Cure for HIV found

[Souron]

Researchers Knock Out HIV

ScienceDaily (Oct. 21, 2007) — With the latest advances in treatment, doctors have discovered that they can successfully neutralise the HIV virus. The so-called ‘combination therapy’ prevents the HIV virus from mutating and spreading, allowing patients to rebuild their immune system to the same levels as the rest of the population.

To date, it represents the most significant treatment for patients suffering from HIV.

Professor Jens Lundgren from the University of Copenhagen, together with other members of the research group EuroSIDA, have conducted a study, which demonstrates that the immune system of all HIV-infected patients can be restored and normalised. The only stipulation is that patients begin and continue to follow their course of treatment.

HIV attacks the body’s ability to counteract viruses

Viruses are small organisms that have no independent metabolism. Consequently, when they enter the body they attack living cells and adopt their metabolism. The influenza virus occupies cells in the nose, throat and lungs; the mumps attaches itself to the salivary glands of the ear; while the Polio virus plays on the intestinal tract, blood and salivary glands. In all these instances, our immune system attacks and eliminates the invading virus.

HIV is so deadly because the virus attaches itself to a crucial part of the immune system itself: to the so-called CD4+T lymphocytes, which are white blood corpuscles that help the immune system to fight infections. The Hi-virus forms and invades new CD4+T-lymphocytes. Slowly but surely, the number of healthy CD4+T lymphocytes in the blood fall, while HIV relentlessly weakens the body’s ability to defend itself from infection. Finally, the immune system erodes to such an extent that the infected patient is diagnosed with AIDS. The Hi-virus mutates constantly as it forms and this is why, scientists face a constant battle to find a cure or a vaccine.

Combination therapy knocks out HIV

Combination therapy prevents the virus from forming and mutating in human beings. When the virus is halted in its progress, the number of healthy CD4+T cells begins to rise and patients, who would otherwise die from HIV, can now survive. The immune system is rejuvenated and is apparently able to normalise itself, providing that the combination therapy is maintained. The moment the immune system begins to improve, the HIV-infected patient can no longer be said to be suffering from an HIV infection or disease, already declining in strength.

Findings from the study are published in the medical journal The Lancet - Vol. 370, Issue 9585, 4 August 2007, Pages 407-413

Nice to see science advancing. It sounds like a slow and expensive process, though.

 

[Fugitive Sisyphus]

There is a new story about the cure for HIV every month at least. So I'll remain skeptical.

 

[luiz]

The anti-HIV "cocktails" are indeed quite effective and people with the virus can now live indefinately. They do have some nasty side-effects, though, and this is not a cure since if treatment stops the virus' effects come back with a vengeance.

 

[Shylock]

Unless the virus is completely gone from your system it isn't a cure, just a suppressant.

Let me know if they get a vaccine though.

 

[LightFang]

Even a more effective suppressant is better than nothing. It's nice to see progress being made.

And in fact IIRC there was already a vaccine for HIV. I could be wrong though.

 

[GoodEnoughForMe]

Can't we just get a cure for all STD's so we can all have sex without reprucussion?

BTW, are there any predictions on how many years away we are from a full cure?

 

[Ansar]

Yay, another scientific achievement!

 

[Godwynn]

Whatever happened to that guy in London who was supposedly immune to HIV or AIDS?

 

[Shylock]

Yay, another scientific achievement!

Meh, just another Future Tech.

 

[Souron]

Unless the virus is completely gone from your system it isn't a cure, just a suppressant.

Let me know if they get a vaccine though.

The article doesn't explicitly say that the normalized immune system can completely remove the HIV vaccine. How ever is does say:"The moment the immune system begins to improve, the HIV-infected patient can no longer be said to be suffering from an HIV infection or disease, already declining in strength."
Declining in strength should mean that the number of infected cells is decreasing. It's a little vague though.

A vaccine is not a cure either.

 

[Bill3000]

Whatever happened to that guy in London who was supposedly immune to HIV or AIDS?

He caught teh gay.

 

[Ansar]

Meh, just another Future Tech.

Was there at least an SGL?

 

[MobBoss]

Not good. The last time they made an announcement like this, HIV rates shot up in anticipation that doing the wrong thing on the good foot had a cure in sight. I think they do the general populace a great disservice by running such a story, when a real cure is still a long ways off.

 

[Godwynn]

Not good. The last time they made an announcement like this, HIV rates shot up in anticipation that doing the wrong thing on the good foot had a cure in sight. I think they do the general populace a great disservice by running such a story, when a real cure is still a long ways off.

Darwin at work.

 

[Yuri2356]

The article doesn't explicitly say that the normalized immune system can completely remove the HIV vaccine. How ever is does say:"The moment the immune system begins to improve, the HIV-infected patient can no longer be said to be suffering from an HIV infection or disease, already declining in strength."
Declining in strength should mean that the number of infected cells is decreasing. It's a little vague though.

A vaccine is not a cure either.

One would think that if the Virus was prevented from multiplying, it would eventualy be passed out of the system. If all the host cells die, what's left of the threat?

 

[emzie]

Whatever happened to that guy in London who was supposedly immune to HIV or AIDS?

That's not uncommon, actually.

 

[Godwynn]

That's not uncommon, actually.

Do you have a link or anymore information?

 

[On Yer Flour]

Darwin at work.

Exactly; the four major groups at risk for HIV are 1) People who are at risk through someone they think is safe, such as a cheating husband or wife, 2) People whose protection fails (more often than not because they used it improperly), 3) People who don't have access to proper protection (in third-world countries and such) and 4) People who are just too plain stupid to use protection. The major reasons that the gay community was hit so hard by AIDS were that anal tissue is more fragile than vaginal tissue (thereby increasing the risk of passing fluids), gay people were screwing like rabbits due to the libertine, free-love atmosphere of the time, and the community was taken by surprise. At first, back when AIDS/HIV was still called GRID, no one even knew why people were dying. Now, though, proper precautions can reduce risk, both within and outside of the gay community, to manageable levels. The majority of people getting the virus now are either in someplace like Africa, or are too stupid to use a rubber.

 

[Narz]

Cure for HIV found

Don't have sex with people with AIDS!

Can I have my nobel prize now?

Finding a "cure" for AIDS would be devastating to the drug companies. They'll just keep coming up with "combination (lots of drugs) therapies" that claim a chance at causing a remission but it's doubtful they'll ever find a cure.

Give you money to "finding a cure" and you're simply funding those who will profit as long as possible on the sick.

 

[FriendlyFire]

Not a true cure but more of an "stop gap" treatment