But in one or two per cent you get people who show up with one or two of the proteins, and they're the killers to interpret. There are several reasons why. Some people's cells don't have receptors on their cells that HIV can link on to. This means their body thinks that HIV proteins are its own proteins, and it doesn't react to them. I've seen beautiful pictures of HIV with knobs on that Hans Gelderblom of the Koch Institute in Berlin took.
Most viral copies are defective.
It's like seeds - plants produce many more seeds than the ones which grow. Oxidative stress is a real phenomenon. Immune and other cells which are highly stimulated produce increased amounts of free oxygen atoms and other oxidising compounds. In small amounts NO is a neurotransmitter, enabling the nervous system to function. In larger amounts it damages brain cells and causes dementia.