Friday 13 May, 2011 - 16:21
A multi-national study shows that if an HIV-positive person starts taking antiretroviral therapy early on, that is, when their CD 4 count is still high, their chances of infecting their HIV-negative partner can decrease by as much as 96 percent.
The results of the study are viewed as confirmation of untested wisdom among clinicians who have for a number of years thought that people on combination antiretroviral therapy have a lower chance of transmitting HIV to their uninfected partners.
The principal investigator who conducted the clinical study at Chris Hani Bararagwanath, Dr Guy de Bruyn, points that, "We were looking to confirm or to evaluate whether combination antiretroviral treatment can interrupt HIV transmission between HIV-discordant partners."
To read the article titled, “Study shows ARVs can protect the uninfected,” click here.