WASHINGTON, DC (Ivanhoe Newswire) – 39 million people worldwide are living with HIV, the virus that leads to aids. In the 80’s, contracting HIV was considered a death sentence. In the 90’s HIV was the number one cause of death among Americans ages 25 to 44. Fast forward to 2024 — there are anti-viral drugs that can keep people infected with the virus alive into their 70’s and 80’s. There are even drugs that can lower a person’s risk of catching HIV to almost zero. And now, a new breakthrough — this one impacting the youngest patients. Babies born with HIV
In 2013 a little girl known as the Mississippi baby made headlines becoming the first case of HIV remission in a toddler — but two years later the virus returned. It’s taken more than a decade for researchers to replicate that functional cure. Johns Hopkins pediatrician Deborah Persaud, MD is part of the clinical trial team using ART therapy — or antiretroviral therapy — a cocktail of drugs administered within 48 hours of birth.
Dr. Persaud says, “It’s important to do it very early because we think it prevents the virus from really establishing a very large foothold.”
Standard treatment of babies with HIV typically starts two to three months after birth and continues for decades. This new trial included 54 newborns who were given ART therapy within days of their birth. Now around five and a half years old, after stopping their HIV medication, four of these children achieved remission.
“It’s a small number of cases, it’s four, but it’s really transformative for our field,” explains Dr. Persaud.
130 thousand infants are infected every year with HIV. Interestingly, not every child born to a mother with HIV is infected. HIV can be passed from mother to child during pregnancy, during the delivery process and during breastfeeding. Babies born with HIV
Contributors to this news report include: Marsha Lewis, Producer; Matt Goldschmidt, Videographer; Roque Correa, Editor.
To receive a free weekly e-mail on medical breakthroughs from Ivanhoe, sign up at: http://www.ivanhoe.com/ftk
Source:
https://www.webmd.com/hiv-aids/hiv-treatment-history
MEDICAL BREAKTHROUGHS
RESEARCH SUMMARY
TITLE: NEW HOPE FOR BABIES BORN WITH HIV
REPORT: MB #5403
BACKGROUND: HIV continues to be a major global public health issue. In 2021, the rate of people living with HIV in the United States was 384 per 100,000 or 1,086,806 people. If left untreated, HIV can lead to Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome where the immune system is severely weakened, making the body vulnerable to opportunistic infections and certain cancers. However, significant advancements in antiviral drugs have transformed HIV from a fatal diagnosis into a manageable chronic condition. These new treatments are improving the quality of life and extending the lifespan of people living with HIV.
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/4251-hiv-aids
DIAGNOSING: The process of diagnosing HIV involves a combination of clinical evaluation, laboratory tests, and follow-up procedures. The diagnostic procedure assessment includes discussing potential risk factors such as unprotected sex, multiple sexual partners, intravenous drug use, and history of sexually transmitted infections. Early symptoms may resemble flu-like symptoms, including fever, sore throat, rash, and swollen lymph nodes. Laboratory tests such as antibody testing to detect antibodies produced by the immune system in response to HIV and combination tests to detect both HIV antibodies and p24 antigens. Accurate and timely diagnosis of HIV is the cornerstone of effective treatment and prevention.
(Sources: https://hivinfo.nih.gov/understanding-hiv/fact-sheets/hiv-testing
https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/testing/index.html)
NEW TECHNOLOGY: The U.S. Agency for International Development is now providing young women with more HIV prevention options to choose from including oral PrEP. They allow women to choose the options that best help and prevent them. The PrEP ring is a silicone vaginal ring that slowly releases dapivirine, an antiretroviral drug throughout a months time.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS REPORT, PLEASE CONTACT:
Michael Newman
If this story or any other Ivanhoe story has impacted your life or prompted you or someone you know to seek or change treatments, please let us know by contacting Marjorie Bekaert Thomas at mthomas@ivanhoe.com
