Kenya: Baby’s negative HIV test results shock doctors

February 10, 2011

Baby's negative HIV test results shock doctors

Doctors say that two HIV tests done on a six-month-old's blood samples using the

Polymerase Chain Rectors (PCR) have returned negative results. Photo/FILE

By ARTHUR OKWEMBA aokwemba@...

Posted Thursday, February 10 2011 at 22:02

An HIV positive woman has delivered an HIV negative baby without any medical

intervention.

The baby has tested negative for the virus on the most advanced machine used in

diagnosing HIV.

This is despite her mother not having used any anti-retroviral drugs or other

forms of interventions key in preventing the virus from passing to the child

during pregnancy.

Doctors say that two HIV tests done on the six-month-old's blood samples using

the Polymerase Chain Rectors (PCR) have returned negative results.

" Before delivery, we followed her for several months to ensure her viral load

was below detectable levels and the CD4 count was in the permitted range for a

healthy person, " says Dr Surendra Patel, a researcher and an expert in

infectious diseases.

By the time the woman was giving birth to her 2.6-kilogramme baby, the doctor

says, her viral load (the amount of the active HIV in a person's blood) was

below 20 copies or an undetectable level, and the CD4 count (immune cells that

fight infections) was over 600.

The normal CD4 range for a healthy functioning immune system is between 600 and

1,500 cells per cubic millimetre.

" Our fingers were crossed as she went into labour and gave birth. But the

negative HIV results from the tests we have done so far on the baby are very

encouraging and telling, " says Dr Patel, who is also an adjunct professor at the

University of Nairobi's College of Biological and Physical Sciences.

The baby born at Nairobi's MP Shah Hospital last August, he adds, will be

followed for a year to ensure everything is fine.

" The tests we have done so far are sufficient to convince us that the baby is

indeed HIV negative. The follow-up is critical to inform the observations we are

making on the mother, " he says.

The mother, who is in her 30s, was reluctant to be interviewed, saying she was

afraid of the attention the media might accord her if she goes public.

Besides this, some of her family members and workmates do not know her HIV

status.

Nevertheless, the story of her HIV negative baby has far-reaching implications

on policy and research in regard to the management of HIV and handling of HIV

positive mothers whose CD4 count are above 600 and viral load at undetectable

levels.

The current practice requires HIV positive pregnant women to be put on ARVs,

breastfeed exclusively for six months, and use other interventions such as birth

by Caesarean section to significantly reduce the chances of passing the virus to

the baby.

The use of exclusive breastfeeding to reduce the HIV transmission rate is

informed by studies.

Findings of a recent study conducted by scientists at the Africa Centre for

Health and Population Studies, South Africa, and published last year in the

Lancet medical journal, found the risk of HIV infection for infants aged between

six weeks and six months who were breastfed exclusively was four per cent.

The risk for those who received formula milk was about twice this, while those

babies getting breast milk together with solid foods were 11 times more likely

to get HIV.

Breast milk is known to strengthen the mucous membrane within the intestines,

providing an effective barrier to HIV infection.

On the other hand, past research has indicated that proteins found in solid

foods may result in greater damage to the linings of the stomach, making it easy

for the virus to penetrate.

Increased efficacy of drugs

Use of ARVs reduces the mother's viral load to very low levels, cutting down the

chances of transmission. When combined with Caesarean section, the efficacy of

the methods is even higher.

That is why many HIV positive women who use ARVs are giving birth to HIV

negative children.

But with the birth of an HIV negative baby by this mother without any of these

interventions, this new development is likely to indicate that women with CD4

and viral load at certain levels may not need to invest in some of these

interventions.

They can also simultaneously breastfeed and feed their babies with solid foods

without the risk of infecting them with HIV.

Dr Patel and other scientists are trying to understand how the " miracle "

mother's immune system suppressed the replication of the HIV, keeping it at

undetectable levels.

This knowledge is likely to improve the design of Aids vaccines. The research is

expected to be complete in 12 months.

February 10, 2011

Baby's negative HIV test results shock doctors

Doctors say that two HIV tests done on a six-month-old's blood samples using the

Polymerase Chain Rectors (PCR) have returned negative results. Photo/FILE

By ARTHUR OKWEMBA aokwemba@...

Posted Thursday, February 10 2011 at 22:02

An HIV positive woman has delivered an HIV negative baby without any medical

intervention.

The baby has tested negative for the virus on the most advanced machine used in

diagnosing HIV.

This is despite her mother not having used any anti-retroviral drugs or other

forms of interventions key in preventing the virus from passing to the child

during pregnancy.

Doctors say that two HIV tests done on the six-month-old's blood samples using

the Polymerase Chain Rectors (PCR) have returned negative results.

" Before delivery, we followed her for several months to ensure her viral load

was below detectable levels and the CD4 count was in the permitted range for a

healthy person, " says Dr Surendra Patel, a researcher and an expert in

infectious diseases.

