AIDS Breakthrough Drug Discovered To Stop HIV Transmission

AIDS Breakthrough Drug Discovered To Stop HIV Transmission

Scientists might have made a major breakthrough in the fight against AIDS after a study found treatment can prevent sexual transmission of this virus.

Research involving over 1,000 male couples around Europe where one spouse was HIV favorable and receiving antiretroviral treatment found no cases of transmission over the distance of eight years.

As per the researchers involved, the analysis proves that using antiretroviral treatment to curb the Aids virus to undetectable levels implies that it cannot be passed among partners.

Scientists have a hope now that by preventing the spread of HIV through therapy, the virus could one day be eliminated.

“Our findings provide conclusive evidence for homosexual men who are in danger of HIV transmission using suppressive ART is zero,” stated Alison Rodger, a professor in University College London who co-led the research.

She said this”powerful message” could help to end the HIV pandemic by preventing the virus’ transmission in high-risk populations.

Within this study as an instance, the researchers estimate the antiretroviral treatment stopped around 472 HIV transmissions during the eight years.

The study, published in The Lancet on Thursday, assessed the risk of HIV transmission between”serodifferent” gay male

couples — at which one spouse is HIV-positive and one can be HIV-negative.

Its findings add to an earlier phase of this analysis which looked at HIV transmission risk for serodifferent heterosexual couples in the same conditions. It also discovered zero risks.

Genetic testing revealed their infections were with strains of HIV acquired from a different partner, while 15 of the men among the 972 gay couples within this stage did become infected with HIV through the eight years of follow-up.

Since the start of the Aids epidemic from the 1980s, over 77 million people have become infected with HIV.

International health experts say the fight against HIV is in a precarious point, together with the yearly amount of AIDS deaths falling as well as the number of people getting antiretroviral treatment are rising, however, the number of new infections is stubbornly high at roughly 1.8 million new cases per year worldwide, which is a matter of concern. This latest study which leads to the discovery of AIDS Breakthrough Drug can prove to be a revolutionary ground to conduct further research in order to eradicate HIV once & for all.