HIV

High school (ages 12+)
Human Body

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/hiv

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the scientific classification?Family: Retroviridae, Genus: Lentivirus
2. What is the primary host cell?CD4+ T-lymphocytes, macrophages, and dendritic cells
3. What is HIV and how does it affect the body?HIV is a tiny virus that attacks CD4+ T-lymphocytes, the body’s defense cells, and over time it weakens the immune system.
4. How does HIV enter a cell and make more copies?HIV attaches to CD4 receptors, fuses with the cell, uses reverse transcriptase to turn its RNA into DNA, then integrates into the cell’s genome and makes new viruses.

Lentivirus: A genus of retroviruses known for their long incubation periods and ability to infect non-dividing cells.
Provirus: The genetic material of a retrovirus (like HIV) that has been integrated into the DNA of a host cell.
Opportunistic Infections: Infections that take advantage of a weakened immune system, often occurring in individuals with advanced HIV/AIDS.