Australian Kovid-19 vaccine tests return ‘false positive’ HIV results after tests

Tony Joseph 4 years ago 3 min read

The inoculation, which was yet to move beyond Phase I trials, was being developed jointly by the University of Queensland and Australian Biotech CSL. Australia expected the vaccine to be available by mid-2021.

CSL said in a statement that no serious adverse effects were noted in 216 trial participants, and the vaccine showed a “strong safety profile”. Although test data showed that the vaccine-generated antibodies hamper HIV diagnosis and have a false positive effect on some HIV tests, CSL said.

If the vaccine was rolled out nationally, CSL said it could undermine public health in Australia, causing a wave of false positive HIV tests in the community.

“The follow-up tests confirmed that no HIV virus was present, only a false positive on some HIV tests. The vaccine is not the cause of the infection,” the statement said.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison told reporters on Friday morning that the vaccine “will no longer be as part of the country’s vaccine plan”. Australia ordered pre-emptive 51 million doses CSL vaccine in October.

Morrison said Australia had supported the four vaccines that had promised, but “did not believe … at any stage that all those vaccines would possibly get through that process.”

Prime Minister Scott Morrison responds during a press conference at the Prime Minister's Courtyard in Canberra, Australia on 11 December.

He said, “So we have spread our risk. That is why we have supported important projects. And that is why we have made preparations to ensure that we can deal with any issue on the way.”

In addition to the University of Queensland vaccine, Australia has previously ordered a combined 73.8 million doses of AstraZeneca and Novavax vaccines.

Australia’s Health Minister Greg Hunt said that following the announcement, Australia would order 20 million units from AstraZeneca and 11 million units from Novox.

A vaccine has to go through three stages, before it can be considered for approval for public use. Australia has not yet approved a coronavirus vaccine candidate.

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Adam Taylor, an early career research leader in emerging viruses at the Menzies Health Institute at Griffith University, said in an email statement that false positive HIV results were the result of the technology used to make the vaccine.

“(The vaccine’s) molecular clamp is made of an HIV protein, which is harmless in itself. The molecular clamp stabilizes the coronovirus spike protein and presents it to the body in a way that promotes a good immune response. Is. That’s why clamp technique is so important, “Taylor said.

They stated that the clamp model vaccine showed “good protection and immune response” against coronaviruses in early clinical trials, and was estimated to be less likely to produce HIV-positive results.

Some Australian health experts praised researchers at the University of Queensland for finishing the test when they did so. “While this may sound counter-intuitive, from a research ethics point of view, it is a success,” Diego Silva, a health ethics expert at the Sydney School of Public Health, said in an email statement.