Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1995. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1995. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Reuters NewMedia, Inc. - 22 Dec 1995
Getty, 38, has been experiencing some nausea and stomach discomfort, but the main doctor caring for Getty said the discomfort was anticipated.
"This is all expected," said Steven Deeks, assistant professor at the University of California at San Francisco. He added the discomfort should end soon.
Getty underwent chemotherapy and radiation in preparation for the baboon bone marrow infusion. The radiation was designed to make "space" in his bone marrow for baboon cells.
"Part of that radiation hit the lining of his stomach and caused some inflamation of that lining," Deeks said. "His condition is good. But it's still day-to-day."
The chemotherapy and radiation were also expected to reduce Getty's white blood cell count, thereby weakening his defenses against infection over the next few weeks before it strengthens.
On December 14, doctors injected Getty with baboon bone marrow in a bid to boost his immune system. The infusion, which took about 30 minutes, was carried out by researchers at UCSF and the University of Pittsburgh.
The experimental procedure was attempted because baboons have been found to be resistant to HIV-1, the primary virus causing acquired immune deficiency syndrome.
It was the first time a bone marrow cell infusion from one species to another, known as a xenotransplant, was attempted using the specific scientific approach that has been approved for this study, researchers said.
If the baboon cells join with the patient's bone marrow cells, as the researchers hope, they believe the patient's augmented bone marrow will then produce human immunodeficiency virus-resistant T-cells in the blood.
Theoretically, this would increase his ability to ward off opportunistic infections that can be fatal to AIDS patients, they say.
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