New Vaginal Gel Could Prevent HIV in Women, Even If Applied Hours After Exposure

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently conducted tests using a new antimicrobial gel that proved successful in defending against human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

The experiments were conducted on monkeys that were exposed to a hybrid simian/human AIDS virus. The gel protected five out of the six monkeys exposed to the virus, and protected two out of three monkeys when applied a half hour after exposure to the virus. Despite this early success, though, scientists are some years away from human clinical trials.

HIV, as estimated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and AIDS.gov, affects over 1.1 million people over the age of 13, including over 200,000 undiagnosed cases as of 2010. 

The researchers discovered that the gel prevents HIV from transmitting its DNA into cells. This, in particular, is important since the DNA integration of HIV occurs six or more hours after exposure. That is when the body can no longer dispel the virus. This gel could provide defense for the short window that sexually active individuals have to prevent incubation of HIV.

Rowena Johnston is the Vice President of Research for amfAR, the Foundation for AIDS Research, and she's pleased with the results of the experiments thus far. She believes that once it undergoes clinical trials and is approved, it could be used just as commonly as condoms and birth control. This is significant because the spread of HIV is mainly due to unprotected sex, and this provides an avenue for those who experience "accidents" to take maximum precautions.

The researchers' experiments and results are published in the March 12^th issue of Science Translational Medicine. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention hope to continue studies for the antimicrobial gel to quickly implement its use in human trials.

To read more about the new HIV-preventing antimicrobial gel, visit this CBS News article and this New York Times article.