title: Is specific HIV eradication from the brain possible or needed?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is increasing interest in the possibility of eradication of HIV, given the recent case reports. However, it is not clear to what extent brain involvement by HIV poses a challenge to systemic eradication strategies.
  
  
  METHODS
  This review will outline the mechanisms of HIV latency, the various eradication strategies presently under consideration followed by a discussion of the issue of the frequency and severity of brain involvement by HIV. In those patients with HIV brain disease the challenges will be delineated as well as potential approaches to circumvent or minimise them.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Eradication of HIV from the brain using specific methodologies is likely only needed in some patients. However, both the identification of such patients and the details of the necessary methodologies require much more research.
authors.affiliation: St Vincent's Hospital, Darlinghurst, NSW, 2010, Australia. B.Brew@UNSW.edu.au
authors.forename: Bruce J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Brew
authors.forename: Lachlan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gray
authors.forename: Sharon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lewin
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Churchill
mesh_terms: D015526:AIDS Dementia Complex / Q000821:virology*; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001921:Brain / Q000821:virology*; D060740:Disease Eradication; D004197:Disease Reservoirs; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D017735:Virus Latency
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents