[Ebolapox]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

1) HIV only has RNA, not DNA
2) The newest drugs are considered either fusion inhibitors (which prevent the drug from fusing with the lymphocyte once it has attached), or attachment inhibitors, which prevent the virus from locking on to specific receptors on your T-Cells.
3) You're right about the viral mutations. HIV is a very quirky virus in that it makes a ton of errors in its replication process. This also causes a big problem with treatment, but you can't really prevent the virus from mutating unless your entire patient base is completely compliant with their regimen, infects no one else, and doesn't exchange viral strains with other infected parties.
4) Genetics play a huge factor in how well you can manage the disease. A portion of the European population has a mutation in the CCR5 Delta 32 receptor that actually makes it substantially more difficult for them to get HIV, and, if they have two such mutations, can be completely immune to infection.
5) AIDS drugs have horrid side effects--liver toxicity, chronic diarrhea, fever, constant nausea, are among a few.

for a bit of background info for fax (who seems interested), HIV/AIDS is a retrovirus.

Originally Posted by wiki

A retrovirus is any virus belonging to the viral family Retroviridae. They are enveloped viruses possessing a RNA genome, and replicate via a DNA intermediate. Retroviruses rely on the enzyme reverse transcriptase to perform the reverse transcription of its genome from RNA into DNA, which can then be integrated into the host's genome with an integrase enzyme. The virus then replicates as part of the cell's DNA.