Human immunodeficiency virus

Human immunodeficiency virus (Genus: Lentivirus, Family: Retroviridae)



Epidemiological Triangle

Agent

The causative agent for AIDS is Human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Human immunodeficiency virus is responsible for the failure of the immune system of a human, which will cause serious life threatening complications. It is slowly replicating retrovirus, which infects the macrophages, helper T cells, and dendritic cells of the human immune system. HIV belongs to the genus Lentivirus of the family Retroviridae. The species of genus lentivirus are responsible to cause chronic diseases with increased incubation period (Wright, Lamm & Huang, 2008).

Host

The macrophages, T cells, and dendritic cells of the ...