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HIV transmission in heterosexual contact: new discoveries
Medical expert of the article
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
The new study shows that although HIV infection in different people over time takes different forms, the strains of the virus that are transmitted through heterosexual intercourse are often identical to those previously infected with the partner who carries the virus. The study of the characteristics of these strains can help in the fight against HIV infection. Scientists who conducted the study and made an appropriate discovery hope that the results of their work will be a step towards the creation of an HIV vaccine.
The study was conducted under the supervision of the research staff of Andrew Redd and Thomas Quinn from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
The team studied the characteristics of the genetic chains of HIV infection, using blood samples from heterosexual patients from Uganda, who were collected between 1994 and 2002.
Experts were able to detect a significant increase in genetically modified HIV viruses among infected people over the entire eight-year period. It is interesting that these changes occurred in some people, but not in all infected in general.
To give this phenomenon an explanation, scientists hypothesized that the genetic diversity of HIV at the population level was limited, because only certain strains of the virus were responsible for subsequent sexual transmission.
To test their theory, experts examined the genetic relationship of the strains of infection in 31 couples where the transmission occurred through heterosexual contact.
In 22 cases, the virus in the blood of the infected partner had the same form as the virus-transferring partner in the early stages after infection.
According to Dr. Redd, this finding suggests that the transmission of HIV through heterosexual contact, the natural selection of strains of viruses at an early stage of transmission reduces viral diversity at the population level.
Studies of other scientists confirm that the virus detected in the early stages differs little from the strain that caused the infection.
Thus, in the body of an infected person, in one way or another, a strain of the virus that in sex can infect another person is stored in minimal amounts. It follows that this strain has an evolutionary advantage over other strains of HIV, as it can without any changes overcome the sexual barrier and provoke the infection, emphasizes Dr. Redd.
