Australia: Early Treatment Sees More HIV Babies Survive

A study of HIV-infected infants found 96 percent who were given immediate antiretroviral (ARV) therapy were still alive two years later, compared with 84 percent of children given later treatment, researchers told the 4th International AIDS Society Conference today in Sydney.

The US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID)-led study of infants in Cape Town and Soweto in South Africa began in 2005. Researchers had initially studied the 337 infants ages six to 12 weeks to see whether early ARV treatment over a limited period would delay HIV progression. Doctors had hoped that early treatment would allow the babies' immune systems to develop and possibly allow for planned treatment interruptions. But a 2007 review found such profound differences in survival rates that the study was cut short so all children could receive treatment, and the results were forwarded to the World Health Organization.

"Children with HIV infection frequently show rapid disease progression within the first year of life due to their developing immune systems and susceptibility to other serious infections," said Dr. Elias Zerhouni, director of the US National Institutes of Health. "This is the first randomized clinical trial that shows that infants treated before three months of age will do better than infants who have their treatment delayed."

"The results of this trial could have significant public health implications worldwide because these findings will cause experts to consider changes in standards of care in many parts of the world," said NIAID Director Dr. Anthony Fauci.

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