There is optimism in the air about the recent discoveries in
HIV research. through the discovery of antiretroviral therapy (ART)
medications, HIV-infected individuals are living longer, happier, healthier
lives. For some people, HIV has been effectively managed to the point where it
feels like nothing more than a minor chronic illness. It's a testament to how
far technology and research in the field has come. However, the fact that 30
years after HIV was first brought into the mainstream consciousness of the
world, a cure has not been found. The research has progressed to the point
where finding better ways to manage HIV aren't sufficient anymore. HIV cures
are the words for the day now.
Alain Lafeuillade, Chief of the Department of Infectious Diseases at General
Hospital in Toulon, France, recently released a paper entitled, "Potential
Strategies for an HIV Infection Cure." He begins by pointing out that
while ART has improved the lives of HIV-infected patients, its widespread availability
is limited -especially in developing countries, where HIV medication is few and
far between. While a sterilizing cure may be out of reach, he argues, a
functional cure, where infection is controlled without ART, is well within
reach.
There are several different strategies being discussed and looked into when it
comes to developing an HIV cure. The first addresses the HIV reservoirs within
the body that house the HIV when it lies dormant in the body during its latency
period. The persistence of HIV is evident by studies that show HIV replication
returns to its normal rate once ART is stopped in an HIV-infected patient. ART
only slows HIV down, it doesn't stop it completely.
The paper stresses that getting rid of the HIV reservoir is the key to finding
a functional cure for HIV. Adding drugs to the ART treatment will "wake
up" these HIV reservoirs and stimulate production of HIV. The thought
process is that stimulating the production will allow the drugs and the body's
own immune system more of an opportunity to kill off producing cells and reduce
the reservoirs. It also gives a discussion on the progresses in gene therapy
that continue to provide positive results so far. The paper ends with a
discussion on what is needed from this point forward to move closer toward
finding a cure.
About the paper:
Lafeuillade A. Potential Strategies for an HIV Infection Cure. HIV Clinical
Trials 2011; 12 (3):121-30. DOI10.1310/hct1203-121
http://thomasland.metapress.com/content/a01734v2v1232247/?p=84991f2f8c7149fcb20ee073f69bd48c&pi=0
Contact:
Dr. Alain Lafeuillade, MD, PhD
Department of Infectious Diseases
General Hospital
1208 Avenue Colonel Picot, 83056
Toulon, France
Tel: 33-4-94616340
