For the second time in the world, a patient has eliminated HIV without treatment

North American Loreen Willenbeg, 67, also achieved remission in 2020 (Credit: Reproduction/Pixabay)

Researchers reported, for the second time, a case of a person whose immune system may have eliminated HIV naturally, without the use of treatments or interventions. The episode occurred with a woman in the city of Esperanza, Argentina, according to a study published this Tuesday (16) in the medical journal Annals of Internal Medicine.

The Argentine woman who is being called by doctors as a patient “Esperanza” represents a breakthrough in research for the cure of AIDS in the world and encourages researchers from all over the planet.

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The group that analyzed billions of her cells and tissues and concluded that 8 years ago the patient was in remission. The discovery raises expectations for the 38 million people living with HIV.

A group of Harvard doctors announced the discovery at a major international meeting of HIV experts in March. Experts revealed that the patient, whose ex-boyfriend died of AIDS, did not have the virus that causes the disease. The findings have now been confirmed in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine.

There is another emblematic case of cure similar to that of Argentina: that of the North American Loreen Willenbeg, 67 years old, who presented remission in 2020.

Two other cases considered to be a cure are specific to patients who had cancer and underwent bone marrow transplantation with donors who had genes resistant to HIV — and, as a result, ended up eliminating the virus.