First New HIV Strain in 19 Years Identified

[Gefn]

The surveillance of viral changes persists to keep the blood supply safe

A research group at the medical devices and health care giant Abbott has discovered a new strain of human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV—the first to be identified in 19 years. Abbott continues to look for potential new HIV strains to ensure that diagnostic tests for blood screening and detecting infectious diseases remain up to date, says Mary Rodgers, senior author of the paper announcing the finding and head of the company’s Global Viral Surveillance Program.

The new strain, called HIV-1 group M subtype L, is extremely rare and can be detected by Abbott’s current screening system, Rodgers says. The company’s tests screen more than 60 percent of the global blood supply, she adds, noting it must detect every strain and “has to be right every time.”

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/first-new-hiv-strain-in-19-years-identified/

[Smokin Joe]

The surveillance of viral changes persists to keep the blood supply safe

A research group at the medical devices and health care giant Abbott has discovered a new strain of human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV—the first to be identified in 19 years. Abbott continues to look for potential new HIV strains to ensure that diagnostic tests for blood screening and detecting infectious diseases remain up to date, says Mary Rodgers, senior author of the paper announcing the finding and head of the company’s Global Viral Surveillance Program.

The new strain, called HIV-1 group M subtype L, is extremely rare and can be detected by Abbott’s current screening system, Rodgers says. The company’s tests screen more than 60 percent of the global blood supply, she adds, noting it must detect every strain and “has to be right every time.”

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/first-new-hiv-strain-in-19-years-identified/

I'm not really surprised with some 1.3 million bioreactors in the US alone harboring the virus. The only surprise is that it has taken this long to appear...or, is that, to be detected?