Man Cures Himself of HIV Infection

[MacShreach]

I was going to post this a few days ago, and got diverted.

A man who was diagnosed HIV +ve in 2002 was last weekend reported as all clear-- that is, NO antibodies in his blood. And he refused all treatment.

I think they're going to dismantle him to find the secret....

Here's a link to the Sunday Times story-- everybody else has got it too

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-1870340,00.html

[kennbo]

Yeah, I heard of this. Actually he is not unique. Research into the bubonic plaque has yielded very interesting info regarding AIDS/HIV. Researchers in England wanted to know why some people didn't die from plague, so they focused on historical documents that indicated villages which were quarantined due to plague outbreaks in the village. After a period of a year or more it was found that people were still alive, with no more sign of plague. There were even accounts of specific individuals who either 1)got sick then got better, or 2)never got sick, but should have. The ancestors of these people were found to still be living in the same areas in rural England and were given genetic screenings. It was found that they had a genetic mutation which prevented the plague from infecting their t-cells. Those who had a double copy of the mutation, from both parents, didn't get sick, those with a single copy got sick, but enough tcells were effected by the mutation to pull them through the infection. This mutation is found throughout Europe, where the plague was at its worst. Unfortunately, areas of the world that had no plague outbreak show no markers for this muatation. Areas like Africa and Asia. This could be a reason for the rampant spread of AIDS in Africa.

[lar336]

Actually there are some people out that that can't get HIV and they are called "mutants."

Basically here is a short summary how viruses in general work and the HIV virus. All viruses are intracellular parasites, meaning they need living cells to survive, that is why they can't survive on the outside of a human body. A virus attaches onto a site on the human cell than enters the cell, brings up the cell's DNA, than replicates many other viruses using the cell's DNA. Than the many viruses burst through the infected cell, killing it in the process, and infect other cells.

It was found that in this mutants their receptor site on the cell for these viruses is slightly changed and thereby the virus can't attach on to the human cell and, thus, the virus can't infect the human cell causing the virus to eventually die.

[Quinn]

It's been theorized by a number of scientists that a certain percentage of the population has a natural immunity to AIDS/HIV. There has been research concerning this for at least the last decade or so.

-Quinn

[lar336]

of course, the above case is remarkable because we are talking about someone who had the virusn and now no longer has it.

[McRen]

Is that legit? Probly mind over matter. I never get sick, because I refuse to believe im getting sick. Thats different than curing aids, but i'm positive some people make themselves ill by thinking they are coming down with something all the time

[kennbo]

of course, the above case is remarkable because we are talking about someone who had the virusn and now no longer has it.
Actually, it isn't remarkable in light of scenario #1 in my previous post. Those with a single marker for the mutation were not totally free of the disease, but eventually became free from the disease once the normal cells were used up and the mutated population was left. In this case the person may have a single marker for the muatation, or he may have been newly infected when he got his initial blood test.

[MacShreach]

Is that legit? Probly mind over matter. I never get sick, because I refuse to believe im getting sick. Thats different than curing aids, but i'm positive some people make themselves ill by thinking they are coming down with something all the time

There is a huge amount of activity over this as you can imagine. In fact there is strong anecdotal evidence from Africa that this has happened before, but this is as far as I understand it the first time that such a case 1) has bee properly documented and 2) the patient is still available.

I'll post anything that pops up on it if there is general interest.

[AllanahStarrNYC]

I have posted on this subject matter before-

There is actually a rather large segment of doctors and scientific community who question the hiv=aids theory and have many unanswered questions about the virus and how it affects people differently.

I read about the guy who was suing the goverment a few months ago somewhere as well.

I see it's interesting that the media is picking this up now- and I bet it is mostly Europen media.

I think there is too much money invested by pharmaceutical companies in making HIV a "life managable disease" where they make great profit in keeping patients on meds for years-that if any different breakthoughs or oppositions are made to the establishment they would take years for it to be accepted by the American medical community.

Just look at Hormone Replacement Therapy in women and how that was handled since the 60's- and all medical evidence now points in the opposite direction of what the protocol was tp treat menopausal ( and post) women for 40 years.

Mediicne and science are not absolute- so I think these debates and findings can only help people. Unfortunately, medicine is a business- and keeping people on meds is how money is made.

[McRen]

^^^^^ Gotta agree with Alannah. There is no money in 'curing' aids, but theres a LOT of money in making it managable. So thats where the research is going. It sucks, but thats how it is.

[AllanahStarrNYC]

I want to see that-

and I definately do believe there is major corruption in the FDA and pharmaceutical companies in this country.

[McRen]

Watch 'The Corporation' if you want to see some disturbing evidence of the corruption of the FDA and chemical companys and well of course corporations in general.

[brickcitybrother]

My issue with this is the tepid way the man's doctors are handling the media attention. First, the last time he was tested was in 2003. Moreover, he has refused to be re-tested by his doctors. Finally, no one in a position of authority is saying he's cured or no longer has the virus... they are saying that he tested negative on a few occasions in 2003.

