Rare HLA Types Slow AIDS Progression

The extent of HIV infection, or disease progression, for each participant was determined by measuring the number of T-lymphocytes: the fewer the number of T-cells, the greater the level of HIV infection. The HLA profile of each participant was also determined.

Results of the study, which was published in the July 2003 issue of Nature Medicine, showed that those with common HLA types displayed the most severe HIV infections. Participants with rarer HLA types had less severe infections that took longer to develop.

The authors suggested that HIV adapts to the most frequent HLA types in the population, providing a selective advantage for those individuals who express rare forms.





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