Two new Aids virus strains

Those who are HIV positive or living with Aids are at greater risk of catching the hybrid Aids than normal people, said Professor Ruangpheng Suttharane of Mahidol University.

However, there had been no documented cases of the hybrid Aids becoming resistant to Aids drugs.

Two Thai women were found with the two Aids strains from Africa.

One contracted a mix of types A, G and D - or AG/D - and the other, while pregnant, types A, E and G (AE/G).

The baby was Aidsfree at birth because the mother was given medication during gestation.

Ruangpheng said she and her research team were working on a study of the two African Aids strains and would know next month how detrimental they could be, or how much faster or slower they could destroy good cells compared with mainstream Aids.