Persons Infected with HIV Often Die of Opportunistic Diseases Because

Question

Persons infected with HIV often die of opportunistic diseases because
A)HIV can transduce other viruses into virulent strains
B)HIV destroys T cells
C)HIV binds to antibodies
D)HIV is a retrovirus
E)HIV mutates easily

Accepted Answer

HIV infects and destroys CD4+ T cells, which are a type of white blood cell that plays a crucial role in the immune system. As the number of CD4+ T cells decreases, the immune system becomes weakened and unable to fight off infections and diseases. This makes individuals with HIV highly susceptible to opportunistic infections, which are caused by organisms that do not normally cause disease in people with healthy immune systems. Therefore, choice B is the correct answer.