1136 Words Free sample Essay on AIDS ('Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome)
AlDS stands for ‘Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome’ a disease in which the body’s immune system breaks down. A virus called the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) causes AIDS. HIV specifically targets key components of the cellular immune system and depletes the body’s ability to fight infection.In medical terminology HIV is a retrovirus this means it can copy its genetic material RNA into DNA using a unique enzyme called reverse transcriptase. ADVERTISEMENTS: Normally, living organisms make RNA out of DNA but in retroviruses such as HIV, the step is in reverse that is it makes DNA out of RNA. HIV inserts its DNA copies into the DNA of the cells of the immune system, turning them into HIV factories and preventing them from protecting the body.HIV is also a highly variable virus…