Question

AIDS related complex or ARC is
A. Initial form of AIDS
B. Not linked to AIDS
C. Severe form of AIDS
D. None of the above

Answer 1

Hint:- AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome which means the deficiency of the immune system, acquired during the lifetime of an individual. Syndrome means a group of symptoms.

Complete step-by-step solution:-
ARC i.e. Aids related complex is the mild form of disease or it is the initial phase of infection with HIV
virus. It is characterized by symptoms like swollen lymph nodes, fever, diarrhea, generalised
lymphadenopathy, fungal or bacterial infections, sweating at night and weight loss. The person with ARC
has high chances of getting AIDS. It is also known as prodromal AIDS.
AIDS is a deadly disease caused by HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) which mounts a direct attack on
cells that have a specific protein called CD4 on their surfaces. CD4 is found on a class of lymphocyte cells
called t4 cells. This class includes Helper T-cells which is why HIV destroys the body’s population of
Helper T-cells. CD4 receptors are also found on macrophage surfaces and as a result, macrophage also
become infected with HIV. Much of the HIV transmission from one individual to another is thought to
occur within macrophages passed as part of the body fluids. Macrophages thus act as HIV factories.
The most common HIV-related opportunistic infections are Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) and
Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS), a cancer of the skin. The clinical symptoms of AIDS usually appear when the T-
lymphocytes level falls below 200/mm 3 .
So, the right option is A.

Note:- AIDS was first reported in 1981 and in the last twenty five years or so, it has spread all over the world killing more than 25 million persons.