Optimistic scientists with results in the human AIDS vaccine

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Monday, July 09, 2018 – 00:00:00 | 29 | |
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In this article: Camagüey, Cuba, Science, Health, Medicine, HIV, AIDS, Vaccine

Havana, July 9. – A team of researchers informed this weekend that the first tests showed encouraging progress, after the experimental vaccine tested showed an effective immune response against the HIV virus in humans.

In a statement in The Lancet, virologist Dan Barouch, director of the study, was very optimistic with the test results. "They represent an important step," he said, although he warned with other experts that there is no guarantee that the following tests are so positive. . "We must be careful," he said in a statement from AFP

. The study concludes, however, that the vaccine is safe for humans and advanced enough to test 2,600 women in the south. From Africa

Before conducting a human trial, experts tested the vaccine on macaques and it was effective in two-thirds of the total sample. After good results, the vaccine was tested on a sample of 393 healthy, HIV-free adults aged 18-50 in East Africa, South Africa, Thailand, and the United States.

Some received one of the possible vaccine or placebo combinations, through four injections in 48 weeks. These combinations were made from different types of HIV virus, which became harmless enough, in the hope of getting an immune response.

The tests also concluded that the vaccine is safe for humans. Only five participants reported adverse effects, such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, dizziness or back pain.

In another study, these same vaccines offered protection to two-thirds of the 72 macaques to which researchers were attempting to inoculate the virus

. The specialists have received the news with optimism. Expert François Venter of the University of Witwatersrand (South Africa), told AFP the "need" to find the definitive vaccine against AIDS.

The French Jean-Daniel Lelièvre, of the Vaccine Research Institute, He was cautious with the study. "It's probably not the final vaccine, but it can be a phenomenal breakthrough." According to him, "in the best case", this research will produce a vaccine that can be administered in "almost 10 years."

Some 37 million people are living with HIV or AIDS, according to the World Health Organization 1.8 million people are registered. Since its first diagnosis in the early 1980s, the disease has killed about 35 million people.

Despite advances in medicine in the prevention and treatment of the disease, researchers stress the need to find measures to prevent contagion, such as protection during bad, using new syringes or medical sterilization equipment. (Cubadebate) (Photo: Archivo)