10. HIV I

Question 1

What is World AIDS Day and when is it observed?

Answer 1

Held annually on December 1st to raise awareness and support for HIV/AIDS patients.

Question 2

What unusual diseases were first recognized in 1981 related to HIV/AIDS?

Answer 2

Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia and Kaposi’s sarcoma.

Question 3

Who isolated HIV-1 and in what year?

Answer 3

Luc Montagnier in 1983.

Question 4

When was HIV-2 discovered and where is it primarily found?

Answer 4

Discovered in 1986, primarily in West Africa.

Question 5

From which primates did HIV-1 and HIV-2 originate?

Answer 5

HIV-1 from chimpanzees and HIV-2 from sooty mangabeys.

Question 6

What is the estimated number of cumulative HIV infections since 1981?

Answer 6

Over 75 million (approaching 90 million).

Question 7

How many deaths have been attributed to HIV/AIDS since 1981?

Answer 7

43 million (approximately 1 million annually).

Question 8

What is the hardest-hit region by HIV/AIDS?

Answer 8

Sub-Saharan Africa.

Question 9

What is the life expectancy in Sub-Saharan Africa for those infected with HIV?

Answer 9

Halved to 30s-40s.

Question 10

What are the primary modes of transmission in developed regions?

Answer 10

Initially concentrated in high-risk groups, now increasing female infections.

Question 11

What significant issue arises from pediatric HIV infections?

Answer 11

Major social impact as parents die leaving children behind.

Question 12

What classification does HIV belong to?

Answer 12

Retrovirus in the lentivirus family.

Question 13

What are the two main strains of HIV?

Answer 13

HIV-1 and HIV-2.

Question 14

What is the genetic material of HIV?

Answer 14

Two copies of single-stranded RNA.

Question 15

What are the key structural components of HIV?

Answer 15

Nucleocapsid (p24), matrix protein (p17), envelope, gp120, and gp41.

Question 16

What are the key viral enzymes of HIV?

Answer 16

Reverse transcriptase, integrase, protease.

Question 17

What does the gag region of the HIV genome encode?

Answer 17

Structural proteins (p24, p17).

Question 18

What does the pol region of the HIV genome encode?

Answer 18

Viral enzymes (protease, reverse transcriptase, integrase).

Question 19

What does the env region of the HIV genome encode?

Answer 19

Envelope glycoproteins (processed from gp160 to gp120/gp41).

Question 20

What is the high mutation rate of HIV attributed to?

Answer 20

Poor fidelity of reverse transcriptase.

Question 21

What is the primary receptor for HIV attachment?

Answer 21

CD4.

Question 22

What are the co-receptors used by M-tropic and T-tropic variants of HIV?

Answer 22

CCR5 for M-tropic and CXCR4 for T-tropic.

Question 23

What is the role of gp120 in HIV entry?

Answer 23

Binds to CD4 and facilitates co-receptor binding.

Question 24

What happens during the reverse transcription phase of HIV replication?

Answer 24

Viral RNA is converted to double-stranded DNA.

Question 25

What is a provirus?

Answer 25

Viral DNA integrated into the host genome.

Question 26

What characterizes the latent phase of HIV infection?

Answer 26

Provirus can remain dormant with low viral load.

Question 27

What occurs during the assembly and budding phase of HIV replication?

Answer 27

New virions are formed and released from the host cell.

Question 28

What are M-tropic variants primarily associated with?

Answer 28

Early infection and infecting macrophages and dendritic cells.

Question 29

What genetic mutation provides resistance to HIV infection?

Answer 29

CCR5-Δ32 mutation.

Question 30

What are the initial symptoms of HIV infection?

Answer 30

Flu-like symptoms such as fever, malaise, muscle aches.

Question 31

What is the average duration of the latent phase of HIV infection?

Answer 31

Approximately 10 years.

Question 32

What CD4+ T cell count indicates the development of AIDS?

Answer 32

Drops below 200 cells/μL.

Question 33

Name two common opportunistic infections associated with AIDS.

Answer 33

* Pneumocystis pneumonia * Oral thrush (Candida)

Question 34

What types of malignancies are associated with AIDS?

Answer 34

* Kaposi's sarcoma * Lymphomas

Question 35

True or False: Untreated AIDS is invariably fatal.

Answer 35

True.