Goodbye January & Just Great...

 

The 1st month of 2022 is almost over.  I suppose it wasn't bad as far as Januaries go.  Still the weather had been a bit of a pill.  People this month on the other hand, have been mostly a bunch of dangerous idiots, at least in our State.   COVID is still there & they're acting like it's a myth or a cold.  We jumped over  100K active  cases in less  than 3 weeks.  It seems to be going back  down some now.   

This piece isn't great, but it'll have to do.  I saw others like it, but they were all behind paywalls.  It details how a South African woman who was inadequately treated for HIV developed COVID.  She had COVID  for over 9 months & developed 21 mutations.  Once properly treated for HIV, she recovered in 9 weeks.  

People with compromised immune systems can allow COVID to mutate rapidly.  This is likely how we got the beta & omicron variants.  Africa has an immense number of people living with HIV who are not or undertreated.  Vaccinations for COVID & treatment for people with HIV & immunity issues is necessary for CVOID to be controlled.

That's all for now.  Goodbye January.  Take care,

Cya...

Cloudy Morning...

Woke to clouds, it's supposed to rain.  We need it, we aren't near our monthly average.  The grass looks crispy.  I sort of like that, die, grass, die.  It'd mean less mowing, but probably more heat.

This is another article about drug resistant HIV.   The people of Papua New Guinea have up to 18% levels of resistance & the virus is mutating.  It most likely occurred due to haphazard med availability.   Which gave the virus a chance to adapt.

Here's hoping for a little rain.  Be safe.

Cya...

Mutation...

Mutation has long been the BFF of many viruses, especially HIV.  These mutations have allowed viral culprits to plague mankind.   Even as a vaccines or remedies are developed, the viruses are busy breeding the next gen version of themselves to better withstand these assaults.

HIV & it mutations have allowed it to certain level of immunity towards standard meds.  It has proven capable of altering its makeup to adapt to specifically designed, HIV meds.  Drug resistance has been & will remain a serious issue when dealing with HIV.  

Overtime many species; rats, roaches, even humans, can become resistant to things.    The problem for these species is the amount of time it takes for them to produce the next generation.  Viruses are in a near constant state of self replication.  Compared to humans that's amazing.  By the time a child is born, grows & is capable of procreation, a virus could well be into generations marked by the 1,000's , if not more.

Mutations aren't always for the better. & according to this article researchers have a mutation that limits HIV's ability to be resistant to medications.  This could prove to be 1 the biggest discoveries in dealing with this illness.  This, along with other treatments, might actually allow the possibility of a vaccine or cure.  This should prove interesting.

Cya...

Mutation & $...

This article may be about Africa, but the point is universal.  It's another example of how HIV is tied to the economy.   Many Africans have been treated & saved via HIV meds.  However, for some the meds never came or never came regularly enough to maintain a regimen.  This combined with having sex, willingly & not, have re-exposed some people to HIV, exposed them to different strains of HIV or even exposed them to HIV that had been under medical care.  All of these things will lead to one thing, a strain of HIV that is somewhat, possibly entirely,  resistant to current medications.

As the economy has worsened, the funding to these programs was slashed.  People have lost access to their meds.  Others have been exposed.  Mutations have occurred.  This isn't just due to the virulent nature of HIV or actions taken that can transmit HIV.  It is also due to the lack of $.

This isn't an African issue.  This is happening throughout the world.  It's very possible without proper funding, the fight against HIV could slide backwards.  Many formally prosperous countries are now facing a medical crisis while trying to recover from this economic upheaval.  Africa may be the most visible case, but it could be just the beginning of the issue.

Cya...