AIDS: French scientists urge caution over HIV 'cure' - by Charlotte Boitiaux

US scientists say they have cured a baby born with HIV for the first time, in a case that could lead to significant advancements in treatment for infected children. But the two leading HIV specialists in France are urging caution.

It’s an incredible story, and totally unique,” French doctor and journalist Jean-Daniel Flaysakier wrote on his medical blog on Sunday.

However, the considerable enthusiasm generated by the news is not fully shared by all AIDS specialists.

Professor Luc Montagnier, widely credited for discovering the AIDS virus, has called for “caution,” for two main reasons. One is that the medical profile of the child concerned is rare. “Only one third of babies born from HIV-positive mothers who have not been treated are infected by the virus,” he told FRANCE 24. “70% are healthy at birth.”

Furthermore, there is no guarantee that the virus -- currently dormant but not fully destroyed by the immune system or the treatments -- will not be reactivated at any given moment.

Read more: French scientists urge caution over HIV 'cure' - HEALTH - FRANCE 24

TimesOnline: France's first lady Carla Bruni puts her star power at the service of Aids - Charles Bremner

Carla Bruni and husband French President Nicolas Sarkozy

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France's first lady Carla Bruni puts her star power at the service of Aids - Charles Bremner

Citing the memory of her dead brother, Carla Bruni, France's first lady, today put her celebrity power at the service of the cause of Aids, becoming an ambassador for the main international fund fighting the disease. The model-turned-singer, who married President Sarkozy in February, confirmed that her deep interest in Aids relief had been spurred by the death of Virginio Bruni-Tedeschi, who died of the disease in July 2006. "Because of my brother, of course I am very sensitive to the issue of Aids," she said. "This is a pandemic. We tend to forget, we are used to it. But look at the figures. It's staggering.

Eurosurveillance: HIV/AIDS in Europe: trends and EU wide priorities

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HIV/AIDS in Europe: trends and EU wide priorities

There are an estimated 740 000 people living with HIV or AIDS in western and central Europe today, and 1.7 million in the neighbouring countries of eastern Europe and Central Asia [1]. The proportion of undiagnosed HIV infections is estimated to be as high as 30% in the European Union (EU), and likely to be higher in neighbouring countries. People who have not yet been diagnosed are unaware that they are infected, and therefore cannot benefit from treatment and care, and may unknowingly transmit HIV to others.

In the EU, major advances in treatment have prolonged and improved the lives of infected people. However, these therapeutic advances have been paralleled by a decreasing emphasis on HIV prevention and a resurgence of high-risk sexual behaviours among gay men in major EU cities. According to the latest epidemiological data from the EuroHIV surveillance network (http://www.eurohiv.org), 23 620 new HIV diagnoses were reported in the EU in 2005. This figure excludes Italy and Spain, where no national HIV reporting systems are in place. The majority of cases are in males (65%), but the proportion in females is increasing, and 12% are in young people aged 15 to 24 years. The highest rates in new HIV diagnoses were reported in Estonia (467 cases per million) and Portugal (251 cases per million), and the lowest rates were reported in the Czech Republic (9 cases per million) and Slovakia (4 cases per million).In western European countries, many HIV infections have been diagnosed in immigrants from countries with generalised HIV epidemics. These people represent an important group, with unique challenges for HIV prevention and care services. There is a need for specific services for immigrant communities with prevention activities tailored to their needs, and communication about immigrant health issues which does not add to existing stigma.

The HIV situation in the EU is increasingly influenced by international travel and migration, which underlines the need for a global and European-wide approach to HIV prevention and control.