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http://www.biorap.org/br4animalr.html

Animal Research And AIDS
What part has animal research played in the fight against AIDS?
Experiments with mice, cats, rabbits and monkeys have helped scientists search for vaccines and anti-AIDS drugs. Scientists also are using mice to learn more about the way the AIDS virus works. (These animals do not get human AIDS, and they do not spread AIDS to people.)
More than 90 percent of all research animals are mice and rats. Why is that?
When deciding what type of animal to use in an experiment, scientists ask a very important question: what type of animal will allow them to get the best possible answers to their questions? Very often, scientists get the best possible answers using mice and rats.
There are many advantages to working with laboratory mice. One of the most important is that we can breed mice that are genetically identical -- which means that the mice are exactly alike down to their genes.
Let's say a researcher is testing a new medicine on genetically identical mice. One group of mice (the experimental group) gets the new medicine, and a second group (the control group) doesn't. The experimental group lives longer than the control group.
Because the mice are alike in all ways except for the medicine, scientists can conclude that the new drug may help extend life. Researchers will continue to study the medicine to see if it is safe and effective for humans.