Aggressive HIV strain turns into AIDS within just 3 years say Belgian scientists

An aggressive new strain of HIV has been identified, scientists have warned.

A new study found the strain, called CRF19, is capable of transforming from an infection to full-blown aids within just three years.

 

Scientists have discovered an aggressive new strain of HIV.
The strain, CRF19, can transform from an infection to full-blown AIDS within just three years.

That is considerably faster than the average conversion time of around 10 years - and can be so quick that a person may not even realise they are infected.
Scientists were prompted to investigate amid a rising number of patients in Cuba suffering rapid progression to AIDS within three years of infection.

 

Prof Anne-Mieke Vandamme, of the University of Leuven in Belgium, said: “We set up this project and found that a particular recombinant strain, called CRF19, was strongly associated with fast progression.

“All patients infected with CRF19 were progressing to AIDS within three years after being infected - often as soon as they were diagnosed with HIV infection.
“All these patients are offered treatment immediately, but some patients are at diagnosis so ill that they die before they can recover with treatment.”