A gene that Just Says No to AIDS?

[redneckgaijin]

Here's the story- apparently there's a gene in humans which, when activated, prevents infected cells from manufacturing HIV virii.

This could be one hell of a promising new avenue for AIDS research, especially given that drug-resistant HIV is gaining ground.

What I'm wondering, though, is this: if you could develop a treatment that would turn this gene on in every single cell (and it'd have to be every single cell), would this be a cure? Or would the infected cells be a danger, ready to resume making HIV should the gene be turned off again? And how long would the free-roaming virus remain viable within the system?

(Oh- and in less intellectual pursuits, the washer is fixed. The laundry room reeks of mildewed-moldy carpet, and the floorboards are warped and swollen in places, loose from their support boards in others... but nothing breaking, yet.)

Comments

Viruses (or Virii-ain't Latin fun?)

[(Anonymous)]

You still have every virus you ever contracted in your system today. Your immune system just keeps them from entering cells now, by changing their surface proteins into something that can't infect.
Every viral infection is forever.
As for the mildew, be careful; some forms of mildew are toxic.