The HIV/Aids prevention community is abuzz with excitement over news that South African research has developed a vaginal gel – known as a microbicide – that can reduce sexually transmitted HIV infection by as much as 54%.

A two-and-a-half-year study of 889 women by the Durban-based Centre for the Aids Programme of Research in South Africa (Caprisa) found that a vaginal gel containing the antiretroviral drug tenofovir was 39% effective in reducing a woman's HIV risk when used for about three-quarters of sex acts. It was 54% effective when used more consistently, and also halved the incidence of genital herpes infections.

The research results were published online by Science magazine last week.

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