Evolutionary Analysis (5th Edition)

Published by Pearson
ISBN 10: 0-32161-667-7
ISBN 13: 978-0-32161-667-8

Chapter 1 - A Case for Evolutionary Thinking: Understanding HIV - Questions - Page 32: 8

Answer

HIV, like every virus is insidious in its attack pattern as it utilizes human cells and human DNA to reproduce and cause the resulting sickness. As a retrovirus it is especially hidden, as it forces human cells to translate it's RNA into DNA, making the foreign parts practically invisible to the immune system. Additionally, the immune cells responsible for removing sickness are those that are primarily attacked by HIV, rendering the system useless in the long run. The statement is true to some extent as it plays with the concept that, on the one hand, the process of attacking the HIV virus offers more cells as victims to the virus and that, on the other hand due to the rapidly changing virus mutations presented to the immune system, it is treated practically as many diseases attacking at once, overloading the response.

Work Step by Step

HIV, like every virus is insidious in its attack pattern as it utilizes human cells and human DNA to reproduce and cause the resulting sickness. As a retrovirus it is especially hidden, as it forces human cells to translate it's RNA into DNA, making the foreign parts practically invisible to the immune system. Additionally, the immune cells responsible for removing sickness are those that are primarily attacked by HIV, rendering the system useless in the long run. The statement is true to some extent as it plays with the concept that, on the one hand, the process of attacking the HIV virus offers more cells as victims to the virus and that, on the other hand due to the rapidly changing virus mutations presented to the immune system, it is treated practically as many diseases attacking at once, overloading the response.
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