| It’s not surprising that almost everyone in the | | | | virus from replicating while still having a steady count |
| world now knows about AIDS. The disease is an | | | | of the CD4 virus in their body. These lucky long-term |
| equally opportunity killer and thousands of people | | | | non-progressors are few and far in between forming |
| have died of the disease in the last century. | | | | about one in 300 of HIV infected. |
| Thousands more are infected and will die over the | | | | The main reason for the interest is that these |
| next century. There is no cure and there is only a | | | | blessed few may actually hold the promise of a |
| drug regime that you can use to control the HIV and | | | | functional vaccine in their blood, genes or diet. But no |
| prevent it from completely overwhelming your body | | | | one has been able to find out exactly what makes |
| and immune system. Another drawback is that | | | | them unique. According to the CDC, long-term |
| patients can easily develop resistance to the | | | | non-progressors can be called as such if they are |
| medication requiring the use of new drugs. The entire | | | | HIV positive for seven years or more |
| process may seem like a vicious circle that eventually | | | | Have a CD4 T-cell counts of 600 cells per cubic |
| results in death and several people do die due to | | | | millimeter of blood or more for several years |
| multi drug resistance and full blown AIDS. | | | | Does not or never did suffer HIV-related diseases, |
| But out of the thousands that are infected and | | | | And has never had any previous antiretroviral |
| slowly progressing towards full blown AIDS; there are | | | | therapy. |
| a lucky few who have somehow managed to keep | | | | It becomes very essential for these blessed few to |
| the disease in check without the need for drugs. | | | | recognize their condition and contribute their tissues, |
| Most drugs work on preventing the HIV virus from | | | | blood and cells and whatever necessary to further |
| replicating and eventually overwhelming the | | | | medical research in AIDS. |
| body’s immune system. But this lucky batch of | | | | FOR ALL LONG-TERM NON-PROGRESSORS OUT |
| long-term non-progressors, manage to do just that | | | | THERE- You could be harboring the future AIDS |
| without the help of any drugs! Although researchers | | | | vaccine in your blood. All you have to do is take the |
| are not sure about what happens exactly, the entire | | | | time to contribute your little to help the millions who |
| process is nothing short of miraculous. The long-term | | | | are sick. |
| non-progressors body manages to keep the HIV | | | | |