Published on : Jul 21, 2014
It had long been thought that early medications may help in stopping the HIV virus from spreading in human bodies. A recent study substantially negates this notion. The study has, in fact, found that HIV virus is capable of forming an impenetrable grip in the body, crashing the hopes of curing the virus with early treatment.
The research revolved around the case of a baby that was thought as have been cured with treatment that started only hours after the baby’s birth. The treatment was continued for two years and then halted; having thought that the virus must have retracted. But years later it was revealed that the virus had emerged again.
The research suggests that the virus starts forming viral reservoirs of untouchable nature even before the presence of the virus can be detected in the blood. Experts are describing the finding as striking and sobering.
Reservoirs of the virus in brain and gut tissues are already considered massive obstructions in the way of curing the virus. Remarkable progress in the field of antiretroviral medicines may halt the virus from affecting the human body in a way that patients could have a near-normal life, but when the drug stops there are chances that the virus may emerge from its reservoirs.