Pinning down a moving target: A standard HIV

摘要

ANNAPOLIS, MD and SAN FRANCISCO, CA--The problem with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)--or one of them, at least--is that it represents a moving target fur researchers. Because of its high rate of replication and an error-prone, reverse tran-scriptase-based, mechanism for reproducing, HIV is particularly adept at producing variants. And the problem is only going to get worse: The use of new antivirals drugs--and combinations of those drugs--will put selective pressure on HIV for change. As JohnCoffin of Tufts University Medical School (Boston, MA), who spoke during the opening symposium of the 35th Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy ICAAC), held in September in San Francisco pointed out, "For no antiviral strategy so far has HIV been unable to generate resistant mutants. "