Researchers Cure AIDS... not a joke.

[jAZ]

If I understand this correctly, they've basically cured AIDS by allowing HIV positive people to have full immune systems.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...1020103343.htm

Researchers Knock Out HIV

ScienceDaily (Oct. 21, 2007) — With the latest advances in treatment, doctors have discovered that they can successfully neutralise the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The so-called ‘combination therapy’ prevents HIV from mutating and spreading, allowing patients to rebuild their immune system to the same levels as the rest of the population.

To date, it represents the most significant treatment for patients suffering from HIV.

Professor Jens Lundgren from the University of Copenhagen, together with other members of the research group EuroSIDA, have conducted a study, which demonstrates that the immune system of all HIV-infected patients can be restored and normalised. The only stipulation is that patients begin and continue to follow their course of treatment.

HIV attacks the body’s ability to counteract viruses

Viruses are small organisms that have no independent metabolism. Consequently, when they enter the body they attack living cells and adopt their metabolism. The influenza virus occupies cells in the nose, throat and lungs; the mumps attaches itself to the salivary glands of the ear; while the Polio virus plays on the intestinal tract, blood and salivary glands. In all these instances, our immune system attacks and eliminates the invading virus.

HIV is so deadly because the virus attaches itself to a crucial part of the immune system itself: to the so-called CD4+T lymphocytes, which are white blood corpuscles that help the immune system to fight infections. The Hi-virus forms and invades new CD4+T-lymphocytes. Slowly but surely, the number of healthy CD4+T lymphocytes in the blood fall, while HIV relentlessly weakens the body’s ability to defend itself from infection. Finally, the immune system erodes to such an extent that the infected patient is diagnosed with AIDS. The Hi-virus mutates constantly as it forms and this is why, scientists face a constant battle to find a cure or a vaccine.

Combination therapy knocks out HIV

Combination therapy prevents the virus from forming and mutating in human beings. When the virus is halted in its progress, the number of healthy CD4+T cells begins to rise and patients, who would otherwise die from HIV, can now survive. The immune system is rejuvenated and is apparently able to normalise itself, providing that the combination therapy is maintained. The moment the immune system begins to improve, the HIV-infected patient can no longer be said to be suffering from an HIV infection or disease, already declining in strength.

Findings from the study are published in the medical journal The Lancet - Vol. 370, Issue 9585, 4 August 2007, Pages 407-413

Adapted from materials provided by University Of Copenhagen.

[Ebolapox]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

1) HIV only has RNA, not DNA
2) The newest drugs are considered either fusion inhibitors (which prevent the drug from fusing with the lymphocyte once it has attached), or attachment inhibitors, which prevent the virus from locking on to specific receptors on your T-Cells.
3) You're right about the viral mutations. HIV is a very quirky virus in that it makes a ton of errors in its replication process. This also causes a big problem with treatment, but you can't really prevent the virus from mutating unless your entire patient base is completely compliant with their regimen, infects no one else, and doesn't exchange viral strains with other infected parties.
4) Genetics play a huge factor in how well you can manage the disease. A portion of the European population has a mutation in the CCR5 Delta 32 receptor that actually makes it substantially more difficult for them to get HIV, and, if they have two such mutations, can be completely immune to infection.
5) AIDS drugs have horrid side effects--liver toxicity, chronic diarrhea, fever, constant nausea, are among a few.

for a bit of background info for fax (who seems interested), HIV/AIDS is a retrovirus.

Originally Posted by wiki

A retrovirus is any virus belonging to the viral family Retroviridae. They are enveloped viruses possessing a RNA genome, and replicate via a DNA intermediate. Retroviruses rely on the enzyme reverse transcriptase to perform the reverse transcription of its genome from RNA into DNA, which can then be integrated into the host's genome with an integrase enzyme. The virus then replicates as part of the cell's DNA.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by FAX

Thanks, Mr. 'Hamas' Jenkins. I'm a little confused on point 1, though. My understanding was that the HIV virus actually converts RNA to DNA which then combines with the host cell DNA. Incorrect?

FAX

No, you're right. The virus itself has only RNA, but after it injects itself into the host cell it essentially hijacks the machinery of the cell and then due to an enzyme known as reverse transcriptase, can create DNA.

The first major AIDS drugs (including AZT), were reverse transcriptase inhibitors. Unfortunately, the virus quickly builds a resistance to them, which is why doctors often prescribe two, along with a protease inhibitor.

