Scientists in France have begun research into two men who acquired the HIV virus over 30 years ago but have not developed AIDS or any related symptoms since infection. Raising further questions is the fact that these men seem to be free of HIV and the virus has passed itself throughout the body of the two men, according to the Daily News.

Research has shown that there is a key enzyme present that has altered the genetic code of the HIV virus as it attempted to spread throughout the body, compromising the immune system. The enzyme is called Tre-Recombinase and its primary objective is to alter the virus’ DNA code to avoid further replication and to restore order among infect cells.

The main method of treating HIV infection in recent years is Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART). One of the key problems with HAART is that it focuses on the body’s resistance and receptor cells, but HAART has no way to completely eradicate the virus from the infected patient. With the use of Tre-Recombinase, scientists are becoming more confident that the enzyme’s ability to alter the virus’ DNA code can play a role in avoiding high levels of replication and compromising the infection thus far.

Less than 1 percent of all infected patients are able to harbor the virus without any consequences. If there is a focused effort placed on learning what makes the patients able to live with the virus and prevent replication, then researchers might have insight into developing a legitimate cure.

HIV replicates very quickly and is very invasive in terms of integration into the body. At the end of 2013 there were roughly 35 million people living with HIV globally. While HAART has quelled some populations, it presents problems for clinical care in the future and raises questions in terms of drug resistance.

Scientists are hoping that they have found the key in combatting one of the most dangerous autoimmune disorders in existence in Tre-Recombinase, and the medical community has its fingers crossed that it will begin eradicated HIV and AIDS very soon.