FOUR babies born with HIV were apparently cleared of the infection in a major breakthrough fuelling hopes of a cure for AIDS.
Details of the Canadian cases will be discussed at an AIDS conference in Melbourne this month.
Breakthroughs in the quest for an AIDS vaccine, the fight to cure people living with HIV of co-infections such as hepatitis C and tuberculosis, and the impact of discriminatory policies in other nations are also expected to announced.
AIDS 2014 co-chairman Professor Sharon Lewin said the significance of the findings would focus international attention on the July 20-25 gathering.
“It will be exciting for Melbourne and for the world to have this great meeting of minds to discuss the latest breakthroughs in science, politics and community action in all aspects of the global response to HIV,” Prof Lewin said.
The Canadian infants, born to HIV-positive mothers, were all given high doses of three antiretroviral drugs in the first few hours after birth.
The virus, which had been present in their systems at birth, could not be found later.