Genetic mutation increases HIV risk in Africans
- added July 17, 2008
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- JanaPokana
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A genetic mutation that originally protected Africans from a virulent form of malaria now renders them 40% more susceptible to HIV infections, offering a partial explanation for the disproportionate spread of the virus among Africans and African Americans, researchers reported today.
The mutation, however, has an unusual benefit. It also slows progression of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, giving patients an extra two years of life, said Dr. Sunil K. Ahuja of the South Texas Veterans Health Care System, lead author of the paper in the journal Cell Host & Microbe.
The genetic variation is the first found to increase susceptibility to HIV and the first linked to people of African descent, said virologist Robin A. Weiss of University College London, a coauthor of the paper.
About 90% of Africans have the mutation, and it could account for as many as 11% of HIV infections on that continent, the researchers said. Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for about 75% of the world's 33 million people infected with HIV.
The mutation also affects about 60% of African Americans and could partially explain why HIV is more common among blacks than whites in the United States. Blacks make up 13% of the U.S. population but account for nearly half of all newly diagnosed infections.
The study appears to confirm the theory that the risk of contracting HIV is not solely connected to behavior, said Phill Wilson, chief executive of the Black AIDS Institute, an HIV/AIDS think tank in Los Angeles.
"Black gay men's behavior is no more risky -- and often less risky -- than white gay men, yet their vulnerability is so much greater," Wilson said.
Ahuja cautioned, however, that social factors -- such as poverty, lack of access to healthcare and sexual behavior -- were probably more important contributors to the risk of HIV infection.
(Excerpts / Thomas H. Maugh II and Karen Kaplan, Los Angeles Times)
The mutation, however, has an unusual benefit. It also slows progression of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, giving patients an extra two years of life, said Dr. Sunil K. Ahuja of the South Texas Veterans Health Care System, lead author of the paper in the journal Cell Host & Microbe.
The genetic variation is the first found to increase susceptibility to HIV and the first linked to people of African descent, said virologist Robin A. Weiss of University College London, a coauthor of the paper.
About 90% of Africans have the mutation, and it could account for as many as 11% of HIV infections on that continent, the researchers said. Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for about 75% of the world's 33 million people infected with HIV.
The mutation also affects about 60% of African Americans and could partially explain why HIV is more common among blacks than whites in the United States. Blacks make up 13% of the U.S. population but account for nearly half of all newly diagnosed infections.
The study appears to confirm the theory that the risk of contracting HIV is not solely connected to behavior, said Phill Wilson, chief executive of the Black AIDS Institute, an HIV/AIDS think tank in Los Angeles.
"Black gay men's behavior is no more risky -- and often less risky -- than white gay men, yet their vulnerability is so much greater," Wilson said.
Ahuja cautioned, however, that social factors -- such as poverty, lack of access to healthcare and sexual behavior -- were probably more important contributors to the risk of HIV infection.
(Excerpts / Thomas H. Maugh II and Karen Kaplan, Los Angeles Times)
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- JanaPokana
- 2 months ago
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Wow. That is interesting. I'm glad they point out that there are other more prevalent contributing factors than just genetics. Here's a pod about children born with HIV in Kenya. Heart wrenching...
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... particularly when some people still don't believe the disease exists!
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save the children.
stop the spread of HIV/AIDS.-
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- Ras_Yuhanna
- 2 months ago
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