Test and Treat?

While an HIV diagnosis used to be a death sentence, these days living with HIV can be exactly that: living. A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association examined 5 year survival rates of people living with HIV in developed countries versus their uninfected peers, and found that within the first five years, mortality rates are almost even.

Because the decrease in mortality was truly significant following the widespread introduction of antiretroviral treatment (ART), the researchers stressed the need for people to get tested and access treatment as recommended by their doctors. 

Accessing treatment could have another benefit: reduction of new HIV infections. Vancouver AIDS expert Dr. Julio Montaner has recently suggested that ART could be used to decrease rates of new HIV infection. Because successful treatment lowers viral load, HIV is less infectious (although transmission is still possible), and should be considered as part of a public health strategy, according to Dr. Montaner. It’s not a cure for people who are already infected, nor would it prevent all new infections, but it’s a strategy that could be part of a complex web of prevention.

Work still needs to be directed towards the development of microbicides and a potential vaccine. We also need to increase the acceptability of male and female condoms. But perhaps treatment should be explored as well. Of course there are costs to consider- financial, political, and certainly physical, for those on the treatments. 

Knowing your HIV status makes sense. Knowing your treatment options makes sense, and time will tell as to whether recommendations on when to start treatment change.  Regardless, you can live a healthy, full life.

- Janet

This was posted on Friday, July 4th, 2008 at 10:00 am and is filed under HIV Prevention, HIV Treatment, News . Feel free to respond, or trackback. Read our comments policy.

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