{"id":3519,"date":"2021-01-05T05:00:40","date_gmt":"2021-01-05T10:00:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usmlerx.wpengine.com\/?post_type=podcast&p=3519"},"modified":"2021-01-04T21:54:25","modified_gmt":"2021-01-05T02:54:25","slug":"human-immunodeficiency-virus","status":"publish","type":"podcast","link":"https:\/\/usmle-rx.com\/podcast\/human-immunodeficiency-virus\/","title":{"rendered":"Human Immunodeficiency Virus"},"content":{"rendered":"
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In 1959, the first case of immunodeficiency virus to infect a human was documented in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Scientists would go on to theorize that the man contracted what became known as HIV-1 from a West African chimpanzee infected with simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV), probably from coming into contact with the chimp\u2019s blood while hunting and killing it for meat. Over the next couple of decades, the virus spread through Africa and to other parts of the world, including the United States by the late 1970s. That\u2019s when Kaposi sarcoma and\u00a0Pneumocystis jiroveci<\/em>\u00a0pneumonia, rare illnesses that do not normally occur in people with healthy immune systems, began occurring in men who have sex with men (MSM) and intravenous (IV) drug users.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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In 1982, public health officials adopted the term acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, or AIDS, to describe these opportunistic infections. A year later, the virus that causes AIDS was discovered and named human T-cell lymphotropic virus-type III\/lymphadenopathy-associated virus (HTLV-III\/LAV). This unwieldy tongue-twister was later changed to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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HIV is a retrovirus, which means that it converts its RNA into DNA for integration into a host genome. HIV interrupts the body\u2019s immune system. It is spread through blood and blood products, as well as through sexual contact, and can cause AIDS.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

After listening to this AudioBrick, you should be able to:<\/p>\n