Each year, an additional 2 million people are newly infected with the virus. HIV infection can occur when an HIV virus reaches the mucosal membranes or the bloodstream of an individual. Helper T cells play a crucial role in defending the body against bacterial and fungal infections. During the first stage of HIV infection, called the acute infection stage, large amounts of virus are produced in helper T cells, destroying many of these cells in the process. People often report having flu-like symptoms, such as fever, sore throat, and body aches, in addition to a skin rash during this early stage of infection.
Eventually, levels of the virus and helper T cells stabilize, and the infected individual experiences fewer symptoms. Within a few months after the initial infection, viral loads are generally low and can remain at low levels for years, even without treatment.
Over time, however, the amount of virus increases, and the levels of helper T cells decrease. When the T cell count drops low enough, individuals are much more prone to opportunistic infection. The result is continuous unrelenting viral replication. So, should we researchers give up?
One approach researchers are trying in animal models in a couple of laboratories is to use herpes viruses as vectors to deliver the AIDS virus proteins. Once infected with a herpes virus, you are infected for life. And immune responses persist not just as memory but in a continually active fashion. Success of this approach, however, will still depend on figuring out how to elicit the breadth of immune responses that will allow coverage against the vast complexity of HIV sequences circulating in the population.
Another approach is to go after protective immunity from a different angle. Although the vast majority of HIV-infected individuals make antibodies with weak, strain-specific neutralizing activity, some rare individuals do make antibodies with potent neutralizing activity against a broad range of HIV isolates.
These antibodies are rare and highly unusual, but we scientists do have them in our possession. Also, scientists have recently figured out a way to achieve protective levels of these antibodies for life from a single administration. For life! This delivery depends on a viral vector, a vector called adeno-associated virus.
When the vector is administered to muscle, muscle cells become factories that continuously produce the potent broadly neutralizing antibodies. Researchers have recently documented continuous production for six and a half years in a monkey. Portsmouth Climate Festival — Portsmouth, Portsmouth. Edition: Available editions United Kingdom. Become an author Sign up as a reader Sign in. Ronald C. Desrosiers , University of Miami. Author Ronald C. How broadly and quickly we can deploy that cure is another question — having a cure, or having a vaccine, is different from implementing it worldwide.
Edward Jenner discovered the smallpox vaccine in , the last smallpox outbreak in the U. Jonas Salk developed the polio vaccine in , there have been no cases in the U.
How fast will HIV disappear once we have a vaccine? Doing it on a consistent basis? Probably another 10 years. I think the technology is there. Register or Log In. The Magazine Shop. Login Register Stay Curious Subscribe. Newsletter Sign up for our email newsletter for the latest science news. Sign Up. Already a subscriber? Want more?
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