By Scott Stenholm - Editorial Producer, Larry King Now
In a major development, researchers have found a new target for a potential HIV vaccine. Even more encouraging, the researchers say that they have evidence that it can stop the virus from infecting cells.
On Sunday, AOL News reported that, "the team found an antibody in the blood of someone with HIV that was able to stop about half of HIV's different variations from infecting other cells. That antibody connects itself to what is essentially a chink in the virus' armor that had never been targeted before. Exactly how the antibody blocks the infection isn't totally clear yet, but the weakness seems to be present in most strains of HIV. In theory, a vaccine based on these findings could force people to create this antibody before they even get infected."
During a Larry King Now panel discussion on the state of HIV and AIDS in America last October, our guests addressed a pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) treatment that can be highly effective at preventing HIV transmission.
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