Triple drug therapy of patients infected with the AIDS virus has been shown to eliminate nearly all the virus in a person's body. Unfortunately, almost is not good enough. An ABC News article reports that researchers have found the AIDS virus can hide in memory T-cells.
T-cells are white blood cells in the body that are useful in helping us eliminate foreign invaders to our bodies. They help B-cells make antibodies and these same T-cells can help other types of T-cells eliminate large fungal cells, cancer cells and virus infected cells. Without T-cells we would get all kinds of infections and cancers.
These T-cells respond in very specific ways to invaders. For instance, one population of T-cells may only become activated to eliminate the tuberculosis bacterium. Another population of T-cells may be useful in getting rid of the HIV virus.
Memory T-cells are important because our bodies are infected by the same microorganisms over and over again throughout our lives. The first time we are infected with a microorganism it takes some time for our immune system to identify and then eliminate the intruder. As a result we usually are sick for a while until our bodies have time to develop a response to the invader. While the body is responding, it makes memory T-cells. These memory T-cells live for long periods of time in our bodies waiting for the day when that same intruder invades the system a second time. When that same intruder is encountered, the second-time memory T-cells are activated and help to eliminate the microorganism. The microorganisms are eliminated before they can cause disease a second time.
Vaccines are an artifical way of helping our immune system develop these memory cells. Vaccines do not cause the disease because they consist of the killed microoganisms, or only an important part of the microorganism needed to make these memory cells. As a result, you don't get diseases you have been vaccinated against because your immune system has seen this microorganism before and quickly mounts a specific immune response. The microorganism is eliminated before it can make you sick.
These memory cells are important to all of us. Unfortunately, the AIDS virus uses these memory cells as a hide out. Do not give up hope there maybe ways to eliminate these memory cells and researchers are working to see if this last AIDS virus stronghold can be eliminated from AIDS patients.
For more information on the AIDS virus.
More information on triple drug therapy can be found in the ABC News article and The Body web site.
If you would like more information on T-cells go to Dr.
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