Improved HIV treatments reduce the reservoir in which the virus hides
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The study found that people who started taking antiretroviral drugs against him HIV As of 2007, they have a much smaller viral reservoir where the virus lurks than those who were previously treated, which shows how much treatments have improved.
According to the Barcelona Infection Control Foundation (Spain), 39.9 million people worldwide are living with HIV, of whom 77% have access to antiretroviral therapy.
Improvement
Research that leads IrsiKaisha -a center created jointly by the La Caixa Foundation and conselleria of the Catalan government’s health service, attributes improvements in antiretroviral therapy in recent years, as well as immediate start of treatment after diagnosis, with reduction of the viral reservoir in humans with HIV.
The study was published in the journal Journal of Clinical Research on the eve of World Health Day AIDS (Dec. 1) and covers data from nearly 900 people diagnosed and treated over the past 30 years.
“Evolution and advances in HIV treatment have allowed us to tame the viral reservoir,” explained IrsiCaixa Principal Investigator and ICREA Professor. Javier Martinez-Picado.
Quality of life
He said: “These results demonstrate that new treatments are not only effective in reducing viral load, but also provide a path to a cure because they reduce a major obstacle to ultimately eradicating the virus.”
Since 2007, people who start treatment have not only a lower viral reservoir but also a stronger immune system, according to researchers, as research shows immune cell levels remain significantly higher.
“Today we have increasingly effective treatments, some of which do not require daily use, which improve the quality of life for people with HIV. Additionally, these advances in treatment create a more favorable environment for progress toward a possible cure,” Martinez emphasizes. -Picado.