A woman survives HIV through umbilical cord blood transplant method
A woman, belonging to a mixed race, was cured of HIV after she went through a transplant method that involved umbilical cord blood – this method opens up the possibility of curing a lot of people of the diverse races.
As umbilical cord blood is widely available than adult stem cells, and does not need to be closely matched to that of the recipient, it is said to be able to cure dozens of Americans who have HIV.
The woman was also diagnosed with leukemia, which was treated with core blood received through a partially matched donor. This opposed the typical practice of finding a donor of the same ethnicity and race. The temporary immune defenses of the body were given through blood from a close relative.
Scientists at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections in Denver, Colo presented more information regarding the procedures. Steven Deeks, an AIDS expert at the University of California, San Francisco said that the race and the gender of the cured patient marks an important step for community impact. He further added that he did not foresee the new procedure becoming a commonplace. These survival stories provide the road map and inspiration for them to go forward with such procedures.
HIV can be controlled through powerful antiretroviral drugs; however, a cure is the key to end an age-old pandemic. As of now, nearly 38 million people across the world are diagnosed with HIV, and around 73 percent of the patients are under treatment.
However, a bone marrow transplant is not a realistic option for treating all cases of HIV. As such transplants are extremely risky and invasive, they are generally offered to patients with cancer – especially the ones who have exhausted all other forms of treatment.
Speaking of the patient who was treated with transplant procedure involving umbilical cord blood, Deeks said that there is something magical about the umbilical stem cells and cord blood which provides an extra layer of benefit for the body.