HIV Life Cycle

Viruses must infect a cell in order to reproduce, since they are not technically alive: they are just like a brain without any body. In order to duplicate themselves, they must sort of hi-jack a cell, and use it to make new viruses. Just as your body is constantly making new skin cells, or new blood cells, each cell often makes new proteins in order to stay alive and to reproduce itself. Viruses hide their own DNA in the DNA of the cell, and then, when the cell tries to make new proteins, it accidentally makes new viruses as well. HIV mostly infects cells in the immune system.