By the time the woman was giving birth to her 2.6-kilogramme baby, the doctor

says, her viral load (the amount of the active HIV in a person's blood) was

below 20 copies or an undetectable level, and the CD4 count (immune cells that

fight infections) was over 600.

The normal CD4 range for a healthy functioning immune system is between 600 and

1,500 cells per cubic millimetre.

" Our fingers were crossed as she went into labour and gave birth. But the

negative HIV results from the tests we have done so far on the baby are very

encouraging and telling, " says Dr Patel, who is also an adjunct professor at the

University of Nairobi's College of Biological and Physical Sciences.

The baby born at Nairobi's MP Shah Hospital last August, he adds, will be

followed for a year to ensure everything is fine.

" The tests we have done so far are sufficient to convince us that the baby is

indeed HIV negative. The follow-up is critical to inform the observations we are

making on the mother, " he says.

The mother, who is in her 30s, was reluctant to be interviewed, saying she was

afraid of the attention the media might accord her if she goes public.

Besides this, some of her family members and workmates do not know her HIV

status.

Nevertheless, the story of her HIV negative baby has far-reaching implications

on policy and research in regard to the management of HIV and handling of HIV

positive mothers whose CD4 count are above 600 and viral load at undetectable

levels.

The current practice requires HIV positive pregnant women to be put on ARVs,

breastfeed exclusively for six months, and use other interventions such as birth

by Caesarean section to significantly reduce the chances of passing the virus to

the baby.

The use of exclusive breastfeeding to reduce the HIV transmission rate is

informed by studies.

Findings of a recent study conducted by scientists at the Africa Centre for

Health and Population Studies, South Africa, and published last year in the

Lancet medical journal, found the risk of HIV infection for infants aged between

six weeks and six months who were breastfed exclusively was four per cent.

The risk for those who received formula milk was about twice this, while those

babies getting breast milk together with solid foods were 11 times more likely

to get HIV.

Breast milk is known to strengthen the mucous membrane within the intestines,

providing an effective barrier to HIV infection.

On the other hand, past research has indicated that proteins found in solid

foods may result in greater damage to the linings of the stomach, making it easy

for the virus to penetrate.

Increased efficacy of drugs

Use of ARVs reduces the mother's viral load to very low levels, cutting down the

chances of transmission. When combined with Caesarean section, the efficacy of

the methods is even higher.

That is why many HIV positive women who use ARVs are giving birth to HIV

negative children.

But with the birth of an HIV negative baby by this mother without any of these

interventions, this new development is likely to indicate that women with CD4

and viral load at certain levels may not need to invest in some of these

interventions.

They can also simultaneously breastfeed and feed their babies with solid foods

without the risk of infecting them with HIV.

Dr Patel and other scientists are trying to understand how the " miracle "

mother's immune system suppressed the replication of the HIV, keeping it at

undetectable levels.

This knowledge is likely to improve the design of Aids vaccines. The research is

expected to be complete in 12 months.

February 12, 2011

Dear all,I completely concur with Dr. Mathai. Were these doctors playing God?! " Our fingers were crossed as she went into labour and gave birth. But the negative HIV results from the tests we have done so far on the baby are very encouraging and telling, " says Dr Patel,

And all this they are claiming to do in the name of medicine and finding a vaccine for AIDS.Perhaps there is more to the story, but the question needs to be answered, 'Why this child, what did this child do to run the risk of being born into the world knowing his chances of living a full life would be sharply diminished. Or when do you tell a child he is HIV+ and how it is he became HIV+. In some ways, I'm too close and in some ways too far. I live in America and I do a lot to help AIDS orphans in Kenya because I am HIV-positive. The reason I help AIDS orphans in Africa is because I constantly ask myself the question, 'Who would be there to care for my children if my wife Jodi and I were born in Africa?'

Very Truly Yours, Brodsky, President M. Brodsky Foundationwww.richardmbrodsky.org foundation websitewww.worldaidsmarathon.com marathon website

www.5kaidscancer.com 5K AIDS / Cancer Run / Walk in America websitewww.trebloon.com book websiteOn Sat, Feb 12, 2011 at 10:54 AM, <mathai@...> wrote:

Dear Chifu, dear readers,

first am glad to be back on the forum. I have been receiving mail for the last

2 or 3 weeks)- Prior to this I haven't received any mail for 3 years ( I thought

I had been kicked out and kept wondering why?).

Back to this article which I read on the nation- I really don't know whether

The Nation got it all mixed up or whether i am poorly informed- Maybe there

are experts on this forum who can enlighten me- First i thought not all

babies of HIV Positive mothers have become positive, even in the days prior

to ARVs- so where is the miracle.? Secondly- I thought, to knowingly deny or

not advice a patient to partake of a sceintifically proven method of treatment

for the sake of research is unethical- in other words the use of ARVs in

pregnancy have been proven to be effective against HIV infection in Babies-

so why were the researchers taking chances with the health of the unborn

baby?

