Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) www.assignmentpoint.com
Basic Structure Viral envelope – lipid bilayer; glycoproteins protrude from surface Glycoproteins enable virus to recognize surface proteins of special immune cells and to enter the cell (like a key to the cell’s door) 2 strands RNA – only 9 genes; 3 are found in many viruses (structural proteins) Reverse Transcriptase – turns RNA into DNA (this makes HIV a retrovirus); DNA instructs cell to make more viruses www.assignmentpoint.com
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HIV Making Factories Virus enters cell through endocytosis Virus replicates RNA to DNA with reverse transcriptase www.assignmentpoint.com
DNA enters nucleus & binds with host DNA New virions exit cell through exocytosis to infect other cells (notice cell isn’t destroyed) mRNA is created (carries instructions for making new viral proteins) and leaves nucleus Uses host cell’s enzymes to make new viruses www.assignmentpoint.com
How Is HIV Spread? Sexual contact Sharing contaminated needles Blood transfusions Breast feeding (mother to baby) Mother to baby during pregnancy or birth www.assignmentpoint.com
There are approx. 14,000 new cases of HIV worldwide every day Think about it… In the US, there is better than a 1/1000 chance of contracting HIV during unprotected sex A person can be contagious for more than 10 years before any sign of the disease is apparent HIV becomes AIDS when the number of immune cells drops below a predetermined number No one dies from HIV or AIDS; people die from secondary infections (ranging from the common cold to cancer) More than 3 million people (size of Chicago) die each year There are approx. 14,000 new cases of HIV worldwide every day www.assignmentpoint.com