Women 'naturally susceptible' to HIV

Researchers believe they have found the key to why HIV progresses faster in women than in men.

It has already been established that women tend to develop Aids faster than men who have a similar amount of HIV in their blood.

Now a team from the Massachusetts General Hospital have explained in Nature Medicine that a receptor molecule which takes part in the first-line recognition of the virus acts differently in females.

Immune cells called plasmacytoid dendritic cells activate in greater numbers when a woman becomes infected with HIV, rather than a man.

"While stronger activation of the immune system might be beneficial in the early stages of infection, resulting in lower levels of HIV-1 replication, persistent viral replication and stronger chronic immune activation can lead to the faster progression of Aids that has been seen in women," explained lead researcher Dr Marcus Altfeld.

The team is now investigating the possibility that drugs which change this behaviour could help treat HIV.

News brought to you by Global Health TV, connecting health communities