What does HIV destroy, lymphocytes or platelets?

HIV infects a variety of white blood cells: CD 4+ T cells, monocytes, macrophages and dendritic cells(DC). But only T cells are killed by viral replication. This has a very bad effect. read more

HIV have affinity for the CD4+ T lymphocytes . They are a variant of helper T cells that help in recognising the antigens so as to produce an inflammatory response. In the later stages of HIV infection, the CD4+counts drop drastically, so antigen recognition is affected leading to decreased immune response towards infectious organisms eg. read more

HIV can directly or indirectly cause low platelets and may contribute to low neutrophils. HIV may directly suppress platelet production by infecting megakaryocytes and indirectly suppress production by causing alterations in the production of cytokines (cell-produced chemicals) and growth factors needed for proper platelet production and function. read more

Lymphocytes There are two types of lymphocytes: B cells and T cells. B cells make antibodies and T cells attack germs. Usually, lymphocytes account for about 20 to 40 percent of the total number of WBCs. CD4 cells are a type of T cell that is measured separately. read more