New and More Aggressive HIV Strain Found in Africa

A recent study looks at a more aggressive strain of HIV that was recently found in West African and may lead to a faster development of other strains of AIDS. 

At this time, there are at least 60 different strains of HIV-1. HIV-1 types develop during the shortest periods and rapidly grow into an infection of AIDS in five years, when looking at other strains.  
However, many geographical regions in the world have at least one or two strains of HIV that is currently being transmitted to various people in the population. Unfortunately, if a person is infected with two strains, they can form a deadly recombinant strain.

Lead study author from Lund University, Angelica Plam, a doctoral student, notes the following, via a press release."Recombinants seem to be more vigorous and more aggressive than the strains from which they developed."

"HIV is an extremely dynamic and variable virus. New subtypes and recombinant forms of HIV-1 have been introduced to our part of the world, and it is highly likely that there are a large number of circulating recombinants of which we know little or nothing. We therefore need to be aware of how the HIV-1 epidemic changes over time", said Patrik Medstrand, Professor of Clinical Virology at Lund University, according to the release.

However, at this time, the strains seem to be confined to portions of West Africa. However, the researchers note that various strains of the virus could potentially travel to different countries, especially those with high immigration rates, including the United Kingdom and the United States. 

More information regarding the study can be found via the journal of Infectious Diseases.