HIV

Question 1

Human Immunodeficiency Virus is a retrovirus which is what

Answer 1

A retrovirus is a virus with an RNA genome and reverse transcriptase.

Question 2

The virus is unable to survive outside of the human body
The virus is spread by

Answer 2

intimate human contact and can only be transmitted by direct exchange of body fluids

This means HIV can be transmitted in the following ways:
sexual intercourse

blood donation

sharing of needles used by intravenous drug users

from mother to child across the placenta

mixing of blood between mother and child during birth

from mother to child through breast milk

Question 3

The HIV virus is made up of several key components:

Answer 3

Two RNA strands

Proteins (including the enzyme reverse transcriptase)

A protein coat (capsid)

A viral envelope consisting of a lipid bilayer and glycoproteins

The lipid bilayer is derived from the cell membrane of the host helper

T cell that the particle escaped from
Attachment proteins