Ideas worth spreading

The dangerous evolution of HIV

1,403,409 views | Edsel Salvaña • TEDGlobal 2017

Think we're winning the battle against HIV? Maybe not, as the next wave of drug-resistant viruses arrives. In an eye-opening talk, TED Fellow Edsel Salvana describes the aggressive HIV subtype AE that's currently plaguing his home of the Philippines -- and warns us about what might become a global epidemic.

Think we're winning the battle against HIV? Maybe not, as the next wave of drug-resistant viruses arrives. In an eye-opening talk, TED Fellow Edsel Salvana describes the aggressive HIV subtype AE that's currently plaguing his home of the Philippines -- and warns us about what might become a global epidemic.

This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

Support funding for continuing research on HIV treatment, prevention, and cure. Recent cuts in local and international HIV funding are threatening efforts to control and eliminate HIV worldwide. Get your government and other funding agencies to invest in programs towards elimination of the HIV and AIDS epidemic.

Practice safe and responsible sex, and don't share needles. Transmission of drug-resistant HIV is on the rise. Even those already infected with HIV can contract drug-resistant HIV from a sexual partner or from sharing needles. If you are already infected, take your medicines regularly so that resistance doesn't develop.

About the speaker

Edsel Salvaña

Molecular biologist

See speaker profile

TED Senior Fellow Edsel Salvana is studying the genetics of HIV, developing an affordable test for HIV drug resistance and fighting the spread of misinformation around vaccines and immunization.

Salvaña EMT, Schwem BE, Ching PR, Frost SDW, Ganchua SKC, Itable JR | International Journal of Infectious Diseases, 2017 | Article

"The changing molecular epidemiology of HIV in the Philippines"

Dr. Salvana shows in this scientific paper that the molecular epidemiology of HIV in the Philippines has changed from subtype B (the US and Western Europe subtype) to the subtype CRF01AE (the Southeast Asian/Thailand subtype), with some evidence of faster disease progression and emergence of drug resistance.

Beyrer C, Pozniak A. | The New England Journal of Medicine, 2017 | Article

"HIV Drug Resistance - An Emerging Threat to Epidemic Control"

Drs. Beyrer and Pozniak highlight the disturbing trend in increasing HIV drug resistance globally. They particularly worry that cuts to global health programs will devastate previous gains against HIV and we will lose control of the epidemic anew.

Randy Shilts | St. Martin’s Press, 1987 | Book

And the Band Played On: Politics, People, and the AIDS Epidemic

A gripping chronicle of the early days of the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s, as the scientific community grappled with identifying and treating the virus, and people living with HIV suffered severe stigma and faced death on a daily basis. A movie based on the book has been made and is highly recommended as well, lest we forget what HIV really looks like without the life-saving treatment that is easily taken for granted.

This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

Support funding for continuing research on HIV treatment, prevention, and cure. Recent cuts in local and international HIV funding are threatening efforts to control and eliminate HIV worldwide. Get your government and other funding agencies to invest in programs towards elimination of the HIV and AIDS epidemic.

Practice safe and responsible sex, and don't share needles. Transmission of drug-resistant HIV is on the rise. Even those already infected with HIV can contract drug-resistant HIV from a sexual partner or from sharing needles. If you are already infected, take your medicines regularly so that resistance doesn't develop.