Ground-breaking Development: 2-year-old Baby Cured from HIV/AIDS Infection

It has now been more than three decades since the world came to know about HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. About 30 million people have fallen prey to this killer disease and 7,000 people a day are infected with HIV around the world.

2-year-old Baby Cured from HIV/AIDS Infection

Most recently; a potentially ground-breaking case could offer insights on how to eradicate HIV infection in its youngest victims.

Two-and-a-half year old baby girl, who was born with HIV, has been cured after very early treatment with standard drug therapy, researchers say. The Mississippi girl has been off HIV drugs for about a year with no signs of infection.

Although there is an important technical tone: researchers insist on calling it a “functional cure” rather than a complete cure; but still the development is a bright ray of hope that could help improve treatment of babies infected at birth.

 During the medical conference at Atlanta, doctors say that the girl has only trace amounts of HIV in her bloodstream and has been able to keep the virus that causes AIDS in check without the help of medication.

Further testing yet to be done to establish that whether the treatment would have the same effect on other children or this case has some exceptions; but undoubtedly it could transform the way high-risk babies are treated and possibly lead to a cure for children with HIV, which causes AIDS.

"This is a proof of concept that HIV can be potentially curable in infants," said Dr Deborah Persaud, a virologist at Johns Hopkins Children's Center in Baltimore.

Attempting to replicate the results in other HIV-positive infants is "our next step," said Dr. Persaud further, who described the Mississippi patient at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections. She and others are to make a formal presentation during the conference's scientific program later today (Monday).

The only fully cured AIDS patient recognized worldwide is the so-called “Berlin patient,” American Timothy Brown. He is considered cured of HIV and leukemia five years after receiving bone marrow transplants from a rare donor naturally resistant to HIV. The marrow transplant was aimed at treating his leukemia.

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Thousands could be at risk in meningitis outbreak in U.S. as 8 dead, 105 affected Already: CDC

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration; eight people have died, with another fatality reported in Tennessee, since the outbreak of fungal meningitis in nine U.S. states including Tennessee, Florida, North Carolina, Indiana, Michigan, Virginia, Maryland, Minnesota and Ohio.

Thousands could be at risk due to meningitis outbreak in U.S. as 8 dead, 105 affected Already: CDC

The patients contracted the deadly fungal meningitis after being injected in their spines with a preservative-free steroid called methylprednisolone acetate that was contaminated by a fungus. The steroid is used to treat pain and inflammation.

The latest death in the most affected state of Tennessee is the fourth in this state and 35 other cases have also been registered here while the total number of infected patients are more than 105. Alarmingly, the number of people with noncontagious form of fungal meningitis has grown by 64 percent since Friday.

US health officials on Monday said that 13,000 patients in 23 states, including Connecticut, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire, have been injected with a potentially tainted steroid treatment, during May 21 and September 24, made by a Framingham pharmacy and linked to a national outbreak of meningitis, according to figures provided by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“We know that 13,000 people received the injection,” said Jamila Jones, a public affairs specialist for the CDC in Atlanta. “They received it at facilities across the country. They are at risk.”

Tennessee has the highest amount of fungal meningitis with 35 cases and four deaths, followed by: 23 cases and one death in Virginia, 21 cases and two deaths in Michigan, 11 cases in Indiana, five cases and one death in Maryland, four cases in Florida, three cases in Minnesota, two cases in North Carolina and one case Ohio. 

The New England Compounding Center in Framingham, Mass., said it was notifying its customers, but clinics, hospitals and healthcare providers that have any of the product should stop using it immediately, retain and secure it, and follow instructions contained in the notice.

The CDC had not received any reports of infection linked to other products from New England Compounding Center, but these products have also been recalled. 

Compounding pharmacies create special formulations of medications to fit patients' healthcare needs and might change the dose or change the formulation of a medication from a solid to a liquid, the CDC said.

