AIDS virus

American  

[eydz vahy-ruhs] / ˈeɪdz ˌvaɪ rəs /

noun

1. a variable retrovirus that invades and inactivates helper T cells of the immune system and is a cause of AIDS and AIDS-related complex: variants were identified in several laboratories and independently named lymphadenopathy-associated virus LAV, human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 3 HTLV-3, and AIDS-related virus ARV, the name human immunodeficiency virus HIV being subsequently proposed by an international taxonomy committee.

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Example Sentences

The source of the woman's suffering: the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, or AIDS, virus.

From Time Magazine Archive

Contrary to accepted wisdom and to all that is so far known by medicine, they claim the "AIDS virus is now running rampant in the heterosexual community" and can be transmitted through casual contact.

From Time Magazine Archive