Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2003. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Mail & Guardian (Johannesburg) - August 13, 2003
Double trouble: Researchers at the University of Cape Town have found further evidence suggesting that patients infected by more than one strain of HIV before seroconversion - when the body starts to produce antibodies to the virus - are more likely to progress rapidly to Aids.
Earlier this year researchers at the University of Washington reported similar findings in four individuals with dual HIV infection who had progressed to Aids or death within two years of infection.
Dual infection can be a consequence of co-transmission, infection with two strains at the same time, or superinfection, when a second HIV infection occurs in an already infected person. The two viruses may be from the same subtype, though genetically highly divergent from each other.
People who become infected during unsafe sex with multiple partners could potentially have a very different clinical outcome from those who become infected during the occasional unsafe sexual encounter.
030813
MG030817
Copyright © 2003 - Daily Mail & Guardian. For information about the content or for permission to redistribute, publish or use for broadcast, contact the publisher.
AEGiS is a 501(c)3, not-for-profit, tax-exempt, educational corporation. AEGiS is made possible through unrestricted funding from Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, Elton John AIDS Foundation, the National Library of Medicine, Pacific Life Foundation and donations from users like you.
Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 2003. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.
AEGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All information contained on this website, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments, is for informational purposes only. It is often presented in summary or aggregate form. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professionals. Always discuss treatment options with a doctor who specializes in treating HIV.
Copyright ©1980, 2003. AEGiS. All materials appearing on AEGiS are protected by copyright as a collective work or compilation under U.S. copyright and other laws and are the property of AEGiS, or the party credited as the provider of the content. .