U.S. Scientists Discover Weakness in HIV Virus

Just days after Iran failed to produce their miracle HIV cure, scientists in the U.S. are saying that they have found a weakness in the HIV virus that could lead to a vaccine for the virus. One of the main challenges of creating such a vaccine, is that HIV mutates differently in every person it effects. This makes it difficult to find a singular solution to the virus.



This sounds like a very promising step in the search for a vaccine. I never thought I'd see a world without HIV, but it may just happen in our lifetime.

This reminds me of the movie "Timecop" where they hypothesize (from the future) that HIV wasn't the last such virus to take a toll on humanity. If we solve HIV will there be another virus that takes its place?

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[edit on 14-2-2007 by radio_radio]

Most definitely there will be a new, more dangerous virus that comes about. That's the only way that we humans will evolve. For some odd reason, whenever we get one illness down, another comes right in and takes over. However, we still got to take care of cancer, so there's one exception I suppose.

TheBorg

As sympathetic as I am for those who have, and for those who care about those with HIV/AIDS I feel the real breakthrough would be a blanket-cure for Cancer.

Cancer has been afflicting people longer. It has afflicted humankind for centuries if not since the inception of mankind, and is way more deadly than AIDS.

For instance, AIDS can essentially be put in a suspended animation with AZT style drugs. However, Cancer can either be cured through treatments of drugs, raditation, or surgery, but for those unlucky few it is a death sentence. There is no suspended animation with cancer. It is, you are either cured, or you fight it out, suffer, and lose.

-ADHD

Perhaps the answer to beating both lies within each of the two.

Cancer cells are the strongest cells made, because they make a hardened outer shell that's virtually impenetrable by any known medicine, except radiation. HIV/AIDS has the ability to be quickly spread around, and it adapts to new surroundings, whereas cancer takes a while to metastasize to a new location.

If we empty the HIV/AIDS virus of any harmful RNA, and put it inside of a cleansed cancer cell, and let it run loose inside the body, what would happen? I have a lingering suspicion that maybe we'd discover the cures for both, as the reproduction of the cells would only yield stronger cells than the ones we currently have, making us much more resistant to illness, and it would give us the added benefit of being able to pass it on to others. For the first time, we'd have a positive virus.

True, it's most likely wishful thinking, but it sure sounds good inside my head.

TheBorg

Very interesting timing. Funny how when Iran make this claim they are scorned but when it comes from the good ol usa...

Does the timing of this not bother anyone? What if the idea was infact stolen from the Iranian scientists?

Timing doesn't have anything to do with it IMHO. Unless they have spies on the Irani medical scientist, which I highly doubt.

Lets see if this weakness will be exploitable.

Originally posted by Frakkerface

Does the timing of this not bother anyone? What if the idea was infact stolen from the Iranian scientists?

LOL. Sorry...

Just for your information, Merck has been testing an HIV vaccine in Africa before Iran was talking about a cure for HIV or whatever the hell they were talking about. Who knows or cares