'Good bacteria' in women give clues for slowing HIV tr...( Beneficial bacteria found in healthy...),Health
Beneficial bacteria found in healthy women help to reduce the amount of vaginal HIV among HIV-infected women and make it more difficult for the virus to spread, boosting the possibility that good bacteria might someday be tapped in the fight against HIV.
The findings come from physicians and scientists at the University of Washington and the University of Rochester Medical Center, who worked together in an effort to learn more about how HIV survives and spreads from person to person. The study involving 57 women was done in Seattle and Rochester through the Womens HIV Interdisciplinary Network (WHIN), which is based at the University of Washington.
The team studied the vaginal environment, examining the mix of bacteria that reside there and taking into account several other factors. Physicians tracked the level of HIV virus in the vagina as well as infection by common sexually transmitted diseases like trichomoniasis, gonorrhea and chlamydia, and other more common types of vaginal infections.
Physicians also monitored the levels of beneficial bacteria known as Lactobacillus in the vagina, as well as hydrogen peroxide, which is produced by the bacteria and hinders the virus. They also measured the level of HIV in the womens blood and the rate of progression of the disease overall.
The team found that women with hydrogen-peroxide-producing Lactobacillus in the vagina had lower levels of HIV virus in genital secretions what physicians call the genital viral load. Physicians know that the lower the level of HIV in the sexual tract, the less likely that the virus will be spread from person to person through sexual contact.
Scientists have previously recognized from laboratory studies that Lactobacillus might give women some natural protection against HIV. The bacteria, commonly found in most women, bind to the virus and secrete hydrogen peroxide. The bacteria are a close cousin of the Lactobacillus bacteria found in th
'/>"/>
| Contact: Tom Rickey tom_rickey@urmc.rochester.edu 585-275-7954 University of Rochester Medical Center Source:Eurekalert |
Related medicine news :
1. Study finds good outcomes for older lung transplant patients
2. AUDIO From Medialink and the National Association of Margarine Manufacturers: Survey Finds Americans Unaware Some Fats Are Good for Heart Health
3. Arizona-Based Healthy Lifestyle Corporate Events Helps Football Fans Commit to Good Health
4. A good fight may keep you and your marriage healthy
5. Old Newsboys Goodfellow Fund of Detroit Has REACHED and EXCEEDED ITS GOAL of $1.375 Million
6. FLAVORx Teams up with Wedgewood Pharmacy to Make it Even Easier to Make Pet Medications Taste Good
7. Dunkin Donuts Celebrates the New Year by Supplying Goodies to Michigans American Red Cross
8. More sun exposure may be good for some people
9. Milk Does a Body and a Waistline Good
10. Why fish oil is good for you
11. Nick at Nite Asks Families to Kick a Bad Habit, Pick a Good One in 2008
| Copyright © 2003-2009 Bio-Medicine. All rights reserved. ABOUT | CONTACT US | DISCLAIMER | PRIVACY POLICY | TERMS AND CONDITIONS |  |