Scientists out of the University of Utah have created a new substance, heralded as a molecular condom, which blocks HIV from entering the vaginal tissue. HIV infection is a huge problem in Africa, and other impoverished areas, mostly because of a taboo or unavailability of condoms. The gel is meant to give woman a way to protect themselves from infection without any approval of their partner.

“This is important – particularly in resource-poor areas of the world like sub-Sahara Africa and south Asia where, in some age groups, as many as 60 percent of women already are infected with HIV. In these places, women often are not empowered to force their partners to wear a condom.” – Patrick Kiser, an associate professor of bioengineering at the University of Utah

The gel is inserted vaginally, and when it comes into contact with semen it hardens, creating a mesh around the semen and the human immunodeficiency virus. Kiser says the gel should block other viruses and sperm, thus could work as a contraceptive and possibly prevent infection by herpes viruses and human papillomavirus (HPV), a major cause of cervical cancer.

To be more effective against HIV, anti-HIV drugs can be added to the gel, giving the gel a double barrier against HIV infection. The gel also works by blocking movement of immune system cells that try to combat infectious agents but instead get hijacked by the AIDS virus.

The gel is just in the testing phase right now. The gel will be tested thoroughly before it is put out on the market. The researchers are currently working on testing the HIV-prevention ability of other polymers, testing the safety of the new gel on vaginal cells, and studying how well the new gel blocks the transport of HIV into samples of human vaginal and penile tissue from hysterectomies and circumcisions. If proven effective, this gel will be able to go a long way in the war against AIDS.

Source: Science Daily

Image Credit: Daniel Hohler