An AIDS mutant virus with a growth rate five times faster and toxicity two times stronger was found. provided by oxford
A mutant virus that multiplied more than five times faster in AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome) while the mutation is changing the pattern of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19, Corona 19) pandemic has been found, and the toxicity is twice as strong. It first appeared in the 1980s and is believed to have spread to the Netherlands. Fortunately, it has been confirmed that the existing treatment methods are working well so far, but experts pointed out that regular examinations and prompt treatment have become more important.
A research team led by Professor Christopher Fraser of the Big Data Research Center at Oxford University in the UK discovered a new mutation in the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) that causes AIDS in the Netherlands and confirmed that its toxicity and proliferative ability were increased.
The team identified a new mutation, VB, in a project to detect HIV across Europe. Of the 17 new mutation-positive patients identified in the project, 15 were confirmed in the Netherlands. As a result of analyzing 6,700 people who tested positive for HIV in the Netherlands, the research team confirmed an additional 92 people, resulting in a total of 109 patients.
In the case of VB mutation, the amount of virus in the body was 3.5 to 5.5 times higher than that of the existing virus when infected. The reduction rate of CD4 T cells, a characteristic that occurs when immunity is compromised by HIV, was also twice as fast. CD4 T cells are immune-supporting cells that increase the risk of AIDS when their number decreases. Patients with the VB mutation also had a higher ability to transmit the virus to others.
Fortunately, even after being infected with the VB mutation, after starting treatment, the immune system recovered, similar to that of other HIV-infected people. However, the research team emphasized that early diagnosis and treatment are important as it worsens the immune system more rapidly.
As a result of analyzing the genetic mutation pattern, the research team estimated that the VB mutation first occurred between the late 1980s and 1990s in the Netherlands. In the 2000s, the rate of spread was faster than other HIV, but it is analyzed that the rate of spread has gradually decreased since 2010.
“It underscores the importance of the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines that people at risk for HIV infection should be screened regularly for early diagnosis,” said Professor Fraser. It is contained quickly and prevents transmission to others,” he said.