title: Decay of the HIV reservoir in patients receiving antiretroviral therapy for extended periods: implications for eradication of virus.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Immunoregulation, Biostatistics Research Branch, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA. twchun@nih.gov
authors.forename: Tae-Wook
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Chun
authors.forename: J Shawn
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Justement
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Moir
authors.forename: Claire W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Hallahan
authors.forename: Janine
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Maenza
authors.forename: James I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Mullins
authors.forename: Ann C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Collier
authors.forename: Lawrence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Corey
authors.forename: Anthony S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Fauci
mesh_terms: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000821:virology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D006678:HIV / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D019562:Viral Load; D017735:Virus Latency / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents