Infection with HIV Typically

Question

Infection with HIV typically
A)increases the level of helper T cells for the first year after infection.
B)eliminates all T cells immediately.
C)leads to an immediate decrease in the number of HIV in the blood.
D)alters mitochondrial but not genomic DNA sequences.
E)is found in B cells but not in T cells.

Accepted Answer

HIV infects and destroys CD4+ T helper cells, which leads to a decrease in their numbers over time. However, during the acute phase of infection (first year), HIV replication causes an initial increase in the level of helper T cells as the immune system responds to the virus.