LUSTER AND POVERTY OF HIV-INFECTION ANTIRETROVIRAL THERAPY

Advances in antiretroviral therapy (ART) have drastically improved the quality of life for people with HIV infection. However, complex therapy leads to suppression of plasma viral loads in HIV-1 patients. Despite this therapy, a low level of viremia in plasma can be frequently detected by sensitive clinical assays. Additionally, many patients experience transient episodes of viremia above the detection limit, even if they have been undergoing highly suppressive therapy for many years.Failure of HAART to eradicate HIV associates with the existence of persistent infection in certain cellular and anatomical reservoirs. The latent reservoir considers being the major hurdle in HIV eradication. In addition, deep suppression of viral replication does not restore the immune status fully that was effected by HIV infection. This is a consequence of chronic immune activation, caused by the increased permeability of the intestinal barrier and translocation of bacteria and products of their decay. Progress in the infection eradication requires new approaches in the fight against latency and immunodeficiency.