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Medicine Nine years completely symptom-free thanks to new HIV treatment
On Monday, researchers at the International AIDS Conference in Paris talked about a little girl born with the HIV virus who now has no symptoms, almost nine years after the end of HIV treatment.
HI-born girl "practically healed"
A girl from South Africa born with the HI virus has been showing no signs of illness for almost nine years, although she has not taken any medication since being treated for the first months of her life. This was reported by experts at the international AIDS conference in Paris. The child is considered "virtually cured" of HIV, writes the "BBC".
Researchers have reported a small girl born with the HI virus who has not been on medication for nearly nine years and yet shows no signs of disease. The experts hope for a lasting functional healing of the child. (Image: angellodeco / fotolia.com) Third case of a long-term remission
According to the information, it is only the third case of a long-term remission - the absence of symptoms - in children.
According to the BBC, the girl became infected with her mother around the time of birth in 2007. Both had very high levels of HIV in their blood.
While early antiretroviral therapy was not a standard at that time, it was given to the child as part of a clinical trial for nine weeks.
The treatment meant that the virus was no longer detectable. After 40 weeks the therapy was stopped - and the virus did not return.
Save lifelong therapy
Anthony Fauci, initiator of the study, said in a statement that the case reinforces the hope "that we can spare HIV-infected children the burden of lifelong therapy".
However, a setback is also possible at any time. But he hopes for a lasting "functional" HIV cure of the girl.
The virus would be so weakened in the body that it can no longer multiply and the child remains symptom-free.
"We do not believe that antiretroviral therapy alone can lead to remission," said study co-author Dr. med. Avy Violari loud "BBC".
"We do not really know what the reason is that this child has achieved remission - we believe it is either genetic or immune system related."
"Mississippi girl" again attacked by the virus
The results should not lead to great euphoria. Even years ago, the case of a supposedly healthy HIV-infected child in the US had caused a great stir.
The child of an HIV-infected mother had become known as the Mississippi girl. It was after several months without medication treatment as cured, until it was attacked in 2014 again by the virus.
The girl has been receiving medication since then. At the time, experts said that there was a big disappointment for the child, the family, the doctors and all AIDS research.
In 2015, the case of a then 18-year-old HIV-infected woman from France was reported, who has been without therapy and without symptoms for years. According to media reports, she is still today.
Successful research
Although the immune deficiency disease is considered to be incurable, but in the future, the cure of AIDS could be possible, my experts.
Only a few weeks ago, US scientists reported that they had made a major breakthrough in the treatment of HIV.
They were able to isolate the virus from infected cells in experiments by using state-of-the-art so-called genetic editing technology.
And also in prevention research has come a long way. So it was possible to develop a drug that can reduce the number of new HIV infections in men massively. The AIDS prevention tool will in future also be authorized in the EU. (Ad)