Maybe More...

 

This article is about 2 more people that may have been cured of HIV.  The piece is rather brief, so there isn't much I can offer here.  The method was similar, the introduction of stem cells from HIV resistant donors.    

It'll take time to see if this is a cure for them.  Even if it is, these cases are exceedingly rare.  There's much more to be learned about the process & the long range outcome.

Give it a read & take care.

Cya...

This Is Why Not...

 

By now, most of us have heard of people with various ailments like leukemia & HIV being cured by transplants from someone whose blood has a natural resistance to HIV.  There have been 7 cases to date.  It's probable many have asked if it worked for them, then why not use the method to cure others of HIV?  

This article is about 12 year old boy who underwent such a treatment.  It seemed to have succeeded in dealing with both the HIV & leukemia.  However his body began rejecting the new cells.  This is always a risk with any transplant.  In the end, they couldn't do anything to save him.

While remarkable & to some they may even seem routine, transplants are serious procedures with sometimes deadly consequences.  Any surgery can inadvertently lead to death for a host of reasons.  The more invasive, novel, experimental the procedure; the higher the potential for unknowns & risks.

While the transplant procedure to cure HIV may yield a great wealth of info in the fight against the virus, it isn't a magic bullet.  It probably isn't the path to ending HIV on a large scale.  Still the concept is curious. 

Cya.

2 Days Out & Again...

 

I got through yesterday still a little off stomach wise & tired from the colonoscopy.  Apparently, that's to be expected, the process is depleting.  Luckily both nights since have been cooler & I slept better.   Maybe that'll be enough to get things back to more my "normal".  Still not wanting to push a lot today though.

Another patient has apparently been cured of HIV via  stem-cell transplant.  I'm only going to post a link to this article.  This would be the 7th patient, but the process is still deemed questionable & dangerous.   Maybe they will eventually glean enough from these flukes for a helpful application for the majority of people living with HIV.

Take care.

Cya...

Possibly Another...

 

According to this article there might be another patient cured of HIV via the use of stem cells.  He's nearing 2 years with no signs of the virus.  This time was slightly different than the others, give it a read.  The cells weren't carrying the specific genes that made them combative to HIV.  This may not be a cure, but it could point the way.

It was hot again yesterday & will be again today.   We're supposed to get a bit of a reprieve this weekend.  That'll be nice.  Even with the heat, it's hazy this morning.  It's 2023, the year that hated sunshine in Oklahoma.

Take care.

Cya...

Appointments & Temps & Stems...

 

I have a dental cleaning appointment today.  I need to get around before then & get trash to the curb.  We'll grab something to eat over there & maybe look at a new store.

Apparently I'm never happy.  I was complaining about the cold, dark days.  It's not exactly bright but the temps jumped about 20 degrees & the pollen hiked as well.  My throat isn't happy about any of that.  I may finally be getting ready to stow covers away for the season.  We'll see, this might be yet another false Spring.

According to this article another person has been cured of HIV vis stem cells.   He was another leukemia patient.   As of yet this method is still too risky for non-cancer patients.

Cya...

Green Day & Remission...

 

This article is about a mixed-race woman who's HIV went into remission after receiving a transplant of stem cells from umbilical cord blood.    She was being treated for here leukemia  A couple of things about this.  As of yet, it has not be announced as a cure, just a remission.   Next, her being of mixed-race heritage is medically important.  The more factors a person has, the more difficult matching for transplants becomes.  Mixed race or distinctive ethnicities can complicate the matter genetically.  

Today's St. Patrick's.  It's colder here, but at least it's sunny & green.  Take care.

Cya...

OT But Interesting...

This article discusses snake bites.  For the 1st time since the Victorian era scientists have figured out a new way to manufacture anti-venom.   The piece is a bit lengthy, but interesting.  

The point is due to new techniques & understandings, they have moved the treatment of snake bites forward after nearly 150 years.  Knowledge, novel approach & newer technology combined may have forever altered how snake bites are handled.  Stem cells & 3-D printers could replace milking snakes &  processing venom into anti-venom.   This could save a people, time & resources.

Snake bites have nothing to do with HIV.  However, it does show, after a century something new may develop to push a treatment forward in a previously unheard of manner.   This is why all research is pertinent.  A similar process is being applied to the treatment of cancer.  Who knows what's next?

Cya...

Next Up To Bat...

This article is about a new attempt to implement research trying to cure HIV.   This is Sangamo  Bioscience's baby.  Its using stem cells developed from people naturally more resistant to HIV in hopes of editing infected people's immunity to better deal with HIV.   

The article is a little dense, so give a read for more info.    I've talked about gene editing before.  Its still in the early stages. Whether or not this will pan out it still up in the air.  If it does work, it could mean a new line of treatment for HIV & possibly other illnesses. 

Time will tell.

Cya....

Stems...

This article talks about using stem cells to fight HIV.  The article goes into much more detail.  The matter is simple.  Instead of adding drugs that can harm the body or taking things out of it, this approach is based on strengthening the person & their immunity.

At one point this may have been seen as a novel approach to medicine.   However, I think it's the way of the future.  With all the issues pharmaceuticals have brought us, it seems the next phase of medical treatment may very well depend  more on increasing the body's own ability to defend & heal itself.

I understand that this may be a ways off, but there has to be better ways to provide healthcare  than just drug therapies alone.  Especially when some meds can produce extreme conditions like toxicity, addiction or even death.  Say what you want about stem cells, but I'm all for them.

Cya...