According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at the end of 2006, 1,106,400 people were living with HIV infection in the United States. In 2006, there were 56,300 new cases of HIV infection and 14,627 deaths due to AIDS. Treatment for AIDS-related symptoms and HIV infection allow people to live longer with this as-yet incurable infection.
HAART Therapy
Highly active antiretroviral treatment is initiated to decrease the viral load. HAART boosts the immune system and has the added benefit of preventing drug resistance. Single drug therapy loses effectiveness quickly because the virus mutates easily and becomes resistant to the drug. Triple therapy allows patients to take drugs for longer periods. Also, the increase in immunity helps prevent patients from acquiring opportunistic infections. The HIV virus infects the T-cells, a type of white blood cell and then replicates inside the T-cell. Antiretrovirals prevent replication of the virus. Possible combinations of therapy include abacavir plus zidovudine plus lamivudine or zidovudine plus lamivudine plus efavirenz.
Treating Opportunistic Infections
A T-cell count of less than 200 signifies a much weakened immune system. Opportunistic infections easily invade a host with a weak immune system. An opportunistic infection is a signal to begin HAART therapy if it has not already been started. Sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim may be used as prophylactic medication in patients with T-cell counts of less than 200. The use of sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim in combination with HAART therapy has significantly reduced mortality among AIDS patients, according to Avert.org.
Protease and Integrase Inhibitors
By interrupting a particular enzyme in the life cycle of the virus, protease inhibitors block the HIV virus from replicating. Protease inhibitors disorganize the cell's cycle of replication and render it noninfectious according to MayoClinic.com. Saquinavir, ritonavir, indinavir, nelfinavir amprenavir, lopinavir, ritonavir, atazanavir, and tipranavir are protease inhibitors. Troubling side effects include excessive weight loss, nausea and vomiting. Raltegravir is the only drug in the class of integrase inhibitors. It is used to treat drug resistant virus. Raltegravir is usually used in combination with other medications. It blocks the enzyme that allows the HIV virus to insert its DNA into human DNA, according to MayoClinic.com.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Basic Statistics
- "5-Minute Clinical Consult, 2010." Frank J. Domino, MD, Editor. 2009
- Avert.org.: Introduction to HIV and AIDS Drug Treatment
- Avert.org: HIV related opportunistic infections.
- MayoClinic.com: HIV/AIDS Treatment
