References

http://www.hivpositivemagazine.com/Lifecycle_2013.html

http://www.livestrong.com/article/94078-effects-hiv-immune-system/

http://std.about.com/od/glossary/g/HAART.htm

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hiv-aids/DS00005/DSECTION=treatments-and-drugs

http://www.la-press.com/la_press_news.php?pa=view&news_item_id=3008

http://www.topnews.in/health/study-reinforces-antiretroviral-therapys-effectiveness-hiv-prevention-28178

http://www.vip.it/hiv-enzima-integrasi/

http://www.niaid.nih.gov/topics/HIVAIDS/Understanding/Biology/pages/hivreplicationcycle.aspx

What are main causes of these disorders?

                                         

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a virus that infects vital cells in the human immune system specifically helper T cells (specifically CD4+ T cells), which are a type of white blood cell. This virus causes Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), which targets the human’s immune system and weakens it due to the infection in white blood cells, effectively weakening the body to be more susceptible to other future infections.

How does it affect individuals with the disease?

As mentioned earlier, HIV gradually exhausts the body's ability to combat the virus. 

A single HIV viral particle known as a virion is surrounded by the viral envelope which contains the proteins gp120 and gp41. 

The major steps in the HIV infection and replication cycle are: 

- Attachment 

- Entry 

- Reverse transcription 

- Integration 

- Protein processing and maturation. 

The gp120 protein binds to the CD4 receptor that is present on T-helper cells. Once the virus enters the T-helper cell, it uncoats and the viral RNA undergoes reverse transcription to become proviral DNA which is then transported into the T cell nucleus. HIV integrase enzyme then incorporates the proviral DNA into the T-helper cell genome and activates the provirus. Polyproteins are then expressed and this gets cleaved by HIV protease enzyme and virions bud from the host cell. Macrophages play a crucial role in HIV infection and are the first cells infected by HIV.

Some symptoms of HIV include: 

- Memory loss 

- Rapid weight loss 

- Tiredness 

- Diarrhea. 

The long term side effects of HIV are:

- Lactic Acidosis (building up of lactate) 

It can cause muscle aches to liver failure.

- Lipid abnormalities (increase in cholesterol or triglycerides)

- Insulin resistance (lead to diabetes) 

- Decrease in bone density (lead to osteoporosis and easy bone fractures). 

HIV can develop into AIDS making it harder for the body to fight off infections and diseases.  

What are the current treatment/cures?

                                

The most common treatment for HIV is the Highly Active Anti Retroviral Therapy (HAART) drug regime. It is a combination of several drugs with varied functions designed to maximise the effectiveness of the treatment and to delay the progress of the virus, and increasing the life expectancy. Some of the drugs are:

1. Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs). NNRTIs disable a protein needed by HIV to make copies of itself. Examples include efavirenz (Sustiva), etravirine (Intelence) and nevirapine (Viramune).

2. Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs). NRTIs are faulty versions of building blocks that HIV needs to make copies of itself. Examples include Abacavir (Ziagen), and the combination drugs emtricitabine and tenofovir (Truvada), and lamivudine and zidovudine (Combivir).

3. Protease inhibitors (PIs). PIs disable protease, another protein that HIV needs to make copies of itself. Examples include atazanavir (Reyataz), darunavir (Prezista), fosamprenavir (Lexiva) and ritonavir (Norvir).

4. Entry or fusion inhibitors. These drugs block HIV's entry into CD4 cells. Examples include enfuvirtide (Fuzeon) and maraviroc (Selzentry).

5. Integrase inhibitors. Raltegravir (Isentress) works by disabling integrase, a protein that HIV uses to insert its genetic material into CD4 cells.

HIV can easily develop resistance to an individual antiretroviral therapy, but it is harder for the virus to become drug resistant when multiple antiretroviral therapies with varied mechanisms of action are combined into a single HIV treatment that is used most as the most common treatment for HIV.

What is the biochemistry behind the disease?

The life cycle of the HIV Virion.

                                           

Could one prevent this metabolic disorder?

Here are some of the methods to prevent the spread of HIV.

1. Use a new condom every time you have sex.

2. Consider the drug Truvada

3. Use a clean needle for every injection you make.

4. If you're pregnant, get medical care right away

This is to prevent the HIV from being passed to the foetus.

5. Sexual abstinence

Sexual abstinence is a self-enforced restraint from indulging in sexual activities for a period of time.

There are of course more methods available but these are just the few that most people are aware of.

Most importantly, providing sex education to teens especially those between the age of 13 to 21 will raise their awareness to the dire consequences of having unsafe sex.