Immunity of patients destroying at double speed

 While on the one hand the whole world is engaged in fighting the variants of the corona virus, on the other hand a new variant of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) has been detected. Scientists in the Netherlands have found a super-mutant strain of HIV that makes patients sick more quickly than existing variants of the virus.

Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) occurs in people infected with HIV. This virus is usually spread through having unprotected sex. It kills the immune cells called CD4 present in the patient's body. Due to this, people also get very easily from minor diseases like colds. There is currently no permanent cure for HIV/AIDS. This can only be avoided.

New strains of HIV may lead to early AIDS stage

According to the scientists of Oxford University, the name of this new variant is VB variant. At present it is spreading rapidly in the Netherlands. Due to this, CD4 cells in infected people are decreasing at twice the rate. If not tested at the right time, the stage of AIDS can come early in its patients. That is, where the stage of AIDS used to come after 6-7 years after infection with the previous HIV variants, while infected with VB, this condition will come only in 2-3 years.

The new variant multiplies 3.5-5.5 times faster

The viral load of the VB variant is also 3.5 to 5.5 times higher than that of the existing strain. Viral load refers to the speed at which the virus multiplies in the body. However, if treatment is started at the right time, the patient's immune system has the same chances of recovery and survival as patients with other HIV strains. At present, 109 cases have been reported in the Netherlands.

VB variant is making people a victim at the age of 30

Scientists say that people in their 30s are most affected by the new variant of HIV. However, this does not mean that VB is only infecting young people. It is capable of spreading rapidly even among the elderly. According to researchers, the patient of this variant is reaching advanced HIV in just 9 months from the detection of infection.

Old HIV drugs effective on new variants

In research, it has been found that the old drugs used in the treatment of HIV are effective on the VB variant. Antiretroviral drugs are mainly used in the treatment of this infection. According to the study, using these drugs on a patient has saved him from going into the stage of AIDS.

Experts say that this variant can cause serious health problems, so it is very important to identify it as soon as possible and start treatment. In addition, efforts should be made to prevent infection of the VB variant worldwide as its continued spread can lead to dangerous mutations in the virus.