What about a cure?
ART is really effective but it is not a cure.
Even having an undetectable viral load for years, HIV still remains in some CD4 cells that are resting.
The resting cells are mainly in your lymph nodes. These are the small bumps in your neck or armpits or groin, although they are all over your body.
CD4 cells mainly stay in the lymph nodes until they are needed for a new infection.
These resting cells are the reason that HIV is so difficult to cure. They might wake up at any time – or sleep for 20 years. This is why we need to continue taking ART.
Cure research is trying to find a way to wake up the resting cells. The progress is exciting but finding a cure might still take many years.
Until then, ART means you can live well into older age.
The monitoring for ART can also help your general health more than if you were HIV negative.
Last updated: 1 June 2022.