On October 8, the first in a new series of clinical trials began testing the H1N1 influenza vaccine’s effects on HIV-positive pregnant women. Trials with HIV-positive children and youth were scheduled to begin the following week.

These will be the first trials to examine whether the existing vaccine can safely induce an immune response in these higher-risk groups.

HIV-infected individuals have the same risk of getting H1N1 flu, or swine flu, as everyone else. However, they are more likely to develop a more serious complication, such as pneumonia, as a…

In Bangkok earlier today, U.S. Army researchers announced the outcome of their recent Phase 3 HIV vaccine trial, the largest yet in history. The results of the trial, known as RV144, were promising – infection was reduced by 31.2 percent among more than 16,000 Thai volunteers.

Although the vaccine does not guarantee complete immunity, “these new findings represent an important step forward in HIV vaccine research,” said Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in a press release.

A vaccine that is only…

The U.S. Army and the Thailand Ministry of Public Health announced today the first ever successful HIV vaccine trial. The vaccine combined a primary vaccine, called ALVAC HIV vaccine, with a booster, the AIDSVAX B/E vaccine. When used together, the double vaccine led to a 30% decrease in the number of new HIV infections, which makes it the first successful HIV vaccine. There were no safety issues reported during the three-year clinical trial.

Check back later for further coverage of this breaking news story.

Update: Please see the AIDS Beacon’s…

For years scientists have grappled with the challenge of how to develop a vaccine for AIDS.  On September 3, researchers came one step closer to attaining this goal. Scientists have found two antibodies that may be the keys to developing an HIV vaccine.

HIV is a virus that mutates rapidly with many different forms, or “strains,” infecting people worldwide. Since it is always changing, researchers have experienced difficulty in developing a vaccine that can work against its various strains. The newly discovered antibodies are known as broadly neutralizing antibodies because…

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), a division of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is conducting a Phase 2 clinical trial called HVTN 505. The study examines whether a particular two-part vaccine treatment can decrease the amount of virus in the body (viral load) in participants who later contract HIV. HIV-infected individuals with a lower viral load are more likely to remain healthier longer and less likely to spread the virus to other individuals.

The purpose of the study is to answer scientific questions that could…