AIDS cure 2016 latest news: Durban delegates excited at possible cure

Scientists might finally find a cure or at least a way to circumvent HIV/AIDS, according to the recently held AIDS Conference in Durban, South Africa.

According to New Vision, the pre-conference symposium "Towards an HIV cure research" stirred excitement among the thousands in attendance, including scientists, HIV/AIDS activists, advocates, journalists and well-known personalities.

The delegates discussed about two types of cure, as presented by Dr. Anthony Fauci of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). The first type, known as "sterilizing" cure, would completely remove the virus. On the other hand, the second type, known as "functional" cure, would bring the virus into what scientists referred to as "remission," a condition similar to the type associated with cancer.

Prof. Sharon Lewin of The Doherty Institute at the University of Melbourne in Australia also said they're currently looking into at least four types of cure strategies, such as "shock and kill," gene editing, stem cell transplants and therapeutic vaccines.

"We're trying to mess with the immune system in a way old vaccinologists never thought of," said immunologist Dr. Nicole Frahm, as reported by Fred Hutch News Service.

Dr. Nyaradzo Mgodi, who chaired a clinical trial in Africa, also lent her voice to provide hope in finding the solution.

"We will move HIV vaccine research forward, and we will have an HIV vaccine," said Mgodi, who's also part of the University of Zimbabwe–University of California San Francisco Collaborative Research Programme in Harare, Zimbabwe.

According to Hutch News, some of the successes presented during the conference included the fact that antiretroviral therapy became accessible to 17 million people worldwide and helped 85 countries fight the risk of HIV transmission through childbirth and breastfeeding.

However, the disease still strikes nearly two million people every year with two-thirds occurring in Sub-Saharan Africa.

"Young African women remain the face of HIV on this continent," declared Dr. Elizabeth Bukusi of the Kenyan Medical Research Institute.

Advocates also urged that the search for the cure should not leave those marginalized and stigmatized behind.

"We are called key because we face so many locked doors," said Michael Ighodaro, a Nigerian gay activist.

The week-long 21st International Aids Conference held at the International Convention Centre in Durban started July 18 and ended Friday, July 22.