The HIV virus is becoming less aggressive, researchers have said in a new study, Researchers at the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp, Belgium, compared HIV-1 samples from 1986-89 and 2002-03 and found that 75 per cent of the newer samples appeared less fit than those of 15 years ago both in terms of spread within individuals and transmission to others. Keith Alcorn, Senior Editor of National AIDS Manual said:
the virus is weakening and may be in 50 or a 100 years, it will adapt to living with its human host but cause less disease
Reference: Arien, Kevin K a; Troyer, Ryan M b; Gali, Youssef a; Colebunders, Robert L c; Arts, Eric J b; Vanham, Guido a,d Replicative fitness of historical and recent HIV-1 isolates suggests HIV-1 attenuation over time. AIDS. 19(15):1555-1564, October 14, 2005.
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