Considering the fact that there is no known and confirmed cure to the Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), experts believe that it can be controlled with the use of certain anti-retroviral drugs caused by the said disease. However, a new study from scientists of Bengaluru, the capital of India's southern Karnataka state has recently found that if the mutation rate of HIV virus is increased by two to six times, it could potentially become ineffective against its host body in roughly 10 years.
Slowly But Surely: Researchers Suggest New Method To Destroy HIV
According to reports revealed by Bangalore Mirror, study lead researcher Narendra Dixit, said that by increasing the mutation rate, the infected person will not get cured, but their findings reveal how long it will take for the virus to become non-infectious, and the disease non-progressive. Dixit explains that by multiplying its rate of mutation several folds, the virus can be made ineffective. As its major advantage, the researchers claimed that these drugs are not susceptible to drug resistance. Thus, in the coming years and with better drug combinations, Dixit who is also an associate professor at Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru believes that the treatment window could be reduced into even further heights.
On the other hand, as reported by Times Of India, although scientists have so far failed in their efforts to find a permanent cure for HIV virus since it rapidly changes, Dixit explains that their study shows that by the time a drug tries to make the virus ineffective, another mutant that is resistant to the drug, has already developed. Ultimately, it was found that Prof Dixit and his team are currently studying the process of infection caused by HIV and its evolution. With the use of certain computer simulation models in the laboratory, Dixit believes that it will most likely allow them to closely monitor and keep records of the fitness levels of the genetically diverse populations within a host and the various factors that contribute to it.
