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Doctors unveil Aids vaccine details
An undated scanning electron micrograph shows the presence of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1), spherical in appearance, on the surface of a human lymphocyte. Photo/REUTERS
Posted Wednesday, October 21 2009 at 00:00
“We need to try to understand why we saw what we saw,” Kim said.
Some people who were vaccinated got infected anyway and have as much virus in the system as unvaccinated patients, which suggests that whatever it is in the immune system that protects from HIV infection, it is different from what is needed to control an infection.
Cocktails of drugs
The Aids virus infects an estimated 33 million people globally and has killed 25 million since it was identified in the 1980s.
Cocktails of drugs can control HIV but there is no cure.
In 2007, Merck & Co ended a trial of its vaccine after it was found not to work.
Meanwhile, the global financial crisis and a loss of interest in the Aids epidemic may translate into less money in coming years for research, treatment and prevention of the virus, HIV experts said on Monday.
They are especially concerned because a trial in Thailand has just shown it may be possible to make a vaccine to prevent Aids — the first hint of success in the 25 years
.
RSS