A latest gene mapping exercise in India has revealed that the country’s population is more vulnerable to HIV-AIDS than other people around the world. The study further revealed that the risk factor further increases as one moves from north to south. The higher rate of vulnerability of the Indians to the cureless disease is owing to the absence of a protective gene marker HIV-1 in the population of the country.

 

Kapil Sibal, Science & Technology minister, released the study on Friday, 25 April 2008. The study was undertaken by more than 150 scientists and researchers from across six CSIR laboratories. In the study it was also asserted that the Indian gene pool is quite diverse and the description or term ‘Indian’ is hardly homogeneous. This biggest ever gene mapping exercise in India will considerably aid in constructing ‘specific drug response’ and ‘disease risk managements’ especially for deadly disease like HIV-AIDS.