AEGiS-Bangkok Post: New virus 'no cause for panic'

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2006. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

New virus 'no cause for panic'

Bangkok Post - June 21, 2006
Apinya Wipatayotin

News reports about a Thai woman contracting a new strain of HIV virus is no cause for panic as it is a common occurrence, said medical experts yesterday. "Please don't panic about the new form of viral combination. HIV/Aids can't harm you, if you know how to prevent it. However, we have to closely monitor the viral combination to prevent its spread," said Dr Prasert Tongcharoen, the winner of this year's Mahidol University-B Braun award for outstanding public health service.

Dr Prasert made the comment following local media reports that a Thai woman, who was forced to offer sex services in Africa, was infected with the new combined strain of the A/E and C viruses. The finding, the country's first, has prompted the Department of Disease Control to closely monitor the situation.

Dr Prasert added that the new combined strain was no more dangerous than other strains. However, the country might be burdened with extra expenditure for the development or purchase of effective anti-viral drugs to fight the new strain.

Disease Control chief Dr Thawat Sundrachan also expressed concern about the impact of the new strain on vaccine development. The discovery of a new HIV strain in a Thai citizen was a warning sign to health authorities that they not let their guard down against the disease, he said.

"However, the viral combination might have an impact on our vaccine production plan. Our current stock of vaccine was designed to be active against only the HIV/Aids strains A/E and B. If we have new viral strains, it might take longer to produce a vaccine for them," he said.

The A/E strain is the most widespread in Thailand affecting 98% of the HIV/Aids patients, followed by the B strain. The C strain is mostly found in Africa, China and India.

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