There are currently many problems with the treatment of HIV/AIDS. The first of which is diagnosis, as the provirus can remain latent for a long period of time. Once viral replication begins destruction of T cells is rapid. This destruction causes the immune systems inability to fight infection and diseases. The virus can mutate into new strains at an exponential rate making any treatment difficult.
The Food and Drug Administration has approved a number of drugs for the treatment of HIV infection. These drugs fall into three groups. The first group of anti-HIV drugs are all nucleoside analogs, sometimes called nucleoside analog reverse transcriptase inhibitors, or just nucleosides. These drugs interrupt an early stage of virus replication. Included in this class of drugs are AZT (also known as zidovudine), ddC (zalcitabine), ddI (dideoxyinosine), d4T (stavudine), and 3TC (lamivudine). These drugs may slow the spread of HIV in the body and delay the onset of opportunistic infections. Importantly, they do not prevent transmission of HIV to other individuals.
Since the approval of nucleoside analogs, non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs) or, simply, non-nucleosides, have been approved. Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs) such as delvaridine (Rescriptor) and nevirapine (Viramune) are also available for use in combination therapy with other antiretroviral drugs.
Another group of drugs, known as protease inhibitors, has been approved. Protease inhibitors interrupt virus replication at a later step in its life cycle. They include ritonavir (Norvir), saquinivir (Invirase), indinavir (Crixivan), and nelfinavir (Viracept). Because HIV can become resistant to many classes of drugs, combination treatment is necessary to effectively suppress the virus.
Researchers are working on other drugs in all three groups.
The important point is that protease inhibitors and reverse transcriptase inhibitors (nucleosides and non-nucleosides) work at different steps in the process that HIV goes through when it makes new copies of itself inside cells. Please click here for a graphical depiction and further explanation.
Current treatment options range from conventional to unorthodox unproven methods. Many periodicals are available with current information on treatments. Anti HIV therapies are diverse and a data base for anti HIV compounds listing current drug treatments and dosages is available.
Project Links
Main Page -- AIDS Overview
AIDS and the Immune System
The Physiological Effects of AIDS
The Life Cycle of the AIDS virus
