The Cuban strain
When a Cuban strain goes up a gearCRF19 is the result of the genetic recombination of two other strains of HIV. And, of course, considering its virulence, it is characterised by a particularly high replication speed. What’s even more surprising is that CRF19 causes a rapid deterioration of the immune status particularly in patients with a high blood concentration of a chemokine known as RANTES. “And yet, RANTES, a product of the inflammation, naturally binds to mucous membrane T lymphocyte receptors which are precisely those used by HIV”, Michel Moutschen explains. “In these patients, since RANTES is already occupying the receptors essential for the replication of HIV in mucous membrane T lymphocytes, considerable selective pressure occurs allowing the short-term use of the receptors of the other T lymphocytes in the body”, the scientist continues. The reason why these Cuban patients show high levels of RANTES in the blood remains unknown. However, according to scientists, these people may have been subject to a systemic inflammation which is itself linked to the presence of CRF19 in their body. “The mere presence of the HIV strain may have stimulated the inflammation and thus provoked the production of RANTES. This scenario, which is counterproductive for the virus in the beginning, ultimately opens the way for it to infect the whole body rapidly. It's a sort of vicious circle”, Michel Moutschen sums up. Early treatment of the infection to stall the virusAccording to Michel Moutschen, the main message to remember following the results of this study is that anyone infected by HIV must be treated as soon as possible. “Currently, in Belgium and in many other countries, we don’t start treating patients until their concentration of CD4 T lymphocytes falls below a certain threshold. Before that, the treatment isn’t reimbursed”, the professor explains. “This decision is based on the fact that we presume that the speed of progression to AIDS is known and constant. So we wait a while, perhaps to make savings or to prevent the patient from getting tired of taking their medication...”. In Cuba, following the conclusions of the present study, the authorities have decided to significantly raise the threshold determining when HIV-infected patients should be treated. |
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