Current strategies and limitations of HIV vaccines

There is currently no cure for HIV infection, and the possibility of developing a vaccine in the near future appears unlikely. With more than 33 million individuals living with HIV/AIDS worldwide, there is a distinct need for a prophylactic vaccine against HIV infection. However, conventional vaccine strategies aimed at eliciting antibody and T-cell responses have failed to protect against the virus. Current research has been directed toward the more realistic goal of controlling viral replication during the early stages of infection, thus reducing the viral setpoint, through the use of novel vaccine delivery systems and techniques. In this review, several of the key milestones achieved as a result of research efforts aimed at developing an effective HIV vaccine are identified, and future prospects are examined.