Finally, an infant born with HIV has been cured. How? Doctors are still trying to figure that part out.
The infant was born at the University of Mississippi medical center, under the care of Dr. Hannah Gay. Both the name and sex of the infant has been kept confidential in order to protect the child’s rights.
Dr. Gay and her cohorts believe that the cure is due to the aggressive drug treatment the infant received at birth. Doctors chose this course because the mother was unaware of her HIV status and the child hadn’t received any treatment prior to birth.
“We expect that this baby has great chances for a long, healthy life,” she added. “We are certainly hoping that this approach could lead to the same outcome in many other high-risk babies.”
The aggressive treatment may be the key for at-risk infants, if caught during delivery. It is believed that the treatment would be unsuccessful for older youth and adults. However, until they identify the “how” of this cure, prevention is the key. “Prevention really is the best cure, and we already have proven strategies that can prevent 98 percent of newborn infections by identifying and treating HIV-positive women,” said Gay.
To find out more about this documented phenomenon, click here.
