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Article: AIDS Virus a Clever Enemy, Study Shows; Research Reveals Complex Family of Rapidly Mutating Agents
- Article from:
- The Washington Post
- Article date:
- September 6, 1987
- Author:
CopyrightThis material is published under license from the Washington Post. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Washington Post. (Hide copyright information)
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New research suggests that the AIDS virus, which once appeared to
be a manageable single entity, is a complex family of rapidly
mutating viruses that like a clever enemy can constantly change its
weaponry, its camouflage, its defenses and even its targets in the
body.
As a result of the mutations in AIDS viruses there are presumed
to be thousands of slightly different forms, some possibly having
acquired new specialized abilities to be transmitted, to infect
different tissues, to evade the immune system or to resist drug
treatments.
According to new findings at the Los Alamos National Laboratory,
the AIDS virus is mutating its genetic code as much as five times
faster than the influenza ...