In medical circles, the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has been the subject of great concern with failed efforts to find a workable cure for this virus that causes one’s immune system to fail completely. The virus is spread by the transfer of blood, semen, vaginal fluid, pre-ejaculate, or breast milk, and has known to claim about 25 million lives over the past two decades.
However, latest developments suggest that this dreaded virus can be stopped, thanks to a ‘chemical condom’ called Truvada that has been successfully tested on mice that had ‘humanized’ immune systems.
The drug in question, is a combination of the medications tenofovir and emtricitabine, and has been used to treat people with AIDS as well as preventing infection after one has been exposed to the HIV virus.
Interestingly, the study exposed the mice to higher-than-normal levels of HIV than is found in humans both rectally and intravenously and found that out of the 17 mice that were given a dose of Truvada, only one was found to be infected. On the other hand, all mice that were not given a dose of Truvada were found to be infected.
Although, the results show promise in being able to block the infection of HIV through its major routes of transmission, there are a few caveats that must be kept in mind.
Firstly, the experiment was conducted on ‘humanized’ mice, and not humans. Not only that, it is expensive that might run up bills of hundreds of dollars if people continued to have sex with multiple partners, and could also impact the effectiveness of the pill as well. Side effects also continue to be a part of HIV infection treatment as well.
However, A. David Paltiel, a professor at the Yale School of Medicine thinks that, “It’s reasonable to think that this might one day prove to be a strategy you could use”.