Tag Archives: Virus

Medical experts optimistic about new HIV vaccine.

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Director of the Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa, Professor Salim Abdool Karim, says he is very optimistic that the new HIV vaccine being tested in South Africa this week will show positive results.

 

He says it will take about five to six years to see the results.

 

The study, called HVTN 702, aims to enroll 5400 sexually active men and women between the ages of 18 and 35.

 

It will be the largest and most advanced HIV vaccine clinical trial to take place in South Africa.

 

Even if this vaccine reaches 50% protection or 60% protection, that is much better than 0% protection we have from any other kind of vaccine. It will be an important step to the right direction and major step forward.

— Professor Salim Abdool Karim, Director of the Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa

 

He says South Africa will continue to ensure that South Africa is involved in testing different vaccines.

Scientists discover antibody that neutralizes 98% strains of the HIV virus

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Scientists have discovered an antibody that can neutralize 98 percent of HIV strains.

The strength and dynamism of the antibody – known as N6 – means it could be developed and re-purposed to treat and prevent HIV infections.

Remarkably, the research team at the US National Institutes of Health have found N6 can neutralize 16 of the 20 strains which have so far resisted all kinds of medication.

It is the most promising discovery to date after decades of failed attempts to neutralize the virus, which rapidly changes its surface proteins to evade recognition.

The last time HIV researchers made such a strong leap in the field was in 2010, with the discovery of an antibody called VRC01.

VRCO1 can stop up to 90 percent of HIV strains from infecting human cells.

It works in the same way as N6: both block the virus by binding to a part of the HIV enveloped called the CD4 binding site.

This prevents the virus from attaching itself to immune cells.

However, N6 can better tolerate changes in the HIV envelope.

For example, one of the key ways HIV evades the immune system is by gathering and attaching sugars, which tend to loosen the antibody’s grip. N6, however, is not affected by this change.

The findings, revealed in a report on Wednesday, have emerged as scientists continue to test N6 as an intravenous infusion in clinical trials to see if it can safely prevent HIV infection in humans.

Due to its potency, N6 may offer stronger and more durable prevention and treatment benefits, and researchers may be able to administer it subcutaneously (into the fat under the skin) rather than intravenously.

In addition, its ability to neutralize nearly all HIV strains would be advantageous for both prevention and treatment strategies.

For example, one of the key ways HIV evades the immune system is by gathering and attaching sugars, which tend to loosen the antibody’s grip. N6, however, is not affected by this change.

The findings, revealed in a report on Wednesday, have emerged as scientists continue to test N6 as an intravenous infusion in clinical trials to see if it can safely prevent HIV infection in humans.

Due to its potency, N6 may offer stronger and more durable prevention and treatment benefits, and researchers may be able to administer it subcutaneously (into the fat under the skin) rather than intravenously.

In addition, its ability to neutralize nearly all HIV strains would be advantageous for both prevention and treatment strategies.

Health Research: Zika Virus Confirmed In US Mosquitoes

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Authorities have detected Zika in mosquitoes in Miami Beach, the first time the insects have been found carrying the virus in the United States.

“These findings are very disappointing, but not surprising,” the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services said in a statement released on Thursday.

 

Officials had already suspected that the virus was being spread by mosquitoes locally following a recent outbreak of the virus in Miami.

 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have warned pregnant women against travelling to Miami as the virus can cause birth defects.

 

Last week the US Food and Drug Administration also instructed blood banks across the country to screen donated blood for Zika.

 

According to WHO, Zika virus is a mosquito-borne flavivirus that was first identified in Uganda in 1947 in monkeys through a network that monitored yellow fever.

 

It was later identified in humans in 1952 in Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania.

Outbreaks of Zika virus disease have been recorded in Africa, the Americas, Asia and the Pacific.

 

From the 1960s to 1980s, human infections were found across Africa and Asia, typically accompanied by mild illness.

 

The first large outbreak of disease caused by Zika infection was reported from the Island of Yap (Federated States of Micronesia) in 2007.

 

In July 2015 Brazil reported an association between Zika virus infection and Guillain-Barré syndrome.

 

In October 2015 Brazil reported an association between Zika virus infection and microcephaly.

 

The incubation period (the time from exposure to symptoms) of Zika virus disease is not clear, but is likely to be a few days.

 

The symptoms are similar to other arbovirus infections such as dengue, and include fever, skin rashes, conjunctivitis, muscle and joint pain, malaise, and headache. These symptoms are usually mild and last for 2-7 days.

BOMBSHELL!!! This New HIV Drug Weakens The Virus For 28 Days With Just A Single Dose

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“We were able, with the antibodies, to suppress the viral loads of viremic patients — patients that are HIV infected, but that aren’t treated,” says Florian Klein, co-author of the study published inNature today, and an immunologist at Rockefeller University in New York.

There are more than 1.2 million people living with HIV in the US, according to the CDC. In 2013, 47,300 people living in the country were diagnosed with HIV. For people who know of their condition — and can afford treatment — taking antiretroviral drugs is usually the only option. These drugs are designed to control the infection by preventing the growth of the virus and reducing its presence in the blood of those who are infected. Unfortunately, they need to be taken every day for the rest of a person’s life. They can also be pretty harsh on the body; some people experience nerve damage, for instance. To address this issue, researchers have been looking at the antibodies that HIV patients produce naturally to fight the disease upon infection. And one antibody, in particular, stands out. Its name is 3BNC117.

Read More: theverge