Why is there a vaccine for smallpox, but not for HIV?
Websites, especially biochemical, would be great.
Thanks!
2007-09-15 06:03:47 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Infectious Diseases
There are many HIV vaccines in the works. Whether or not they are effective remains to be seen. The big problem with HIV is that if mutates very quickly.
2007-09-17 06:13:02 · answer #1 · answered by alynnemgb 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
When you get a smallpox vaccine, you are actually just being injected with the cowpox virus. The cowpox virus is related to smallpox virus, but is obviously much less severe. The presence of the cowpox virus prevents one from catching smallpox. It was discovered by a man named Jenner who discovered that milkmaids who had cowpox did not catch smallpox.
Unfortunately, no one has yet made any similar breakthroughs regarding HIV, but it is constantly being studied.
2007-09-15 06:13:30 · answer #2 · answered by Miss D 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
There may be one soon. It's called Isenstress developed and manufactured by Merck Pharmaceuticals. Look it up. It blocks the virus from entering cellular DNA, thus replicating.
2007-09-15 06:21:14 · answer #3 · answered by TweetyBird 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
because HIV mutates and changes all the time so doctors dont know wat type of medicine will stop it and even if you do get vacinated by it the next day it will have mutated and your vaccine wont be covering the current HIV. so it is very complecated as u can see. hope this helps
2007-09-15 06:07:15 · answer #4 · answered by Purplemonster 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That is the multi-million dollar question we're trying to solve.
2007-09-15 06:07:07 · answer #5 · answered by howardlee1977 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
thats a great question, but its still in research, hopefully it will come out one day
2007-09-15 06:07:14 · answer #6 · answered by irenerossie 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