Researchers report possible cure for AIDS

American man in Germany reportedly cured of HIV infection, researchers cite dangers of treatment.

An American man has reportedly been cured of infection with the AIDS virus in Germany, according to a report in the Associated Press on Wednesday.

A man who received a blood stem cell transplant in 2007 has shown no sign of the HIV infection after being kept off medication for three years.

Researchers familiar with the work have cautioned against the findings, saying the cure has been claimed but not proven. The report by the German researchers said that the infection was cured by a bone marrow transplant from a donor who had a gene mutation naturally resistant to the HIV infection.

AIDS researchers have also cautioned against the treatment, saying the health risks from the treatment are unknown, and that the approach is not practical for wide use. The man that was cured had his immune system wiped before the treatment with researchers saying such a treatment is “very hazardous”.

The report by the German researchers, if true, represents a scientific advance but not an immediate advance in the treatment of patients suffering from the AIDS infection.

With additional reporting by Hassan Asif.