Chapter 33, Problem 1BS.1QC

Summary Introduction

To determine:

The troublesome that creates difficulty in developing an effective vaccine for HIV.

Introduction:

HIV is human immunodeficiency virus which caused a very serious disease called AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). HIV interferes with the immune cells of body and reduces the ability to fight infections. It kills the T- helper cells and makes the individual vulnerable to infections.

Explanation of Solution

Human immunodeficiency virus is a group of retrovirus which divides rapidly inside a host cell. It affects the human immune system by destroying the T helper cell and causes HIV infection, which further leads to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).

It is very difficult to develop an effective vaccine for human immunodeficiency virus because the virus does not induce immune response in the infected person. The immune system of the infected individual remains blind to the viral exposure.

Vaccine is a biological tool which contains the agent that resembles the diseases causing pathogen, and results in production of antibodies and elimination of foreign organism. But there are no such animal models available that can tolerate the infection caused by virus, as the virus divides rapidly and hamper the immunity of that animal.

The genetic material of virus also alters and undergoes mutation which creates difficulty to develop a strategy for creating an effective vaccine for HIV.

Conclusion

HIV vaccine is very difficult to develop due to the rapidity in the life cycle of viruses and continuously change in their genetic makeup which leads ton mutations.