Hide & Seek, HIV Survival...

 

HIV's ability to create hidden reservoirs throughout the body is it's most insidious aspect.  There have studies on this years & techniques developed; "Kick & Kill"  So far, these haven't been that successful beyond adding to the research pile.

More research has developed.  Inactive HIV becomes a provirus.  These remain hidden & inactive until certain conditions are present.  It's viral, program bomb waiting to go off.  This article deals with that.  How the virus targets specific types of tissue throughout the body; gut, colon, brain, blood...  The virus has a precise concealment for each tissue type.  Greatly increasing it's chance of survival & spreading.

There are many provirus's in human bodies.  They can range from herpes simplex to influenza.  They include Epstein Barr, hepatitis & HIV.  Dealing with any of type of viruses or the provirus predecessor is complex & difficult.  With current research, sometimes they are impossible to eradicate.

While this research doesn't directly move us towards a cure or vaccine.  It does provide vital information for developments ahead. Give this piece a read.

Cya...

Cells With Direction....

 

This is going to be brief.   This article is about taking natural killer cells from the body's own immune system & refocusing them to attack HIV+ cells.  They believe that this enhancement could allow these cells to target hidden HIV reservoirs.  Between this & traditional treatments the HIV cells could be eradicated from the body.  

This is still research.  If proven, it could be very useful.  Give the article & the wiki a read.

It's supposed to get cold & wintery here.  It's anyone's guess as to how much of what we'll actually get.  Anyway, take care.

Cya...

Surprise Finding...

 

This article details a Canadian research project that led to a surprise finding.   It inadvertently found a very old, diabetes medication, Metformin could impact hidden HIV reservoirs.  They think this med could lead to the reservoirs becoming active & eventually depleted.  If this is so, it could eliminate the virus from the body.  A possible treatment.  So far they made this statement.

... when taken for three months, improved patients' immunity and reduced the chronic inflammation usually associated with complications such as cardiovascular disease.

There are more details in the piece.  This is a "Shock & Kill" approach to dealing with the viral reservoir.  This approach basically activates the dormant HIV, so meds can deal with it.  If it is possible, this could lead to a cure someday.  

It'll take further research to tell if this is a viable approach.  It could be years out or never happen.  Still, it has potential.  At least to move the research forward if nothing else.  Every little bit helps.

Take care.

Cya...

Easiest To Read...

 

The biggest problem in curing HIV is the reservoir of the virus hidden away in the DNA of cells.   This article is about a newer approach to handling the issue.  This is a complex subject & this was the most understandable of the pieces I found.  

The approach works by modulating the activity of these cells by altering a immune response, which is usually inflammation.  By doing this, the medication  not only reduces inflammation, it also shortens the lifespan of the host cells hiding the virus.  Thus starving it out or basically siege warfare.

This was complex & there are other pieces reporting on it.   Find the article that suits you best & give it a read.  It's a novel approach.

It's hot, but supposed to cool down some today.  It might storm.  If it does, I hope it's not bad.  We don't need that on top of all of this.

Take care.

Cya...

A Quiet Saturday...

This has been a nice morning.  The weather's pleasant & it's sunny.  So far, the mockingbirds are elsewhere being awful.  

I saw an article this morning.  The site was being odd so I didn't post it.  The piece detailed how reservoirs of HIV were found in the brain.   Considering the  blood-brain barrier, this would be difficult to treat.   HIV is adept at hiding, so it can emerge later.  Current treatments will never entirely rid the body of the virus.  Something new will have to be developed that can eradicate the entirety of the virus.  Not holding my breath for that.

Take care.

Cya...

Mid July Articles..

The 1st article this morning deals with the fluid in the central nervous system.  It goes along the spine & parts of the brain.  The finding is even after being undetectable for HIV, the virus can still hide in this fluid.  This is another hidden reservoir.  It may be why some HIV+ people have more cognitive issues.

The 2nd piece, is about information being gathered for an book over the history of HIV.  It states there's evidence in collected tissue samples, showing the virus was present by the early 1900s & possibly the late 1800s.   That means HIV has had over a century to spread & evolve.  This was never some new thing being faced.  It was just unknown to modern science.   

That's all for now.  Take care.

Cya...

Reservoir...

This is another article detailing attempts to destroy dormant HIV virus hidden within the body.  The reservoir is mostly unaffected by conventional methods & medications.  Other methods have been tried for this, such as the "kick & kill" or "shock & kill".  Both of those showed some promise, but also some major health concerns with the methods themselves.  

How will this method differ?   Will it work?  Those are questions yet to be answered.  However, this is a necessary step, if the virus is ever to be actually cured & not just prevented.

Take care.

Cya...