Scientist abolished many diseases. We have vaccinations to prevent the infections from becoming viral again. Hopefully, we will soon have immunity to prevent the spread of HIV as well.
Viral extermination is only possible if HIV genetic material (pro-viral DNA) combines into an infective cell, and it keeps on working throughout the remainder of the cell’s lifetime. The current treatment for HIV in the form of anti-retroviral drugs cannot eliminate these cells or the viral genetic material in the cells. When anti-retroviral suppressive medicines discontinue, HIV continues to replicate actively in the cells of the body.
There was much hope in the mid-1990s when learned men proposed that many years of treating a person with anti-retroviral drugs should be enough to eradicate HIV. They supposed that the dormant infected cells would all die off in that time. Unfortunately, it was proven to be the wrongful suggestion that a latent HIV infection could continue for years on end in the particular type of cells, like resting CD4 cells and macrophages. Many doubted whether eradication of HIV was even remotely possible.
If HIV positive people do not use Anti-retroviral therapy, those infected with the disease of HIV will develop AIDS and other complications. Some people claim to have been exposed to the HIV but have not acquired it. Now people are funding research on how genetic engineering can affect a cure for HIV.
It was proposed to transplant stem cells with a genetic mutation into the bone marrow of an infective HIV patient, hoping it will reconstruct their immune system with cells to their benefit. The method was demonstrated and was proven to be effective. Bone marrow transplantations are a costly and severe type of treatment limited to address pressing issues where no other treatment options exist. Attempts to reproduce the same results in other individuals have failed. Speculated to be a result of the procedure previously performed on people with both HIV and blood cancers. They have high mortality rates even if a bone marrow transplant takes place.
Some clinicians gave proposals of gene-editing technology. They supposed that the procedure would cut viral genes out of the DNA of dormant infected cells. This technique only existing in theory, would target the HIV provirus. Advances in biotechnology make it possible for scientists to remove the genes of dormant cells by using programmed DNA slicing enzymes. These scientists need to do much more study before fully comprehending the vast consequences this technique will hold to the recipients of this gene-editing enzymes. More investigation is required to be done to assess this method in living organisms.
HIV Viral eradication is possible through much research and an attitude of increasing determination