Researchers treat monkeys with SIV, the HIV-equivalent virus

A study recently published in the journal Immunity showed that researchers were able to cure monkeys of simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV), which is equivalent to HIV in humans. The research has yielded unpublished information long awaited by science, such as how the virus works in the body and its treatments.

How did the search go?

The experiment used four primates diagnosed with the SIV virus.

The researchers transplanted stem cells into the animals and, of the four, two were cured and remained healthy for years.

What does it mean

Because only half of the primates recovered, the experiment’s success rate was 50%. The researchers don’t yet intend to extend the alternative to humans, but the study has revealed important information for science.

One result was that the virus fell below detectable levels first in the animals’ blood and limbs, then in the lymph nodes, arms and legs, and finally in the abdomen.

Conclusions

In the paper, the researchers concluded that the fact that the monkeys’ bodies are not cleared of the virus all at once during treatment explains why HIV reappears. This depends on where the virus is in the body and where the animal is being tested: if a blood sample is taken for testing, for example, the patient may appear to be cured, but the HIV is still present in the lymph nodes and will reappear after a while.

The scientists also noted that the transplanted stem cells identified cells with the SIV virus as foreign and attacked them to fight the infection.

cure for HIV

OR already talked about the four cases here.

With information from Immunity

The post Researchers treat monkeys with SIV, a virus equivalent to HIV, first appeared in Olhar Digital.

Source: Olhar Digital