Two women have been identified as carrying a mutant gene that is immune to HIV/AIDS, the first such cases uncovered in China, a researcher said.

The finding is the joint effort of a research programme, "Association of Human Genetic Polymorphisms with HIV Affections," jointly conducted by the University of Washington in the US State of Washington and local Infectious Disease Hospitals and medical institutions in Guangdong Province.

Tuofu Zhu, associate professor of University of Washington and associate director of the Clinical Core at the Centre for AIDS Research (CFAR), introduced the programme to China a year ago as a part of his global research in nations in Europe, the Americas, Africa and Asia.

"Before, such mutant genes were only found in Caucasians. The finding has encouraged us to do further research in China, with the aim of developing medicines to prevent and cure HIV/AIDS for different races," said Zhu.

So far, according to Zhu, his programme in Shenzhen has identified 11 Exposed Seronegatives (ES) since January. Zhu explained that the immune systems of some individuals may be capable of resisting HIV infection. These individuals who do not appear to be infected with HIV despite multiple sexual encounters with HIV infected partners are referred to as exposed seronegatives (ES). To be specific, any one who has conducted sexual activities at least twice weekly in four consecutive months with an HIV-infected partner might be identified as ES. Of 11 ES cases, two cases have later been identified as carrying the mutant genes. In Zhu's opinion, if medicine functioning similarly with the genes was put in the vagina and rectum, the HIV virus couldn't find its carrier to enter the human body and thus would be expelled.

In Shenzhen, both confirmed samples are women who have been exposed to HIV for many years but remained uninfected. However, due to the limited qualified samples, Zhu said it is still too early to draw any conclusion from the programme, adding "we definitely need more support from the local hospital, medical institutions and government to collect more data from ES people." >from *Two Women Found With HIV-Immune Mutant Gene* by Wang Zhuoqiong, China Daily, october 1, 2004

openfriday@straddle3
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aids&luve
lo+positivo presentation and performance by ovni&extra (graffiti) & l.u.v.e. - la ultra violeta experience (music)
friday, october 22, 2004. 20 h
straddle3. c/ riereta, 32 1-3
barcelona

related context
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> scientific knowledge on hiv/aids prevention distorted. 'at the instigation of higher-ups in the bush administration, fact-based information on the centers for disease control's website has been altered to raise scientifically questionable doubt about the efficacy of condoms in preventing the spread of hiv/aids.' 2004
> landmark agreement with samoa for aids cure search. 'many of our best drugs were derived from traditional remedies, but nearly all pharmaceutical companies have abandoned programs to search for drugs in indigenous areas. that may change as a result of a new agreement between uc berkeley and the government of samoa, which recognizes the right of the samoan people to the genetic dowry of their native plants. in return for letting locate and clone from a local tree the gene for a promising aids drug, berkeley has agreed to share any royalties from the gene-derived drug with the people of samoa.' september 29, 2004. via victor
> scientists find hiv-blocking protein in monkeys. 'a gene that prevents monkeys from getting hiv has been identified, and researchers have found that a protein the gene makes blocks the aids virus in human cells.' february 25, 2004
> aids epidemic should be treated as a disaster. 'the world health organization declared the hiv/aids epidemic a global health emergency, but researchers argue that governments should go one step further and treat it as a disaster.' november 12, 2003
> attacks on science: ethics and public health. 'special-interest groups have influenced policies related to needle exchange programs for the prevention of hiv (not to fund needle exchange programs).' january 11, 2002
> world aids day: link and think. 'an observance of world aids day in the personal web publishing communities.' december 1, 2001

imago
> our mutant gene