Today or the 18th of May is celebrated Internationally as World AIDS vaccine day. This day marks the importance of having an HIV vaccine on an urgent basis, considering the risks and hazards of the dreaded disease globally. This day also appreciates the hard work that has been rendered by health care researchers and professionals globally. This day is considered a significant day in health care history.
There is a growing importance of informing and educating the general public comprising individuals on what are the preventive measures for this disease. This day is also called by another name – HIV Vaccine Awareness day. The HIV virus or the Human Immunodeficiency virus is a life-threatening virus and a detailed awareness about the same has to be generated in order to eliminate the risk of either carrying it or passing it on as a carrier. An effective vaccine however can go a long way in controlling the spread of this infectious disease. This is one of the surest cures that can eradicate it completely. Although this is clear to all, till now there has been no vaccine produced.
This dreaded disease has claimed the lives of many so far and continues to do so still. This disease was first identified in 1984 and the US Department of Health and Human Services had mentioned that they would be able to produce a vaccine within 2 years but that has still not happened. The various clinical trials have not produced good results.
A few important reasons for not succeeding as yet are:
- The complexity of HIV and the inability of the human immune system to detect it.
- Rapid mutation of the HIV virus.
- HIV is an infection and vaccines can protect only against the disease not an infection.
- Live form of the virus in vaccines is too dangerous to use and killed form does not produce the desired results as that is too weak.
Work and research on the HIV vaccine is still on!
