Genetic mutation linked to Africans' HIV susceptibility
Summary from multiple countries, from articles in English
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WASHINGTON - A gene variant that emerged thousands of years ago to protect Africans from malaria may raise their vulnerability to HIV infection but help them live longer once infected, researchers said yesterday. (article 1)
People with the version of the gene have a 40 percent higher risk of becoming infected with the human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, researchers in the United States and Britain wrote in the journal Cell Host & Microbe. (article 1)
Sexual behavior and other social factors cannot completely explain why more than two-thirds of the world's 33 million people infected with HIV live in sub-Saharan Africa, the researchers said. (article 1)
Even as the gene elevates a person's susceptibility to HIV infection, having this version of the gene seems to slow the progression of AIDS. (article 1)
A genetic mutation that originally protected Africans from a virulent form of malaria now renders them 40% more susceptible to HIV infections, offering a partial explanation for the disproportionate spread of the virus among Africans and African Americans, researchers reported today. (article 3)
The genetic variation is the first found to increase susceptibility to HIV and the first linked to people of African descent, said virologist Robin A. Weiss of University College London, a coauthor of the paper. (article 3)
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Other summaries about this story:
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Story keywords
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HIV, gene, AIDS, mutation, Disease |
Source articles
- Gene variant may raise AIDS risk (boston.com, 07/17/2008, 317 words)
- Malaria gene 'increases HIV risk' (BBC News, 07/16/2008, 508 words)
- Increased HIV risk found in genetic mutation (L.A. Times, 07/17/2008, 696 words)
- Genetic mutation linked to Africans' HIV susceptibility (seattletimes.nwsource.com, 07/17/2008, 306 words)
- Government mulls changes after report on HIV-positive immigrants (cbc.ca, 07/17/2008, 803 words)
- ABC News: US Ban on HIV+ Visitors May End Soon (ABCNews, 07/16/2008, 343 words)
- US set to overturn HIV travel ban (BBC News, 07/17/2008, 186 words)
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