HIV-positive babies were given antiretrovirals within days of being born and, after two years of ARV therapy, the virus was almost undetectable, according to a study published Nov. 27 in Science Translational Medicine.
In a clinical trial in Botswana, 10 HIV-positive babies were given conventional antiretrovirals within their first few days of life. Two years later, the virus was nearly imperceptible. In comparison, infants who didn't receive ARV therapy until they were a few months old had 200 times the virus in their blood.
Babies receiving early treatment aren't cured, but are likely to experience long-term remission of their HIV, Daniel Kuritzkes, MD, study co-author and chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases at Boston-based Brigham and Women's Hospital, told NPR.
Treatment immediately upon infection helps stop HIV from taking over the body, Dr. Kuritzkes said, adding that babies' immune systems are just starting to develop.
"By intervening very early, we're able to protect the immune system much more effectively from any damage from HIV," he told NPR.
Dr. Kuritzkes said the study proves that very early HIV treatment is safe and tolerated well by newborns. While early treatment seems promising, actually getting the drugs to babies in need would be challenging.