HIV-1, human immunodeficiency virus type 1, is a human retrovirus in the genus Lentivirus and family Retroviridae. It can cause acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, an advanced stage of HIV infection; the virus and the disease stage are distinct concepts.[ref]
Its virion has a viral envelope and an internal core containing the RNA genome and replication machinery. During infection, reverse transcription produces a DNA copy, which becomes integrated into host-cell DNA as a provirus. This RNA-to-DNA step is a defining part of retroviral replication.[ref]
Retroviridae report by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses. Summary and Table 1, genome and replication
The primate lentiviruses use CD4 together with a chemokine receptor for cell recognition and entry.[ref]Lentivirus report by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses. Distinguishing features
An idealized counting example distinguishes molecular and particle quantities. An orthoretroviral particle packages a dimer of genomic RNA: a preparation containing 100 intact such particles would contain 200 packaged RNA molecules. Counting RNA molecules therefore need not give the same number as counting virions.[ref]
Retroviridae report by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses. Table 1, orthoretroviral RNA dimer
Actual nucleic-acid measurements can also detect material outside complete particles. Particle assembly, integration and successful infection require different evidence, so the measured object must be specified rather than treating every virus-associated signal as the same biological quantity.
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