South Florida Doctor and Experts React to News of Baby Cured of HIV

The baby was treated within 30 hours of birth, now, two-and-a-half years later, she has been off medications for year.

University of Miami's Dr. Gwen Scott is excited about the case of an HIV infected baby treated at a Mississippi children's hospital, who is no longer showing signs of infection.

The baby was treated within 30 hours of birth, now, two-and-a-half years later, she has been off medications for year.

"This baby got really stronger drugs and more drugs than usual," Scott said.

South Africa Makes Progress in HIV, AIDS Fight

Perhaps that helped prevent the virus from getting into cells where it can hide and thus was able to be controlled and cured, doctors said.

Vanessa Mills is the co-founder of Empower U, a non-profit in Liberty City that performs 600 HIV tests a month.

"And as a woman who's given birth to a child and had an HIV positive pregnancy, I say this is wonderful news. This is fantastic," Mills said.

Alicia Keys Raises $2.9 Million at Gala, Honors Winfrey

Mills took medications while she was pregnant, then her son was put on medicines when he was born as a result he did not become infected.

The mother in the Mississippi case did not get prenatal care and actually stopped giving her child medication, so Mills has a concern about this case.

"Its that mothers who give birth to babies and doctors put those babies on medications that they actually give the infant the medication," she said. "This is an infant who came back and the doctor realized mom had not been giving the baby the medication. If this had not worked then we'd have an HIV positive infant."

New Push for Most in U.S. to Get at Least 1 HIV Test

Contact Us