PSYCHIATRIC MANIFESTATIONS OF HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS (HIV) INFECTION

Abstract

Since its first description in the summer of 1981 in USA, the HIV has rapidly become an urgent public health concem.

HIV is small retrovirus , isolated in 1984 almost simultaneously by Dr. LucMontaginerand Dr. Robert Gallo , and has 3 genes encode for its structure :- env , gag ,and pol genes . in addition to the 3 structural genes , HIV possesses other genes that regulate the assembly of viral proteins and control infectivity , viral replication and latency , which are :- tat, riv , vif and nef

genes

Immune system have evolved to combat infection . Having little or no immune defense was almost unheard of the 1960s,and people were not very concerned about immune

process . All that changed in the 1980s as people became aware of the HIV. HIV has a particular tropism for CD 4 molecule, which is present on the surface of T lymphocytes, B lymphocytes, monocytes and macrophages. The functional integrity of all these cells is significantly impaired.