International Abbott program for observation and identification of new mutations of HIV and hepatitis B

Abbott program for observation and identification of new mutations of HIV and hepatitis B

By June, 2016 more than 34 million people around the world live with HIV infection, and more than 2.7 million new cases are fixed every year. The HIV problem – huge, it is particularly acute in many countries including in Russia.

HIV has huge variability of a genome — capability very quickly to mutate — much quicker, than, for example, a flu virus. For this reason it is so difficult to struggle with HIV: development of vaccines and effective therapy rests against the fact that the virus is ahead of scientists.

For the solution of these tasks it is necessary to know, first of all, with whom we deal — i.e. to know about all variety of a virus, and about how it changes.

В рамках Международной программы Abbott on observation and identification of new mutations of HIV and virus of hepatitis the company constantly works on security of reserves of blood, revealing new viruses and diseases and also the appearing strains of HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C to include determination of such viruses in blood verification process.

It is important to understand it also for the purposes of applied medicine: if, for example, there was a new group, a subtype or option of HIV, the diagnostic systems which can define them are necessary.

How there is a studying of mutations of HIV, its evolutions and about the new diagnostic systems which allow to catch the slightest changes in a virus genome, the vice president of department of application studies and technologies of Abbott company doctor John Hacket told. By the way, Abbott was the first the companies, created in 1985 the test for determination of antibodies to HIV, i.e. the test allowing to diagnose a virus in blood.

Quicker than flu

By June, 2016 it is known of existence of two types - HIV 1 and HIV 2. HIV 1 is the most widespread type and is divided into groups – M (this group the most widespread), N,O and P. Group P was detected in 2009 in the woman from Cameroon who arrived to France. In group M there is also a set of subtypes. At the same time constantly there is a formation of new options. It is possible that there will be new groups and subtypes of a virus soon.

HIV mutates extremely quickly. Much quicker, than flu virus. For example, in 5-6 years at one person with HIV a variety of a virus becomes comparable to a variety of a virus of flu among all mankind in the world — John Heket says.

Such speed of a mutation occurs for several reasons. First, when HIV copies itself, there are "errors" or mutations in its genetic sequence that increases its variety.

Secondly, HIV is replicated multiplied) unusually quickly: in the patient who does not receive treatment about ten billion virus particles a day are formed.

Thirdly, the virus has capability to a recombination: for example, if the person is infected with the HIV different sub-types, they recombine among themselves in a human body, as leads to formation of new option of a virus.

"It is important to do not pass new forms"

When it became clear to physicians and scientists that a variety of HIV is so high, there was a need for creation of the diagnostic systems which could not only define all known types, groups and subtypes, but also to reveal new. Differently it is possible to receive false-negative result, having passed virus options which a diagnostic system just does not know in a sample.

Before donor blood is used, it is checked for presence of infectious diseases. Using the equipment Abbott screening of 60% of donor blood in the world is carried out — John Heket says.

He adds that the company very seriously approaches accomplishment of the obligation — to provide safe blood transfusion therefore in 1996 "The international Abbott program for observation and identification of new mutations of HIV and hepatitis B" was created.

It is extremely important that our tests could define authentically all existing mutations of HIV and hepatitis — Heket emphasizes.

By June, 2016 within the program more than 25 thousand samples HIV and hepatitis B from 16 countries are already collected. Special attention is paid to the centers in Africa as the maximum variety of options of HIV exactly there is observed. Also 10 medical centers from Russia participated in the program.

For detection of new options of HIV the most modern scientific methods, such as sequencing of a genome, including deep sequencing are used.

For such works together with the University of California in San Francisco (UCSF) created "The center of diagnostics and researches in the field of UCSF-Abbott virology". In addition to studying of HIV, are engaged also in search of new viruses there.

Recently scientists from this center detected absolutely new human virus. He received the name Human pegivirus 2 (HPgV-2). It is known that he is transmitted through blood and it is connected with hepatitis C virus. We managed to define eight complete genomes and four incomplete genomes of this virus. Determination of whether the new virus is capable to cause a disease and if yes, to continue work with organizations of service of blood to provide protection of donor blood against these types of new viruses will become our next step — Heket says.[1]

Notes