Second Baby 'Cured' of HIV After Early Treatment

New York Magazine ^ | 3/5/2014 | Margaret Hartmann

[nickcarraway]

After a Mississippi doctor revealed last year that she accidentally cured a baby born with HIV, skeptics suggested the tests that initially showed she was infected may have been wrong. However, on Wednesday doctors at an AIDS conference in Boston revealed that the virus has been cleared from a second baby born 9 months ago in Long Beach, Calif. In the U.S. transmission from mother to child can usually be prevented via prenatal drugs, but the mother, who is mentally ill and has advanced AIDS, didn't take the medication she was prescribed. After hearing about the Mississippi baby, the girl's pediatrician, Dr. Audra Deveikis, put her on a high dose of three drugs used to treat the virus hours after birth. "Of course I had worries," Dr. Deveikis told the New York Times. "But the mother’s disease was not under control, and I had to weigh the risk of transmission against the toxicity of the meds."

While technically the Long Beach baby, who is now in foster care, isn't "cured" or "in remission" because she's still on medication, blood tests have found no virus capable of replicating. The Mississippi child is now 3 and appears to be HIV-free, though she hasn't been treated for about two years. One researcher said there may be five similar cases in Canada and three in South Africa.

Researchers will soon start a clinical trial with up to 60 babies in the United States, South Africa and Brazil. The trial will take several years, but it looks like doctors may have found a way to cure the 250,000 babies born with HIV each year.

[napscoordinator]

Amazing at the medical advances we see in the United States. We are very lucky to live in the United States. Hopefully we will continue with the medical research even in the days of Obamacare if the Republicans never get rid of it.

[Stentor]

Oh brother!

[bunkerhill7]

wait a minute!

“In the U.S. transmission from mother to child can usually be prevented via prenatal drugs, “

I thought pre-natal things in the uterus were not HUMAN BEINGS,

So these doctors actually think a woman is a mother coz she`s pregnant?

I am Shocked, I tell you- Shocked!

Has Planned Parenthood been informed of this spectacular news?

[Secret Agent Man]

exactly damn right.

[arderkrag]

I clearly remember in the early 90's several otherwise rational people proclaiming HIV/AIDS to be "God's wrath poured out on mankind" and was obviously a sign of "the end times".

It isn't. It's a virus, and AIDS is merely a syndrome caused by the chronic symptoms of that virus. Every time I see an advancement in its treatment, I cheer and hope the people who used to say that kind of thing are hiding in a corner, scared because the apocalypse hasn't arrived on their schedule.

[kidd]

The trial will take several years, but it looks like doctors may have found a way to cure the 250,000 babies born with HIV each year.

I sincerely hope this happens. HIV babies are a great tragedy, akin to abortion.

It might also implies that HIV takes a given amount of time, or perhaps a certain body chemistry, before it become incurable. May lead to cures for adults.

[dhs12345]

Agreed.

My only complaint, though. For the vast majority, this disease is caused by lifestyle choices — IV drugs users and unprotected sex. What is it, in the top 5 or 10 of worst diseases in the US? Up there with cancer and heart disease?

I watched a show last weekend about Ryan White. Ryan was a hemophiliac boy who got AIDS from infected blood products. I watched as people cheered at the change in attitude towards AIDS. “It was no longer just a disease that only homosexuals caught.”

None of the idiots pointed out that this innocent child CAUGHT it from a carrier with the referenced lifestyle. No one pointed out that that person was a murderer and this young boy had to suffer a lingering and awful death because of their lifestyle choice.