HIV Infection

A medical condition in which the immune system is destroyed by a virus called as Human Immune Deficiency Virus is known as HIV infection. The loss of immune function deteriorates the ability of the body to fight against various types of pathogenic infections (caused by harmful micro-organisms) (Quinn). The virus attacks the immune cells of the body which are basically the white blood cells (CD4 T cells) due to which the white blood count of the body infected with the virus is reduced to a great extent. Increased reduction of CD4 cells leads to progression of HIV infection to AIDS (Cunningham et al.).

The diagnosis history of HIV dates back to 1981 when a few homosexual individuals in Los Angeles and New York were caught. These individuals represented clinical phenotype of pneumonia (lung infection) and skin cancers. Furthermore, there was a marked reduction of the CD4 cells (white...
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