HIV evolving into milder virus: Margaret Canady 2nd period

  In a major scientific study conducted by the University of Oxford, scientists have shown that the HIV virus is being "watered down" by the overall human immune system, as well as by anti-retroviral drugs. The discovery of this rapid evolution is an optimistic advancement in stopping/reversing the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Currently 35 million people are infected with the fluid-transmitted HIV virus.
  The Oxford team showed how the virus is evolving by comparing the HIV problem in Botswana and South Africa. South Africa received the HIV virus 10 years later than Botswana did, and in South Africa the viruses' ability to replicate is 10% lower than that in Botswana.This shows that within those ten years, HIV evolved into a milder version of it's original self.  In addition, the conversion of HIV to AIDS has slowed down in the past twenty years: where it used to be 10 years, it is now 12.5 years in Botswana.
  Virologists are excited in these results, and hope that with time and advancement in medicine, HIV can become a mild, easily treated and collectively harmless infection.

  When I first saw the title of this article, I was skeptical of its credibility, as it takes millions of years for a species to evolve. But after reading the article, I understood the study's claims and now am excited for where this might lead in preventing HIV/AIDS.
   I think this also shows how far we've come not only as a country, but as a world community. The advancements in medicine and technology are side effects of scientific/industrial revolutions of our society, and our global population will benefit if each country shares their discoveries, research, and innovations with one another.

Source: http://www.bbc.com/news/health-30254697