Some days, its hard not to be proud to be a member of the medical care industry. Sure, as a medical billing and coding pro, or a certified nursing assistant, you’re not going to be deeply involved with medical research. However, when medical researchers, doctors and scientists announce things like this, it is a victory that all members of the medical establishment, even certified nursing assistants and billing/coding pros can be proud of.
It seems that two and a half years ago, a baby was born in Mississippi, to a mother infected with HIV. Within 30 hours of birth, doctors gave the infant an aggressive treatment for HIV. Today, a full two and a half years later, the toddler is functionally cured of HIV. While sophisticated testing has uncovered trace evidence of the HIV DNA in the child’s blood, there is no infection and the child is seemingly cured. The implications of this breakthrough are staggering, especially in African countries where a statistically higher number of infants are born HIV positive. This new technique could very well set the world on a course to eradicate HIV/AIDS just as completely as it has measles, small pox and so many other former killers. Makes you proud as a CNA to be a part of the field that ends the suffering of humanity doesn’t it? Some days, its hard not to be proud to be a member of the medical care industry. Sure, as a medical billing and coding pro, or a certified nursing assistant, you’re not going to be deeply involved with medical research. However, when medical researchers, doctors and scientists announce things like this, it is a victory that all members of the medical establishment, even certified nursing assistants and billing/coding pros can be proud of.
It seems that two and a half years ago, a baby was born in Mississippi, to a mother infected with HIV. Within 30 hours of birth, doctors gave the infant an aggressive treatment for HIV. Today, a full two and a half years later, the toddler is functionally cured of HIV. While sophisticated testing has uncovered trace evidence of the HIV DNA in the child’s blood, there is no infection and the child is seemingly cured. The implications of this breakthrough are staggering, especially in African countries where a statistically higher number of infants are born HIV positive. This new technique could very well set the world on a course to eradicate HIV/AIDS just as completely as it has measles, small pox and so many other former killers. Makes you proud as a CNA to be a part of the field that ends the suffering of humanity doesn’t it? 4 Responses to “HIV Cured in Newborn Baby”
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Skeptics believe that this story of the cure child is not really conclusive. It’s that the girl – although at high risk for contracting the virus from her mother – was not actually infected herself. This story shows no actual proof that the child was indeed born with the virus. On the other hand it mentions that the girl, being at high risk of infection, was placed on treatment even before laboratory investigations had been done. That being said, doctors agree that the child was most likely infected, so it remains a story of hope 🙂
Yes, I had read subsequent materials that suggested the child was not positively known to be infected. However, i think it is a safe assumption to say that she was. At any rate, it is a positive development with far reaching ramifications if it turns out to be completely true. Thanks for your comment Shanna.
Yeah! I also read about the news that a 2.5 year- old Mississippi baby appears to be cured of HIV. This will likely hopeful and inspiring for the medical field, make people more optimistic that controlling on HIV is possible.
I heard this news from New York Times as well. Well, if it is proven that treating anti-retroviral drugs of newly born baby with HIV is safely effective, then this will be great. At last the 330,000 babies carrying HIV in United Nations will not be sum up.