Virology Journal

Featured Review

Mucus and Mucins: do they have a role in the inhibition of the human immunodeficiency virus?

Many studies have shown that body fluids have components that prevent the transmission of HIV-1 from infected to non-infected persons through various forms of contact. This review explores the anti-HIV activity of various types body fluids, including saliva and breast milk, along with their respective mucin components. The authors then interrogate the possibility of exploiting mucins to formulate a biologically based biocompatible substance that could act as a topical prophylactic to prevent transmission of the virus.

Linfa Wang, Editor-in-Chief

Prof Wang is the director of the Programme in Emerging Infectious Diseases at Duke-NUS Medical School, and an honorary professor at the University of Melbourne and the Chinese Academy of Sciences. He is an international leader in the field of emerging zoonotic viruses and virus-host interaction, specialising in bat-borne viruses. After completing his Bachelor's degree in 1982 at the East China Normal University, he went on to obtain his PhD at the University of California, Davis. In 1990, he joined the CSIRO, Australian Animal Health Laboratory where he played a leading role in identifying bats as the natural host of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) virus. 

Prof Wang's work has been recognized internationally through various international awards, numerous invited speeches at major international conferences, many top scientific publications, five patents and many invited book chapters. He holds a number of honorary positions and memberships and has received numerous awards such as the 2014 Eureka Prize for Research in Infectious Diseases. In 2010, Prof Wang was elected as a Fellow of Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering in recognition of his expertise in new and emerging diseases.