In a message dated 5/9/00 3:01:05 PM Central Daylight Time, AOL News writes: << Subj: Tests Urged for Drug-Resistant HIV Date: 5/9/00 3:01:05 PM Central Daylight Time From: AOL News BCC: Ahab42 Tests Urged for Drug-Resistant HIV .c The Associated Press By LINDSEY TANNER CHICAGO (AP) - Tests that help identify drug-resistant strains of the AIDS virus should be routinely used in most infected patients to help doctors customize their treatment, an advisory panel says. Patients with drug-resistant strains are at greater risk of developing full-blown AIDS. Because the AIDS virus tends to mutate rapidly, becoming resistant to drugs, patients generally receive a combination of medicines. But initial treatment fails in about half of all AIDS patients, and doctors frequently have to change the treatment to keep up with mutations. In Wednesday's Journal of the American Medical Association, a panel of the International AIDS Society-USA said doctors should consider routine testing for virtually all HIV-infected patients except those whose infection is already being successfully treated. Two types of tests help determine resistance: Genotype tests identify genetic mutations known to be resistant. And phenotype tests determine whether a drug will kill a patient's virus strain. Both tests are costly, running about $400 to $1,000 each, Dr. Charles Flexner of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine said in an accompanying editorial. Also, it can take up to a month to get results, and the tests are not foolproof and may produce false-negative results, he said. The International AIDS Society-USA is a nonprofit program for doctors involved in HIV and AIDS care. It works to improve AIDS treatment. AP-NY-05-09-00 1600EDT Copyright 2000 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without prior written authority of The Associated Press. Announcement: America Online has added Reuters newswires to News Profiles. To add Reuters articles to your daily news delivery, go to KW: <A HREF="aol://5862:146">News Profiles</A> and click on "Modify Your News Profiles." Then click "Edit" and add Reuters from the list on the left. To edit your profile, go to keyword <A HREF="aol://1722:NewsProfiles">NewsPro files</A>. For all of today's news, go to keyword <A HREF="aol://1722:News">News</A>. >>
Tests Urged for Drug-Resistant HIV .c The Associated Press By LINDSEY TANNER CHICAGO (AP) - Tests that help identify drug-resistant strains of the AIDS virus should be routinely used in most infected patients to help doctors customize their treatment, an advisory panel says. Patients with drug-resistant strains are at greater risk of developing full-blown AIDS. Because the AIDS virus tends to mutate rapidly, becoming resistant to drugs, patients generally receive a combination of medicines. But initial treatment fails in about half of all AIDS patients, and doctors frequently have to change the treatment to keep up with mutations. In Wednesday's Journal of the American Medical Association, a panel of the International AIDS Society-USA said doctors should consider routine testing for virtually all HIV-infected patients except those whose infection is already being successfully treated. Two types of tests help determine resistance: Genotype tests identify genetic mutations known to be resistant. And phenotype tests determine whether a drug will kill a patient's virus strain. Both tests are costly, running about $400 to $1,000 each, Dr. Charles Flexner of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine said in an accompanying editorial. Also, it can take up to a month to get results, and the tests are not foolproof and may produce false-negative results, he said. The International AIDS Society-USA is a nonprofit program for doctors involved in HIV and AIDS care. It works to improve AIDS treatment. AP-NY-05-09-00 1600EDT Copyright 2000 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without prior written authority of The Associated Press. Announcement: America Online has added Reuters newswires to News Profiles. To add Reuters articles to your daily news delivery, go to KW: <A HREF="aol://5862:146">News Profiles</A> and click on "Modify Your News Profiles." Then click "Edit" and add Reuters from the list on the left. To edit your profile, go to keyword <A HREF="aol://1722:NewsProfiles">NewsProfiles</A>. For all of today's news, go to keyword <A HREF="aol://1722:News">News</A>.
