According to the Imperial London College the HIV vaccine trail know as "STEP" was halted in September of 2007 due to adverse affects. Dormant forms of HIV genes where inserted into a adenovirus shell, which we know as the common cold, in hopes that if the patient was to come into contact with the virus are body would be able to recognize the virus and fight it off. I understand that the idea was there, but the adenovirus shell did what it does best to fight off a cold. You see, when you become sick with a common cold your body increases your CD4 T-cell count especially where the virus is most likely to enter, the mucous membranes(i.e vagina, mouth, nose, and gut). Unfortunately, HIV targets CD4-T cells and uses the cells to replicate, so the vaccine just gave the patients more cells for HIV/AIDS to affect and in the most vulnerable areas too. So inadvertently, the patients taking the STEP vaccine where more likely to get infected with HIV/AIDS. I do not understand how the scientists looked past this, and honestly it seems like a pretty dumb mistake on my behalf, but we only learn by making mistakes.
Imperial College London(2009, November 19). HIV vaccine failure probably caused by virus used, says new research. ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091116165635.htm
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This post belonged with your other post. I want to see them together unless there is a limitation on the number of words that can be posted to a blog. I saves people from having to respond to two blogs per week.
ReplyDeleteHIV is a crafty virus, no doubt. That is why trying to find a vaccine will be very difficult. It is rather interesting that the scientists didn't think about the issue of providing more cells for HIV to infect by promoting a viral infection with the common cold. We live and learn.
This is an area where I've not kept abreast of. Hopefully something soon, despite the set backs with previous attempts will happen soon. WHen I found out my status a long time ago, the thought of an effective medication was almost a dream I dared not to dream because it seemed so far away. So we never know.
ReplyDeleteBrian its not a dream we are now closer than ever! Almost every college and almost every hospital is working towards finding a cure they have already found a treatment that pretty much eliminates transmition of HIV from mother to child(Which I am going to talk about this week). We are making progress and more and more scientists are putting there thoughts and input together to find a cure. I wouldn't be suprised if we found one this year!
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