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HIV-1

HIV-1 is the virus responsible for acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). HIV-1 is a lentivirus which infects cells of the immune system, specifically CD4+ T cells and macrophages, and the gradual depletion of infected T cells leads to the development of AIDS in individuals that are not on antiretroviral therapy. An estimated 38•6 (33•4-46•0) million people live with HIV-1 worldwide, while about 25 million have died already.
The worldwide spread of HIV-1 indicates that the virus effectively counteracts innate, adapted, and intrinsic immunity. HIV-1 has modest genome size which is less than 10kb. It excels in taking advantage of cellular pathways while neutralizing and hiding from the different components of the immune system.
It is worth noting that the existence of a window period in which viral propagation is not yet established and host defenses could potentially control viral expansion. The important co-receptors for HIV-1 infection are two chemokine receptors—CCR5 and CXCR4. Independently of the transmission route, most new infections are established by viral variants that rely on CCR5 usage.64 CXCR4-tropic viruses generally appear in late stages of infection and have been associated with increased pathogenicity and disease progression.