Only months after President Barack Obama addressed the nation stressing a stronger focus on HIV prevention and improved treatment, significant progress is continuing to be made by researchers.  It looks like the research community is taking his words seriously!  A recent study published in Science has found the specific genes that some HIV infected people have that allows their immune systems to maintain low levels of HIV.  These individuals, called “Controllers”, never develop AIDS.  1,500 of them volunteered for the study providing valuable information that will eventually lead to treatments for controlling the HIV infection.  Small variants in the protein HLA-B alert the immune system that there is an infection.  Those who don’t have these controlling genes eventually suffer with AIDS.

HIV infection is still a huge problem in the United States where the number of new cases continues to rise every year despite attempts to halt it’s spread.  The primary focus has been on condom use and those infected frequently don’t receive proper treatment.  President Obama has laid out a National HIV Strategy to reduce the incidence of the disease, increase access to care and reduce HIV-related health disparities.  President and Mrs. Obama were tested for HIV while visiting Kenya in 2006 to encourage men and women there to be tested to prevent spreading the disease.  This is also a large piece of the US strategy because research shows that people who have received positive results and know that they are HIV positive are less likely to engage in the risky behaviors which spread the infection.  Right now, this is the best defense we have but we need to keep pushing the envelope on research and prevention options.  If you think that you are at risk and/or engaging in risky behavior, get tested and stop the virus with you!

Written by www.labtestingnow.com