title: Are infants unique in their ability to be "functionally cured" of HIV-1?
abstract: The recent report of an infant that appears to have achieved a "functional cure" of HIV-1 following receipt of antiretroviral therapy (ART) within 30 hours of birth raises many questions: was the child infected? Was this result due to unique features of this particular infant's immune system, the immune system of infants or the very early initiation of effective ART? In this manuscript, we discuss the pathogenesis of HIV-1 in infants, highlighting the unique features of infant immune development and how these may inform efforts to cure HIV infection. We will also compare the path to infant "cure" to cures in adults.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, 4650 Sunset Blvd., MS#51, Los Angeles, CA, 90027, USA.
authors.forename: Nicole H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Tobin
authors.forename: Grace M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Aldrovandi
mesh_terms: D056704:Adaptive Immunity / Q000276:immunology; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D004197:Disease Reservoirs / Q000821:virology; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000635:transmission; D015497:HIV-1; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance / Q000276:immunology; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007232:Infant, Newborn, Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical