How Does The Immune System Fight The Infection With Hiv

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How the Immune System Fights Disease

Introduction Normal T Cell Response to Infection HIV Interferes With Normal Immune Response Introduction The immune system is a complex network of cells and chemicals. Its mission is to protect us against foreign organisms and substances. The cells in the immune system have the ability to recognize something as either "self" or "invader," and they try to get rid of anything that is an invader. Many different kinds of cells, and hundreds...

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Immune System and HIV infection

After having possible exposure to hiv infected blood, I had no acute symptoms for 7 weeks, I then went and had hernia repair. Two days after the surgery I woke up with serious muscle pain on my left shoulder. My questions 1- does hiv have a better...

Response from Mark Holodniy, M.D., F.A.C.P., C.I.C.

Stanford University, School of Medicine

That pain by itself is very nonspecific. Although anesthesia or surgery could theoretically alter the immune system temporarily, It would be unlikely that infection (if present) would have been altered 7 weeks after exposure.MH... Read more »

Crashed immune system and opportunisitic infections

My daughter was diagnosed HIV positive 11 years ago during her pregnancy. She did well for years, however after a car wreck 3 years ago she became addicted to hydrocordone. Since then she has lost her job, her marriage and is out of money so she...

Response from Gerald Pierone, M.D.

AIDS Research and Treatment Center of the Treasure Coast

I am very sorry to hear about your daughters problems. I agree that she may in danger of losing her life if she does deal with her addiction and irregular medical care. A concerted family effort to influence her to get into a drug treatment program... Read more »

HIV life cycle, and how HIV affects the immune system

Hi Rick, When Hiv attaches itself to a lymphocyte, is the lymphocyte actually a gland as in the neck or armpit, and does this then become a reproduction factory for HIV with an abundance of T-cells coming from the gland? Thank you for your...

Response from Rick Sowadsky, M.P.H.

Nevada State Health Division AIDS Program

Thank you for your question. HIV infects cells of the immune system called CD4 cells. There are many CD4 cells inside the lymph nodes. These cells can also be found all throughout the body.When HIV enters a CD4 cell, the cell itself becomes a... Read more »

HIV = holes in your immune system?

I've been HIV+ for over 24 years. A long time ago, my doc told me that upon initial infection with HIV, it pokes "holes" in your immune system that are permanent (presumably). He used an analogy like: if you remove the letter Z...

Response from Keith Henry, M.D.

University of Minnesota, School of Medicine

Immunizations are generally effective and recommended for HIV+ patients with good CD4 counts (>> 200-350). The long term outcome in HIV + patients on treatment with a good CD4 count (ie > 500) is generally excellent so the extent of and... Read more »

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Weak immune system vs time to produce antibodies

Posted by Anonymous, 2 Replies

Hello everyone
I believe I have been infected with Hiv. I havnt been tested yet but I have many of the symptoms associated with ARS
The source of my possible infection had a confirmed std but tested negative for Hiv at 3-4 months. Is it possible that... Read more »

two immune systems?????

Posted by Anonymous

I think there are two immune systems. One that fights colds, flu's and stuff like that. The other fights OI's (opportunist Infections). So, that would explain why people with AIDS don't get colds and the flu.
The immune systems are described below... Read more »

More on the two immune system stuff

Posted by Anonymous, 1 Reply

Again, the below gospel is plagerized from Gallant.

This may be a dumb question -- but I would sincerely appreciate an answer

If AIDS is a breakdown of the immune system, why don't people with AIDS get
colds all the time? Why... Read more »

Compromised immune system always = HIV?

Posted by Anonymous, 2 Replies

I have a bacterial infection that in most people goes away within a few weeks. But I have had it for so long that my doctor says I must have a compromised immune system and said that it could be HIV. I don't know what to think. I've had 2 sexual... Read more »

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