Can Stem Cell Transplant Cure HIV Infection?
The life expectancy of an HIV-positive person is 36 years, lesser than normal human life expectancy. About 39 million people across the globe were infected with HIV in 2020. Of these, 1.7 million were children under the age group of 15. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a person with undetectable levels in their blood isn’t able to transmit HIV during coitus. Human immunodeficiency virus or HIV is a virus that attacks the cell that helps the body fight the infection. If an HIV positive can exceed viral suppression, they will be unable to transmit HIV to others through sexual contact. Timothy Ray Brown was the first person to be cured of HIV in 2010. TIMOTHY RAY BROWN’S STORY Timothy Ray Brown was a 40-year man diagnosed with fatal blood cancer, acute myeloid leukemia. To cure his cancer, he received a bone marrow transplant from a healthy Donor. Unfortunately, the donor had North European origin with their mutation immune to HIV. HIV attacks the blo