Aggressive form of HIV discovered in Cuba

A new, aggressive form of HIV has been documented in Cuba. According to an international team of researchers, the new strain is the result of multiple strains of the virus combining together in a host, the result of having unprotected sex with multiple infected partners.

The Cuban strain, called a recombinant form of HIV because of its multi-strain makeup, is so aggressive in the body it can become AIDS within a 3-year time period. This means AIDS symptoms appear before some patients are even aware they were infected with HIV.

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Traditionally, HIV takes approximately 10 years to develop into AIDS if the virus is left untreated and an individual is otherwise healthy. With antiretroviral treatment, AIDS can be prevented for even longer, according to The Global Fund to Fight AIDS organization. HIV becomes AIDS when the number of their immune system cells drop below a certain threshold as the virus progresses.

It is this progression that distinguishes the Cuban HIV variant from other strains of the virus. According to a report from MNT, HIV starts attacking cells in the body by attaching itself to the protein receptor CCR5 on the cell’s membrane. Traditional forms of the virus sit in this position for a number of years (the 10-year average) before switching to the protein site CXCR4, which results in a faster progression toward AIDS. The Cuban HIV variant heads for CXCR4 shortly after infection takes place, resulting in AIDS as early as 3 years post-infection.

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This skip-over of CCR5 is made possible by one  of the viral strains making up the new Cuban HIV variant. The research team explained one of the strains involved in the recombinant process contains a special enzyme known for splitting proteins in half. The team believes this enzyme is responsible for making the jump to CXCR4 possible so soon.

The findings of a new strain of HIV are disappointing for Cuba, a nation that has been credited with managing the AIDS epidemic best out of neighboring Caribbean countries. The Carribean still has some of the world’s highest HIV rates, however, and research published in the Health and Human Rights journal indicates much of the disease spread can be linked to high rates of tourism.