Babies Born With HIV Should Start Treatment Right Away
A new study conduced in Botswana has shown that babies who are born HIV positive should start treatment right away.
A newborn immune system “responds to HIV infection less effectively than a more mature one”, so babies born with HIV should start treatment within hours or days, reports ‘Scientific American’.
This study has shown for the first time the immune system’s response in detail. Experts say it may help “pave the way” for a long-lasting treatment or even a cure.
“We don’t think the current intervention is itself curative, but it sets the stage” for future attempts, said Dr. Daniel Kuritzkes of Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital, who co-authored the study.
In the study, 10 HIV-positive newborns in Botswana were started in antiretroviral therapy just a few hours after they were born, as opposed to the more typical four months. These babies who are now almost two years old fared much better compared to HIV-positive babies who did not receive treatment until after 4 months of age.
Everyday, between 300-500 babies in sub-Saharan Africa are infected with HIV.
Read related myGwork articles here:
900 Children Test Positive For HIV In Pakistan
New Zealand Launches World’s First HIV Positive Sperm Bank
A Man In Illinois Has Been Charged With Transmitting HIV To Underaged Boy
HIV Rates Drop to Record Low in New South Wales
Keep up to date with the latest myGnews
