New Therapeutic Vaccine for HIV/AIDS Eliminates Needles and Excessive ToxicityJanuary 06, 2005DermaVir, a novel treatment for HIV/AIDS, offers a new option which complements and improves present drug therapies. The vaccine, applied topically to the skin, has demonstrated efficacy in boosting immune responses and controlling virus replication in chronically infected monkeys. This treatment possibly offers a new, non-invasive option for HIV-infected patients. "The immune system demonstrated an unexpected capacity for recovery after DermaVir vaccinations in these monkeys, some of which had already progressed to AIDS before starting treatment," states lead researcher, Julianna Lisziewicz, Ph.D. Though the immune control is not permanent, data shows that antiviral activity of immune responses induced by DermaVir are significantly longer than that of existing antiviral drugs. It is suggested that DermaVir would only need to be re-administered periodically, about 8 times a year, rather than daily. Current antiretroviral therapies used to treat HIV combine several medications and are sometimes referred to as "cocktails." Together, these drugs work to prevent the virus from multiplying. DermaVir is different from these treatments in that it induces HIV-specific immune reconstitution rather than targeting the virus, and is applied to the skin, rather than orally or through injection. Combined with antiretroviral drugs, DermaVir has shown to be more effective than when used alone, and does not have overlapping resistance or toxic characteristics that would otherwise compromise its effectiveness. Additionally, DermaVir side effects are minimal (skin irritation); thus patients might be able to avoid the excessive toxicities of anti-HIV cocktails. According to the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, there are currently about 39.4 million people worldwide who are living with HIV/AIDS. Of that number, 4.9 million were newly infected with HIV just this year. Globally, just under half of all people living with HIV are female. The numbers are steadily increasing for women and girls particularly in Eastern Europe, Asia andLatin America. Blackwell Publishing Ltd |
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| Related AIDS Current Events and AIDS News Articles Multiple health concerns surface as winter, vitamin D deficiences arrive A string of recent discoveries about the multiple health benefits of vitamin D has renewed interest in this multi-purpose nutrient, increased awareness of the huge numbers of people who are deficient in it, spurred research and even led to an appreciation of it as "nature's antibiotic." AIDS research reveals a lack of family-planning programs in Uganda University of Alberta graduate student Jennifer Heys wants to make her message clear: there needs to be more education in Ugandan communities about contraception. Many pregnant women avoid HIV screening in Africa 'Prevention is the best cure' is a common expression, but what happens if preventative measures are not used? A large proportion of pregnant Ugandan women are going out of their way not to be HIV tested, increasing the risk of mother-to-child transmission. An atomic-level look at an HIV accomplice Since the discovery in 2007 that a component of human semen called SEVI boosts infectivity of the virus that causes AIDS, researchers have been trying to learn more about SEVI and how it works, in hopes of thwarting its infection-promoting activity. UAB Researchers Discover Antibody Receptor Identity, Propose Renaming Immune-System Gene Researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) have uncovered the genetic identity of a cellular receptor for the immune system's first-response antibody, a discovery that sheds new light on infection control and immune disorders. UCLA study shows brain's ability to reorganize Visually impaired people appear to be fearless, navigating busy sidewalks and crosswalks, safely finding their way using nothing more than a cane as a guide. Research calls for better assessment of tests for tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and malaria A rapid and accurate diagnosis is the first step towards treatment in the fight against infectious disease. Prioritizing low-cost, simple health measures would save 2.5 million child lives a year Almost a third of the children under age five who die each year could be saved if governments rebalance health spending to ensure low-cost, simple interventions such as safe water and hygiene, bed nets and basic maternal and newborn care, leading aid agency World Vision said today. Currently, 8.8 million children a year die before age five, most of preventable causes. No-entry zones for AIDS virus The AIDS virus inserts its genetic material into the genome of the infected cell. Scientists of the German Cancer Research Center have now shown for the first time that the virus almost entirely spares particular sites in the human genetic material in this process. This finding may be useful for developing new, specific AIDS drugs. Hoping for a fluorescent basket case Although recent advances have raised hopes that a protective vaccine can be developed, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) remains a major public health problem. More AIDS Current Events and AIDS News Articles |
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