Impact of HIV on the Immune System Individuals who test HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) positive have to face up to the virus destroying part of their immune system. More specifically, it affects T lymphocytes or T cells, a type of white blood cell, which is regarded as a ‘fighter’ cell which helps the body to fend off all sorts of diseases. Once HIV has entered the body, it piggybacks on T cells and works its way inside. Upon entering, it uses the cell as a virus-making factory and duplicates itself very many times over. The new virus leaves the cell to move ...   read more