Overlooked Mutation Can Spur HIV Drug Resistance

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The advent of new antiretroviral drugs means these gene tests are already going to have to be altered, she added, "and while we are making these changes it could be relatively straightforward to include" the C-terminal region, and N348I, in the tests as well.

Tachedjian believes other overlooked, resistance-conferring mutations might also be hiding out in the C-terminal region, and her team is currently looking into that possibility.

In the meantime, the N348I discovery could have implications for AIDS drug development, Gotte pointed out.

"We learn a lot when we study mechanisms of resistance, in terms of what we should avoid in regard to drug development and how we can make drugs better," he said.

Gotte stressed that HIV-positive patients should not be overly concerned that their doctors are missing a key factor as they seek to determine the best treatment strategy.

While adding N348I to the genotyping mix will improve treatment design, "it's still a minor piece of the puzzle that's missing here," he said. "I wouldn't be too worried about this because clinicians also look for other parameters" as they choose effective therapies, he added.

More information

Find out more about HIV at the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.