There is a report from Berlin that with the help of stem cells taken from a person who is naturally resistant to the virus and transplanting the same in a man suffering from AIDS, doctors have cured this man of his illness.
Experts however point out that though this may have promising implications, it is not feasible to give millions of infected patients in Africa this treatment and even for those in America with insurance suffering from AIDS in some of the top research hospitals, it may not be within reach. According to Dr.Anthony S. Fauci, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases director, this is not a very surprising development and is not a practical treatment solution.
The patient who was cured is an American aged 42 years residing in Germany. He is also suffering from leukemia and therefore giving him the stem-cell transplant treatment is justified. The stem cell transplant procedure involves completely eliminating a person’s immune system which includes his bone marrow with the help of drugs and radiation. Ten to thirty percent of patients going in for this transplant do not survive. Another hitch in this is the remote possibility of finding a donor with a perfect tissue match. The donor is also required to have the same genetic mutation which makes the patient resistant to HIV.
However, the fact that this patient has been free from the disease for the past twenty months and is not sustained by any antiretroviral drugs, provides a lot of hope for future therapy and treatment for the deadly AIDS.
