HIV Read the information in the packet and answer the following questions: 1. What is the human immunodeficiency virus? 2. Why is HIV so dangerous? (Explain what it attacks) 3. How does HIV relate to AIDS? 4. What are some ways that HIV is spread? 5. Currently, how can we reduce the progression of AIDS in someone? 6. What do you think people can do to prevent AIDS from spreading? 7. What might be useful things to think about when developing a cure? What would you want to do within the immune system to cure HIV and AIDS?
Immune Deficiency -When an immune system is compromised, it becomes either unable to recognize dangerous antigens or incapable of mounting an appropriate defense -This situation happens when the virus infects and destroys key cells in the immune system
Immune Deficiency -One example of autoimmune deficiency occurs through infection by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) -HIV destroys the immune system making it impossible to defend against other diseases -HIV doesn’t directly destroy the body – the other diseases are what destroy the body (the green dots are HIV viruses coming out of a lymphocyte
Immune Deficiency -some people are born with immune deficiencies -autoimmunity is when the body’s immune system attacks itself -the immune system is responsible for the rejection of organs that the body doesn’t recognize and the reason why compatibility is so important