To date, only seven cases of remission of HIV patients have been recorded worldwide. This woman, aged around sixty, would be the first in France.
A promising step forward in the fight against HIV
A 60-year-old patient, followed in Marseille, went into remission after receiving a bone marrow transplant to treat acute myeloid leukemia. This extremely rare case could make her the first person in France and the eighth in the world to reach this state, reports 20 Minutes. Diagnosed with HIV in 1999, the patient had undergone several antiretroviral treatments. The transplant carried out in 2020, thanks to a donor carrying a rare genetic mutation, not only treated his leukemia, but also prevented the HIV to invade its cells. After three years of treatment and extensive testing, all virological results were negative.
A breakthrough, but limits
Experts from Marseille Public Hospitals emphasize that this type of treatment, involving a heavy allograft, is not applicable to all patients suffering from HIV. However, it opens up perspectives for research, particularly around the Delta 32 mutation of the CCR5 receptor, already observed in other patients in remission. With a historic decline in HIV infections in 2023, this case represents another step in the hope of defeating the virus. Research continues to make these results accessible to more people.
-> Also read: health authorities recommend expanding access to PrEP against HIV
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