Question
Why is it so difficult to treat HIV?
9 January 2007. Related: All topics.
Answer
There are at least two reasons why HIV has been such a difficult medical challenge:
(1) It is a virus that expands and multiplies using the bodies immune system. The immune system works to tackle the virus, but the more it does this, the more HIV is able to replicate. Over time – usually many years – without treatment, the virus always comes out on top.
(2) The second challenge for HIV drugs and vaccines is that the virus has a very high turnover – billions of copies every day in a person who is not on treatment – and makes small errors or mutations which can lead to the easy development of drug resistance.
However, current treatments, if used properly, work very well, and can lead to long-term good health for many people, with few, if any, HIV-related complications.
Hi Emmanuel,
Modern HIV meds are safe and effective. Taking HIV meds properly reduces the chance of other infections and their symptoms.
For more info on starting HIV treatment (ART) please see this guide.
What meds are you taking? And if you have access to your viral load and CD4 count, please let us know.
Even when you take the medication properly
Will you still have any symptoms of it again, please I need your urgent reply