Smallpox Vaccine Reduce the Spread of HIV

Smallpox eradication throughout the world may inadvertently have helped overcome the spread of HIV infection. The experts found that the smallpox vaccine may help reduce the spread of HIV.

Experts say the smallpox vaccine used to eradicate smallpox was also offers protection against the AIDS virus. But now that this vaccine is not used anymore, and the spread of HIV re-grow.

This is based on the results of research on the United States researchers. Researchers said tests showed that smallpox vaccination can interfere with the development of the HIV virus.

But the researchers said in the journal BMC Immunology, too early to recommend smallpox vaccine to combat HIV.

"There are some explanations about the rapid spread of HIV in Africa, including wars, the use of non-sterile needles and the contamination of polio vaccine," said Dr. Raymond Weinstein, principal investigator from Virginia's George Mason University, as reported by the BBC, Wednesday (19/5/2010 ).

Dr. Weinstein and his colleagues believe that smallpox immunization have not done it again might explain the increased prevalence of HIV recently.

Smallpox immunization has gradually withdrawn from the 1950s to the 1970s, after the eradication of global disease. And HIV has spread exponentially since then.

Now, only scientists and medical professionals who work with smallpox vaccination.

To examine the relationship between the smallpox vaccine with the HIV virus, researchers examined the white blood cells immunized against chickenpox new people, and observing how these respond to the HIV virus vaccines.

Researchers found the level of HIV replication in blood cells of individuals who divaksinansi much lower, compared with those not vaccinated.

Smallpox vaccine can cut HIV replication fivefold.

Researchers believe the vaccine can provide protection against HIV by producing long-term changes in the immune system, possibly including the expression of receptor called CCR5 on the surface of white blood cells, which is operated by the smallpox virus and HIV.

"It is impossible to say whether the withdrawal of the smallpox vaccine contributed to the initial explosion of HIV cases worldwide, but this explanation makes sense," said Jason Warriner, clinical director for the Terrence Higgins Trust.

According to him, this is the interesting part of the study, and not just a history lesson.

Something that can be understood about how the virus is replicating the steps to find an HIV vaccine and hopes someday may also cure it.

Further study is needed to examine the role of receptor cells, and even expected that there are findings that may become part of the solution.

"Until we find ways to eradicate the virus from the body, the focus must remain on the prevention of transmission and spread of infection," Warriner added.