|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
Scientific basis for VANHIVAXBecause the envelope of the HIV is taken from the cell membrane of CD4+ lymphocytes, the HIV is 'perceived' by the body's immune system as partly-self. An effective immune response of the body against the HIV and its envelope would destroy all the CD4+ lymphocytes as well, leading to a fatal auto-immune disease. To avoid this outcome, the immune responses are obliged to be ineffective. The ideal immune response to the HIV would have been one that is limited to the viral core only and does not affect the viral envelope and CD4+. VANHIVAX meets this ideal. It is prepared by the removal of the viral envelope from the HIV in vitro and used as a vaccine, it provokes in the body effective immune responses directed only against the core of the HIV! This effective immune response of VANHIVAX in the body is used in various ways as a therapeutic vaccine to treat HIV infected persons whose immune systems are still competent. For normal persons uninfected with the HIV, a prototype of VANHIVAX can also serve as a preventive vaccine. It should be recalled that any normal preventive vaccine, for example the polio vaccine, is in fact a 'therapeutic' vaccine which is administered to a normal child before the infection of the polio virus. It modifies the immune system of the child concerned which must now lie in wait to kill or to act as a therapeutic agent against the polio virus when it subsequently infects the child. If it is a good vaccine, it does this on a permanent (life-time) basis. VANHIVAX also modifies the immune system of the HIV infected person. The modified immune system does not have to wait but finds the HIV already in place and so sets to work to kill or treat it, as any good preventive vaccine would have done. Both preventive and the so-called therapeutic vaccines use the immune system to achieve the immune destruction of germs in the body. The capacity to do this will, in both cases, depend on the quality of the vaccine and on the integrity, competence and the responsiveness of their respective immune systems. Because VANHIVAX is a good vaccine and can effectively modify a competent immune system of HIV patient, it can, like the polio vaccine, also achieve a preventive vaccination in such patients. This explains the apparent 'paradox' of VANHIVAX as a therapeutic preventive vaccine for HIV infected persons.
Advantages of VANHIVAX
Side Effects of VANHIVAXThere is a little pain at the site of the vaccine injection but this is of very short duration. An immune reaction may occur starting about 6 - 10 days later in vaccinated persons. Symptoms include a slight fever, body aches and a malaise lasting a couple of days and can be treated with anti-inflammatory drugs. Such immune reactions are often absent in those with near normal immune systems.
Special Problems specific to HIV/AIDS
What kinds of results can be expected with VANHIVAX?Preliminary and partial results with VANHIVAX over the earlier years have been reported in the following publications:-
In more recent years, with the refinement of our treatment procedure, the number of patients registered has steadily increased and nearly 7,000 cases were registered from March 1, 2003 to July 31, 2005. Most of them were Cameroonians with a few foreign patients from Ethiopia, Rwanda, North America, France, Belgium, Germany, Spain, and Venezuela. The analysis of some of these recent cases is in progress but the high attendance figures, the result of a mouth to mouth campaign by patients themselves, suggest, strongly, that the treatment is at least beneficial. We are greatly handicapped, however, by the fact that follow-up of patients has been poor; many patients came from rural areas with no proper addresses. To compound matters further, most patients who have recovered from their disease do not wish to be identified as having had HIV/AIDS and so do not return for follow-up appointments. The social taboo against this disease in Cameroon is still very great indeed! We cannot therefore be honestly sure of the actual number of patients who have been 'cured' by VANHIVAX. Some of our new patients have been directed to us by former patients who are clinically well but do not wish to be identified with our work. This suggests, nevertheless, that the number of those who have been greatly helped by VANHIVAX is probably substantial. This notwithstanding, we have found, almost by accident, that 6 (six) of our patients have converted from HIV sero-positive to HIV sero-negative. Two of these patients, one of whom had severe AIDS, were treated in the early 1990s before CD4+s or viral counts could be determined in Cameroon. They now live abroad. Of the other 4 sero-negative patients, 3 had low viral counts at the beginning of their treatment and had reasonably good immune systems. These cases, and probably others who have been lost to follow-up show that VANHIVAX can indeed provoke the total immune destruction of the HIV in patients and lead to a 'cure' of the HIV/AIDS in persons with good immune systems.
Where can one receive treatment with VANHIVAX?At present, VANHIVAX is administered to Ambulatory persons on an out-patient basis only at the Clinique de L'Espoir in Yaounde, Cameroon.
Mail: BP. 11775, Yaounde, Cameroon
Costs Negotiations are planned with various foreign Governments and capable individuals or organizations interested in establishing treatment centres in other parts of the world.
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|