HIV damages the cells in the body's immune system so that the body is unable to fight infection or certain cancers

HIV damages the cells in the body's immune system so that the body is unable to fight infection or certain cancers

• A. HIV
• B. Hepatitis
• C. Contamination
• D. Pathogen

Answer: (A)

The statement describes a virus that specifically targets immune system cells, weakening the body's ability to fight infections and certain cancers. HIV, or human immunodeficiency virus, does exactly that by infecting and destroying CD4+ T cells, which are central to coordinating the immune response. As these cells decline, the body becomes much more susceptible to opportunistic infections and some cancers, unless treated. Hepatitis involves viruses that mostly affect the liver, not the immune system in the way HIV does. Contamination refers to the presence of an unwanted substance or agent, not a disease. A pathogen is any disease-causing organism, not the name of the disease described. So the term that best fits the description is HIV.

The statement describes a virus that specifically targets immune system cells, weakening the body's ability to fight infections and certain cancers. HIV, or human immunodeficiency virus, does exactly that by infecting and destroying CD4+ T cells, which are central to coordinating the immune response. As these cells decline, the body becomes much more susceptible to opportunistic infections and some cancers, unless treated.

Hepatitis involves viruses that mostly affect the liver, not the immune system in the way HIV does. Contamination refers to the presence of an unwanted substance or agent, not a disease. A pathogen is any disease-causing organism, not the name of the disease described. So the term that best fits the description is HIV.