It is not well known to the general public, but it is possible to have a T-cell count sufficiently low that tests do not pick up their presence - giving the patient a 'negative' test result. Similar results have occured with 'Viral Load' testing. This does not mean the person is HIV-, rather it means that the number present are less then the test's capacity to detect.

What is important to realize is that it is false to assume that an "undetectable viral load" means there is "no HIV present." A person with "undetectable viral load" can indeed transmit the virus to someone else.

I don't want to belabor the point - with the caution every health care professional is throwing out there regarding this story, I suggest no one jump for joy just yet (or change their safe-sex behavior).

[AllanahStarrNYC]

I honestly don't think information like this would make anyone go out and say--oh now we can have unsafe sex!- I just think it brings up different points of arguments, which should be evaluated and discussed.

Like why some people have been HIV positive for 20 yrs plus and never developed AIDS-

It just makes sense that science take a better look at these kind of cases and try to understand "why" instead of always having the judgement- well that's it you are infected, and you are gonna die unless you take these pills.

Again it goes back to my argument that little emphasize is put on by the medical community in prevention, looking into different cases of management and cures- instead of making it so they can keep you on the drugs to make an extensive profit.

This reminds me of the birdflu discussion that was going on a few weeks ago and I mentioned that I saw a documentary on Discovery on killer bacterias- and it basically stated that pharmaceutical companies do not put any research into new anti biotic development because it is not profitable since it is not a medicne you take forever. So, a new anti bitotic has not been introduced into the market in about 30 years and bacterias and these super bugs are now evolving that are basically becoming resistent to the anti biotics.

The buttom line is that medicine is ultimately a business.

[MacShreach]

I honestly don't think information like this would make anyone go out and say--oh now we can have unsafe sex!- I just think it brings up different points of arguments, which should be evaluated and discussed.

Like why some people have been HIV positive for 20 yrs plus and never developed AIDS-

It just makes sense that science take a better look at these kind of cases and try to understand "why" instead of always having the judgement- well that's it you are infected, and you are gonna die unless you take these pills.

Again it goes back to my argument that little emphasize is put on by the medical community in prevention, looking into different cases of management and cures- instead of making it so they can keep you on the drugs to make an extensive profit.

This reminds me of the birdflu discussion that was going on a few weeks ago and I mentioned that I saw a documentary on Discovery on killer bacterias- and it basically stated that pharmaceutical companies do not put any research into new anti biotic development because it is not profitable since it is not a medicne you take forever. So, a new anti bitotic has not been introduced into the market in about 30 years and bacterias and these super bugs are now evolving that are basically becoming resistent to the anti biotics.

The buttom line is that medicine is ultimately a business.

Cosign

[wbilly]

[quote="AllanahStarrNYC"] So, a new anti bitotic has not been introduced into the market in about 30 years and bacterias and these super bugs are now evolving that are basically becoming resistent to the anti biotics.quote]

Not exactly correct:

"April 18, 2000
Consumer Inquiries: 888-INFO-FDA

FDA APPROVES ZYVOX, THE FIRST
ANTIMICROBIAL DRUG IN A NEW CLASS
FDA today approved Zyvox (linezolid), the first antibacterial drug in a new class to treat infections associated with vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VREF), including cases with bloodstream infection. Zyvox also received approval for treatment of hospital-acquired pneumonia and complicated skin and skin structure infections, including cases due to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). In addition, approval was granted for treatment of community-acquired pneumonia and uncomplicated skin and skin structure infections."

[AllanahStarrNYC]

ok i missed one- thats still pretty bad.

[lar336]

I think there is too much money invested by pharmaceutical companies in making HIV a "life managable disease" where they make great profit in keeping patients on meds for years-that if any different breakthoughs or oppositions are made to the establishment they would take years for it to be accepted by the American medical community.



Definitely a good point Allanah. A month supply of these drugs can cost a person $500 to $1000!!! Even more depending on which they need.Too bad for those that don't have insurance. And they have to take it or they will die. And these drugs have definitely been known to prolong life. For example, it used to be if a AIDS patient had a count of 50 or below, they had 6 months to live on average. Now with these drugs, it is 2 years! So these drugs bring in a lot of money because they cost a lot and for those who take them, live longer meaning that is more money for these companies in the long run. But if a cure was found for AIDS tommorrow, a lot of money would be lost by these pharmaceultical companies.
Believe or not, the pharmaceutical companies have alot to do with how doctor's treat patients. Here is an example: two years ago these pharmaceutical companies were pushing an antibiotic eyedrop called "ciloxan" into eye doctors faces claiming you need it to cure eye infections. Now they are saying you need an antiobiotic eyedrop called "vigamox" to cure them and many eye doctors have decided the more expensive vigamox is now the standard. But the truth of the matter, according to studies, was that both have the same effectiveness. And you will see in another two years another antibiotic eyedrop will come.

The point of this story is that pharmacies affect the way doctors practice and as long as pharmacies keep making large profits from these drugs, things will stay that way for a long time.

A good movie to see that shows how these companies have power over the medical community and the community in general is the "Gardener." However, I will warn you it is a very boring movie :(