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Smallpox Vaccine Could Prevent AIDS

Posted by michael on from the not-to-mention-smallpox dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Researchers at George Mason University have published a preliminary report which suggests that the Smallpox vaccine might be able to slow the spread of AIDS. Various news stories have suggested that it may be due to the vaccine interacting with the CCR5 receptor, which is a cellular infection route in another related poxvirus, and also commented on the rise of AIDS in the years after smallpox was declared eradicated and the smallpox vaccine was no longer given as a matter of course."

8 of 95 comments (clear)

  1. Excellent News by kurosawdust · · Score: 3, Funny

    This development has the potential to offer hundreds of thousands of slashdotters a world of new opportunities for Not Getting Laid.

  2. Study the recently vaccinated. by Futurepower(R) · · Score: 3, Interesting


    Recently those in the U.S. military were vaccinated against smallpox. It seems easy to track whether they have a lower incidence of AIDS infection.

    1. Re:Study the recently vaccinated. by IshanCaspian · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Yes, but the sexual behavior of the US military is hardly indicative of the larger population.

      --

      But there is another kind of evil that we must fear most... and that is the indifference of good men.
    2. Re:Study the recently vaccinated. by crow · · Score: 3, Insightful

      While your point is valid, the military should have excellent records as to cases of AIDS among its personnel. So while they wouldn't be able to compare against the general population, they could compare against the expected number based on military statistics.

      Of course, troop behaviour changes depending on deployment, so it may still be impossible to generate statistically-significant results.

      On the other hand, there is also the population of health care workers who were vaccinated. Study them.

  3. All military vaccinated. No serious side-effects. by Futurepower(R) · · Score: 3, Informative


    Addition to my parent post: This article on a U.S. military web site implies that ALL U.S. military personnel are vaccinated against smallpox: Smallpox Research Project Data Presented

    Apparently they were doing what I suggested in my parent post, although the research report doesn't say that: GMU, GW in Patent, Ethics Dispute. The Washington Post article is badly reported, because it doesn't mention the scientific basis for believing smallpox vaccine could stop AIDS.

  4. Hope by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I just hope that people don't use this announcement, and others like it, to convince theirselves that it's a-okay to go out there and bleep people without protection. I remember reading recently a story, I believe it was in the New York Times but I might be mistaken, that more and more youths (teenagers to those in their upper 20s), feel that AIDS and other STDs are under enough control that they no longer need to use preventive measures.

    I've seen two people I cared about very much die due to AIDS over the years. It's a horrible and painful way to go, both for the person infected and for the family and friends involved. If a risk only involves you, that's one thing. But the risk of AIDS involves you, your partner(s), and those who care and love you.

  5. Re:Dose of Common Sense Prevents All STDs by ahknight · · Score: 3, Funny

    You just need some principle and discipline.

    You are so on the wrong site.

  6. Re:All military vaccinated. No serious side-effect by thinmac · · Score: 3, Informative

    Well, not *all* U.S. military personnel get the smallpox vaccine. How do I know? I'm one of the ones who hasn't recieved it yet.

    The official line is that people get the vaccine if they are deployed in an area in which smallpox is "endemic". I put quotes around it because obviously it's not endemic to anywhere anymore, but the general wisdom is that that means anywhere they're likely to drop it on us.

    So, if you're in Iraq you get it, obviously. If you're in San Diego and are unlikely to get deployed elsewhere any time soon, you don't. I'm not sure about places like Germany or Japan, where there are large U.S. installations but not a huge risk of biological attack.

    A lot of people are getting it, though. The study you suggest would almost certainly be worthwhile.

    --
    Narrative