Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Blog 10: A Weak Spot in HIV Armor Found, Raises Vaccine Hope


Scientists and researchers are proud to announce that a weak spot in the HIV virus has been found opening the door for a potential vaccine. The race to find a cure for HIV and AIDs has been a long journey because the virus mutates almost everybody making it impossible to isolate and treat. A team of researchers in South Africa, led by Dr. Salim Abdool Karim, were able to find a weak spot in the HIV virus where a sugar-like compound did not shift fast enough allowing for a potential antibody attack. The shift seems minor but is substantial for the antibodies that are able to identify that there is an invader in the body. A total of 79 women were screened to try out his method and only 2 came out with this rare vulnerability. One of the two women has died of AIDs related Tuberculosis since this discovery so that does take away some of the future research that could have been conducted but it doesn’t take away the motivation. Experts hope that they can use this new information to create some kind of cocktail drug that will force the immune system to create the necessary antibodies that will target this weak spot and eventually create a vaccine.  
This kind of progress in the search for the cure of HIV/AIDs will make incredible strides if someday completed. HIV and AIDs kill millions of people every year on a global scale, so finding the cure is imperative. A successful HIV vaccine would stop the cycle that ensues in many third world countries. Mothers who become infected are unable to provide proper medical care to the fetus as well as take retroviral medication and end up transmitting the virus to the baby. On top of that, without money to buy food, they risk infecting the child through breastfeeding. Civilizations that risk extinction are forced to procreate disease ridden or not so that also contributes to the epidemic. This also creates possibility of someday finding a cure for AIDs. A cure would change the population enormously. Demographic transitions would balance out or even better have higher fertility rates than mortality rates. It is a long ways away finding a cure or even a vaccine, but progress starts with baby steps; baby steps like this recent discovery.  


2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Cаn I simply saу what a cоmfort to find somеbodу that rеally knows what they
are talking about online. You certainly realize how
to bring an issue to light and make it importаnt.

А lot moгe people nеed to look at this and understаnd this sіde οf the ѕtory.
I was ѕuгprised that you aгen't more popular because you surely have the gift.
Also visit my web page ; woodworkingadvice.net

Anonymous said...

I am гeally impressed with уouг writing sκills aѕ well as with the lауοut
on уouг wеblοg. Is this a ρаid
theme or ԁiԁ yоu cuѕtоmize it уourself?
Eitheг way keеp uρ the excеllеnt qualіty wrіtіng, it is rare tο ѕee a nice blog likе this one nοwadays.
Feel free to surf my web-site - Mildew