The Key to HIV-AIDS may have finally been found.

Pic from Flickr by: Trygve Utstumo

The last decade have witnessed many advances in HIV-AIDS research and only last year, the hopes were high from a new vaccine developed by Finnish Biotech company FIT Biotech which was designed to lessen the viral load of the current patients affected from HIV. Though the vaccine is still undergoing test from Spring 2014 with collaboration of two European universities and American pharmaceuticals companies involving 1,000 patients but even if the drug proves effective, then still also it would takes at least another 5 years to be marketed and distributed. It is also claimed that this will be a cost effective solution for the infected ones. 

How does it works?

Basically it's a DNA vaccine that encodes the HIV proteins allowing the patients to produce T cells specifically against HIV. In theory it sounds similar like all the vaccines available earlier which were not 100% effective. With the company's patented GTU (Gene Transport Unit) the introduction of the vaccines would be easy with a very few side effects. 

Coupled with retro-viral drugs, this therapy is theoretically supposed to bring down HIV levels in the body so low that its symptoms would be masked. It maybe able to make it undetectable and also stop it's transmission allowing the patient to be sexually active once again but have to remain under medication otherwise the levels may rise again. Still it's all theoretical and the test results are yet to come. 

So whats the hope? Well here it is...

Patient Zero: The immune's

The journal Clinical Microbiology and Infection published a study on Tuesday detailing the phenomenon of a 'spontaneous cure' and the different ways it is replicated among HIV patients.

According to a research conducted on two HIV patients, the virus remained inactivated in these patient's cells as their genetic code had mutated in such a spontaneous evolution which the scientists call 'ENDOGENIZATION'. 

This mutation seems to have increased the levels of APOBEC enzyme which caused further mutation in the virus.

The researchers stated "We propose that HIV cure may occur through HIV endogenization in humans. These findings suggest that without therapeutic and prophylactic strategies, after several decades of HIV/host integration and millions of deaths, it is likely that that a few individuals might have endogenized and neutralized the virus and transmitted it to their progeny."

In a nutshell...

There are some people who can simply neutralize HIV within their body and such patients have been called 'elite controllers'. Though their numbers are estimated to be less than 1% of the infected.

Till now the medication was based on the methodology of removal of the virus from the body and kill it but now the new research focuses to turn the machinery of the virus against itself and find a cure internally. 

Though it may still take years for such medication to be marketed but the future sure seems bright.

A little knowledge about HIV:

Picture by NIAID@flicker.

HIV(Human Immunodeficiency virus) is a virus that attacks the body's natural defense system. Without a strong immune the body has trouble fighting off disease. The virus and the infection both are called HIV.
HIV infects and destroys certain WBC called CD4+. If too many CD$+ cells are destroyed, the body cannot protect itself anymore. 
If the CD4+ cells count are less than 200 then the condition is called as AIDS. During this stage people get the cancers and infection that rarely occur in healthy people. 
But having HIV doesn't mean that you have AIDS. Even without treatment it can take upto 10-12 years for the first signs or symptoms to show up.

Symptoms:

• Swollen nymph nodes
• night sweats
• weight loss
• tiredness
• fever

How does it spread?

You can get HIV from contact with infected blood, semen, or vaginal fluids.

• Most people get the virus by having unprotected sex with someone who has HIV.
• Another common way of getting it is by sharing drug needles with someone who is infected with HIV.
• The virus can also be passed from a mother to her baby during pregnancy, birth, or breast-feeding.

HIV doesn't survive well outside the body. So it can't be spread by casual contact like kissing or sharing drinking glasses with an infected person.

How to prevent HIV from spreading:

• Use of condoms while having sexual intercourse with any unknown person.
• If you are on alcohol, be careful as these can make you forget about precautions.
• If mother is HIV positive during pregnancy then the child should be under treatment from birth and mother should be under medication during pregnancy. The HIV virus has the capability to cross the placenta and reach the foetus.
• Do not donate blood, semen or vaginal fluids.
• Do not donate organs and tell your sexual partner about your condition so that you both can be safe.
• Donot use used syringes, razor blades etc.
• Be alert and be careful. 

Being HIV + doesn't mean that you are going to die soon. Proper treatment and medication can let you live a healthy life. Always remember that go to doctor as soon as you fell something wrong and donot hesitate. Life is to be lived donot spoil it by listening other nonsense people.

Sources:

1. Wikipedia
2. Web-MD
3. News.MIC
4. Flickr

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