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"But blood tests showed that the baby had an active HIV infection. The virus had emerged from some mysterious hiding place in her body." Could the child not hav
by xanadohnt 12y ago
"But blood tests showed that the baby had an active HIV infection. The virus had emerged from some mysterious hiding place in her body." Could the child not have just simply been re-infected? The mother has a demonstrated history of lacking healthy habits.
- ilanco 12y agoThis was exactly my thought.
- pdkl95 12y ago"mysterious hiding place" Mysterious? Do they not understand what a retrovirus is?
- dekhn 12y agoNono, the point is that viruses like HIV infect a tiny subset of cells and "hide out" there. I think you're referring to genomic integration, and they're referring to cell type.
- headShrinker 12y agoHIV and retreat to hiding places like the gut and the brain, where treatment is very difficult.
- user24 12y agoIt's possible of course, but if you compare the two possible scenarios, one seems more likely than the other; 1) Child was infected with HIV twice 2) Groundbreaking never-before-achieved treatment didn't actually work In the first, something extraordinary (being infected) has to happen twice, in the second, something extraordinary (being cured of HIV) has to simply not happen. So it seems - on this basic, without-the-facts, examination at least - much more likely to be #2 than #1.
- headShrinker 12y agoIt should be pointed out that the child was removed from the study many months early. The other child who remained for the duration of the program is still HIV negative.