A new study, supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation has managed to explain how the AIDS virus is able to get transmitted, in spite of treatment measures adopted to prevent it

HIV (human immuno deficiency virus), which is the causative agent of AIDS, may be transmitted through many ways. Modern combination therapies have proved to be effective in treating AIDS, and bringing about an ideal situation where the body doesn't show any traces of HIV viruses.

However, there may be certain conditions wherein the HIV virus manages to show up and may get transmitted to another individual as well; this new study sheds light on just that.

According to the study, certain viruses may be responsible for the occurrence of new infections despite treatment.

To prove this, researcher Sara Gianella, along with her colleagues studied the semen of 114 individuals (all men) affected by AIDS and having low HIV levels in their blood. The results so obtained revealed that 11 of these men had a considerable number of HIV viruses in their seminal fluid. Some evidence of herpes virus was also revealed.

Since some of the male participants were suffering from herpes infection, they would probably have an active immune system, which is exactly the environment required by HIV viruses to survive and thrive.

"Our data suggests that we must also direct our focus towards other viruses, if we really want to interrupt the transmission of AIDS," Gianella explained.

If viruses such as the cytomegalovirus, infect an individual, they stimulate a local immune response. This immune response may in turn cause a buildup of immune cells, in which HIV would replicate, leaving the person infected even though he may not actually have high HIV levels in his bloodstream.

The work was supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation.