Virus Development ‘surprising’ (Press, 14 October 1987)

A report published in the "Washington Post" on 14 October 1987 has revealed that individuals may carry the A.I.D.S. virus for up to 14 months without detectable antibodies, significantly exceeding prior estimates. Previously, it was believed that antibodies would typically develop within three to 12 weeks after infection. This new finding stems from a study involving sexually active homosexual men conducted by researchers from the National Cancer Institute and Finland, which was published in the British medical journal "Lancet." Genoveffa Franchini, a researcher from the National Cancer Institute and one of the study's authors, expressed surprise at the results. She remarked that the extended period before antibodies develop indicates a longer timeframe for infection than had been previously understood. However, Franchini noted that the study does not clarify how long individuals remain infected before the virus becomes detectable through tests. The implications of the findings suggest that many individuals who tested negative for A.I.D.S. antibodies over the past two years may have received misleading results. A.I.D.S., or acquired immune deficiency syndrome, severely compromises the immune system, making the body vulnerable to various diseases and infections. It is caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (H.I.V.), which is transmitted through close contact with the blood and semen of infected individuals. Existing blood tests can reveal whether a person has developed antibodies against the virus and indicate if they were infected at some point, but they do not determine if the person is currently infected, has A.I.D.S., or will develop the disease in the future. The study employed an antigen test to detect specific proteins produced by the A.I.D.S. virus, successfully identifying infection as much as 14 months before antibodies appeared. Franchini mentioned that several critical questions remain unanswered, including the sexual behaviour of the study participants and other factors contributing to their infections. She highlighted the need for developing a test to quantify the viral load required to infect cells, emphasising that the full implications of the research are still uncertain. The report did not disclose the size of the study or when it was conducted.

The text on this page is created, in the most part, using Generative AI and so may contain errors or omissions. It is supplied to you without guarantee or warranty of correctness. If you find an error or would like to make a content suggestion please get in contact

The text on this page is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 New Zealand