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1: J Infect Dis. 2007 Jun 15;195(12):1762-4. Epub 2007 May 2.Click here to read Links
Comment in:
J Infect Dis. 2007 Jun 15;195(12):1734-6.

Decay of the HIV reservoir in patients receiving antiretroviral therapy for extended periods: implications for eradication of virus.

Chun TW, Justement JS, Moir S, Hallahan CW, Maenza J, Mullins JI, Collier AC, Corey L, Fauci AS.

Laboratory of Immunoregulation, Biostatistics Research Branch, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA. twchun@nih.gov

The persistence of latently infected resting CD4+ T cells has been clearly demonstrated in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected individuals receiving effective antiviral therapy. However, estimates of the half-life of this viral reservoir have been quite divergent. We demonstrate clear evidence for decay of this HIV reservoir in patients who initiated antiviral therapy early in infection. The half-life of this latent viral reservoir was estimated to be 4.6 months. It is projected that it will take up to 7.7 years of continuous therapy to completely eliminate latently infected resting CD4+ T cells in infected individuals who initiate antiviral therapy early in HIV infection.

PMID: 17492591 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]