African HIV Strains Feared More Resistant

African strains of HIV may have mutations that help them develop resistance to drugs more quickly, according to a report in the journal Biochemistry (2002;41;27:8613-8619). In arriving at this conclusion, Ernesto Freire of Johns Hopkins University and associates built on their earlier findings that variations in the viruses most prevalent among Africans can dull the effects of protease inhibitors. "The genetic variations that exist in the protease of these African strains are not sufficient to cause drug resistance by themselves," Freire said, "but they amplify the effects of drug-resistant mutations and therefore may lead to a faster long-term failure of therapy." Researchers said this might help explain why drugs stop working in the few African patients who get them. It had been assumed patients were not taking the drugs properly.

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