The rapid evolution of HIV and other hypermutants make it more difficult for a population to develop and keep a current vaccine to protect against infection. HIV is constantly undergoing mutations and various strains can develop in response to a change in environment. An example of this is an immune response. These rapid changes in the sequence of the virus’ genome are due to the immune response of the host, the virus must evolve to keep from being exterminated by the host’s immune system. This rapid change can render vaccines useless quite rapidly since vaccines can only be made for one specific strain of the virus. A new vaccine would have to be created for each strain of the virus in order to protect against infection, however this would take too long and cost too much money to develop. Also since new strains are constantly developing it would be impossible to keep track of every new strain which results from a mutation. Hypermutation aids transmission of the virus to new hosts since it is difficult for a potential host to protect against various strains of the virus. this results in a more vulnerable population and a greater chance of infection. Regoes, R. (2013). Viral mutation rates: Modelling the roles of within-host viral dynamics and the trade-off between replication fidelity and speed. Retrieved June 12, 2015, from http://rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/280/1750/20122047
As my peer Sophia mentioned, viruses such as HIV undergo many mutations which make it nearly impossible to for them to be eliminated. But the impact of hyper mutants is much more larger than simply having a vaccine not be produced due to constant mutations. Hyper mutants leads viruses to become very unpredictable; it is important for scientists to be able to track these viruses (even make vaccines, no matter the cost), despite being unable to get a cure for them. If we don’t, then the same thing will happen, that happened with Ebola - it’ll get out of hand and we won’t know how to deal with it. The impact of the hyper mutants is really just that we may not ever find a cure for these infections; well, not until humans advance further in medicine.
HIV: The Ultimate Evolver. (2004, April 12). Retrieved June 12, 2015, from http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/article/medicine_04
dibs- sophia
ReplyDeleteThe rapid evolution of HIV and other hypermutants make it more difficult for a population to develop and keep a current vaccine to protect against infection. HIV is constantly undergoing mutations and various strains can develop in response to a change in environment. An example of this is an immune response. These rapid changes in the sequence of the virus’ genome are due to the immune response of the host, the virus must evolve to keep from being exterminated by the host’s immune system. This rapid change can render vaccines useless quite rapidly since vaccines can only be made for one specific strain of the virus. A new vaccine would have to be created for each strain of the virus in order to protect against infection, however this would take too long and cost too much money to develop. Also since new strains are constantly developing it would be impossible to keep track of every new strain which results from a mutation. Hypermutation aids transmission of the virus to new hosts since it is difficult for a potential host to protect against various strains of the virus. this results in a more vulnerable population and a greater chance of infection.
ReplyDeleteRegoes, R. (2013). Viral mutation rates: Modelling the roles of within-host viral dynamics and the trade-off between replication fidelity and speed. Retrieved June 12, 2015, from http://rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/280/1750/20122047
As my peer Sophia mentioned, viruses such as HIV undergo many mutations which make it nearly impossible to for them to be eliminated. But the impact of hyper mutants is much more larger than simply having a vaccine not be produced due to constant mutations. Hyper mutants leads viruses to become very unpredictable; it is important for scientists to be able to track these viruses (even make vaccines, no matter the cost), despite being unable to get a cure for them. If we don’t, then the same thing will happen, that happened with Ebola - it’ll get out of hand and we won’t know how to deal with it. The impact of the hyper mutants is really just that we may not ever find a cure for these infections; well, not until humans advance further in medicine.
DeleteHIV: The Ultimate Evolver. (2004, April 12). Retrieved June 12, 2015, from http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/article/medicine_04