Poorva Chavan
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Written By: Poorva Chavan | Updated : April 3, 2015 12:07 PM IST
Scientists for long now have tried to develop treatment methods to treat HIV-AIDS. Various studies previously have tried to identify the path by which the HIV infection spreads. In a breakthrough study, scientists at the University College London have found the exact mechanism by which HIV spreads . The claim that it spreads in a similar way to computer worms. This finding opens up new ways to identify therapies that can treat HIV infections early and hence prevent complications. (Read:11 interesting facts about HIV/AIDS you didn't know!)
According to the scientists, HIV spreads through the body using two methods bloodstream and directly between cells. This is similar to how computer worms make their way through a both the internet and local networks respectively, to infect many computer.The scientists also designed a new model to study the progression from HIV to AIDS in patients. (Read: 5 tests to detect a recent HIV infection)
The model was verified by a detailed study of sample data from 17 HIV patients in London. The analysis revealed that hybrid spreading provided the best explanation for HIV progression and highlighted the benefits of early treatment. It was found that HIV infected CD4+ T-cells, played a vital role in the immune system and protected people from diseases. As the infection progresses, HIV reduces the number of active T-cells in the body, until the immune system cannot function correctly, a state known as 'acquired immune deficiency syndrome' or AIDS. The model predicted that the treatment has to begin as early as possible after the infection to prevent HIV to progress into AIDS. (Read:Revealed -- why HIV vaccine trials have been failing)
The number of HIV cells in the bloodstream was always relatively low during the study, and their model showed that HIV spreading through the bloodstream alone was not enough to cause AIDS explained, Professor Benny Chain, co-senior author at UCL Infection and Immunity. He further explained that preventing its spread through the bloodstream would not stop AIDS, if HIV had already spread to an area rich in T-cells by the time treatment begins. The model suggested that completely blocking cell-to-cell transfer would prevent progression to AIDS, highlighting the need to develop new treatments.
Image source: Getty Images
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