HIV is a retrovirus that infects specifically T helper cells / CD4 cells in the body.the glycoprotein (envelope protein) on the surface of the virus is able to bind to receptors on CD4 cells, and causes the lipid membrane of the virus to fuse with the host cell membrane.capsid containing viral RNA and reverse transcriptase enter the host cellcDNA is synthesised from the viral DNA by the enzyme reverse transcriptasecDNA and its complement form a double stranded viral DNA molecule and is transported into the host nucleusviral DNA is incorporated into the host DNAreliance on host transcription and translation machinery to synthesise viral components that is assembled to form a new viruseventually number of viruses within the cell exceed the space available, the cell swells and lyses, releasing viruses that are able to go on and infect more cells.