Belgian scientists develop HIV vaccine

A vaccine that suppresses the HIV virus that can lead to AIDS were developed and tested by Scientists at the Antwerp Institute for Tropical Medicine and Antwerp University Hospital, Belgian media reported Tuesday. Flandersnews quoted Guido Vanham of Antwerp University as saying that "at the moment we have shown that we can suppress the growth of the virus, but we are not yet able to eradicate the virus itself. We have proved that the vaccine activates the immune system." Because the HIV virus is able to mutate very quickly, a treatment that will lead to a complete recovery could still be some time off, said Flandersnews. In Belgium, some 12,000 are being treated for the HIV virus. Worldwide the figure is thought to be 34 million. During the past 25 years, HIV has claimed about 25 million lives.