Human retroviruses and their associated diseases. Biology, pathophysiology, and clinical consequences of human retroviral infection

Abstract

The discovery of the group of human retroviruses and their associated diseases has had a profound impact on the way we think of viral-associated human diseases and their social, medical, economic, and even ethical aftereffects. This article discusses the biology, pathophysiology, and clinical consequences of human retroviral infection, with particular emphasis on the human immunodeficiency virus type 1, the causative agent of AIDS.