Not good
'Cured' HIV Baby is Infected, Doctors Find
http://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-ne ... nd-n152861
A baby who doctors had hoped may have been cured of HIV infection is infected again, doctors reported on Thursday — a disappointing blow to hopes that it might be possible to stop infection in its tracks. The child, now 4, had been regularly tested for the AIDS virus and now the virus has not only returned, but showed signs of damaging her immune system, researchers said.
"It felt very much like a punch to the gut," said Dr. Hannah Gay of the University of Mississippi, who has been treating the child.
“The baby has now rebounded with clearly detectable HIV viremia,” said Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). “Certainly, this is a disappointing turn of events for this young child, the medical staff involved in the child’s care, and the HIV/AIDS research community.”
The Mississippi baby was born a little premature to a mother discovered to have HIV only when she was in labor. The mom had not ever been treated for HIV. Within 30 hours of birth the baby was re-tested and had clear evidence of HIV infection.
Unusually, she then got a cocktail of three drugs at a dose normally reserved for more advanced cases. It worked really well — pushing her virus down to what’s called undetectable levels.
The baby and her mom, who doctors have never named, got regular care and treatment from Gay at University of Mississippi Medical Center until she was 15 months old. Then, like so many children, she disappeared off the doctors’ radar screens. The mother brought her back briefly at 18 months but disappeared again but she missed at least eight months' worth of drugs. When Gay caught up to her again, the baby was still well, despite having received no treatment.
Now, at age 4, she has shown evidence of infection for the first time since she was born.
In 2013, a second child was born in Long Beach, Calif. to a woman who doctors knew was not taking her HIV medication. The infant was treated immediately and the virus is now barely detectable . . .
Statistics: Posted by Father Wrath — Fri Jul 11, 2014 12:45 pm