Pretoria 24 Jul (ANA) - Scientists from South Africa have revealed that a child who contracted HIV at birth has been in remission from the virus for eight-and-a-half years. The child was given drug treatment in infancy during a trial, but has not had any HIV medicine since the age of one. This is the first time long-term remission from HIV has been found in an African child. The scientists who reported the case are protecting the identity of the child, who is now nine-and-a-half years old. They say the case is very rare, and the youngster's family are delighted. The medicine was given to the child at a time when it was still unusual. The researchers believe the remission is not due to the treatment, but to this young person having something unusual which is either genetic or immune-related that has allowed long-term protection from HIV.(ANA)

FA/ANA/24 July 2017------