Virus Boosts Risk of AIDS

People infected by the AIDS virus may be more likely to go on to develop the deadly disease if they are also infected by a related virus that can cause a particularly fatal form of leukemia, according to a study released last week.

“These laboratory results suggest that doubly infected individuals have a worse prognosis for developing AIDS” than those who are infected only by the AIDS virus, said molecular virologist Irvin S. Y. Chen, who published his study in the journal Science.

“The chances of any individual being infected by both viruses are very slim, but among selected populations, such as intravenous drug abusers, the chances are quite high,” said Chen of UCLA.

Except among IV drug abusers, the leukemia virus is quite rare in the United States.