AIDS virus is ‘changing to evade human immune system’

RAPID evolution of the AIDS virus could make it more difficult to fight HIV with a vaccine, experts have warned.

A new study led by researchers at Oxford University shows that the virus is changing to evade the human immune system.

The scientists looked at the genetic codes of HIV viruses from more than 2,800 people around the world. They compared them with human leucocyte antigen (HLA) genes from the same group. HLA enables the immune system to recognise and kill infected cells, including those invaded by the AIDS virus. Everyone has his or her own unique set of HLA genes.