title: On the mechanism of HIV disease: a hypothesis and the anti-AIDS therapy it suggests.
abstract: A hypothesis is proposed interpreting transformation of the asymptomatic (latent) phase of HIV disease into full-blown AIDS. According to the hypothesis, AIDS in an HIV infected individual is caused by just that HIV strain which fits host's genotype in that way preventing production of the antibody specific to that strain. The strain appears at random time as a result of the antigenic drift that takes place during the latent phase of HIV disease. If the strain is transmitted to another individual, the new host produces the strain-specific antibodies resulting in successful suppression of the strain, specific to the genotype of just the first host. The idea of the treatment, suggested by the hypothesis, consists of the use of the strain-specific antibodies produced by the second individual for suppressing the genotype-specific strain killing the first individual (and vice versa). One of the consequences following from the hypothesis, is the physical impossibility of an AIDS preventive vaccine.
authors.forename: Y L
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Fuxman
mesh_terms: D001803:Blood Transfusion; D006678:HIV / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D015483:HIV Antibodies / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D009154:Mutation
chemical_list: D015483:HIV Antibodies