HIV 's efficiency makes it a formidable foe

Although antiretroviral drug therapy suppresses the virus, it cannot get rid of it or end the epidemicAntiretroviral drugs have been an astounding success story, reprieving people with HIV from the brink of death and allowing them to live a full and healthy life. But although the roll-out across the world has saved lives and removed the distressing pictures of wasted Aids victims from our TV screens, experts know the drugs will not end the epidemic. The hunt is on for a cure, but it is proving tough.Antiretroviral drug therapy suppresses the virus to such low levels that people with HIV are no longer infectious, but it cannot get rid of it. The virus has survived virtually everything that has been tried so far to eradicate it. It evolves quickly and efficiently if not completely suppressed – if somebody forgets to take their pills or runs out, for instance – and becomes resistant to the triple-drug regimen the patient is on. A new combination is needed. Some people – for instance those born to mothers with HIV years ago – before we had drugs to stop transmission at birth, have been through many."Some people in their late teens and early 20s have been through everything," said Jane Anderson, an HIV consultant at Homerton hospital in east London. "They have been through masses of drugs." Fortunately, the companies keep making new versions of the old ones, but there are no new classes of drugs coming along."At the moment it's OK, but they have still not got huge opt...
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - Category: Science Authors: Tags: The Guardian United States World news Health Medical research UK news Aids and HIV Science Society Source Type: news