[FAX]

Thanks, Mr. H5N1. So, does HIV have DNA, or not? Based on that description, it appears so.

FAX

[Donger]

Hamas, if you've something to say to me, do it on the board, please.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by FAX

Thanks, Mr. H5N1. So, does HIV have DNA, or not? Based on that description, it appears so.

FAX

Technically no, but they possess the requisite "chemicals" to allow them to create what's known as complementary viral DNA.

[JBucc]

The incredible curable AIDS.

[Ebolapox]

Originally Posted by FAX

Thanks, Mr. 'Hamas' Jenkins. I'm a little confused on point 1, though. My understanding was that the HIV virus actually converts RNA to DNA which then combines with the host cell DNA. Incorrect?

FAX

from my incomplete understanding of HIV/AIDS, yes and no. (I'm more interested in hemorrhagic fevers like ebola, etc.)

it 'basically' (and it's hard to put into layman's terms, because it's a field filled with jargon and complex biochemical pathways) a RNA retrovirus that writes itself into our genetics, uses the machinery of our cells to reproduce itself, and shuts down our immune system via 'helper-T' cells.

[Ebolapox]

Originally Posted by FAX

Thanks, Mr. H5N1. So, does HIV have DNA, or not? Based on that description, it appears so.

FAX

RNA

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by Donger

Hamas, if you've something to say to me, do it on the board, please.

Why? You'll end it like you do every other disagreement, and I don't want to see it derail/hijack this thread.

[FAX]

Got it. Thanks, Mr. 'Hamas' Jenkins.

FAX

[Ebolapox]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

Technically no, but they possess the requisite "chemicals" to allow them to create what's known as complementary viral DNA.

basically it uses our cells' machinery to replicate itself much like our dna does in dna transcription (aids virus is actually 'written' in genetic code via messenger rna)

[Donger]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

Why? You'll end it like you do every other disagreement, and I don't want to see it derail/hijack this thread.

Considering the post that you responded to, I'm curious as to what offended you. You think junkies deserve, what, compassion?

[FAX]

Fascinating. My confusion was sponsored by the fact that certain drugs used to treat HIV are designed to deliver "bad" DNA building blocks. For some reason, I took this to mean that the virus was using these materials for its own DNA during replication. My bad.

FAX

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by Donger

Considering the post that you responded to, I'm curious as to what offended you. You think junkies deserve, what, compassion?

You posited your take as though anyone who gets the virus currently does so out of stupidity or recklessness and deserves no sympathy.

That's just woefully ignorant. Moreover, although there are definitely people who know that they are playing Russian Roulette, there are often many, many people who are being infected by things that are out of their control.

Take a global view of the problem. It's easy to judge a sex worker in Thailand or a prostitute along a truck route in Africa, but doing so with our knowledge of viral transmission and their knowledge of HIV-AIDS is completely asinine. There are still several places in Africa where it is believed that having sex with a virgin will cure you of AIDS.

Furthermore, there are dozens of women who, as a byproduct of the cultures that they live in, must be subservient to men. Rape, and/or a compulsion to have sex with any man who asks are sad facts of some of these areas.

Additionally, places like the Phillipines have had huge explosions in HIV infection because of the religious influence of the Catholic Church, who expressly forbids condom usage. Of course this doesn't stop sex, but when you are indoctrinated into a faith from birth, it's hard to think logically and rationally about safe sex choices, especially when safe sex with a condom is considered a mortal sin.

But it's also not as cut and dry as you would think in America.

The fastest growing segment of HIV infection is in black women, and this is largely due to the fact that they are being infected by their partners who are having sexual dalliances behind their backs (as part of the down low subculture), picking up bugs, and taking them home.

Now, should you expect a women who has been with a man for a year and is on the pill to use a condom every time they have sex. Technically that's "unsafe" sex, but it sure as hell isn't bug chasing.

Finally, it's not mere happenstance that the poorest areas of this and other countries are also those with the highest rates of HIV infection.

And this doesn't bring into consideration other factors like AIDS fatigue and Condom fatigue.

If you were to extend your claims to their logical conclusion, you would be damning of a large segment of the population.

Yes, there are definitely segments of the population that are reckless and self-destructive when it comes to their health, but saying that people get AIDS/that it's easy to catch only because they are blatantly stupid is one of the most ignorant things I've ever heard.

[gta0012]

= You don't DIE from AIDS doesnt cure it. Step in right direction.