The beginning of what could be the potential end to the HIV virus. The discovery was announced March 3 at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections located at the Georgia World Conference Center in Atlanta.
The mother of the girl was diagnosed positive for the virus, and through blood transmission, passed it on to her. It was determined the mother was positive shortly before deliverance. According to Dr. Katherine Luzuriaga, an immunologist at the University of Massachusetts, whom worked closely on the matter, confirmed that 100 percent of HIV infected mothers will pass infected antibodies to their children, but if the infected mother is neglected proper treatment it is a 30 percent chance the child will test positive; if treated timely and properly it narrows the risk of an HIV positive newborn to 2 percent.
Upon the child's delivery, pediatric HIV specialist, Dr. Hannah Gay proceeded to administer the newborn with 'antiretroviral drugs' in attempt to counter act the virus--this was done just as the infant reached 30 hours of life.
For over a year the child was given antiretroviral drugs until treatment was unknowingly stopped by the mother. Now, nearly two years after her birth, it was confirmed by medical professionals that no traces of the virus can be found in the toddler's blood-work.
"This is the very first case in which we've conclusively been able to document that the baby was infected and then after a period of treatment has been able to go off treatment without viral rebound," says Dr. Luzuriaga.
