Temporary, low-level viral load jumps in patients with otherwise undetectable levels of HIV while on treatment may not be as harmless as originally thought, according to a new mathematical study published in the August 15 issue of the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes posted online by the National AIDS Treatment Advocacy Project (NATAP). Using more potent antiretroviral therapy to maintain viral loads below 7 copies, compared to the current standard of below 50 copies, may reduce the risk of these viral load “blips.”
Blips may be linked to an increased risk of drug resistance and the seeding of CD4 cell reservoirs in the body, suggests Laura Jones, PhD, of Cornell University, and Alan Perelson, PhD, of Los Alamos National Laboratory. The researchers suggest that blips may be the result of immune activation in response to other infectious organisms in the body, which can promote HIV replication.
While more potent therapy may be better for patients in the long run, this theory requires validation in clinical trials. Plus, tests to detect viral loads below 7 copies are not yet commercially available.
