Israeli scientists announced Thursday that they have levised a simple, quick, inexpensive method of detecting HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, as well as other viruses in the human system.
According to Professor Alexander Honigman, who heads a team of researchers in the Department of Molecular Genetics at the Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, the new method is especially effective in identifying HIV in infants born to parents with the virus.
The technique is based on a gene found in a common firefly and the ease with which the presence of light is detected, Honigman explained.
The gene responsible for the firefly’s glow is isolated and, through a bio-engineering process, creates a row of cells in which the gene lights up in the presence of the viruses.
The light shows up on sensitive film within a short time of exposure. It is a positive indication that the virus is in the blood.
In addition to detection, the new method will permit scientists to follow the progress of patients being treated for acquired immune deficiency syndrome and evaluate the effectiveness of AIDS-inhibiting drugs in tissue cultures.
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