Friday, January 1, 1904
SYMPOSIUM:
Doctors flock to UCLA for lecture on new AIDS researchBy Karen
Duryea
Daily Bruin Senior Staff
In 1995, Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, director of the National
Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, was named as the
fifth most-cited scientist in publications over the past 13 years.
Fauci, who is a major contributor in the study and research of the
AIDS virus, was the featured speaker at the fifth-annual UCLA AIDS
Institute Scientific Symposium Wednesday.
In his address, "AIDS Considerations for the 21st Century,"
Fauci discussed the latest developments in AIDS research. Later in
the day, he spoke to the general public primarily regarding one
particularly important new development  the answer to the
mystery of why some people who practice very high-risk sexual
behavior do not contract the virus.
The lecture, co-sponsored by the Anderson Graduate School of
Management to improve relations between the business school and
AIDS investigators, attracted over 400 people dedicated to studying
the virus, some from UCLA and others from UCLA-affiliated hospitals
in the area. Other activities in the day included workshops to
discuss more specific AIDS research and treatment techniques.
Dr. E. Richard Stiehm, professor of pediatrics at UCLA, said
that Fauci’s lecture addressed the "biggest news in a long time,"
pertaining to AIDS research.
According to Fauci, 1 percent of the white population carries a
defective co-receptor in the blood stream that prevents them from
contracting the virus.
Two things must happen before a human can contract the AIDS
virus, Stiehm said. First, the virus must attach to a receptor
cell, which acts as the "conductor of the immunological orchestra."
Secondly, it must enter a cell. To achieve this, a compatible
co-receptor must be present. That 1 percent of the white population
does not have that compatible co-receptor.
"It explains why some people, despite incredibly high-risk
behavior, don’t contract the disease," Stiehm said, adding that
unprotected anal intercourse is one of the highest-risk sexual
behaviors.
Test tube tests also confirmed that without the co-receptor, the
virus is essentially unable to attach to the cell, preventing the
host from contracting the virus.
Stiehm said he spoke to Fauci earlier about the possibility of
AIDS infected patients receiving bone marrow transplants from
someone who has the defective co-receptors  possibly giving
them an immune system that will block the virus.
But Stiehm stressed that this process would be rare and
difficult, due to the small percentage of the population who have
immunity.
"But it’s a conceivable idea," he said.
"It’s the most important thing that’s come about in the past
three or four years," Stiehm said about the recent discoveries.
However, although the scientific community remains abreast of
the latest developments in a search for a cure, it raises the
question of how pertinent this information is to an actual
patient.
"It depends on where they are and what kinds of health care
access they have," said Faith Haaz, supervisor of AIDS Project Los
Angeles (APLA) AIDS hotline, a referral and support service
available to Southern Californians.
Haaz said that up-to-date information about the virus is readily
available, however, the patients themselves often have to look for
it on their own. Surprisingly, she said, that is not happening.
"People are not used to managing their own health care," she
said. "Some doctors don’t know about combination therapy. It’s
important that they see someone who has a specialization in HIV,"
she said.
Combination therapy, according to Stiehm, involves protease
inhibitors and anti-viral drugs, both proven to be effective in
reducing the amount of virus in the blood when used in conjunction
with each other.
The anti-viral drugs prevent the copying of the virus and the
protease inhibitors prevent the cell from receiving protease to, in
a sense, "cleave off" the virus attached to the cell.
"(Combination therapy) has been around only for six months,"
Stiehm said. "We don’t know what will happen in the next two to
three years
Although many experts agree that news about the co-receptors is
a pivotal point in AIDS research, Fauci stressed that there is
still much more that must be understood.
Haaz also questions the future, remarking that AIDS is not an
easily managed disease despite the recent advancements in the past
year.
"I have a hard time saying the C- word because we’re definitely
not there yet," Haaz said. "But still, an ounce of prevention is
worth a pound of cure."
The AIDS hotline may be reached at 1-800-922-2437; for more
questions call 1-800-553-2437.
Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, who discovered AIDS along with his wife,
is the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious
Diseases.JUSTIN WARREN/Daily Bruin
An AIDS symposium featuring Dr. Anthony S. Fauci as a keynote
speaker drew a large crowd in Ackerman Grand Ballroom
Wednesday.