HIV & the Immune System
- The HIV virus infects a certain type of lymphocyte in the immune system
- Normally lymphocytes seek out and destroy pathogens that enter the body, producing antibodies that attach to pathogens, enhancing phagocytic activity
- However, HIV infects a certain type of lymphocyte and uses the cells’ machinery to multiply
- This reduces the number of lymphocytes in the immune system, and also the number of antibodies that can be made
- This decreases the body’s ability to fight off infections, eventually leading to AIDS (Acquired immunodeficiency Syndrome)
- The weakened immune system is susceptible to infections that would normally have been dealt with by a fully-functioning immune system
- e.g influenza, pneumonia, skin cancer
Examiner Tip
This page focuses on HIV and the immune system, but for more detail on the HIV virus and its effects, see topic 12.1 Human Immunodeficiency Virus
