AIDS and HIV Infection

Blood-contaminated needles can transfer HIV.

Vertical transmission can occur before or after birth.

HIV causes AIDS by attacking the immune system.

HIV specifically infects and destroys helper T cells.

Loss of CD4 cells weakens immunity.

HIV can spread through infected blood.

Blood contains sufficient viral particles for transmission.

Sexual contact is a major transmission route.

Long-lasting fever frequently occurs in AIDS patients.

HIV is a retrovirus containing RNA and reverse transcriptase.

HIV is classified as a retrovirus.

Reverse transcriptase synthesizes DNA from viral RNA.