Immunodeficiency

Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 (hiv-1) (in the Human Development Area)

In this context, Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 (hiv-1) means:

the retrovirus isolated and recognized as the etiologic (i.e. causing or contributing to the cause of a disease) agent of AIDS. HIV-1 is classified as a lentivirus in a subgroup of retroviruses. Most viruses and all bacteria, plants and animals have genetic codes made up of DNA, which is transcribed into RNA to build specific proteins. The genetic material of a retrovirus such as HIV is the RNA itself. The viral RNA is reverse transcribed into DNA, which is then inserted into the host cell's DNA preventing the host cell from carrying out its natural functions and turning it into an HIV factory.

Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 2 (hiv-2) (in the Human Development Area)

In this context, Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 2 (hiv-2) means:

a virus closely related to HIV-1 that has also been found to cause AIDS. It was first isolated in West Africa. Although HIV-1 and HIV-2 are similar in their viral structure, modes of transmission and resulting opportunistic infections, they have differed in their geographical patterns of infection and in their propensity to progress to illness and death. Compared to HIV-1, HIV-2 is found primarily in West Africa and has a slower, less severe clinical course.