PREVENTION OF HIV INFECTION THROUGH VACCINATION: RESEARCH DIRECTIONS AND LIMITS.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a circular retrovirus that belongs to the Lentivirus genus. Through multiple mechanisms, the virus penetrates and replicates inside host cells, causing a chronic infection in humans, with a long latency period and multiple pathological implications, an example being AIDS (acquired human immunodeficiency syndrome), a serious condition that progressively destroys the body's immune system. There is currently no curative treatment for this infection, antiretroviral therapy (ART) being the only control of virus replication and transmission. Although new therapies provide a longer life expectancy than in the past, many people living with HIV remain undiagnosed or are diagnosed late. For this reason, HIV infection is an important medical problem worldwide; the latest research in this field aiming at developing a vaccine intended to prevent HIV infection. This review follows some of the current studies aimed to prevent HIV infection through vaccination and the limits encountered in their development. At the end of the paper some promising directions for the future of this field are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]