Strains of bacteria that occur naturally in the human mouth can snare the HIV virus and even cells it has infected, according to researchers at the UIC College of Dentistry. The findings were reported at the 104th General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology.

The researchers found that the bacteria latched onto the sugar coating on the envelope that encases the virus particle and blocked infection. The bacteria also bound the sugar coating on immune cells, causing them to clump - a feature that could render those harboring HIV incapable of infecting other cells.

The sugar "dome" prevents HIV from being recognized by the human immune response, but it is the target of these lactobacilli.

"The two strains were found to bind with several varieties of HIV, the related simian immunodeficiency virus, and immune cells that HIV targets for infection, which are also covered with mannose. Further analysis showed that the bacteria inhibited HIV infection of immune cells in the laboratory," says Tao.

One strain secreted abundant mannose-binding protein particles into its surroundings, neutralizing HIV by binding to its sugar coating. The other Lactobacillus strain also neutralized HIV particles but required direct contact with the virus because its mannose-binding proteins reside on its surface.

That configuration would be expected to immobilize any immune cells harboring HIV and prevent them from infecting other cells.

While HIV exist as many subtypes because of frequent mutations, posing a challenge for vaccines, the sugar coating of the virus remains largely the same, presenting a ready target for lactobacilli to attack no matter whether the virus particle itself is genetically altered.

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