hiv bone marrow transplant breakthrough

Two Women Have No Trace of HIV Following Bone Marrow Transplant

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – the International AIDS Conference is being held this week and will feature a report regarding two men out of Boston, Massachusetts, who no longer show any sign of the deadly virus following bone marrow transplants. In both cases, the men have been able to cease taking anti-retroviral therapy or the “cocktail” as it’s been commonly referred known. One patient was able to stop taking the cocktail fifteen weeks ago and the other ceased treatment seven weeks ago.

Doctors aren’t yet using the term “cured” when referring to them as they believe that term can only be used after a sufficient time has passed to ensure no reemergence of the virus.

However, the treatment is very promising. Both men received the bone marrow transplants in the summer of 2012 and continued anti-retroviral therapy for eight months following the transplants.

However, after a prolonged period with no sign of the HIV virus prompted doctors to recommend a cessation of the cocktail. In both cases, the RNA and DNA of the men show no sign of HIV. Researchers have now expanded their tests to include examining copious amounts of the patient’s tissue, plasma, and cells in an exhaustive attempt to verify the absence of HIV. So far so good.

Source material:
Report: Patients Show No Signs of HIV after Bone Marrow Transplant
http://www.drugs.com/news/report-patients-show-no-signs-hiv-after-bone-marrow-transplant-45712.html