Drug-resistant HIV identified in New York

Health officials in New York say they have identified several patients who may have been infected with a rare strain of highly drug-resistant HIV, but whether the cases are related is uncertain at this stage.

The first case of the rare strain was reported last month in a man who had unprotected sex with dozens of other men while under the influence of crystal methamphetamine.

Sex partners identified by the infected man were contacted by health officials who then began surveying city HIV laboratories for patients with possibly related strains. They do not say how many patients have been identified as possibly being infected with the strain, and it could take months to establish whether their infections are related to the first case.

The City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene says the extent to which this strain has spread is still being investigated.