Retroviruses have their own peculiar ecology. Their genomes can become integrated into the host cell chromosome. Once integrated the viral genome may be transcribed or it may stay dormant and untranscribed. If dormant the retrovirus can exist undetected for a long time
This has serious implications for HIV infections. The HIV provirus can integrate into the chromosome of a host white blood cell and remain undetected for years. Only when that lymphocyte is stimulated by some physiological signal will transcription of the provirus be activated. Suddenly then virus particles can burst from the cell and infect other nearby cells. This dormant state termed viral latency, means that it is difficult, indeed virtually impossible to eradicate an HIV infection from the body. There can be many cells that harbor silent proviruses each is indistinguishable from a normal uninfected cell
This has serious implications for HIV infections. The HIV provirus can integrate into the chromosome of a host white blood cell and remain undetected for years. Only when that lymphocyte is stimulated by some physiological signal will transcription of the provirus be activated. Suddenly then virus particles can burst from the cell and infect other nearby cells. This dormant state termed viral latency, means that it is difficult, indeed virtually impossible to eradicate an HIV infection from the body. There can be many cells that harbor silent proviruses each is indistinguishable from a normal uninfected cell