HIV spreads like computer worms, say scientists

[Surya Gayatri]

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/apr/02/hiv-spreads-like-computer-worms-say-scientists
New model equates spread of worm across local networks and internet with progress of Aids virus through the body, suggesting early treatment is vital.



HIV specialists and network security experts at University College London (UCL) have found that HIV progresses both via the bloodstream and directly between cells – akin to computer worms spreading themselves through two routes to infect as many computers as possible.

Prof Benny Chain, from UCL’s infection and immunity division, the co-senior author of the research, said: “I was involved in a study looking in general at spreading of worms across the internet and then I realised the parallel. They have to consistently find another computer to infect outside. They can either look locally in their own networks, their own computers, or you could remotely transmit out a worm to every computer on the internet. HIV also uses two ways of spreading within the body.”

The model was inspired by similarities between HIV and computer worms such as the highly damaging “Conficker” worm, first detected in 2008, which has infected military and police networks across Europe and is still active today.

The researchers’ findings, published on Thursday, told them that just as computer worms spread most efficiently by a combination of two routes, so must HIV – enabling the researchers to create a model for this “hybrid spreading”, which accurately predicted patients’ progression from HIV to Aids.
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This is an amazing development. Retroviruses are such sneaky little bastards--so that's how they do it!