SOURCE:

The Wall Street Journal

ABC News

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Peanut Butter and Almond Butter Possible Cause of Salmonella Outbreak in US: FDA

Grocery store chain Trader Joe's is recalling jars of a specific variety of its store-brand peanut butter due to a salmonella outbreak in 18 states of the U.S. The outbreak has also prompted the voluntary recall of dozens of peanut butter and almond butter products made by Mexico-based Sunland Inc.

 

Peanut Butter and Almond Butter Possible Cause of Salmonella Outbreak in America

 

Salmonella can cause diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps 12 to 72 hours after infection. It is most dangerous to children, the elderly and others with weak immune systems.

According to a press release by Trader Joe's: "We have no confirmed information that suggests this peanut butter is unsafe to eat, but there is nothing more important to us than the health and safety of our customers and crew, and the quality of our products."

While Sunland said in a statement, "There is nothing more important to us than the health and safety of our customers, particularly the many families who enjoy our peanut butter everyday. While FDA (Food and Drug Administration), CDC, and State Health Agencies investigate to confirm the cause of illnesses reported, as a precautionary step, we have decided to voluntarily recall our Almond Butter and Peanut Butter products."

 

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC); at least 29 cases of salmonella infection have been registered in about 18 states, including Washington, California, Arizona, Texas, Louisiana, Missouri, Illinois, Minnesota, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island, North Carolina, Virginia, Connecticut, New Jersey and Maryland. The sickness was occurred between June 11 and Sept. 2.

The CDC, working together with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), found that the Trader Joe's peanut butter and Sunland's almond butter were the likely cause of the salmonella outbreak, though the link has not been confirmed.

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Yasser Lopez: Miami boy survived miraculously with spear in brain

MIAMI, FL – According to BBC reports; a U.S. teenager is improving after he was inadvertently hit with a spear gun by a friend during a Florida fishing trip this month.

Yasser Lopez: Miami boy survived miraculously with spear in brain

The doctors at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami regarded the recovery of the 16-year-old Yasser Lopez as ‘Miracle’. The outcomes could have been much worse, doctors said, but still they didn’t know the extent of the damage to his memory and other parts of the brain.

According to hospital sources; the 3ft (90cm) projectile entered into the brain of Lopez over his right eye and went out the back of his head; but after a 3-hour long surgery he is out of danger and already started talking.  

Although he has no memory of the weird accident; but he was in his senses when he reached at the hospital. After providing him the anesthesia, part of the stainless steel spike had to be cut off with a mechanical cutter so that Lopez could fit into the CT scanner, doctors said. 

Lopez was lucky in the sense that spear’s path was into the right side of the brain, a non-dominant lobe, missing the parts responsible for speech and other important functions.

"It's a miracle the spear missed all the main blood vessels of the brain," neurosurgeon Ross Bullock told reporters.

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May 27, Aimee Day: victim of flesh-eating bacteria Aimee Copeland spoke her first word

'Today… May 27… is AIMEE DAY!!! Today Aimee has finally spoken her first words. I will follow with details tonight.' This is the latest blog update by Andy Copeland, the father of young female suffering from flesh-eating bacteria. 

Family delighted as victim of flesh-eating bacteria Aimee Copeland (left most) spoke her first word (Pic Credit: Facebook)

Aimee Copeland had spoken reportedly her first words since her fingers and foot were removed by surgeons at Doctors Hospital in quest to save her life.

Her first words have certainly given her family a new hope for her life but one thing is still certain that Aimee Copeland is likely to remain in hospital for several months.

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Mysterious flesh-eating infection put university student's life in danger

Tragedy of Aimee Copeland Haunting Americans: Could flesh-eating bacteria be in other local rivers and waterways? 

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The 24-year-old university student was infected with flesh-eating bacteria as a result of an accident of homemade zip line over a local river on May 1. Copeland suffered a deep wound in her left leg after falling from the zip line and the bacteria took hold in the wound.

On very early stages of her treatment; doctors thought she had only a slim chance of surviving the aggressive infection which vigorously spread into her body including her abdominal area.

Aimee Copeland has recovered extremely quickly with the support of her family, her colleagues at university and well-wishers who have made donations on the website Copeland’s father set up for his brave daughter.

She was able to ask for ice-cream, and let her family know when she was bored and wanted a book to read.

