Abstract

AIDS: A general feeling of optimism exists among HIV/AIDS experts regarding the control of the disease, life expectancy, and patient prognosis. Results from clinical trials indicate that under ideal conditions, certain drug combinations could reduce evidence of viral replication to undetectable levels in most patients. There are anecdotal reports of substantial improvements in ongoing AIDS-related symptoms. The viral load in these patients is lower than that in long-term non-progressors, who remain disease-free for many years. The number of persons who are naturally (without treatment) long-term non-progressors is low. The major problem in HIV treatment has been that the virus develops resistance to all known drugs. AZT resistance develops slowly and some patients can use it for years without developing resistance. When viral replication is reduced to a low enough level, the development of drug resistance is greatly slowed, and possibly stopped. All treatments work best when started early, and when patients do not already have resistance to any of the drugs in the combination.