Question

Name the virus that causes AIDS. What is the medium through which this virus is transmitted?

Answer 1

AIDS is an acquired immuno- deficiency syndrome that causes a reduction in helper T cells by the infection caused by the virus and affects the immune system. It gets transmitted through various sources, not by physical contact.

Complete answer:
The human immunodeficiency virus which is also known as HIV causes AIDS which infects the body and lowers the immune system by affecting or reducing the helper T cell. It gets transmitted through blood contact, semen and vaginal secretions and placenta. It also gets transmitted through blood contact like infected blood transfusion, sharing of contaminated razors, needles, syringes etc. Sexual contact, artificial insemination and transplacental transmission also led to the transmission of disease from mother to children.

Additional Information:
HIV is made up of a rounded envelope retrovirus with a core having two single-stranded genomic RNA, enzyme reverse transcriptase and inner covering or capsid. The gene of HIV in HIV-I is 8 whereas in HIV-II it is nine. The core of HIV is covered by an envelope and this envelope consists of spikes of glycoprotein which helps to recognise T-4 antigen receptor which presents on helper T-cells, macrophages and nerve cells. In the AIDS incubation period the first two to six weeks is the window period in which infection does not get detected and after that the immune system gets weakened. It can be tested by the ELISA test and Western Blotting test.

Note:
Transmission of AIDS does not take place by Physical contact like hugging, kissing, sharing hand etc, nor mosquito from an infected person to a healthy person. It also does not get transmitted through coughing, sneezing and sharing a meal.