Report Tags: Aimee Copeland, Flesh-eating Bacteria, Flesh-eating infection, Doctors Hospital, Georgia, Augusta, Zip Line Accident, Andy Copeland, Copeland

Tragedy of Aimee Copeland Haunting Americans: Could flesh-eating bacteria be in other local rivers and waterways?

The horrifying tragedy of Aimee Copeland keeps the nation praying for the 24-year-old university student fighting to survive after contracting a flesh-eating bacteria following a fall in local river, Georgia.

Tragedy of Aimee Copeland Haunting Americans: Could flesh-eating bacteria be in other local rivers and waterways?

The Americans are now concerned after the Copeland tragedy and the question continuously stings their minds …Could that type of bacteria be creeping around in the James River or other local waterways?

As reported earlier, Aimee Copeland contracted the unusual infection after an accident that took place on a homemade zip line during an expedition along the little Tallapoosa River, near Augusta.

The bacteria, which according to experts normally found in fresh water, entered her body through a deep cut in her left leg. Due to suffering from this rare kind of infection doctors have already removed her left leg and some infected tissues from her abdominal area; but still the infection is spreading and more body parts will soon be removed to save her life.

The question haunting the people …. Could the same type of bacterium be found in the James River, the Appomattox, or even a local pond or lake?

Dr. David Trump, a local expert at the state health department, spoke with CBS 6 on this critical issue.

He said, “I can’t make any guarantees about one place or the other, but there is more risk if the water is stagnant, whether it be cloudy or a pond…or if it is really high temperature.”

Dr. Trump also suggested strongly that if anybody suffers a cut or wound in the water, no matter where it is, get out and get it treated immediately.

Last August, a nine-year old Henrico boy died from an amoeba he picked up while swimming in the James River. His death was one of four deaths by amoeba, as confirmed by the Center for Disease Control. The others were in Kansas, Florida and Louisiana.

Report Tags: Flesh-eating bacteria, Aimee Copeland, Georgia Student, Augusta, Carrollton River, Fresh Water Bacteria, Bacterial Disease, Mystery Disease, USA

Mysterious flesh-eating infection put university student's life in danger

There are heartening signs for Aimee Copeland, student of University of West Georgia, whose freak zip-lining accident led to a flesh-eating bacteria infection that's kept her on life support for days.

Mysterious flesh-eating infection put university student's life in danger

The 24-year-old Aimee Copeland is at Doctor's Hospital in Augusta where the flesh-eating bacteria has already cost her one leg. Doctors and her family members fear to have more loss like her other leg as and both hands.

The infection began after Copeland went through surgery in which surgeon cut her leg last week. Copeland got injured when a homemade zip line over a Carrollton River broke, resulted in a wound in her leg due to fall in the water. She had frequent visits to a a local hospital due to severe pain.

She has been in serious condition since Friday, when she was diagnosed with the rare flesh-eating infection. Surgeons cut her left leg and also removed infected tissue from her abdomen hoping to stop the bacteria from spreading.

She is still on life support at an Augusta burn unit.

 

Though the story is tragic, Copeland's family seemed hopeful when she showed signs of movement despite doctors' warnings on Tuesday that her chances of survival were "slim to none."

"Aimee has had a spectacular day -- she's breathing more on her own and her body is responding positively," Copeland's sister Paige wrote Wednesday on the wall of a Facebook page set up for Aimee. "She even got emotional today, I think she's scared."

Aimee's father writes that his daughter is alert and trying to communicate.

"She said, 'I can't talk!" said Andy Copeland. "We told her it was because of the (breathing) tube, and we explained the need for it. She also asked, 'what happened?' and 'where am I?' I thought it would be better when she became alert, but it is actually harder for us."

A website was set up for those wishing to donate blood or money. Visit AimeeCopeland.com to leave warm wishes, view pictures or help the family.

Report Tags: Flesh-eating bacteria, Aimee Copeland, Georgia Student, Augusta, Carrollton River, Fresh Water Bacteria, Bacterial Disease, Mystery Disease, USA