HIV spreads like internet malware and should be treated earlier

A new model for HIV progression finds that it spreads in a similar way to some computer worms and predicts that early treatment is key to staving off AIDS. HIV specialists and network security experts at UCL noticed that the spread of HIV through the body using two methods - via the bloodstream and directly between cells - was similar to how some computer worms spread through both the internet and local networks respectively to infect as many computers as possible. They worked together to create a model for this 'hybrid spreading', which accurately predicted patients' progression from HIV to AIDS in a major clinical trial. Detailed sample data from 17 HIV patients from London were used to verify the model, showing that hybrid spreading provides the best explanation for HIV progression and highlighting the benefits of early treatment. HIV infects CD4+ T-cells, which play a vital role in the immune system and protect us from diseases. As HIV progresses, it reduces the number of active T-cells in the body until the immune system cannot function correctly, a state known as 'acquired immune deficiency syndrome' or AIDS. Current World Health Organisation guidelines, which the UK government follows, recommend only beginning HIV treatment when the number of T-cells in the bloodstream falls below a certain level.