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New 'breakthrough' in HIV/AIDS treatment

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Scientists have discovered a protein that they believe will help halt the spread of HIV/AIDS, and reduce the virus's ability to mutate and become drug-resistant. Results from a new study show that the virus can be 'significantly weakened' by targeting a key human protein called ITK that is resistant to the virus's mutations.

At present, anti-retroviral treatments target proteins in the virus, a process which weakens the virus but only temporarily until it mutates and becomes resistant to the drugs, requiring patients to change drug combinations. This is both expensive and can be physically demanding for the sufferer.

Researchers say that by inactivating a protein produced by human cells rather than HIV, this suppressed the virus's ability to enter and infect human T cells, a key part of the body's immune system.

According to this article, this new treatment would be less expensive and significantly reduce the amount of drugs needed to keep a patient alive.
abbym0308

15 responses // New 'breakthrough' in HIV/AIDS treatment

  • watch this comment being used here
    Wow! What an amazing discovery! You often hear how traumatic treatments can be for aids so any developments that can reduce any unnecessary suffering are amazing.

    Just shows how far medicine and science have come.
    mattbrawn
  • watch this comment being used here, here, here, here, here, and here
    I really hope this is a breakthrough. The HIV virus has been particularly good at adapting to medical treatments before, so if this can stop that and effectively treat the virus, it will be one of the most important medical discoveries of this century.

    The article doesn't say what organization the scientists are working for, though. I hope that whoever they are working for are preparing this treatment to be used worldwide and not just by the rich.
    NcSchu
  • That hiv is one tough crapper. I suspect one day, someone's gonna go, "Oh! There it is. I just had to put that, in there! That'll be a great day. Of course, some other killer virus will take it's place a few years later, but ,ce lavi.
    Neghie
  • Sort of Ironic, b/c a few weeks ago I could have sworn their was an article saying how people are giving up hope on finding a cure. This puts us one step closer!
    GraphicTheEnemy
  • One tiny step in finding a cure.
    One great leap in hope for one.
    MaRibElfalcon76
  • this just proves that untangling the genetic ladder isn't some moral flop, its could produce true miracles.
    aBeaUtifulSavAge
  • So how soon would this be available to people in Africa and other developing areas of the world and at what price? I hope this is a step to a cure and that governments do not interfere with it being distributed to doctors and those who need it.
    JanforGore
  • http://current.com/items/88916811_is_it_time_to_give_up...
    Image...
    What a difference 6 days makes.
    mako2424
  • thats the miracle of science for you.
    diode
  • Hopefully they can implement it into the community real quick.
    I just can't believe that till this day, after more than 20 years, there is no cure.
    There are "supposedly" scientist working day and night to find a cure yet nothing.
    Are these people working diligently? 365 Days a year? (excluding weekends).
    JesseSanchez
  • I knew it. praise the lord. IT might just be expensive though.
    bumbl
  • uh oh...less expensive? don't let the pharmaceutical companies know...
    mayalynn
  • lets hear it for the scientists out there some praise is well over due.
    miracles happen because of all their hard work.

    keep up the good work.
    akyleryan
  • They have not let on to how long this will take < I asked my doctor for some, These things take awhile to pass through but you can look and hope you get into a clinical trial, there are still alot of mysteries to this and to many people have irreversably damaged there ability to fight the disease long term because of drug long term flaws and side affects, we must maintain hope and hard work and it will come, I have faith....
    sickinjersey
  • hi thanks for your reply.
    i know that it can take years for the medication to become available on the market as they have to test that it is safe and gather all the side affects info.

    but like every thing else it takes time.

    samantha
    akyleryan

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