HIV sub-type 'more deadly' than others

An HIV sub-type that is prevalent in certain parts of the world may be more deadly than other strains of the virus, new research published in the journal AIDS has claimed.

Studies led by US teams from the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health revealed that people infected with HIV and living in Thailand died significantly sooner than those living with the disease elsewhere in the world.

The researchers identified that the sub-type E of the disease, the most common strain in Thailand, was the reason for the shorter survival period, with sub-type D also leading to a quicker death.

"We were surprised to learn that the young military recruits from Thailand appeared to develop AIDS more quickly and have shorter survival after their HIV infection than persons in Africa who were carefully followed," commented Professor Ram Rangsin, co-author of one of the reports.

"If we could understand better the virulence characteristics of these viruses, we might learn something more about why those with HIV infection progress to AIDS, usually many years after they are infected," added Dr Kenrad E Nelson, lead author of the reports.

World Health Organization figures indicate that there were 580,000 people living with HIV/AIDS in Thailand in 2005, with the disease leading to an estimated 21,000 deaths in the country annually.

News brought to you by Global Health TV, covering the issues of Health in the Developing world.