In a recent article describing progress towards an HIV/AIDS vaccine, Herbert Virgin and Bruce Walker commented that the HIV/AIDS biomedical research community “still lack(s) fundamental knowledge regarding the nature, quality and quantity of immune responses that should be induced” for successful vaccination. Defining appropriate viral proteins for vaccination is also problematic, as is determining “whether preventative vaccine strategies should focus on protection from infection or protection from disease progression”. With so many “knowable unknowns”, HIV/AIDS remains an ongoing global challenge.
Since the identification of the viral infection in the early 1980s, an estimated 60 million people have been infected with HIV and 20 million are thought to have died as a result of AIDS.
Low HIV sexual transmission rates (less than 1% of HIV exposures lead to infection) are thought to increase significantly during acute phases of the infection when viral loads are elevated, and one third of infants born to HIV infected mothers acquire the infection.
Virgin and Walker focused upon immunological knowledge and tools for vaccine design, suggesting that in their absence, the route to a successful HIV/AIDS vaccine may be elusive and distant. It remains possible that a viable vaccine could emerge as a surprising success from vaccine trials. Even with success, a viable HIV/AIDS vaccine will likely not be 100% effective; recent promising trials in Thailand suggested a reduction of 31% in HIV acquisition as a result of vaccine use. As such, the likelihood of a successful HIV/AIDS vaccine is remote and a vaccine will be only one of several preventative tools to be used against HIV/AIDS.
Current estimates suggest that over 7,000 new HIV infections occur daily around the world. The heaviest HIV/AIDS disease burden (71%) is in Sub-Saharan Africa, but prevalence continues to rise in many areas of the world including Eastern Europe and Central Asia. In order to effectively challenge HIV/AIDS, interventions must be targeted to particular countries and individuals at greatest risk.
“It’s not enough to simply funnel more funding into current AIDS research efforts” commented the authors. Resonant also was the call to those working in the field of HIV research to learn from others with relevant expertise. The authors suggest that “there is no lack of enthusiasm among scientists outside the HIV field to get involved in HIV/AIDS related research; rather there is merely a lack of a way in”.
Onome Akpogheneta
Onome was awarded a BSc in cell & molecular biology from the University of St Andrews, Scotland and a PhD from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM). Onome’s PhD research focused upon malaria immuno-epidemiology, with fieldwork at the Medical Research ...
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More on these topics:
AIDS, Bruce Walker, Herbert Virgin, HIV, Immune response, Infection, vaccine
houseofnumbers says:
View the new documentary "House of Numbers" to see why questions about this must be raised and deeper issues about HIV and AIDS need to be discussed. Lives are at risk, and this is the first documentary with the worlds foremost authorities highlights the scientific problems with HIV testing, science, statistics, and why there is no cure. If sheds new light on a misunderstood phenomena. GO to bit.ly/bGwuST to see the trailer.
Truth about AIDS as told by Dr. Luc Montagnier. AIDS can be reversed. Nutrition is the answer. bit.ly/bGwuST
Gus says:
House of Numbers is a documentary made by AIDS denialists who use selective quotes, misinformation and editing to imply that HIV doesn't cause AIDS and that HIV medicines do.
Scientists - including the Nobel Prize winner Francoise Barre-Sinoussi who discovered the HIV virus under the direction of Luc Montagnier - were duped into appearing in this film and 18 of them later wrote a letter protesting at its message and saying it was dangerous - see http://www.sitemason.com/files/lDjTYQ/House%20of%20Numbers%20Letter.pdf .
Luc Montagnier simply notes that some people don't get infected with HIV while others do - which would be the case with any virus, including flu - and suggesting that a healthy immune system helped by a good diet may help make you less vulnerable (though it's no substitute for condoms).
AIDS denialism led directly to the death of hundreds of thousands of people in South Africa under the denialist president Thabo Mbeki. Now widespread HIV treatment programmes are finally being implemented there, HIV infection is going down.