New antiretroviral treatments for children infected with human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) and suffering from acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (aids) are evolving rapidly. As a consequence of highly active anti-retroviral treatment hiv and aids in children in Western countries is changing from a fatal to a chronic disease. In the majority of patients, it is possible to reduce the viral load in blood and tissues. This process is accompanied by (partial) recovery of the immune system and significant improvement in the quality of life. In this article the case history of an 18-year-old girl is described. The patient was infected with hiv-1 soon after birth by blood transfusion and developed aids at the age of 12 years. This case serves to illustrate the enormous and sustained clinical improvement which may be achieved by application of highly active anti-retroviral treatment in children with an advanced stage of aids.
