IS it possible for a person to be ...... IMMUNE to HIV infection????

Question

or for a person to have an Immune System that is,......Superhumanly TOUGH????

they say in theory that, Nothing is IMPOSSIBLE!

Answer 1

not that I know of!? Anything is POSSIBLE!

Answer 2

Because the disease is one that preys on the immune system and uses it to reproduce, it wouldn't matter how superhumanly tough the immune system was, in fact the stronger it was the quicker it would spread. At least that's how I understand HIV/AIDS to work. So, Unless you were missing the T cells used to reproduce the virus, meaning you really didn't have much of an immune system in the first place, then no.

Answer 3

Yes, there are cases that humans are immune to HIV infection. There was a report on newspaper a few years back. Basically, the HIV virus attack your immune system's T-cells via the CD4 receptors. The HIV recognises the CD4 receptors and enter the stimulate the T-cells to take in the virus via the CD4 receptors. There are a small population of people (very rare) who had a mutation in the CD4 receptors. Simply put, this 'defect' enables the T-cells to evade the HIV invasion. So, people with the mutation in the CD4 receptors could be immune to HIV virus despite the fact that the virus could be circulating in their bodies.

Answer 4

I would have to say that it is possible.
However, I think it would be unlikely. The human body normally develops antibodies to fight off viruses. Once a human is exposed to a virus, the built up antibodies that form will fight off that virus if the body encounters it again. The problem with AIDS is that it attacks the very system (T-cells) responsible for building these anti-bodies.

If an immune human was every found, their blood would be worth its weight in gold. Studying their blood would be the key to developing a vaccine to fight AIDS.

Answer 5

Actually this isn't that imposable. The carrier monkey that starting it was just a carrier and not effected by it. But if there was a person immune to it, then that person would be a test subject that would never leave the labs.

Answer 6

ok first you gotta understant how HIV works. basically the virus attacts the protein receptors on the cell to get into the cell. and there is a genetic 'defect' that makes the protein receptors inactive so the HIV cant get in through that door. it originated because the Bubonic Plague attacked the same protein receptors, and so many people died from that, that some people evolved... i cant remember what the name of the chromosome is though.....

Answer 7

There actually are women in Africa (prostitutes) that doctors are testing because they are CARRIERS, but don't contract the disease.

HIV works through your T cells. A very general explanation here...but your T cells fight disease. They locate a virus, figure out how it works...change into what will kill it...plug into it, and destroy it. With HIV, it draws your T cells to it...fools your T cells into mutating into what they THINK will kill the virus... but in reality, it kills the T cell so your body has fewer and fewer T cells to fight off other viruses. Hence the 'immuno deficiency'. Some people have T cells that refuse to mutate into the vulnerable type of cell that the HIV virus can kill, so they end up carrying the HIV virus, but they still have the ability to kill off other illnesses.

HIV doesn't kill. AIDS doesn't kill. Other things like the common cold and pneumonia kill AIDS patients because they have no way to fight off those infections.


Having said that...don't take chances. Even if you couldn't contract the disease (which is insanely rare)...you would still be able to pass it on, so always...ALWAYS use safe sex practices.

Answer 8

Yes, there are people who are immune. Like a couple of others said, decedents of people who got the Plague and survived can have immunity to HIV.

Answer 9

Cheers Lisa E for knowing your stuff! Yes, there are many prostitutes, especially those in African nations that have vaginal canals which are colonized with HIV, but they are NOT HIV+. It cannot be detected in their blood streams - even years later. Why? We don't know yet - but it is the subject of the current phase II trial vaccines.

There are also long-term partners of HIV+ patients who never seroconvert - again - they are the subject of many studies to see what it is about their immune systems that keeps them HIV-.

Lastly, there are HIV+ patients who NEVER have abnormal CD4 counts or viral loads - who, for 20+ years have never required a medication. These are extremely rare cases, and, again, highly studied.

The reality is the key to a vaccine is going to come from one of these subpopulations who simply do not acquire the disease or who do not progress.

Exciting stuff!!!

Answer 10

Not only possible almost inevitable, no virus kills 100% of it's hosts/victims or it wouldn't spread efficiently, this was one of the original arguments that tended to support the theory that AIDS was a man made disease aimed at population control and morality enforcement. Plenty of things are impossible, don't know who the 'they' is that you refer to but this certainly isn't one of them.

Answer 11

If you want something, nothing is impossible. But, what you are asking is a question for a professional Doctor to answer. You can get in a lot of trouble asking this question to be answered by a lot of nonprofessional people. Wish you luck in seeking your answer from a "highly" educated professional.