A second baby born with the AIDS virus might have had her infection put into remission and possibly cured by very early treatment — in this instance, four hours after birth.
Doctors revealed the case Wednesday at an AIDS conference in Boston. The girl was born in suburban Los Angeles in April, a month after researchers announced the first case from Mississippi. That was a medical first that led doctors worldwide to rethink how fast and hard to treat infants born with HIV.
The Mississippi baby, now 3½ years old, seems HIV-free despite no treatment for about two years. The Los Angeles baby is getting AIDS medicines, so the status of her infection is not as clear.
In another AIDS-related development, scientists have modified genes in the blood cells of a dozen adults to help them resist HIV. The results give hope that this approach might one day free at least some people from needing medicines.
