A new fight for South Africa against HIV, vaccines tested in human subjects

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South Africa - the highly HIV infested country in the world with more than 1,000 people are infected each day, is making a history in the fight for HIV. Clinical trials with human subjects begins.

The United States National Institutes of Health (NIH), sponsor of the study, said that "the study is the first in seven years to test the effectiveness of a vaccine against HIV".

Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of NIH's National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said, "If deployed alongside our great armory of proven HIV-prevention tools, a safe and effective vaccine could be the final nail of the coffin for HIV." Dr. Fauci also added that "even a moderately vaccine would significantly decrease the burden of HIV disease over time in countries and populations with high rates of HIV."

According to Live Science in the statement by NIH, the researchers want to enroll 5,400 sexually active men and women ages 18 to 35 who do not have HIV.

The president and the chief executive officer of the South African Medical Research council, Glenda Gray said, "HIV has taken a devastating toll in South Africa, but now we begin a scientific exploration that could hold a great promise for our country."

Last 2003 when the last HIV vaccine tested in Thailand shows promising results. The vaccine was 31 percent effective in preventing HIV infection over three and a half years. This means, the infection rate was 31 percent lower in the vaccinated group compared to a group with placebo.

Per BBC, the vaccine that is being tested in South Africa is based on the one used in a trial in Thailand.

Vaccines called ALVAC-HIV, a bird virus that has been modified to contain three HIV genes, and a protein subunit vaccine, that contains genetically engineered version of a protein found in the surface of the HIV; were used in the study.

Although, these two vaccines are again modified to protect against HIV subtype C, which is found high in numbers in South Africa. The protein subunit vaccine contains different booster from the ones used in Thailand.

NIH, likewise, stated in their adds that participants who become infected with HIV during the trial will be handled by the local medical providers for treatment and care.

The results of this study is expected in 2020.