At one time, the tools were limited to medical files, territorial maps and the testimonies of those infected and treating the sick. Today, epidemiologists have an assortment of laboratory techniques — from molecular biology to geographic information systems — to hunt down clues and find answers before the situation grows dire.
But even with modern day advancements, sometimes the appearance of a pathogen can take even the hardiest of epidemiologists by surprise. Such was the case with the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus and its related cousin, the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) coronavirus as well as the H5N1 avian flu and the H1N1pdm strain that caused the latest pandemic. When these infections struck, the world was put on edge and public health officials worked tirelessly to find answers to prevent the loss of life.
Now a new strain of concern appears to be emerging. A few weeks ago, news broke out of the Siberian Federal District that a previously unseen HIV strain had not only been detected but also was spreading across several regions of the territory at an incredible pace. The strain is noted as Circulating Recombinant Form 02_AG/A (CRF02_AG/A). In the stories, based on the information provided by Dr. Natalya Gashnikova, head of the Retroviruses Department at the State Biotechnology Research Center — better known as Vector — the virus had spread like wildfire making up over 50% of new HIV cases. What was worse was the fact that it appeared to be the most virulent form of the virus in Russia.