Well the fact the it mutates does make it harder to make a vaccine for AIDS.
But the main reason is that what we normally consider a vaccine depends on
you have a healthy immune system. Usually the inject a weakened strain  or
dead viruses into your body. Then your immune system recognizes the virus
and produces an immune reaction and antibodies. Next time you get the virus
your body has the antibodies to recognize and fight it off. This is not
possible for HIV because of its vary nature. It hides away from the immune
system so you never develop immunity to it. I believe current vaccine work
is being done on trying to block the proteins the virus uses to enter a
humans cells. This is quite different from a normal vaccine.

David Fontaine wrote:

> Peter Warren wrote:
>
> > David Fontaine wrote in message <389DFAE4.7A1A492A@faricy.net>...
> > >I know, but that is what HIV does to people...
> > so does the flu. Your point being...
>
> Does the flu permanently sabatoges your immune system?
> Is it a retrovirus? (no reall y I am asking)
> because HIV targets your T-20 cells or whatever and it's a retrovirus so
> its genetic code constantly changes and that is why they cannot make a
> vaccine
>
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