Posted on 07/29/2006 6:27:04 AM PDT by Rodney King
HIV can avoid the powerful drugs that sufferers take to destroy it by hiding in their guts, scientists have discovered.
The scientists found that the virus that causes Aids took hold in intestinal tissue of patients receiving antiretroviral therapy (ARV). There it continued to replicate and suppress the immune system even though blood samples showed that the drugs were working.
The scientists from California University said that results of their three-year study, published in the Journal of Virology, showed HIV treatments needed re-evaluation.
Professor Satya Dandekar, who led the study, said that, while ARV could be quite successful in reducing HIV’s presence in the blood, the virus still thrived. “The real battle between the virus and exposed individuals is happening in the gut immediately after viral infection,” she said. “We need to be focusing our efforts on improving treatment of gut mucosa, where massive destruction of immune cells is occurring.”
Professor Dandekar, head of the university’s department of medical microbiology and immunology, said that gut-associated lymphoid tissue accounted for 70 per cent of the body’s immune system, and that restoring its function was crucial to destroying the virus.
The study suggests that earlier ARV and the use of anti-inflammatory drugs could achieve this. It also urges gut biopsies on all patients receiving ARV as a way of monitoring their condition.
“We found a substantial delay in the time that it takes to restore the gut mucosal immune system in those with chronic infections,” Professor Dandekar said. “In these patients the gut acted as a viral reservoir that keeps us from ridding patients of the virus.”
Doctors have long relied on measuring HIV’s presence in the blood and T-cell counts. T-cells, also called T-helper cells, organise the immune system’s fight against viruses. However, their numbers are reduced when HIV enters the body, leaving carriers vulnerable to infection.
Earlier research by Professor Dandekar and her team supports the claim that patients with high numbers of T-cells in their gut tissue were likely to live longer.
Thomas Prindiville, the study’s co-author, said that starting treatment earlier significantly improved the chances of restoring immune function.
“If we are able to restore the gut's immune response, the patient will be more likely to clear the virus,” Professor Prindiville said. “You can’t treat any infectious disease without the help of the immune system.”
The scientists followed ten patients receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy, known as HAART. Three of the patients were treated within six weeks of finding out they were HIV positive.
in this case it is because the point of entry it the place it hides in the place that it hides.
Ahh - yeah, that would about cover it.
Truth is simple
I guess we have more to worry about nicotine related deaths such as heart desease & cancer.This is the biggest killer,and yet governments won't make it illegal like cocaine because they are making too much revenue in taxes.
In Australia they make 70c-80c in taxes for every packet of 20's sold.
"disease"
Yep. Make cigarettes illegal = like they did liquor decades ago.
Then there will be no tax money to help defray medical costs of lung cancer etc...and the underground will reap the profits.
Yep. That'd work.
HIV in itself does not really kill people. What happens is that the person who has HIV who keeps getting sick eventually their immune system is completely destroyed and than they get AIDS. And no one survives AIDS. One you reach the point that they consider you having AIDS it is to late to go back.
With all the treatment they have now for HIV it prevents many of ever having AIDS or postponing it till later in life. This is why we see people like Magic Johnson still healthy. He likely gets sick often but the drugs he takes all day long keep his immune system strong enough that hopefully for his sake he will never reach the point of AIDS.
Thanks, RK.
Probably not only true with HIV; this is more info indicating "death begins in the colon" and anyone dealing with *any* chronic illness needs to remember colon care is part of the big picture. "A healthy colon is essential".
I think I'll go drink a glass of prune juice.
jm
The intensity of drug therapy that HIV carriers undergo HAS to take its toll on their otherwise healthy systems. How can you napalm the whole body to destroy an intruder and leave the surrounding landscape unaffected? I'm awaiting news of the long term effects of such new and untested agressive treatments - which might not hold a candle to actual AIDS symptoms.
Perhaps the oldest aids joke is,
"How did aids get to California? ans. In the rear of an old Hudson."
Thats Rock Hudson who died of aids, to the youngsters.
I thought he died from bad crack!
LOL!
The "bug chasers" story has been debunked.
http://www.traditionalvalues.org/modules.php?sid=716
Isn't that how most of the queers got it in the first place?
The particular story you quote may be 'debunked', but the practice of "bugchasing" is very real.
I have personally chatted to numerous bugchasers on the internet, and I have held long a regular discussions with "gifters" who seek "chasers" to infect.
I also have personally known more than one homosexual who was infected on purpose, in a planned way, mutually agreed between them and the 'gifters'.
There are also membership websites devoted to 'barebacking', where the members' profiles have a section which displays if they are HIV+ or HIV-, and if they are looking to give or to receive.
I assure you that "bugchasing" amongst homosexuals is very much alive.
Simply search 'barebacking' in google, and you can see for yourself... if you can stomach it.
The Rolling Stone article wasn't debunked. What was in question was the 25% figure.
Besides that, what mikeyc said is true--bug chasing is real. Here's an article about a film on the subject: Acting Up. That link has additional links to more information.
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