Virology, Emerging Diseases & vaccines

HIV, Diagnosis, Treatment and Current Research

• Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is an enveloped virus, belonging to the viral family Retroviridae. It is a highly evolved virus which has grasped the attention of all researchers with its special features like morphology, genetics and also by its emerging nature. The special feature of all retro viruses is the presence of an enzyme called Reverse transcriptase which plays major role in reverse transcription process. HIV enters the host body, damages immune system and will cause life-threatening opportunistic infections finally leads to AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome).

• Diagnosis of Human Immunodeficiency Virus can be performed by various bio-chemical techniques. Body fluids like saliva, urine or serum of suspected individuals should be collected for the detection of RNA, antibodies or antigens. Diagnoses through antibody detection tests are specially designed biochemical techniques which are extremely accurate and inexpensive. ELISA and Western blot techniques are well-known antibody detection tests for the diagnosis of HIV.

• Antiretroviral treatment are medications that treat HIV. The drugs do not kill or cure the virus. However, when taken in combination they can prevent the growth of the virus. When the virus is slowed down, so is HIV disease. Antiretroviral drugs are referred to as ARV. Combination ARV therapy (cART) is referred to as highly active ART (HAART). Each type, or “class”, of ARV drugs attacks HIV in a different way. The first class of anti-HIV drugs was the nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (also called NRTIs or “nukes”.) These drugs block step 4, where the HIV genetic material is used to create DNA from RNA.

• Current Research deals with morphology and genetic alterations of HIV with main focus on infection, transmission, replication, reverse transcription, diagnosis, vaccine research, immunological reactions, prevention and treatment techniques, etc.