This small retro-virus with an ingenious ability of hitting us where it hurts most, i.e our immune system, is slowly meeting its match. Hitherto, vaccine trials have been disappointing but studies in Thailand have achieved surprising positive results using a combo of 2 vaccines. The combo cuts the risk of infection by about 31%, the study reported.
We ain't there yet, but this combo success has opened up a very interesting approach in HIV vaccine development. Perhaps in the next few years, scientists will be able to capitalize of this success and come up with an even better vaccine.
I can't wait for that day. I think this virus is the most psychologically draining organism in the living planet. And even though gone are the days that we attached AIDS with a lot of stigma, pediatric HIV patients still stir a lot of emotion to a lot of us.
REFERENCE:
1)Anon.(2009)"A world first: Vaccine helps prevent HIV infection," Yahoo News, [Internet]
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090924/ap_on_he_me/med_aids_vaccine, {Accessed, Sept. 2009}
2. The study link:
http://www.hivresearch.org/phase3/factsheet.html