A patient with HIV is at risk for opportunistic infections. Which immune cells a
Practice Questions
Q1
A patient with HIV is at risk for opportunistic infections. Which immune cells are primarily affected by the virus?
B cells
Cytotoxic T cells
Helper T cells
Natural killer cells
Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions
A patient with HIV is at risk for opportunistic infections. Which immune cells are primarily affected by the virus?
Step 1: Understand what HIV is. HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus, which attacks the immune system.
Step 2: Identify the main type of immune cell that HIV targets. The virus primarily targets CD4+ helper T cells.
Step 3: Learn about the role of CD4+ helper T cells. These cells help coordinate the immune response and are crucial for fighting infections.
Step 4: Recognize the consequence of HIV attacking these cells. When CD4+ T cells are destroyed, the immune system becomes weak, leading to a higher risk of opportunistic infections.
HIV and Immune System – HIV primarily targets CD4+ T cells, which are crucial for orchestrating the immune response.
Opportunistic Infections – With a decrease in CD4+ T cells, patients become susceptible to infections that a healthy immune system would typically control.
