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AIDS discovered in wild chimpanzees

A new study reveals that chimpanzees infected with SIV, the precursor to HIV-1, contract and die from AIDS. Infected females were less likely to give birth, and infants born to infected mothers were unlikely to survive. The virus was transmitted sexually and through mother's milk.

SourceUniversity of Minnesota·JournalNature·DateJul 22, 2009

Ancestor of HIV in primates may be surprisingly young

Researchers estimated virus evolution using genetic sequences and found that SIV lineages giving rise to HIV-1 and HIV-2 date back to the 18th century. This finding challenges previous estimates of millions of years of coevolution between SIVs and their primate hosts.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Computational Biology·DateApr 30, 2009

Progression of SIV infection in monkeys raises

A recent study published in The Journal of Immunology found that SIV infection in monkeys does not always lead to AIDS, contradicting current thinking. Researchers propose that host/virus co-adaptation enables monkeys to limit T cell immune activation and apoptosis, a mechanism that contributes to disease progression.

SourceTulane University·JournalThe Journal of Immunology·DateSep 21, 2007

HIV-1's high virulence might be an accident of evolution

Researchers found that a viral protein helps monkeys resist AIDS symptoms, but HIV-1 lacks this protective function, leading to increased immune activation and disease progression. The study suggests that treatments mimicking the primate immune system might offer a new approach to HIV therapy.

SourceCell Press·JournalCell·DateJun 15, 2006