HIV Breakthrough?
Could Tulane research lead to HIV prevention?
The National Primate Research Center at Tulane University has unearthed a potential breakthrough in the prevention of HIV in women. It involves topical microbicides called fusion inhibitors, which could block access to a major receptor that HIV uses to infect cells. The fusion inhibitor is applied topically to the vagina in a gel form and could become one of the first HIV prevention methods completely under a woman’s control. Dr. Ronald Veazey, a researcher with the New Orleans Regional Biosciences Initiative at Tulane, says there have been initial successes. “Our research has demonstrated the effectiveness of this approach in preventing transmission of the virus,” he says. “This could lead to extremely promising preventative treatments in the fight against HIV and AIDS. Developing affordable, preventative treatments for women has never been so important.” Half of the world’s HIV-infected individuals are female and 25% of all new cases of HIV in the United States are found in women.
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