Having its emergence dated between the 1980s and 1990s, the new HIV variant, which is called BV, has already been found in more than 100 patients. This data was disclosed in a study led by researchers at the University of Oxford published in the February 2022 issue of the journal Science.
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Named "VB variant", English abbreviation for "virulent variant of subtype B", it showed the ability to carry a higher viral load compared to other types of the virus. This means that it has greater transmissibility and tends to reduce the body's T-CD4 defense cells more quickly.
What do the experts say?
Those responsible for the research believe that the variant may have appeared in the Netherlands between the late 1980s and the beginning of the 1990s, and thus, spreading in the 2000s, but started to lose strength from 2010 onwards.
However, this is the first time that the variant has been detected in individuals. BV infection was confirmed in 109 people analyzed in the research, most of them in Holland. In addition, the scientists also mapped a case in Switzerland and another in Belgium.
One of the authors of the study, researcher Chris Wymant, explained that the population should not worry with the results exposed, as there are already tests and ideal treatments for this and other variants of HIV.
higher viral load
The HIV virus has some subtypes that are linked to some localities. For example, in Africa, the most common subtypes are A, C and D, and in Europe, subtype B is most common. According to research published last year, subtype B is also the most common in Brazil.
With this, Wymant explains that, within the subtypes, there is a branching of variants. “Finding a new variant is normal, but finding a new variant with unusual properties is not. Especially one with greater virulence”, says the specialist.
“The worst case scenario would be the emergence of a variant that combines high virulence, high transmissibility and resistance to treatment. The variant we discovered has only the first two of these characteristics.” With this, the VB variant shows a viral load 3.5 to 5.5 times greater than other types of HIV and the CD4 cell decline rate is twice as high, according to the researcher.
Therefore, scientists claim that, possibly, such a variant results from mutations that occurred over time. However, it was only discovered now due to the fact that the genetic sequencing of samples from people with HIV is very recent.
