One of the primary actions after being diagnosed with HIV is to take antiretroviral drugs, HAART, to stop the virus from reproducing. However, the virus can still reproduce at slow rates in "reservoirs" such as in the genital tract, brain, and bone marrow. These reservoirs can lead to infections and non AIDS related death. A vaccine was developed to attack the viral protein "Tat" which is produced in the early stages of HIV infections. Using a small amount of Tat, researches were able to make a vaccine that prevented the progression of the infection. This vaccine used in conjunction with the antiretroviral drugs may not only stop the virus from reproducing, but stop the virus from creating reservoirs as well.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/04/150429090114.htm
This article was a really interesting because it shows the beginning to a vaccine that could eradicate HIV. For now, this finding can halt the reproduction of the HIV infection in a patient but hopefully this vaccine will be as widespread as the measles vaccine. Perhaps this can prevent thousands of cases of HIV in the world.
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