A new strain of the HIV/AIDS virus discovered in a homosexual male from New York City has raised alarm around the world. The new strain is resistant to three of the four types of anti-viral drugs, and it also progresses from the usual HIV infection to full-blown AIDS in only two or three months.

“We've identified this strain of HIV that is difficult or impossible to treat and which appears to progress rapidly to AIDS,” said New York City Health Commissioner Thomas Frieden. “We have not seen a case like this before. It holds the potential for a very serious public health problem. It is likely there are others infected with this strain and this individual has infected others,” Mr. Frieden said. The case is “extremely concerning and a wake-up call.”

Almost 90,000 citizens of New York City (which has a population of 7.3 million) have been diagnosed with HIV/AIDS. This new case also involves a man from San Diego, and it has also been reported that resistant strains in Boston may be identical.

Source: Bloomberg; The Chicago Tribune; The New York Post