H1N1 Virus
Every year people must line up for their seasonal flu shots and are forced to find the most convenient way of fighting off new colds. They also anxiously wait for the day when they no longer have to experience the nuisance of being ill. However, the reason behind our frequent displeasures is due to the exceedingly rapid transformation of certain viruses. Read more below:
In some cases, these viruses continuously reproduce with new strands that are often resistant to anti-viral drugs. Still, it seems that there may be hope. Recently in a new discovery, a team of researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Lincoln Laboratory believe that they are close to finding a cure for all viruses. The drug, Double-stranded RNA Activated Caspase Oligomerizer also known by the acronym of DRACO, uses a method in which it is able to control a molecule known as the double stranded RNA. By controlling and infecting this molecule, cells which contain double stranded RNA are able to self destruct.
According to scientists, in experiments using 11 different cells and 15 different viruses, the drug worked very well and was also able to cure mice infected with H1 N1 influenza. “It’s certainly possible that there’s some virus that we aren’t able to treat but we haven’t found it yet,” said lead researcher Mike Rider. If DRACO is as strong as scientists believe, the drug will be able to cure the viruses responsible for measles, polio, rabies, and those of a stronger caliber such as the dreaded HIV.
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