Why some people are immune to HIV-1

A study of genetic variation in HIV-1 and in the cells it infects has uncovered a chink in HIV-1’s armor that may, at least in part, explain the puzzling difference and potentially open the door to new treatments. Doctors have long been mystified as to why HIV-1 rapidly sickens some individuals, while in others the virus has difficulties gaining a foothold. HIV-1 harms people by invading immune system cells known as T lymphocytes, hijacking their molecular machinery to make more of themselves, then destroying the host cells , leaving the infected person more susceptible to other deadly diseases.