ABBOTT PARK, ILLINOIS — A joint study by Abbott Laboratories and the University of Missouri has identified a new subtype of the HIV strain for the first time in 19 years.<br /><br />A press release from Abbott Laboratories explains that three different samples of the HIV virus were obtained from the Democratic Republic of Congo, one in 1983, one in 1990 and a third one in 2001.<br /><br />Scientists weren't able to test the third sample because technologies at the time prevented the researchers from doing so. Now, scientists have developed next-generation sequencing technology to allow them to build a complete genome sequence from the third HIV sample.<br /><br />After analyzing the HIV virus, the researchers have identified it as the HIV-1 Group M subtype L.<br /><br />In the news release, one of the authors of the study, Mary Rodgers, principal scientist at Abbott Laboratories, said that identifying new viruses is like "searching for a needle in a haystack."<br /><br />Rodgers added that the new sequencing technology was like a "magnet" that allowed them to find the needle.<br /><br />According to CNN, current HIV treatments are able to fight different types of virus strains. It is believed to be able to fight this newly identified HIV strain as well.<br /><br />The study concluded by saying that additional strains of HIV could be spreading around in the Democratic Republic of Congo or elsewhere.
