A New Perspective on HIV Cure

Abstract

Introduction Introduction Mucosal effects of tenofovir An emerging hypothesis ART and anatomic sites... Cure without ART Conclusion and outlook References Current antiretroviral treatment (ART) is highly effective in controlling HIV replication and in many patients suppresses the number of virions measurable in peripheral blood, i.e., the HIV viral load, to undetectable levels. Nevertheless, whenever ART is stopped, HIV levels rebound and the disease returns. This lack of eradication is attributed to a stable latent reservoir of HIV-1 in resting CD4+ T lymphocytes and perhaps other susceptible cell types such as macrophages1. These cells harbor HIV in the form of proviruses that are integrated into the host chromosomal genome. During effective ART the de ...