HIV Prevention and Treatment Fields Join Forces

Steven G Deeks,Robert Siliciano

doi:10.1016/j.ebiom.2014.10.009

Abstract

There remains no doubt that the development of antiretroviral therapy (ART) for the prevention and treatment of HIV infection has been one of the greatest medical advancements in the past few decades. When those without HIV use ART appropriately as either pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) or post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), HIV acquisition is almost universally prevented (Grant et al., 2010). Similarly, when those with HIV use therapy appropriately, transmission to others rarely if ever occurs (Cohen et al., 2011), and the risk of developing AIDS is completely eliminated.

Highlights

There remains no doubt that the development of antiretroviral therapy (ART) for the prevention and treatment of HIV infection has been one of the greatest medical advancements in the past few decades
We and others have commented on the PreP-post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP)-cure continuum (Barouch & Deeks, 2014)
When HIV infects activated CD4 + T cells, HIV DNA encoding replication-competent virus is successfully integrated into the host cell genome

Summary

Introduction

There remains no doubt that the development of antiretroviral therapy (ART) for the prevention and treatment of HIV infection has been one of the greatest medical advancements in the past few decades. These cells persist as long lived memory CD4 + T cells (the “latent reservoir”), preventing cure by ART (Siliciano et al, 2003). If ART after infection blocks the establishment of a latent reservoir, and the infection eventually cleared, is that PEP or a cure?

Results

Conclusion