HIV Vaccine Breakthrough?
A huge breakthrough in the fight against HIV. Researchers at the CDC are reporting that two drugs, when used in combination, have proven to prevent lab monkeys from contracting HIV. At this point, researchers aren't positive that it would work with humans, nor what dosage humans would require. Still - very encouraging.
How they conducted the research:
The team of researchers injected the monkeys with a form of Truvada (commonly used in AIDS 'cocktails'), the once-a-day pill from Gilead Sciences that includes Viread, or tenofovir, and Emtriva, or emtracitibine. Half of the monkeys were given the medication - the other half were not. The researches then exposed the monkeys to HIV via the anus. Those monkeys given the drugs did not develop HIV, the monkeys that were not inoculated did.
On the flip side... researchers noted that current recommended doses of Truvada would not be sufficient in humans to prevent contracting HIV.
In a statement from the CDC:
"Study authors believe the findings may be the strongest animal data yet suggesting that potent antiretrovirals given before HIV exposure may prevent sexual HIV transmission."
Another notable HIV/AIDS development:
Scientists in Germany say that a sunflower plant could be used in new drugs to fight HIV.
Researchers at the University of Bonn discovered the link while they were looking at antifungal properties the sunflower uses to fight off sclerotinia, a disease commonly known as white mold.
The antifungal substance is also found in the artichoke and wild chicory. Researchers said it would be cheaper to make the drug from the sunflower plant.
This entry was posted
on Wednesday, February 15, 2006 at 1:12 PM.
Want to discuss? Leave a comment below.
ByI was pretty disappointed to see nothing on the front page of CNN about this, nothing on CNN's health page about this, nothing on Yahoo News' front page, and nothing on Yahoo News' health page.
On MSNBC I had to go to the health page and scroll down to the bottom, after the ads, where there was a small headline on this under "infectious diseases." Apparently a drug that turns off the munchies is more important than a possible breakthrough in an HIV vaccine.
And not surprisingly, I didn't see anything on Fox News' site.
I'm very excited about this breakthrough. I hope it means that within a few years we'll have a vaccine. Then maybe we'll be even closer to a cure, or at least a treatment that means a long and healthy life for those with HIV/AIDS.
Thanks for reporting it! Without seein it here, I would've never know.
By
I find this both encouraging and extremely misleading. Anti-retroviral drugs preventing AIDS infection is great, but this isn't even closely related to a vaccine. Vaccines are agents that provoke an immune response, allowing the body to recognize, then fight an infectious agent. These anti-retroviral drugs only prevent the transcription of the viral RNA into the body, preventing contraction of AIDS. In simple terms, you would always have to have them in your body (i.e. currently taking them) to prevent infection. Unlike a vaccine, which after administration would give immunity or at least protection for many years, if not a lifetime.
Glenn
By
I find it very encouraging. It is in no way a vaccine - though it is a step in the right direction and a step even closer to better drugs and more studies on the findings of this study.
Though, at the same time it is misleading. It is not a vaccine - who would really want to take an HIV/AIDS cocktail everyday for the rest of their life? Not me.
By
Right, it's not a vaccine. However, many times it is discoveries like this that lead to a vaccine. Through this process they can learn more about the virus and what stops it.
But for those living in a country with high HIV rates (like Africa where young women often contract HIV because of rapes), I'd take a pill every day until a vaccine was available. It's better than getting HIV and having to take multiple medicines every day and worrying about getting ill.
I'm just disappointed that such a big breakthrough got such little news coverage. Then again, we still have this attitude around the world that you deserved it if you get HIV.
My sister's been running into this a lot as she'd linked the story on her site. She's gotten a lot of messages from people saying there shouldn't be a vaccine or any drugs to stop you from getting HIV, as you deserve it if you get it. Sometimes I think people like that need a good smack of reality.
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