The “miracle” cure of little girl from Mississippi, USA, born to an HIV-positive mother, had given hope to the scientific community. But a routine test in early July revealed detectable levels of HIV in the 4-year-old’s blood.
Cared for by antiretrovirals Within thirty hours of her birth and until she was 18 months old, she was declared cured in March 2013. “Usually, when treatment is stopped, HIV levels go up in a few weeks, not a few years,” says Deborah. Persaud, specialist in infectious diseases, at AFP.
A disappointment for the child and the doctors
Ultra-early treatment of seropositive newborns therefore does not allow a functional cure, “but it could limit its development and make it possible to avoid a long intake of drugs”, according to Anthony Fauci, director of the National Allergy Institute and of infectious diseases, quoted by AFP. “This is obviously a very disappointing twist for the child, the doctors involved in his treatment and researchers specializing in HIV / AIDS,” he adds.
The girl is again treated with antiretrovirals and is doing well, according to the specialist. Researchers will now focus their efforts on trying to understand how the virus was able to disappear and then reappear. A other girl born in California earlier this year and a carrier of the AIDS virus was immediately treated with antiretrovirals. Monitored regularly, she will be treated by medication at least until she is 2 years old.
