[Trends in the study of AIDS].

The characteristics of the main route of HIV transmission today depends on life styles. But, in any country, it will be concentrated on the route of sexual intercourse and habitual intravenous injection of drug abusers, after education programs are in place. Epidemiological studies on HIV-II show that 21% of prostitutes in Cote d'Ivoire have antibody to HIV-II, and 0.3% of blood donors live in the high risk area in Paris. In the USA 4 AIDS patients with HIV-II infection were recognized by this February. Immunological cross reactions are seen between p26 from HIV-I and that from HIV-II, but, g140, p34 and p18 show different antigenicities. These antigens have being studied for developing vaccine. Recent studies show the usefulness of detecting antibody to accessory gene products, especially nef gene derived, for confirmation of HIV infection in the early clinical stage. HIV antigen shows the activity to control the function of plasmid which is introduced to the cell. That means HIV antigen works as a promoter in the infected cell. Anti-HIV agents have been studied from view points of inhibition of virus absorption to cell surface, activities of cell membrane, uncoating of virus in the infected cell, reading of virus gene and stage of virus maturation.