The word HIV — Human Immunodeficiency Virus — itself sends a shiver down the spine. This condition in humans, which slowly destroys the immune system of a patient leads to life-threatening opportunistic infections.
Since it was first recognized on December 1, 1981, AIDS has killed more than 25 million people making it one of the most devastating pandemics in recorded history, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS — UNAIDS — and the World Health Organization (WHO) estimate.
Current estimates reveal that, the disease may infect 90 million people in Africa alone! And, this would lead creating a minimum of 18 million orphans! Amidst this critical scenario, the scientists have come up with a hope-creating solution.
They have designed, rather muted an enzyme - called Tre recombinase - in the laboratory, which is capable of reversing the HIV’s process of inserting its genetic material into host DNA.
Ah! So, it seems that the treatment with similar enzymes could potentially rid the virus’ infected cells. Such a development has come, perhaps, at the right hour.
Alan Engelman, a molecular virologist at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston said,
This is the first demonstration of actual removal of the integrated virus from cells.
There is no doubt, that the new muted enzyme can bring hope to those 90 million African and also millions others across the world — vulnerable to the disease — but using the technique and the tool to cure real infections would require mastering of atleast one of HIV’s sneakiest tricks - its hiding away from the immune system by staying dormant for as long as months or years in the host cells.
Once successfully equipped, the medical fraternity may one day break away the world’s shackles from the AIDS immurement.
