Viruses In Human Semen That Are Capable Of Entering The Bloodstream

According to a publication by centers for disease control and prevention, the human semen can harbor some viruses that are capable of causing viremia.
Viremia is a medical condition in which a virus enters the bloodstream of a person and hence have access to virtually every tissue and organ in his body. It is analogous to bacteremia, a condition where bacteria enters the bloodstream.

Viruses that are capable of causing viremia and found in Human Semen include:

1. Adenoviruses 
2. Transfusion transmitted virus 
3. Lassa fever virus† 
4. Rift Valley fever virus† 
5. Ebola virus 
6. Marburg virus† 
7. GB virus C 
8. Hepatitis C virus 
9. Zika virus 
10. Hepatitis B virus 
11. Cytomegalo virus 
12. Epstein Barr virus 
13. Human herpes virus 8 
14. Human herpes virus 7 
15. Human herpes virus 6 
16. Human simplex viruses 1 and 2 
17. Varicella zoster virus 
18. Mumps virus† 
19. Adeno-associated virus 
20. BK virus 
21. JC virus 
22. Simian virus 40 
23. HIV 
24. Human T-cell lymphoma virus 1† 
25. Simian foamy virus 
26. Chikungunya virus†

Kindly read the article The Breadths Of Viruses In Human Semen

for more details.

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New Antibody Attacks 99% of HIV Strains

Scientists have engineered an antibody that attacks 99% of HIV strains and can prevent infection in primates.

It is built to attack three critical parts of the virus - making it harder for HIV to resist its effects.

The work is a collaboration between the US National Institutes of Health and the pharmaceutical company Sanofi.

The International Aids Society said it was an "exciting breakthrough". Human trials will start in 2018 to see if it can prevent or treat infection.

Our bodies struggle to fight HIV because of the virus' incredible ability to mutate and change its appearance.

These varieties of HIV - or strains - in a single patient are comparable to those of influenza during a worldwide flu season.

So the immune system finds itself in a fight against an insurmountable number of strains of HIV.

Super-antibodies

But after years of infection, a small number of patients develop powerful weapons called "broadly neutralising antibodies" that attack something fundamental to HIV and can kill large swathes of HIV strains.

Researchers have been trying to use broadly neutralising antibodies as a way to treat HIV, or prevent infection in the first place.

• 'Mind-blowing' cows hold clue to beating HIV
• Antibody helps keep man's HIV at bay for 10 months

The study, published in the journal Science, combines three such antibodies into an even more powerful "tri-specific antibody".

Dr Gary Nabel, the chief scientific officer at Sanofi and one of the report authors, told the BBC News website: "They are more potent and have greater breadth than any single naturally occurring antibody that's been discovered." 

The best naturally occurring antibodies will target 90% of HIV strains.


"We're getting 99% coverage, and getting coverage at very low concentrations of the antibody," said Dr Nabel. Experiments on 24 monkeys showed none of those given the tri-specific antibody developed an infection when they were later injected with the virus.

Dr Nabel said: "It was quite an impressive degree of protection." The work included scientists at Harvard Medical School, The Scripps Research Institute, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

'Exciting'

Clinical trials to test the antibody in people will start next year.

Prof Linda-Gail Bekker, the president of the International Aids Society, told the BBC: "This paper reports an exciting breakthrough.

"These super-engineered antibodies seem to go beyond the natural and could have more applications than we have imagined to date.

"It's early days yet, and as a scientist I look forward to seeing the first trials get off the ground in 2018. "As a doctor in Africa, I feel the urgency to confirm these findings in humans as soon as possible."

Dr Anthony Fauci, the director of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said it was an intriguing approach.

He added: "Combinations of antibodies that each bind to a distinct site on HIV may best overcome the defences of the virus in the effort to achieve effective antibody-based treatment and prevention."

Source: BBC News
By: James Gallagher
Health and science reporter, BBC News website

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Which Of These 13 Things Do You Know About Herpes Virus?

This post is written to inform non-medical people like myself about the virus called Herpes which is spreading at an alarming rate today. As you read on, you'll learn more about Herpes Virus in less than 2 minutes than your doctor would tell you in a whole day. Among many things, you'll learn what Herpes Virus is, its symptoms, how it's contacted and lots more.

Kindly contact your doctor for more information on the causes of herpes simplex virus, how to prevent it, how to manage herpes in pregnancy, effective treatments for the virus and how to cope during outbreaks...

Herpes simplex virus (HSV), often called herpes is a viral and infectious disease which has been known for at least 2000 years. According to a study in 2007 (as seen in wikipedia), genital herpes ranked second for social stigma out of all sexually transmitted diseases (HIV took the top spot for STD stigma). It's of two types, namely:
• Herpes Simplex Virus type 1 (HSV-1)
• Herpes Simplex Virus type 2 (HSV-2)

According to WHO, an estimated 3.7 billion people under age 50 (67%) have HSV-1 infection globally.
While an estimated 417 million people aged 15-49 (11%) worldwide have HSV-2 infection.

So, which of these things do you know about herpes simplex virus?

1. Herpes commonly appear on the genitals or mouth (it can also appear in various parts of the body).

2. Herpes Simplex Virus 1 commonly cause infections around the mouth but can also cause genital herpes while Herpes Simplex Virus 2 is a sexually transmitted infection that causes genital herpess.

3. Herpes may be spread to an infant during childbirth. This can cause brain damage, blindness or even death of newborns.

4. Herpes Virus can cause some serious disorders like herpetic whitlow, herpes infection of the brain, neonatal herpes (when it affects newly born baby), etc.

5. Herpes Virus is a lifelong infection (there's no permanent cure yet but there are medications for herpes symptoms relieve).

6. Both HSV -1 and HSV -2 are asymptomatic (showing no symptoms). However, the common symptoms of herpes are cold sores, painful blisters or ulcers around the infected areas.

7. With HSV-2 the risk of acquiring and transmitting HIV infection is increased.

8. In most cases, herpes spread through direct (or skin-to-skin) contact with an infected person or sharing objects such as toothbrush or eating utensils.

9. Estimated prevalence of the infection was highest in Africa (87%) and lowest in the Americas (40-50%).

10. Herpes could be spread from one place on your body to another, such as from your genitals to your fingers, then to your eyes or to other parts of your body.

11. Antiviral medications, such as acyclovir, famciclovir, and valacyclovir, are the most effective medications available for people infected with HSV. These can help to reduce the severity and frequency of symptoms, but cannot cure the infection.

12. Worldwide rates of either HSV-1 or HSV-2 are between 60% and 95% in adults.

13. As with almost all sexually transmitted infections, women are more susceptible to acquiring genital HSV-2 than men.

Learn more about Herpes virus and some relevant Herpes Facts

Also read: WHO guidelines for treatment of Genital Herpes Simplex Virus

Photo Credit: Medical Daily

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