HIV and AIDS

• HIV - human immunodeficiency virus
• HIV affects the immune system and eventually leads to AIDS
• AIDS is a condition where the immune system deteriorates and eventually fails
• HIV infects and kills helper T-cells, which act as the host cell for the virus
• helper T-cells are hugely important in the immune response. they activate phagocytes, cytotoxic T-cells and B-cells
• without T-helper cells the immune system is unable to mount an effective immune response to infections