Aids epidemic
Anja Friedrich
Developing a vaccine against HIV is now science's primary focus in the fight against the deadly virus, according to top virologist Dr Robert C Gallo, ahead of a HIV in the Millennium conference in UCD this week.
"Anybody can read a paper and know that the epidemic is still growing," said Dr Gallo, who was one of the discoverers of the HIV virus in the 1980s. "We desperately need a vaccine."
Due to HIV's ability to form a resistance to current drug therapies, Dr Gallo believes a vaccine needs to be developed "that is smart and will block the virus at the gate", although he admits it may be years until any significant progress is made in this area.
Dr Gallo said the focus of Aids research should now be on getting the drugs to people, which requires infrastructure and education, and not just money. Similarly more research should go into developing different combinations of drugs to improve resistance to the virus.
HIV, which causes Aids, is now classed as an epidemic, infecting millions of people every year. Over 80 per cent of these cases are found in Third World countries but the epidemic is spreading, with recent outbreaks in India, Russia and parts of Asia.
As a retrovirus, HIV attaches itself to the body's cells and alters their genetic structure, causing abnormal growth whether excessive or insufficient. The conference will outline how medical advancement and investment mean HIV no longer represents a death sentence in resource-rich countries, and how it needs to be addressed as a growing epidemic in Third World countries.
The conference takes place as part of UCD 150 celebrations.Speakers will include Paul A Volberding, a pioneer in HIV treatment, Kevin M Decock, from the Centre for Disease Control in the US, David Apuuli and Charles Van Der Horst, who will discuss mother and child treatment in Malawi.
The conference takes place this Friday in the O'Reilly Hall, UCD. It is organised by Prof William Hall and Prof William Powderly. It is open to the public and free of charge. For further information, visit www.ucd.ie/150