Explain Why HIV Becomes Resistant So Quickly When a Single

question 79

Multiple Choice

Explain why HIV becomes resistant so quickly when a single drug is used therapeutically.

• A) The virus is an RNA genome virus. By using host RNA polymerase to directly copy the genome to make more virus particles, there's no proofreading capability. This leads to a high rate of mutation of the viral genome and increased chance for drug resistance.
• B) HIV uses reverse transcriptase to make a cDNA version of its RNA genome. This polymerase is "'sloppy," with a high rate of error and lack of a proofreading capability. This leads to a high rate of mutation of the viral genome and increased chance for drug resistance.
• C) HIV synthesizes a protein enzyme that directly cleaves anti-HIV drugs, giving it a characteristically high rate of resistance to a single drug type.
• D) HIV is constantly changing its genetic structure by swapping genetic elements with other virus strains. This leads to a high rate of mutation of the viral genome and increased chance for drug resistance.
• E) Like bacteria, HIV undergoes spontaneous mutation in the presence of antibiotics, so multiple medications are used simultaneously to reduce the chance of this happening.

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