Mr. Brown, known as “the Berlin patient,” died Sept. 29 after a recurrence of leukemia. He was HIV-free at the time of his death.
In 2007, Mr. Brown had a bone marrow transplant to treat acute myeloid leukemia. The bone marrow came from a donor who was naturally resistant to HIV due to a genetic mutation. Mr. Brown remained free of any detectable virus in his body after the transplant.
“We owe Timothy and his doctor, Gero Hütter, a great deal of gratitude for opening the door for scientists to explore the concept that a cure for HIV is possible,” Dr. Adeeba Kamarulzaman, president of the International AIDS Society, said in a news release.
In May 2016, physicians at the University of Cambridge used the same bone marrow transplant technique on a man named Adam Castillejo. His HIV did not return for 18 months, leading researchers to say he was in “sustained remission” as of March 2019.
Known as “the London Patient,” Mr. Castillejo is widely considered the second person to be cured of HIV.
More articles on infection control:
COVID-19 viral load high in patient bathrooms, research shows
Michigan NP sentenced to probation for reusing rectal devices on patients, fraud
CDC issues guidelines for staph prevention in NICUs
