NEET (UG) 2023 — Question 124

HIV primarily infects helper T-lymphocytes ($T_H$ cells, CD4+ T cells). After entry, reverse transcriptase converts viral RNA into DNA, which integrates into the host genome as a provirus. The provirus uses the host cell machinery to transcribe viral RNA and synthesize viral proteins. New viral particles assemble and bud out from the infected $T_H$ cell. The released progeny viruses then infect other helper T-lymphocytes, so the correct option is D.