Human Immunodeficiency Virus

The retrovirus family includes the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which is the cause of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). HIV can be passed from an infected mother to her child before, during, and after birth, through contaminated blood and blood products, and through sexual interaction. According to some sources, 3–8 weeks after infection, antibodies to HIV proteins, which show the presence of an HIV infection, can be discovered in the serum normally 6–12 weeks after infection. The HIV-1 p24 antigen can be seen in blood samples from recently infected patients with a high viral load, allowing for the detection of HIV infection roughly six days earlier than with conventional antibody tests.