Aids activists and researchers are divided over the ethics
of deliberately infecting mice with HIV to speed up the search for new drugs
and a vaccine.
Aids research has so far been hampered because mice, a cheap model for studying
human disease, cannot be infected with HIV.
But now New York scientists have created a modified HIV that infects mice.
Dr Mary Potash and her team at Columbia University Medical School swapped
the HIV gene that attaches to CD4 cells to allow infection in humans, with
a gene from a mouse leukaemia virus.
The resulting virus is able to infect 75 per cent of mice tested and means
animals that do not naturally get some form of the disease (unlike humans,
cats and monkeys), can be infected in the lab and used in the search for new
drugs and a vaccine.
Scientists are happier doing laboratory drug research on mice than monkeys
or cats, because of convenience and cost. But animal rights supporters attacked
the move as immoral.
“In some mice the viral level is going up five months after infection,
which means there is active replication,” Dr Potash told Reuters Health.
“And since we can detect virus in a week, when we have drugs to test
we can potentially see an effect in vivo as fast as you can in culture.”
One person living with HIV told PN: “I’m happy the drugs I had
to take for cancer and now take to fight HIV are tested on animals.”
But another disagreed: “I think it is disgusting that scientists are
using genetic engineering to make poor mice suffer from a disease they don’t
normally get.”
FISH OILS: HIV DRUG SIDE-EFFECTS
French researchers have found that increased levels of lipids
in the blood among people taking HIV meds can be significantly lowered by
taking fish oils rich in omega-3 fatty acids.
Dr Pierre de Truchis told a recent Aids conference in Boston that his research
had found taking fish oils reduced low density lipoprotein (LDL), or ‘bad’
cholesterol, and triglyceride levels. There was no change in levels of high
density lipoprotein (HDL), the ‘good’ cholesterol.
Certain anti-HIV medications, particularly protease inhibitors (PIs) and non
nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs), taken long-term can
cause rises in bad blood fat levels. This has led to concerns about people
with HIV on these medications developing diabetes or heart disease.
Some patients already take expensive statin drugs to counter blood fat rises.
But fish oil may prove a cheaper and more convenient therapy.
Meanwhile, other scientists have highlighted the effectiveness of fish oil
supplements to improve aches and pains in bone joints in legs and feet, other
long-term side effects of HIV medications.
Rather than buying expensive vitamin supplements, people with HIV are advised
to try cheaper supermarket alternatives, such a cod liver oil capsules, or
better still, eat at least three portions of fish rich in Omega 3, such as
tuna, mackerel or sardines, every week.
HEAVY DRINKERS NEED HELP WITH ADHERENCE
Simplified dosing of HIV drugs combined with adherence support
are needed to help people with a history of alcohol problems stick to their
regimens.
The Boston University study in the February edition of the journal Antiviral
Therapy, found that help with adherence had to be tailored to individuals.
“Alcohol abuse has been associated with poorer medication adherence
in HIV infected individuals,” said Dr Jeffrey Samet. “And heavy
drinking is associated with taking antiretroviral therapy off schedule.
“Future efforts should focus on more systematic interventions, such
as supervised medication administration or simplified dosing regimens.
“Even addressing an individual’s needs to improve pill taking
for HIV may not be enough to change behaviour and ensure that the patient
stick to his or her medication regimen,” he added.
Researchers from the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists
have found physical exercise can produce benefits comparable to taking Viagra
for those suffering impotence.
Professor Grace Dorey organised a trial of 55 men with an average age of 49
and found that two fifths regained normal sexual function after regular exercise
and 35 per cent saw their condition improve.
Erectile dysfunction affects 20 per cent of men under 40 and more than half
of men over 40. Many risk relationship problems because they are too embarrassed
to tackle the problem.
Many men living long-term with HIV suffer erectile problems, either as a result
of age, the virus or side-effects to antiretrovirals. Regular light exercise
may well prove a healthy solution without recourse to more medications.
