Answer to Question #10733 in Biology for Ted

Question

explain the damage caused by HIV/AIDS?

Answer 1

HIV infects so-called CD4+ T cells (also called T helper
cells), macrophages
and dendritic cells. The most damage is done to
the T helper cells. After
several years of infection, number of this
cells is decreased greatly, what
leads to immunodeficiency (in fact,
this is the only significant damage that
is caused by HIV/AIDS). The
weak immune system cannot resist to widespread
infections (like fungal
diseases) and the organism finally dies because of
some simple
illness.