Scientific Name: human immunodeficiency virus
![](https://parasiteguide.libbymitchell.dcreate.domains/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/hiv1.jpg)
Morphological Characteristics
HIV is two single strands of RNA enclosed in a lipid membrane with spike proteins on the outer membrane.
Identification Methods
Blood tests are used to identify antibodies that the body creates in order to fight the virus.
Life Cycle
-Attacks and destroys CD4 cells of the immune system (a type of white blood cells). These cells protect body from infection
-result of spillover from primates
-7 stages
- Binding: HIV attaches to receptors on CD4 cell
- Fusion: HIV enters cell through endocytosis
- Reverse Transcription: Converts RNA to DNA using reverse transcriptase (an HIV enzyme). Now the DNA can enter the cell nucleus and combine with the cell’s genetic material.
- Integration: HIV releases integrase (an HIV enzyme) into nucleus. This inserts HIV DNA into CD4 DNA.
- Replication: The integrated DNA makes chains of HIV proteins which are used to make more HIV
- Assembly: The new HIV proteins and RNA move to the surface of the cell and assemble into HIV which is not infectious
- Budding: This HIV exits the CD4 cell through exocytosis. The HIV releases the enzyme protease which breaks up long protein chains in the immature virus which creates the infectious virus.
HOST INFORMATION
- Zoonotic disease from chimpanzees in southeastern Cameroon gave rise to jump to humans
- The type that causes AIDS is now specialized to humans
- Transmitted directly from host to host via anal or vaginal unprotected sex
- Can be tranmittted via perinatal transmission from mother to child
- Transmission can also occur from sharing needles, syringes, or other drug injection equipment
Geographic Distribution
There is a large concentration of new infections in Southern Africa.
SOURCES
https://hivinfo.nih.gov/understanding-hiv/fact-sheets/hiv-life-cycle
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3234451/
https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/basics/hiv-transmission/ways-people-get-hiv.html
https://web.stanford.edu/group/virus/retro/2005gongishmail/HIV.html