ABSTRACT
An attempt has been made to mathematically model the patterns of viral growth and the associated immune system response characteristically associated with infection by the human immunodeficiency virus. By employing a very simple model of viral growth and the humoral immune system response, the interaction between a "normal" virus and the immune system response is compared with that of a viral entity called an immune system retrovirus (ISRV). As the ISRV attacks the immune system itself, the natural approach would seem to be to combine the equations for viral growth with those describing the immune system response. ISRV infection simultaneous with infection by a rapidly growing normal virus, or other infection, leads to rapid ISRV production resulting in almost certain destruction of the immune system response. In a patient, not infected with ISRV, the spread of Kaposi's sarcoma is inhibited by the normal functioning of the immune system.
