there are no HIV vaccines or a cure available for this pathogen.
However, recently, Temple University changed history. They discovered a way to remove HIV-1
from the human genome.
![What other names are there that mean HIV?
● Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) [Scientific Name]
● Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS [Scientific Name Alternate]
● Isandulela Ngculazi [Common Name in Zulu, South Africa]
● Thins/Slim’s Disease [Common Name used in Africa by native tongue]
● The Worm [Nickname in Africa]
● Standing on a Nail [Nickname in Africa]
● Gay Plague [Named before AIDS and HIV]
● Gay-Related Immune Deficiency [Named before AIDS and HIV]](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)