Selection of escape mutants from immune recognition during HIV infection.

We present computer simulations of the HIV infection based ona sophisticated cellular automata model of the immune response. The infection progresses following the well-known three-phase dynamics observed in patients, that is, acute, silent and acquired immunodeficiency.Antigenic shift and selection of escape viral mutants with low transcription rate explain the long term course of the asymptomatic phase, while the immunodeficiency status appears to be the consequence of a drastic reduction in T helper cell repertoire.