BREAKING NEWS: Cure for HIV-AIDS discovered
·
A social worker in London
has been reportedly cured of the disease
·
The researchers say it’s
not over yet, as more experiments needs to be done.
Emerging reports suggest that
British scientists could be one step closer towards finding a permanent cure
for HIV-AIDS.
Huffington Post reports that
a 44-year-old social worker in London appears to be completely free of the virus
after undergoing an experimental therapy technique.
The man was first given a
vaccine which helped his immune system detect infected cells, and then took
Vorinostat, a drug which is normally used in experimental cancer treatment
trials.
The Vorinostat then activates dormant infected cells that would
normally slip through the net allowing the body’s immune system to detect and
kill every last infected cell.
In simple terms what this
combination of treatments does is remove the camouflage that allows HIV to
remain hidden and then shine a spotlight on it allowing the immune system to
clearly identify infected cells and kill them.
The researchers have said
that there’s an extremely long way to go before they start throwing parties.
For starters this is just one man in a trial that involves 50 people. All 50
will need to show similar responses to the treatment, and then even if they do
they’ll need to be continually tested for the next five years to make sure the
virus has been completely eradicated. That said, this is promising news.
For starters this method is
essentially a complex and aggressive form of drug therapy, far less invasive
and complex as a technique like gene editing. HIV is a virus which attacks the
immune system of the human body, making it harder for us to fight off even the
mildest illnesses such as colds or coughs.
There is currently no cure
for HIV, however modern treatments allow those infected with it to go on to
live a long and healthy life. AIDS is the final stage of the HIV infection; it
occurs when the body can no longer fight life-threatening infections.
Those who have been diagnosed
with HIV early on will not go on to develop AIDS.
naij.com
No comments: