Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

HIV specifically targets and infects CD4 T cells, which play a crucial role in the immune system. HIV gradually weakens the immune system by destroying these cells, making the body more vulnerable to infections and cancers.

Answer: D 
 HIV is believed to have originated from a type of chimpanzee in Central Africa and then transmitted to humans through the hunting or consumption of infected meat. The earliest known case of HIV in humans dates back to the 1950s, while the epidemic is thought to have started in the 1980s. It has been a source of human infection for several decades, not centuries.

A) and C) are incorrect. HIV is not a member of the herpes virus family and it does not directly attack B cells.

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)