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Human Immunodeficiency Virus
HIV attacks the immune system, specifically CD4+ T cells. Over time, it destroys so many of these cells that the body can't fight infections, leading to AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome). HIV uses reverse transcriptase to convert its RNA into DNA.
Discovered in 1983 by Luc Montagnier & Françoise Barré-Sinoussi (France)
Blood, sexual contact, mother-to-child (pregnancy/birth/breastfeeding), contaminated needles
Antiretroviral therapy (ART) — combination of NRTIs, NNRTIs, protease inhibitors, integrase inhibitors. Not curable but manageable
PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis), condoms, needle exchange programs, antiretroviral treatment as prevention
HIV mutates so rapidly that within a single infected person, the virus evolves faster than the entire influenza virus does globally in a year!
Surface protein that binds to CD4 receptors on T cells — the first step of infection
Transmembrane protein that fuses the viral and cell membranes
Outer lipid bilayer derived from the host cell membrane
Protein layer lining the inside of the envelope
Cone-shaped core protecting the viral RNA genome
Enzyme that converts viral RNA to DNA — target of many antiretroviral drugs
Two identical copies of single-stranded RNA totaling ~9,700 nucleotides