NBA star Magic Johnson found out that he was HIV positive in 1991. Due to excell
ID: 96835 • Letter: N
Question
NBA star Magic Johnson found out that he was HIV positive in 1991. Due to excellent medical care, he has survived for over 26 years without developing AIDS. a. Explain how this is possible by explaining the differences between being HIV positive and having AIDS. b. The HAART regimen taken by Magic Johnson has been very effective in controlling his viral load. So effective, that a common misconception is that Johnson has been cured of HIV because he has undetectable viral levels in his blood. Explain why this misconception is incorrect.Explanation / Answer
ANSWER A:
Difference between HIV and AIDS
HIV POSITIVE: H = Human Immunodeficiency Virus. This virus is a retro virus, which means enveloped RNA possesing virus. It also has reverse transcriptase mechanism(The replication process occurs by transcribing of virus RNA into linear double stranded DNA with integrating host DNA )
* We call HIV positive when the virus has infected the person and the CD4+ T-lymphocytes/Micro litre are less than 200.
AIDS: Acquired Immuno defeciency Syndrome. Syndrome refres to collection of diseases. Hence AIDS is the last step of infection by the virus.
Lets understand the process or progression of HIV infection.
The HIV infection progression can be divided into three stages.
a. acute primary infection syndrome: this is associated with influenza like illness with fevers, diarrhea and head ache which lasts for 2 to 3 weeks. Person recovers after this episode. CD4+ counts will be less than 500 microliter.
b. asymptomatic latent state: This is also called as carrier state, after initial infection. this state can last for many years with a gradual decline in the CD4+ T lymphocyte cells. In most of the cases infection does not progress beyond this state and CD4 count remains stable.
c. symptomatic HIV infection = AIDS: This occurs about 10 to 12 years after initial HIV infection. The CD4 count will drop less than 200 cells/microl. The AIDS illness include Pneumonia, tuberculosis, invasive cervical cancer, Kaposi's sarcoma.
In case of Magic Johnson the viral replication is slow at a rate of 180 generations per year, the viral load develops very slowly in the presence of medication. Hence he is able to survive for a long duration.
ANSWER B: HAART regimen means highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy. Since it is a combination of various viral suppressor drug (reverse transcriptase inhibitors) helps in declining viral counts. Helps maintaing normal immune function and also prevents other infections.
In the present case even though the viral levels are less in blood, it accumulates in the lymhoid organs and replicates despite a low viral burden. Once a person is infected, there can be no reversion of it. Hence HIV being cured compltely is a misconception.
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