2007-03-17 19:43:29 · 5 answers · asked by boobs 1 in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Infectious Diseases
the virus keeps mutating and the medications that kill the virus have potent side effects, such as peripheral neuropathy (nerve damage to legs and possibly arms). Why you see so many people dying of it that are virtually paralyzed and bedbound...
2007-03-17 20:04:11 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Its not so much the mutation rate, although that is a REAL pain in the ****. No, its the fact that the HIV infect the cd4 T cells. You see, all treatments for infections work on the principle of stoping the advance of the infection to give the immune system time to do get itself sorted out.
The HIV virus actually enters the immune system, which makes it almost impossible for the immune system to do anything - its not designed for clearing infections out of T cells. Plus, we don't want our drugs to kill all the T cells since you need them to protect you from other infections.
Don't despair though - we have come up with some pretty clever ideas, and given 10-20 years we could see some really effective therapies.
2007-03-18 06:27:32 · answer #2 · answered by Bacteria Boy 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
its a constanting mutating virus, kinda like the flu shot- the shot is different every year to target the most likely strain that would appear that year. also, scientists and doctors i think still dont understand it well enough to come up with a cure.
2007-03-18 09:03:20 · answer #3 · answered by aznboardergirl 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
AIDS caused by retroviruses which contains reverse transcriptase. HIV infects and kills helper T cells predisposing the body to opportunistic infections.
2007-03-18 03:04:12 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
the virus keeps changing....its like trying to hit a moving target.
2007-03-18 02:47:23 · answer #5 · answered by PharmDiva 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