RESEARCH PUBLISHED last Thursday has revealed a new breakthrough in the early treatment of the HIV infection.
The study shows that when taken in the early stages of infection, a 48-week course of antiretroviral medication slows damage to the immune system and delays the need for long-term treatment.
The research also suggests that the treatment lowers the amount of virus in the blood for up to 60 weeks after it is stopped, potentially reducing the risk of onward transmission. The scientists found no evidence that treatment within the first six months of infection led to an increased virus resistance, or damage to the immune system.
Professor Rodney Phillips said, “Analysis of this material, coordinated by Dr John Frater, has yielded highly novel insights into the interaction between HIV, the human immune system and anti-HIV drugs.”
The randomised controlled trial, the largest of its kind, took place over five years, and involved 366 adults. The research into early treatment of HIV began in Oxford in the late 1990s, headed by Professor Phillips. He then coordinated with researchers Imperial College London and the Medical Research Council’s Clinical Trials Unit, and gained funding from the Wellcome Trust.
A second year Medic said, “This research highlights how vital early recognition of HIV is, and the importance of regular sexual health check ups. Any development at all in the fight against the infection is brilliant, and it’s great to see Oxford’s involvement.”
