Potential Cure Found for HIV
The Breakthrough
HIV, also known as the Human Immunodeficiency Virus, is a virus that can be spread through the sharing of bodily fluids. HIV often leads to AIDS, which stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. The virus attacks a cell called in the body called CD4, which greatly lowers a person’s ability to fight off diseases and illnesses. The weak immune systems of people with HIV/AIDS leaves them extremely susceptible to diseases, and even small viruses can be fatal. The children of those who have HIV can also inherit the virus. For many years, HIV/AIDS has been a frightening and insurmountable opponent for scientists and patients alike. However, this past week a hopeful new advancement has been made in curing HIV.
A patient from London who was suffering from HIV has been freed of the effects of their disease. This was done through a bone marrow transplant from a donor with a genetic mutation that made them resistant to HIV. First, the patient had to undergo radiotherapy or chemotherapy to kill the white blood cells in their immune system. Only then could they get the transplant with the protein variant CCR5. CCR5 is what HIV uses to enter cells, but this entryway is closed in a small amount of people who have a mutation that is resistant to AIDS.
Though hopes are high, it is still to early to tell if this procedure can truly cure HIV. In fact, scientists call this a “long-term remission,” as it is difficult to even define what a cure may mean at this point. Additionally, the procedure is very dangerous. It has only been successfully performed on two people, and both nearly died in the process. Doctors say that the procedure may be too dangerous unless the patient has both cancer and HIV, or one that would die without it. Additionally, many breakthroughs have been made since the first case of HIV. Instead of a deadly disease, it is now manageable with a pills that drastically reduce the symptoms and prevents the spreading of the disease. In this case, the cure may simply not be worth the risks.
The Berlin Patient
Hailing from Seattle, Washington, Timothy Ray Brown was the first person to ever be cured of HIV. Once he was diagnosed, he moved to Berlin, but was then diagnosed with leukemia as well. Doctors performed two bone marrow stem cell transplants, one of which was from a HIV-resistant donor. After a while, signs of both the cancer and the HIV receded, and as of now, Brown is living a healthy life.
The London Patient
The London patient, who has decided to remain anonymous, is the second person cured of HIV. This patient had a form of blood cancer that didn’t respond to chemotherapy. Instead, they would need a bone-marrow transplant. The doctors chose a donor who had the CCR5 mutation that made them resistant to AIDS. In fact, almost one percent of all those who are of European descent have two copies of this mutation. After the transplant, there were no traces of HIV in the patient’s blood. After 16 months, they stopped taking drugs for HIV and have been showing no signs of the virus since.
The Doctor
Gero Hütter lead the team of doctors who oversaw the London patient’s transplant. He now runs a stem-cell company called Cellex in Germany. Although this discovery was not as critical as it originally seemed, he hopes that this development can help treat other diseases.
