A 20-year-old female has been diagnosed with AIDS. Laboratory testing would reveal diminished levels of:
A) cytotoxic T cells.
B) B cells.
C) helper T cells.
D) T suppressor cells.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

AIDS is caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) which primarily targets and infects helper T cells (CD4+ cells). As the virus replicates and destroys these cells, the immune system becomes weakened and unable to mount effective immune responses against infections and cancers. This leads to a range of opportunistic infections and other complications that define AIDS. The levels of B cells and cytotoxic T cells may not necessarily be affected significantly in AIDS, while the levels of T suppressor cells may actually increase as a counter-regulatory mechanism to the loss of helper T cells.

A 20-Year-Old Female Has Been Diagnosed with AIDS