![](https://www.nextias.com/ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/3910034Screenshot_6.png)
In News
- The journal Nature Medicine has recently released about a patient being cured of AIDS.
About
- A 53-year-old German man is the third person to be “cured” of HIV after undergoing a bone-marrow transplant from an HIV-resistant donor.
- The transplant was performed for blood cancer treatment, and the HIV virus was undetectable in his body even four years after he stopped taking antiretroviral medicine.
- The patient received a stem cell transplant from a female donor with a rare mutation in her CCR5 gene, which stops HIV from entering cells.
- The bone marrow transplant used in this case is a severe and dangerous operation, and it is only suitable for some special cases or a small number of patients suffering from HIV and blood cancer.
- According to the study, this case of HIV-1 cure” provides “valuable insights that will hopefully guide future cure strategies,”
What is CCR5-Delta 32 Mutation?
- It is found in 1% of the population, and it prevents the CCR5 receptors on CD4 immune cells, which act as a doorway for the HIV virus, from forming on the surface.
- People with two copies of the mutation are almost immune to HIV, while those with one copy are less likely to contract the virus.
Can Bone-Marrow Transplants Solve the HIV Crisis?
- The mutation occurs mainly among Caucasians, making it difficult to find a matching donor, especially for those from countries with high HIV burden.
- Bone-marrow transplants are a risky and complex procedure, and it is unlikely to be rolled out for all those with HIV.
- A bone marrow transplant is a medical treatment that replaces one’s bone marrow with healthy cells. The replacement cells can either come from the person’s own body or from a donor.
- A bone marrow transplant is also called a stem cell transplant or, more specifically, a hematopoietic stem cell transplant.
- The virus may mutate and enter cells through other mechanisms, making the cure ineffective.
Stem cells
Types of Stem Cells
|
What is AIDS?
- AIDS stands for Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, which is a chronic, potentially fatal condition caused by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).
Causes:
- HIV is a virus that attacks the immune system, specifically the CD4 cells, which are crucial for fighting off infections.
- It primarily spread through unprotected sexual contact, sharing needles or syringes, and from mother to child during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding.
Symptoms:
- Many people with HIV do not experience any symptoms for years after infection, but the virus continues to damage the immune system.
- As HIV progresses, symptoms may include fever, fatigue, weight loss, night sweats, swollen lymph nodes, and recurrent infections.
Treatment:
- At present, there is currently no cure for HIV or AIDS, but antiretroviral therapy (ART) can slow the progression of the virus and improve quality of life.
- It involves taking a combination of medications that target different stages of the virus’s life cycle, reducing its ability to replicate and damage the immune system.
- The drugs have to be taken for life because the virus continues to persist in reservoirs across the body.
- If left untreated, the virus destroys a person’s immune system and leads to AIDS resulting in death.
HIV Facts & Figures:
- AIDS Society of India, India has the third-highest HIV burden with 2.35 million.
- In 2019, there were 69,220 new HIV infections and 58,960 AIDS-related deaths in India.
- UNAIDS Report 2020, Asia Pacific region saw a 12% decline in new HIV infections and a 29% decline in AIDS-related deaths over the last decade.
Government steps to control:
- India has implemented various schemes and programs to control and eradicate AIDS in the country.
- National AIDS Control Programme (NACP): It is a comprehensive program launched in 1992 to control the spread of HIV/AIDS in India by promoting safe behavior, increasing awareness, and providing counselling and testing services.
- Targeted Interventions (TI): Under the NACP, TI is a program that targets high-risk groups such as sex workers, injecting drug users, and men who have sex with men.
- Antiretroviral Therapy (ART): The government provides free ART to all HIV-positive patients in the country besides providing free diagnostic tests and treatment for opportunistic infections associated with HIV.
- 90:90:90 strategy as adopted by UNAIDS (90% (diagnosed, treatment (by anti-retroviral treatment (ART)) & suppression)) by 2020.
- Extended by 10 years with the goal post of 95-95-95.
- Community-based approaches: The government also involves local communities, civil society organizations, and people living with HIV/AIDS in the planning, implementation, and monitoring process to tackle HIV/AIDS.
- Jan Jagriti Abhiyan: This is a mass awareness campaign launched by the government to educate people about HIV/AIDS especially in rural areas and promote safe behavior and practices.
- National Rural Health Mission (NRHM): It was launched by the government to provide primary healthcare services to people living in rural areas.
Did you know? |
|
Conclusion
- While bone-marrow transplants offer a cure for HIV, they are not a viable option for everyone.
- Antiretroviral therapy remains the most effective treatment for managing HIV and preventing the transmission of the virus.
Source: IE
Previous article
Sursingar, Karakattam & Mandolin
Next article
Security Covers