HIV is a virus which damages the immune system since untreated HIV kills CD4 cells which are a kind of immune cell called T cells. AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) is a transmissible disease that can develop within people having HIV. AIDS is the most advanced stage of HIV but just because a person has HIV, it doesn’t necessarily mean one will develop AIDS.
Currently, the treatment for those diagnosed with HIV are put through antiretroviral treatment to control the virus but there is no functional cure for HIV. However, in 2007, a man was fully cured from HIV/AIDS for the first time. This miracle took place due to a risky transplant.
Timothy Ray Brown, popularly known as “the Berlin Patient” developed a type of blood cancer called acute myeloid leukaemia in 2007. His treatments destroyed his bone marrow which was producing the cancerous cells, which made him require a bone marrow transplant. The donor had a rare mutation in a part of their DNA called the CCR5 gene. The CCR5 gene is a path through which HIV goes through to infect cells. Mutations to this gene will close the path which causes resistance to HIV. After Mr Brown received the bone marrow, and ever since, he never had HIV. The transplant also cured Mr Brown’s cancer.
The man generously allowed scientists to take almost every possible biopsy and test, including the most ultrasensitive HIV tests available, but HIV was not detected anywhere in his body. Even almost three years after this operation, HIV was still not known to have re-emerged. Dr Jeffrey Laurence, the chief scientist at The Foundation for AIDS Research, became the main contact in the U.S. regarding the Berlin patient. In September of 2008, Dr Laurence organized a fascinating gathering of top HIV scientists to discuss the patient’s case. All agreed that the patient is “functionally cured.” Unfortunately, Mr Brown’s leukaemia relapsed and spread to his brain and spinal cord. This led to his demise on September 29th, 2020.
This form of treatment is too risky to be used as a functional cure. This approach is principally a treatment for cancer. It is also too expensive to be carried out for approximately 38 million people. However, Mr Brown’s cure has been a sign of hope to many scientists to find a cure for HIV. Scientists have gratitude to Timothy and Dr Hutter for showing that there is possibility to find the cure for HIV.
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