I look forward to being educated on these issues.

Regards

Muthoni

--------- Kenya: Baby´s negative HIV test

results shock doctors

Send reply to: AIDS treatments

Baby's negative HIV test results shock doctors

Doctors say that two HIV tests done on a six-month-old's blood samples using the

Polymerase Chain Rectors (PCR) have returned negative results. Photo/FILE

By ARTHUR OKWEMBA aokwemba@...

Posted Thursday, February 10 2011 at 22:02

An HIV positive woman has delivered an HIV negative baby without any medical

intervention.

The baby has tested negative for the virus on the most advanced machine used in

diagnosing HIV.

This is despite her mother not having used any anti-retroviral drugs or other forms

of interventions key in preventing the virus from passing to the child during

pregnancy.

Doctors say that two HIV tests done on the six-month-old's blood samples using the

Polymerase Chain Rectors (PCR) have returned negative results.

" Before delivery, we followed her for several months to ensure her viral load was

below detectable levels and the CD4 count was in the permitted range for a healthy

person, " says Dr Surendra Patel, a researcher and an expert in infectious diseases.

By the time the woman was giving birth to her 2.6-kilogramme baby, the doctor says,

her viral load (the amount of the active HIV in a person's blood) was below 20 copies

or an undetectable level, and the CD4 count (immune cells that fight infections) was

over 600.

The normal CD4 range for a healthy functioning immune system is between 600 and

1,500 cells per cubic millimetre.

" Our fingers were crossed as she went into labour and gave birth. But the negative

HIV results from the tests we have done so far on the baby are very encouraging and

telling, " says Dr Patel, who is also an adjunct professor at the University of Nairobi's

College of Biological and Physical Sciences.

The baby born at Nairobi's MP Shah Hospital last August, he adds, will be followed

for a year to ensure everything is fine.

" The tests we have done so far are sufficient to convince us that the baby is indeed

HIV negative. The follow-up is critical to inform the observations we are making on

the mother, " he says.

The mother, who is in her 30s, was reluctant to be interviewed, saying she was afraid

of the attention the media might accord her if she goes public.

Besides this, some of her family members and workmates do not know her HIV

status.

Nevertheless, the story of her HIV negative baby has far-reaching implications on

policy and research in regard to the management of HIV and handling of HIV

positive mothers whose CD4 count are above 600 and viral load at undetectable

levels.

The current practice requires HIV positive pregnant women to be put on ARVs,

breastfeed exclusively for six months, and use other interventions such as birth by

Caesarean section to significantly reduce the chances of passing the virus to the baby.

The use of exclusive breastfeeding to reduce the HIV transmission rate is informed

by studies.

Findings of a recent study conducted by scientists at the Africa Centre for Health and

Population Studies, South Africa, and published last year in the Lancet medical

journal, found the risk of HIV infection for infants aged between six weeks and six

months who were breastfed exclusively was four per cent.

The risk for those who received formula milk was about twice this, while those babies

getting breast milk together with solid foods were 11 times more likely to get HIV.

Breast milk is known to strengthen the mucous membrane within the intestines,

providing an effective barrier to HIV infection.

On the other hand, past research has indicated that proteins found in solid foods

may result in greater damage to the linings of the stomach, making it easy for the

virus to penetrate.

Increased efficacy of drugs

Use of ARVs reduces the mother's viral load to very low levels, cutting down the

chances of transmission. When combined with Caesarean section, the efficacy of the

methods is even higher.

That is why many HIV positive women who use ARVs are giving birth to HIV

negative children.

But with the birth of an HIV negative baby by this mother without any of these

interventions, this new development is likely to indicate that women with CD4 and

viral load at certain levels may not need to invest in some of these interventions.

They can also simultaneously breastfeed and feed their babies with solid foods

without the risk of infecting them with HIV.

Dr Patel and other scientists are trying to understand how the " miracle " mother's

immune system suppressed the replication of the HIV, keeping it at undetectable

levels.

This knowledge is likely to improve the design of Aids vaccines. The research is

expected to be complete in 12 months.

Dr. Muthoni A. Mathai

University of Nairobi

College of Health Sciences: Department of Psychiatry

P.O. Box 19676-00202

Nairobi (Kenya)

Private: P.O. Box 19804-00202 Nairobi(Kenya)

Tel. +254-727-329904

email: mathai@...

-- Very Truly Yours, Brodsky, President M. Brodsky Foundationwww.richardmbrodsky.org foundation website

www.worldaidsmarathon.com marathon websitewww.5kaidscancer.com 5K AIDS / Cancer Run / Walk in America websitewww.trebloon.com book website

February 12, 2011