Effective vaccine against AIDS not possible: Zinkernagel

Bhubaneshwar, Jan 4 (IBNS) The first day at the 99th Indian Science Congress held at Bhubaneshwar, six public lectures and one panel discussion were organized.

Rolf M Zinkernagel, Professor of Experimental Immunology at the University of Zurich, addressed the Congress.

Dr Zinkernagel, who won the Nobel Prize in Physiology of Medicine in 1996 was given the topic"Why do we not have a vaccine against HIV or TB?" because of the number of patients of TB in India and the spread of AIDS in larger quarters of society, people were anxious to listen to him.

The magnitude of the disease is so severe that two people die of TB every three minutes in India.

Dr Zinkernagel said, "A completely effective vaccine against AIDS may not be possible. But what might be just possible is new research into human immune system responses that could result in vaccines that can slow the onset of AIDS."

He was of opinion that while a possible HIV vaccine could only slow down the disease even that should be seen as progress in the battle against AIDS. This slow down would be enough to ensure the survival of the human species, as humans can begin reproducing from the age of 15 years.

Giving the details of behavior pattern of the virus Dr Zinkernagel said that this virus mutates very quickly.

"Each of its version pose as a different, unique devil which would require a different kind of vaccine. The moment a vaccine is developed for one type of virus, it changes itself to overcome the vaccine and then you have to develop another type of vaccine," he said.

Dr Zukernagel said that a specialize medium of certain type of cells are required to find out or develop a vaccine for AIDs, Tuberculosis or Hepatitis C. This is the biggest problem we are facing today. To ensure immunity of these cells for a long time is difficult.

Dr M S Swaminathan, noted agricultural scientist and pioneer of the biodiversity movement in India talked about below sea level farming in Kuttanad village in Kerala. This rice bowl of the state has wealth of paddy crops which is taken about two metres below sea level.

The farmers are practicing this method since last 150 years, no scientists have developed this method. The fields are covered with water during off season, during the season the water is removed using water wheels and paddy is sown.

Dr Swaminathan said, "We should develop Kutanad into a globally important agriculture heritage village site, as farmers have developed this method."

Dr Swaminathan talked about genetic variety of rice which tribals of Odisha have developed with their 'indigenous knowledge' years back.

"Of course, out of more than 25oo variety of those days, only 350 genetic variety of rice exists today. It is said that a particular variety of rice is good to consume during fever, another during, cold or stomach ache! Thus, you can have solution for different problems."

Dr Swaminathan was all praised for tribals of Koraput for their participatory and community approaches towards the development of agriculture. These farmers have acquired 'native wisdom'. " As much as the place is rich in cultural diversity it is equally rich in biodiversity.

"Due to their community approach, the place is very rich in genetic diversity of rice including 'kala zeera' and other medical varieties," Dr Swaminathan said while appealing to maintain proper grain bank and seed bank that leads to agricultural heritage.

He said these were the nobel methods and this should be followed by all the countries.

Information and Communication technology has to be harnessed for the development of tribals through Village Knowledge Centres. Expressing concern over the Government's part on strategy to fight global warming, Dr Swaminathan said. "It is still not in place due to wish of government."