Scientists working with the University of Oxford have just discovered a new highly infectious and much more dangerous strain of HIV in the Netherlands.

Their study revealed significant genome differences between the VB strain and other HIV variants. One was a much higher viral load, which meant the virus would be both more virulent and more infectious.

According to the study, the rate of decline in CD4 counts, a sign of immune system damage from HIV, was twice as fast in people with the VB variant, significantly increasing the risk of developing AIDS. Patients infected with the VB strain have also shown an increased risk of transmitting the virus to others.

"Encouragingly, once treated, people with the VB variant had the same immune system recovery and survival as people with other HIV variants," the study says.

https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abk1688