HIV

HIV Human immunodeficiency virus, the cause of AIDS. HIV is a retrovirus: It has an RNA genome and a reverse transcriptase enzyme. Using the reverse transcriptase, the virus uses its RNA as a template for making complementary DNA. This DNA can then integrate itself into the DNA of the host organism. Also known as the AIDS virus, human lymphotropic virus type III, lymphadenopathy-associated virus, and lymphadenopathy virus. See also AIDS.