HIV/AIDS
Human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, is a virus that, if not treated, can lead to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).[1]
Disease and treatment overview[edit | edit source]
HIV attacks CD4 cells (T helper cells) in the immune system; if untreated this reduces the body's ability to fight off infection as well as infection-related cancers.[1] The appearance of such opportunistic infections or cancers indicate HIV has advanced to AIDS.[1] However, a combination of multiple antiretroviral drugs, known as highly-active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), introduced in the mid-1990s, can effectively control HIV.[1][2] Taken as prescribed, HAART can reduce an HIV patient's viral load (amount of HIV in their blood) to the point of being undetectable, allowing them to live in good health and have effectively no risk of transmitting the virus so long as the virus stays at undetectable levels. If HIV is diagnosed and treated before the disease is advanced, someone living with the illness can have nearly the same life expectancy as a person without HIV.[1]
Researchers[edit | edit source]
Several major ME/CFS researchers and clinicians also work on or formerly worked on HIV/AIDS, including Drs. Avindra Nath,[3] Hector Bonilla,[4] Derya Unutmaz,[5] David Kaufman,[6] and Nancy Klimas.[7]
See also[edit | edit source]
Learn more[edit | edit source]
- "A Tale of Two Viruses: Why AIDS Was Pinned to HIV, but Chronic Fatigue Remains a Mystery" by Vincent Racaniello, January 12, 2012, Discover magazine blog
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 "About HIV/AIDS | HIV Basics | HIV/AIDS | CDC". Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. February 28, 2019. Retrieved April 20, 2019.
- ↑ "A Timeline of HIV and AIDS". HIV.gov. May 11, 2016. Retrieved April 21, 2019.
- ↑ "Principal Investigators". NIH Intramural Research Program. Retrieved May 2, 2019.
- ↑ "Hector Fabio Bonilla's Profile | Stanford Profiles". profiles.stanford.edu. Retrieved April 20, 2019.
- ↑ "Derya Unutmaz, M.D." The Jackson Laboratory. Retrieved April 20, 2019.
- ↑ "Center for Complex Diseases". centerforcomplexdiseases.business.site. Retrieved April 20, 2019.
- ↑ "Fibromyalgia, H.I.V. and Chronic Fatigue". Consults Blog. The New York Times. January 21, 2010. Retrieved April 20, 2019.
Dr. Klimas is a director of the department of immunology of the University of Miami School of Medicine and director of research for clinical AIDS/H.I.V. research at the Miami Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
