New Strain of HIV Leads to Acquisition of AIDS in 5 Years
Researchers have discovered a new strain of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) which reportedly can lead to Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) in only 5 years.
The finding was shared by researchers at LundUniversity in Sweden.
The new strain appears to only exist in West Africa but it is a combination or what it calls a “fusion” with another strain found in Guinea-Bissau. The strain has the identifier A3/02.
The strain was first identified in 2011 but is causing concern because of a rise in the number of cases spawned by it.
Researchers call strains such as A3/02 a “recombinant” form of the HIV virus which basically means that it combines with other forms of the virus to form new stronger ones.
There are two known types of the HIV virus, HIV-1 and HIV-2. HIV-1 is the most common across the globe and it can be subdivided into other recombinant forms.
Strains occur and are typically isolated within specific geographic regions. The recombinant forms occur when a person is infected by more than one type of strain. This is a significant risk because the population in general is more mobile today.
The finding about how recombinant forms of the HIV virus developed was presented by Angelica Palm who is a doctoral student studying at LundUniversity.
Researchers at LundUniversity also found that the participants in their study with the A3/02 were three times more likely to develop full-blown AIDS within 5 years. This was in comparison to those with only the A3 strain who on average developed AIDS within 8 years.
At the present time, West Africa is the only geographical location where the A3/02 virus occurs. However, in countries and regions where immigration levels are high such as the United States and Europe, other recombinant forms of the virus are beginning to show.
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