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Can we now cure HIV in newborns?

Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net Doctors are reporting that a child born with HIV that was put on an unusually aggressive treatment regimen has been functionally cured of the infection. Using the most sensitive HIV testing available, they were able to find only trace amounts of HIV "particles" but no virus capable of replicating, the research team reported. "If there is a trial that shows this can happen again, then this will be very important," said Dr. Karin Nielsen, a pediatrician who specializes in infectious diseases at UCLA's David Geffen School of Medicine. "You'll be able to treat people very intensively and reverse the disease." The news provides no answers for adults living with HIV but it can be a landmark victory in the health of future generations. Every year, 300,000 to 400,000 babies are born infected with HIV according to Dr. Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute for Allergies and Infectious Diseases. The ...

WHO staff on the ground essential to breaking Ebola transmission chains

Freetown/ Brazzaville, 24 August 2015 – Ongoing efforts to get to zero Ebola cases in Sierra Leone are yielding good results. This follows a massive deployment of experts by the World Health Organization and partners, to track and break each and every transmission chain of Ebola virus disease (EVD) through linking intensive community engagement and social mobilization efforts with surveillance and contact tracing. The tracking and breaking of transmission chains requires tremendous numbers of qualified staff to work with the communities to identify if a person has been in contact with someone infected with EVD, monitor them for symptoms for up to 21 days, and to quickly isolate and treat them in a treatment centre if symptoms develop. “Stopping Ebola transmission chains has required rapid mobilization of human and financial resources; this has been my top priority since my appointment,” says Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa. “Over 530 highly-...

WHO celebrates 10 years of tobacco control in the African Region

Nairobi, 25 February 2015 – On 27 February, the World Health Organization (WHO) celebrates 10 years of implementation of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) in the African Region. Tobacco kills an estimated 6 million people every year but the true impact remains untold due to the lag of several years between when people start using tobacco and when their health suffers. To date, 43 of 47 Member States in the WHO African Region have ratified the WHO FCTC and are implementing national tobacco policies, laws and regulations. However, much remains to be done and urgent actions are required to prevent the effects of this scourge of modern times. Besides premature death, the use of tobacco robs families of incomes, raises health care costs, and hinders economic developments. “WHO is committed to fighting this global tobacco epidemic and the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control reaffirms peoples’ right to the highest standard of health. All stakeh...

Dr Cory Couillard

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