[Science Report]:Virus Appears to Slow HIV


This is the VOA SpecialEnglish Science Report.

A harmless virus carried by millions of people around the worldmay slow the progress of H-I-V, the virus that causes the diseaseAIDS. Studies show that people infected with both viruses livelonger than people infected with H-I-V alone. Experts say thediscovery might lead to new treatments for AIDS.

The virus was discovered in Nineteen-Ninety-Five. It was calledhepatitis G. However, experts say it does not appear to causehepatitis or any other disease. So researchers call this apparentlyharmless virus by the new name, G-B-C virus, or G-B-V-C.

G-B-V-C is passed to other people by blood and through sexualactivity. It is found in people with H-I-V, people who use needlesto inject drugs and the general population.

Researchers say G-B-V-C seems to reduce damage to the defensesystem of people with H-I-V. The virus also appears to improve theeffects of AIDS drugs. And it appears to help people with AIDS livelonger.

However, they are not sure how the virus works. They say theG-B-C virus may prevent H-I-V from reproducing. It may strengthenthe body's defense system to fight H-I-V more effectively. Or thevirus may be found more often in people with H-I-V who survivelonger for some other reason.

The findings were reported in two studies in the New EnglandJournal of Medicine. In one study, researchers in the state of Iowastudied the blood of more than three-hundred-fifty people withH-I-V. About forty-percent of the people were also infected withG-B-V-C. Those infected with H-I-V alone were almost four times morelikely to die during the four-year observation period than thosewith both infections.

The second study involved almost two-hundred people with H-I-V.It was carried out at a medical school in Hanover, Germany. It alsofound much higher survival rates among people with both H-I-V andthe G-B-C virus. The researchers also discovered that people who hadmore G-B-V-C in their blood also had less H-I-V in their blood.

However, experts say reasons other than the G-B-C virus mightexplain why people with both viruses live longer. They say therecould be genetic reasons or other disease-causing agents involved.Experts say that the G-B-C virus should not be used as a treatmentfor H-I-V or AIDS until more is known about it.

This VOA Special English Science Report was written by CynthiaKirk.

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