HIV cure and breakthrough has long been impeded by a specific type of immune-system cell that can hide the virus. However, recent research reveals that infected T cells can now be detected thanks to a particular kind of protein.

Finding a definitive cure for HIV/AIDS has been elusive the past decade. Despite the introduction of antiretroviral drugs, locating the virus still presents a significant challenge for experts. Seeing that, researchers managed to resolve the issue with the identification of a protein known as CD32a, according to Nature.

The identification of CD32a is medical breakthrough against the proliferation of HIV and AIDS in the community. With the help of the said protein, researchers are now able to distinguish infected T cells, providing means for experts to target and destroy infected cells.

The ability of HIV-infected cells to hide into the deepest portion of organs and mix themselves with healthy cell while becoming dormant has been a challenging task for researchers to resolve. This known latent reservoir could become tough issues when a patient stops taking antiretroviral therapy, for the virus gradually awakens and replicate once more.

"The persistence of the HIV reservoir in infected individuals is a major obstacle to the development of a cure for HIV-1. Our discovery that CD32a lymphocytes represent the elusive HIV-1 reservoir may lead to insights that will facilitate the specific targeting and elimination of this reservoir." Metro quoted Virologist Dr. Monsef Benkirane, of Montpellier University in France.

In past the past years, scientists tried "shock and kill" method as a form of HIV cure. However, killing the virus through such method has been difficult since experts are unable to recognize the virus. That is why, with the identification of the protein called CD32a, determining and killing the virus may become easier. Thus, suggesting that a definitive HIV cure might soon be released in the market.

Watch here below how HIV/AIDS manifest in the body: