The study of Kenyan men has raised the possibility that vaccinating against genital warts could drive down the rates of infection of HIV, which is causing devastation in Asia and Africa. Scientists from the University of North Carolina tested 2,168 Kenyan men at the start of the study and discovered that half tested positive for Human Papilloma Virus, which is the cause of genital warts and cervical cancer in women.

Over the course of 3.5 years, 6% of the men with HPV developed HIV, compered to just under 4% of those who at the start of the study tested negative for HPV. The researchers made controls for the risk factors for HIV and eventually showed that men with HPV were 80% more likely than those without to become infected with HIV. In the latest study, even when researchers factored in the impact of circumcision on HIV infection, sexual history and whether the men had genital herpes, which is also associated with HIV, there was a strong link between HPV and AIDS.

The results suggest that the HPV virus itself may make someone more succeptible to HIV. The results are part of a wider study into HIV, which showed that circumcision reduces a man’s likelihood of developing HIV. Genital warts is a very common sexually transmitted infection. Sufferers develop small warts around the genitals and anus. The warts can be controlled with topical creams like Warticon and Aldara. However though Warticon and Aldara can treat visible warts, the virus itself is incurable. A vaccine for the strain of HPV that causes genital warts has however been developed, named Gardasil. Though vaccination programs have focused on young women, in order to reduce incidences of cervical cancer, Gardasil was recently approved to vaccinate young men.

While many Western governments have launched vaccination programs for women, the costs of a vaccination program in the third world, worst hit by HIV, would likely prove probative. However it is likely that the team, lead by Dr. Jennifer S. Smith, will conduct trials to see whether the vaccine could reduce rates of HIV transmission. In a written statement, Smith said “Finding a vaccine to prevent HIV is the greatest hope for curbing the world’s AIDS pandemic, but so far there is no such vaccine. However, there is a vaccine to prevent specific types of HPV infection, and vaccinating young men before they become sexually active could potentially help prevent the spread of HIV.”

The spreading of the HIV in the body starts with the virus splitting the intrinsic cryptogram of cells utilized in the person’s immune system, specifically the ‘CD4 cells’ and additionally utilizing the natural intrinsic matter for it to generate copies. The body can produce more ‘CD4′ cells, but after some time the HIV would decrease the amount of ‘CD4′ cells to an extremely low level that will result to a no longer functioning immune system.

‘Primary HIV infection’ is the term used to indicate the first phase of the infection wherein greater than one half of those infected by the virus, develop symptoms which occurs between 15 to 45 days after infection. Symptoms include fever, sore throat, joint and muscle pain, swelling of glands, easily getting tired and emergence of rashes on the person’s chest. Symptoms are usually mild and people tend to link these symptoms to other problems like cold or fever. The mentioned symptoms do not progress for a certain period reaching the stage known as ‘Asymptomatic HIV infection’.

To begin treatment, one would need to get a referral to a HIV clinic and get counseling. Next, blood tests would have to be done frequently as these tests are needed in order to verify the amount of virus in the body and the remaining CD4 cell count. Unfortunately, there is no available vaccine that is accessible in the market which can completely cure HIV completely; however, there are drugs that are available to slow down the rate of the multiplication of the virus and will also give you a longer life span. There is also a variety of therapies done and may be used in conjunction with medication to give the person an improved life.

Prevention is always better than cure and this principle holds an exceptional significance when it comes to HIV/AIDS. AIDS is one such disease that does not have any permanent cure as available treatment options are only effective in dropping the symptoms associated with the disease. In such situation, it is vital to have adequate protection so that you do not get the infection. Also, early treatment and diagnosis can prolong the progression of the HIV. Getting routine tests at STD testing clinics would be advantageous to you if you are already sexually active.