In March of 2013, news of a cure for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) swept across the scientific and general media. There were claims that this event was the breakthrough needed to finally eradicate HIV (Young, “Researchers: Toddler Cured”). This claim came from a baby born HIV positive but now no longer tested positive for HIV. This baby was born in Mississippi and within 30 hours of being born, was treated with rigorous amount of combination of HIV treatment called ART (antiretroviral therapy), which included medications such as Azidothymidine (AZT), along with a few other antiviral medications (Persaud 1). AZT, the main medication given to the baby, is used to slow down the progression of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), HIV causes AIDS (Stoto 40). After months of close observation, the doctors couldn’t find any positive result for HIV in the baby’s body (Young) (Persaud 1). This news might sound great for a lot of people, especially for the community of HIV positive people. However, it is too early to understand how this event will really conclude. The results of the babies treatment with AZT is still inconclusive, but based on similar events being observed recently, there will be an HIV cure in the future with further studies.
The general term “cure” is not enough to describe what happened to the baby. A better scientific description for her current state is “remission” or “clinically cured” (Lupkin1). The only scientifically cured person of HIV is the Berlin patient, who received a bone marrow transplant from a person that is in a rare group of people genetically immune to HIV (Stine 69). Remission is when the percentage of HIV in the body is so low that the virus cannot be detected, even with the most advanced...
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..., Gerald James. AIDS Update 2012: An Annual Overview of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill, 2012. 64-113. Print.
Stoto, Michael A., Donna A. Almario, and Marie C. McCormick. Reducing the Odds: Preventing Perinatal Transmission of HIV in the United States. Washington, D.C.: National Academy, 1999. Print.
Wilson, Jacque. "Second Baby Possibly 'cured' of HIV." CNN. Cable News Network, 06 Mar. 2014. Web. 10 Apr. 2014. .
Young, Saundra. "Mississippi Toddler Still HIV Free." CNN. Cable News Network, 24 Oct. 2013. Web. 10 Apr. 2014. .
Young, Saundra. "Researchers: Toddler Cured of HIV." CNN. Cable News Network, 04 Mar. 2013. Web. 10 Apr. 2014. .
“Clinically, the HIV infected adolescents present as physically stunted individuals, with delayed puberty and adrenarche. Mental illness and substance abuse are important co-morbidities” (Naswa, 2010). Naswa, 2010 also reports that adolescences with HIV have a higher susceptibility rate to contract STD’s that the average individual due to the thinner lining of mucus in the ovaries at this stage of their development. The stigma of living with HIV is also a factor for her psychosocial development. The fact that she contracted this disease from her father further contributes to emotional trauma.
Kemp, Joe. A. “Fetus of pregnant, brain-dead Texas woman ‘distinctly abnormal’: lawyers.” NYDailyNews. New York Daily News. 23 Jan. 2014.
This Radiolab podcast talks about how the HIV/AIDS epidemic started: the ultimate patient zero story, a very recent event that still hurts and still bleeds.
HIV is a serious issue that is commonly pushed off and considered an irrelevant topic. In “AIDS, Inc.” by Helen Epstein, the topics of lifestyle brands and government funded organizations were discussed, and provided readers with an understanding of the depths of the disease. The excerpt discusses programs (i.e. loveLife) that had the potential and opportunity to save and inform many lives, but failed to do so, which continues to be a problem today. Our government is capable of helping and educating those who are infected, and anyone who could become infected. Instead of acting like having the disease is something to be ashamed of, governments should fund clinics that provide free HIV testing and free protection to all genders, create a structured
others heal. When a baby is born to a woman who has active genital herpes
“Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a blood-borne virus typically transmitted via sexual intercourse, shared intravenous drug paraphernalia, and mother-to-child transmission (MTCT), which can occur during the birth processor during breastfeeding.” There is no cure for HIV or AIDS but over time different types of medications have been developed that slows down the advancement of the disease. AIDS is a lethal disease that is caused by HIV. HIV destroys the immune system and causes the body to not be able to fight off any diseases.
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is a chronic, potentially life-threatening condition caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). AIDS weakens the immune system hampering the body’s defense mechanisms. AIDS is known to be a deadly disease, especially if it is not treated in a timely manner. AIDS and HIV is an epidemic that is increasing among the African American population with roots tracing back to Africa, AIDS and HIV needs greater exposure and more awareness within the African American community and in the homosexual community.
Spink, Gemma. "AIDS." AVERTing HIV and AIDS. 23 Dec 2009. Web. 11 Jan 2010. .
Elizabeth Glaser, co-founder of the Pediatric AIDS Foundation, was infected with the AIDS virus during a blood transfusion when she was giving birth to her first child. Her daughter became quite ill in 1985 and after several tests and treatments the entire family was tested for the human immunodeficiency virus. Elizabeth, her daughter, Ariel, and her son, Jake, all tested positive. She then went to Washington, D.C. to help fight AIDS and raise awareness for the cause. She met with several influential politicians, activists, and first ladies including President Reagan, Nancy Reagan, and Barbara Bush to discuss ways to improve HIV care and research.
Understanding HIV and how it can be transmitted is crucial when deciding if it is safe to adopt these children. The common ways for HIV to be transmitted is through sexual contact, pregnancy, injection drug use, occupational exposure and blood transfusion (U.S. Department of Health). HIV lives in blood and other body fluids such as semen, breast milk and vaginal fluids. Though unlikely, if vomit or nasal fluid had enough blood in it, it could infect a person if it came in direct contact with them (U.S. Department of Health). When ...
During the 1980s, efforts increased to alert the public to the dangers of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), and unintended pregnancy, yet these problems have increased. Adolescents and young adults have been especially hard hit. Pregnancy and birth rates among teenagers are at their highest levels in two decades.
Wolf, L. E., Lo, B., Beckerman, K. P., Dorenbaum, A., Kilpatrick, S. J., Weintrub, P. S., et al. (2001). When parents reject interventions to reduce postnatal human immunodeficiency virus transmission. Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, 155(8), 927-933.
The drug azidothymidine has proved very useful in the war. against the AIDS epidemic. Scientists all over the globe are currently working on a cure for AIDS and perhaps one day they will succeed. All these symptoms, causes, and treatments describe the deadly AIDS. virus.
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) first came to light in 1981. There has been a long and arduous global effort on the prevention of HIV/AIDS. HIV is a virus that is spread through body fluids that affect the specific T-cells of the immune system. Without treatment HIV infection leads to AIDS and there is no cure for AIDS. HIV infection can be controlled and the importance of primary pre...
Laurent Mandelbrot et al., Lamivudine-Zidovudine Combination for Prevention of Maternal-Infant Transmission of HIV-1, 285 JAMA, 2083, 2083-2093 (2001).