§ Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) which variants of the HIV virus are known to escape detection by current tests; and what are his Department's estimates of their prevalence;
(2) by what procedures his Department monitors the continuing development of variants of the HIV virus.
§ Mr. NewtonNew retroviruses known collectively as HIV2 have been identified in West Africa. They may be variations of the same virus but are distinct from HIV. Test systems in current use for HIV do not reliably detect antibody to these viruses.
Samples from selected individuals who may have been at risk from infection with these viruses are being 374W monitored by the Public Health Laboratory Service and other virology laboratories. This monitoring shows no evidence of HIV2 being prevalent in the United Kingdom.