An HIV vaccine is the theoretical vaccine which would be given to persons without HIV in order to vaccinate them against getting HIV, the virus which causes AIDS. No effective vaccine against HIV exists. As there is not a known cure for AIDS, the search for a vaccine has become part of medical approaches against the disease.
It has been known for many years that HIV is an extremely difficult virus to render harmless, and no cure presently exists. Research into a vaccine is one of several strategies to reduce the worldwide harm from AIDS, with other approaches based upon antiviral treatments such as highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), and social approaches such as safe sex.
There is evidence that a vaccine may be possible. Work with monoclonal antibodies (MAb) has proven that the human body can defend itself against HIV, and certain individuals remain asymptomatic for decades after HIV infection. More recently in 2009, a number of potential candidates for antibodies and early stage results from clinical trials have been announced by various teams. However these are early results, and have either not been developed to the point of human testing, or not fully peer reviewed and replicated by other teams, at this time.
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