Discovery of a patient in France with a new strain of HIV

The strain was found in Cameroon in 1998 and now first meet outside the country. The case shows that the virus is circulating. BBC explains the implications of the finding.

A rare type of HIV virus was discovered in Cameroon in 1998 - was found for the first time outside the country in a patient of 57 years in France.
The strain, which belongs to the group of HIV, is much more similar to the type of virus found in chimpanzees than to the strains circulating in humans.
The patient diagnosed in France had recently traveled to Togo in western Africa, as reported by scientists at the National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM) and the National Reference Center for HIV in France.
The details of the case, as published in the medical journal The Lancet, show that this virus is now circulating elsewhere.
"The finding is very interesting, 'he told BBC Professor Rafael Najera, HIV expert virologist and professor emeritus at the Institute of Health Carlos III of Spain.
'Finding a new strain of HIV at this point is very relevant, but the case is important because it indicates that the virus has already left the country of origin and must have a better surveillance. "
Groups
HIV is divided into several groups. Most variants affecting humans belong to the group M or, less commonly, to group O.
However, in 1998, documented the first case of infection with a virus group N-linked to the simian virus-in a woman living in Cameroon.
Since then, only identified 12 cases of this variant in the country, including two couples infected with the same strains, all in that country.
And in 2009 he found a four HIV group, designated group P, a woman from Cameroon who lived in Paris.
The individual who lives in France diagnosed had recently traveled to Togo and had sexual contact with a person tongolesa.
Scientists describe the individual's symptoms as 'severe', and included swollen glands, fever, rash and ulcers.
As explained by Professor Najera, although it is a rare strain appears to be much more virulent than other variants, which is important for the severe symptoms that showed the patient.
"This virus seems to have a high pathogenicity because it quickly in a few weeks could impair the patient's immune system, 'said the expert.
'And the analysis showed from the first time the presence of the virus. This reveals that it has important pathogenic characteristics. "
The patient, however, responded positively to antiretroviral treatment that was provided doctors diagnosed as HIV.
The therapy, researchers report, was 'a good initial efficacy'.
According to Professor Rafael Najera, the case is important because it indicates that this rare virus is now circulating outside Cameroon.
'The most important aspect of this case has been detected in a patient from Togo who does not belong to the group known in Cameroon, "explains the expert told the BBC.
'This means that the virus has circulated elsewhere. And while only 12 cases have been documented in Cameroon may now be more cases in the country and has spread to other countries in Africa. "
'So now you will need to explore what is its mode of transmission and what is their pathogenic potential.
'And we must also keep an eye on the possible development of resistance and sensitivity of this virus to other antiretrovirals "concluded the expert.
BBC Mundo.com - All rights reserved. No kind of reproduction without written permission from the BBC.