Private MD News

Mathematical model indicates spread of drug-resistant strains of HIV

Category: HIV monitoring/Treatment/Testing/Post Diagnos

U.S. researchers have found that strains of drug-resistant HIV may emerge in San Francisco over the next 10 years and could develop into mini-epidemics as patients live longer, healthier lives, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

Researchers at the University of California have developed a mathematical model that tracks the transmission of HIV. The model found that numerous drug-resistant strains of the virus that have evolved over the past decade are more easily transmitted than was once believed.

"Unless things change significantly, what we see is that one of the major drug classes we use to treat patients will have a rise in resistance," said Dr James Kahn, an author of the study, quoted by the news source.

"If that happens, that's just one less way that we can effectively treat patients," he added.

San Francisco health officials stated that, while the model is intriguing, they don't expect it to change the current treatment for HIV. Authors of the study note that the model can also be used to track the transmission rates of other diseases, according to News Day.