<P> Ultimately , HIV causes AIDS by depleting CD4 T cells . This weakens the immune system and allows opportunistic infections . T cells are essential to the immune response and without them , the body can not fight infections or kill cancerous cells . The mechanism of CD4 T cell depletion differs in the acute and chronic phases . During the acute phase , HIV - induced cell lysis and killing of infected cells by cytotoxic T cells accounts for CD4 T cell depletion , although apoptosis may also be a factor . During the chronic phase , the consequences of generalized immune activation coupled with the gradual loss of the ability of the immune system to generate new T cells appear to account for the slow decline in CD4 T cell numbers . </P>
<P> Ultimately , HIV causes AIDS by depleting CD4 T cells . This weakens the immune system and allows opportunistic infections . T cells are essential to the immune response and without them , the body can not fight infections or kill cancerous cells . The mechanism of CD4 T cell depletion differs in the acute and chronic phases . During the acute phase , HIV - induced cell lysis and killing of infected cells by cytotoxic T cells accounts for CD4 T cell depletion , although apoptosis may also be a factor . During the chronic phase , the consequences of generalized immune activation coupled with the gradual loss of the ability of the immune system to generate new T cells appear to account for the slow decline in CD4 T cell numbers . </P>
the virus of aids affects the growth of
the virus of aids affects the growth of
CD4 T cells
CD4 T cells