Concern about the case of the highly resistant aids strain has not abated. In fact, there are growing numbers of reports around the country that this might not be the only case.
Still, there are many questions and unresolved issues.
The first case in New York is of a man, whose identity is being withheld, is in his mid-40s and admitted to taking part in unprotected anal intercourse with multiple…literally hundreds of sex partners, often times while high on crystal methamphetamine. The case progressed rapidly, which is what particularly concerns New York health officials
There is growing concern about the emergence of highly resistant AIDS strains which develop in a matter of months and not years as is usually the case.
The first case in New York is of a man, whose identity is being withheld, in his mid-40s who admitted to taking part in unprotected anal intercourse with multiple, literally hundreds, sex partners, often times while high on crystal methamphetamine. The case progressed rapidly, which is what particularly concerns New York health officials.
HIV drug resistance is not new. There are now frequently seen strains resistant to one of the four major classes of HIV medicines. But usually resistance takes years to develop and is rarely seen in people who have received no previous treatment. The CDC estimates that drug resistance is found in less than 1 percent of people newly diagnosed with HIV.
Many experts believe this is not the only such case of a broadly resistant HIV virus. “It is resisting not because it’s a new HIV virus. It’s the same virus that’s just mutated because it can now. It can now defeat our best drugs,” says Dr. Theresa Mack, Associate Medical Director for the HIV and AIDS Center at St. Luke’s Roosevelt hospital in New York. “I think it’s the tip of the iceberg, because we have not tested every newly infected person to see if they have a drug resistance,” she adds.
What makes the New York case alarming is that in addition to being drug resistant, the strain of HIV also evolved into full blown AIDS in just a few months, as opposed to the years it usually takes. This happens in only about one percent of AIDS cases.
There are now reports of other cases of highly resistant strains in other cities, like Boston and San Diego. Some experts still believe this may not amount to anything widespread, that it will remain one isolated case. Public health officials are trying to track down sexual contacts of the man, and are urging everyone to practice safe sex.
According to San Diego health commissioner the new patient's HIV has a similar molecular makeup as the patient in New York City. It's not known yet if the strain is an exact match, and authorities are trying to locate the person, because the test was done blindly. If the second case is confirmed, it would be significant evidence that the New York case is not alone in being a highly resistant virus. Whether it also causes a rapid deterioration needs to be seen after they identify the patient.
What is clear, is that if there is a broadly resistant strain of HIV, everyone, including those already with HIV, need to keep their guard up, because they can get another, more resistant strain. “That virus has mutated and it’s mutated because he has had a sexual intercourse with several people who were positive and they had different strains. Patients need to know they get this from sexual transmission, you get it from unsafe behaviors, so you have to go back from safe sex. You have to use a condom,” says Dr. Mack.