TOW 22: Scientists Report First Cure Of HIV In A Child, Say It's A Game-Changer

It is a known fact that HIV is an incurable virus, whose rapid growth can only be curbed with rigorous medication. However, the story of a 2 1/2 year old baby tells otherwise. 30 minutes after she was born, she was diagnosed with HIV, and it was inferred that her mother had had it and received no medical care. Immediate treatment was given to the baby, within 31 hours of her birth, which is much faster than when other infants get treated. In addition, more doses than normal were given to the baby. After months of treatment, the virus was no longer detected in the baby's blood. However, the mother suddenly stopped bringing her child in for checkups. After last seeing the baby at 18 months, Dr. Gay located the baby when she was 2 1/2 years and she expected the worst. However, there was absolutely no trace of the virus in her blood. Gay believes that this phenomenon can be explained by early and aggressive treatment. 

This article is from NPR, written by Robert Knox. He has written many articles on public health, medicine and science and also done extensive research on HIV/AIDS Africa, North America, and the Caribbeans. 

This article was very significant in context. The disappearance of the HIV virus from the baby's body is a tremendous step towards the fight against HIV in newborns, and hopefully and eventually the fight against HIV in adults. As HIV is becoming more prolific yet there is no cure, this major finding will hopefully be an important stepping stone towards the cure.

The purpose of this article was to tell of a groundbreaking event in medical history; the cure of HIV. 

The audience of this article is the general public, however, those affected by HIV may be the main audience. Those with HIV may find strength and hope from this article, knowing that one day, a cure may possibly be found. This breakthrough event gives hope for the future, that a cure for HIV may be discovered.

Ethos was utilized in this passage. Because of this remarkable and unbelievable story, valid information was necessary to back it up. With quotes from various doctors such as the main Dr. Hannah Gay, Dr. Luzuriaga from the University of Massachusetts and Dr. Persuad from Johns Hopkins, this event was verified and proven true. In addition, a very detailed account of what specifically occurred, such as the testing and type of medication given was stated. In order to gain the audience's trust, Knox included many quotes and specific information to construct a reliable and trustworthy article.

The author's purpose was achieved. With specific facts and evidence, Knox created a very credible article that discussed a breakthrough event in medical history. This discovery may provide hope and inspiration from current HIV victims to look forward to a brighter day when a cure will be found.