HIV
HIV-positive having a positive reaction on a test for the human immunodeficiency virus; used to indicate that an individual has been infected with the human immunodeficiency virus but does not yet have AIDS. Persons who are HIV-positive require sensitive counseling, information regarding transmission of the virus, and close supervision of their health status.
Miller-Keane Encyclopedia and Dictionary of Medicine, Nursing, and Allied Health, Seventh Edition. © 2003 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier, Inc. All rights reserved.
HIV
Farlex Partner Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012
HIV
(āch′ī-vē′)n. A retrovirus of the genus Lentivirus that causes AIDS by infecting helper T cells of the immune system. The most common serotype, HIV-1, is distributed worldwide, while HIV-2 is primarily confined to West Africa.
The American Heritage® Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2007, 2004 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
HIV
Abbreviation for human immunodeficiency virus.
Medical Dictionary for the Health Professions and Nursing © Farlex 2012
HIV
The human immunodeficiency virus and the cause of AIDS. HIV binds avidly to CD4 cell surface receptors so its greatest affinity is for helper T cells. It will, however, also infect MACROPHAGES and the microglial cells of the brain, which also have CD4 receptors. HIV is an RNA retrovirus and uses the enzyme reverse transcriptase to convert its RNA into DNA which is then incorporated into the genome of the host cell where it can remain latent for years. The host DNA produces more HIV RNA by transcription and the cell then releases large numbers of new HI viruses which infect other cells. The virus was identified in 1983 by Dr Francoise Barré-Sinoussi (1950–) working at the Pasteur Institute in Paris. Two years later she proved that it was the cause of AIDS. She is now Head of the Retrovirus Biology Unit at the Institute and was awarded one of the French Republic's highest honours-the Chevalier de l'Ordre National de Merité.Collins Dictionary of Medicine © Robert M. Youngson 2004, 2005
HIV
human immunodeficiency virus which in some individuals gives rise to AIDS. It is a RETROVIRUS, at one time referred to as Aids-associated retrovirus. The association of HIV with AIDS has been known since 1983, and a second related virus was found in West Africa in 1987; these two viruses are now designated HIV 1 and HIV 2 respectively. Difficulties have occurred in developing an effective anti-HIV vaccine, particularly because of variations in the antigenic viral surface protein. see ANTIGENIC VARIATION. It is thought that HIV was introduced to the human population from chimpanzees. HIV has significant potential in the field of medicine. Once stripped of its lethal elements it is probably capable of delivering genes to tissues in the brain, spinal cord, liver and heart muscle and it is unique in that it is able to insert genes into cells which are not dividing. Techniques are at present being developed, using HIV, to protect transplanted organs such as liver and heart from both infection and rejection by the immune system.
Collins Dictionary of Biology, 3rd ed. © W. G. Hale, V. A. Saunders, J. P. Margham 2005
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus, the virus that causes AIDS. The risk of acquiring AIDS is increased by the presence of gonorrhea or other sexually transmitted diseases.
Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine. Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
HIV (human immunodeficiency virus)
An RNA retrovirus of the genus Lentivirus that infects and destroys vital cells of the human immune system, such as helper T cells (CD4+ cells). It causes the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and may lead to complications such as anterior uveitis, viral keratitis, cytomegalovirus retinitis, microvascular abnormalities of the conjunctiva and/or retina, etc. See acquired immunodeficiency (AIDS) syndrome.
Millodot: Dictionary of Optometry and Visual Science, 7th edition. © 2009 Butterworth-Heinemann
HIV
Abbreviation for human immunodeficiency virus.
Medical Dictionary for the Dental Professions © Farlex 2012
Patient discussion about HIV
Q. HIV - does it infect specific Blood Types? A friend of mine joined the army and they took him to an experiment and infected him with HIV. But he was not infected- he said because he has a certain blood type. Is this true?
A. HIV, as all other viruses need specific cells,s surface proteins which called receptors,in case of HIV these receptors are found in certain WBCs that known as T-helper cells which named as T4 cells. All humans have these T4 cells but some people lack the receptor that necessary for virus attachment and pentration of the cell which leeds to the inablity of the virus to cause infection and become a target for the immune system. But they c can infect other suseptable people.
Q. what is HIV? how do i stay a way of it? is there a cure for it?
A. HIV is a virus that enters a group of specific immune system's cells and kills them. it takes it a while but it does it eventually without the body able to defend itself. i mean it does defend itself but not so efficient. so after something like 5 years your body who's been manufacturing white blood cells to fight infections just can't handle it any more. and then you have a low white blood cells count and opportunist infections can infect without your immune system stopping them. Tubercolosis, varicella Zuster, funguses...and then one of them kills you. there is no cure. there are medicines that can stop it from getting worse and you can live much much longer but you rather avoid that and just use a condom.
Q. What are the early symptoms of an HIV infection? Can I define it from other diseases? I heard that there is a sore throat and fever- but that can be anything…anything special?
A. HIV virus infects the cells that responsible for the immune system causing AIDS sometimes after a long incubation period that extends to almost ten years. AIDS it self has no determined clinical signs because the infection destroy the defense system in the body which expose it to infection with other diseases causative agents. So the clinical manifestations which appear during HIV infection are a collection of parasitic diseases including those with lower digree of harm.
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