Early Drug Treatment Greatly Cuts Spread of HIV

The risk of transmitting HIV to sexual partners is reduced by 96 percent when antiretroviral treatment is begun early, when the immune system is relatively healthy, according to a landmark report from the National Institutes of Health. The dramatic HIV prevention effect of early antiretroviral therapy (ART) was observed in the NIH-funded trial, HPTN 052, which was conducted in nine countries and involved 1,763 serodiscordant heterosexual couples.

In the study, the HIV-positive partners were randomized to one of two groups: immediate initiation of triple combination ART, or delayed initiation of ART when the patient’s CD4 count fell below 250 cells/mm3 or upon an AIDS-related event. All couples received counseling about safer sex, free condoms, STD treatment, and regular HIV testing.

An independent panel reviewing preliminary trial data found 28 cases of HIV transmission, which were genetically linked to primary partners. Of the 28, 27 were from participants who were in the delayed ART group. The findings were so highly significant that the study was stopped early, and ART will now be offered to all HIV-positive partners in the trial.

This was the first randomized study proving early ART’s effect on reducing HIV transmission, said study leader Dr. Myron Cohen of the University of North Carolina.

“The findings of this study strongly indicate that treating an individual with antiretroviral drugs sooner rather than later can have a significant impact on reducing the risk of transmitting HIV to their sexual partner,” said Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at NIH.

“This is a crucial development, because we know that sexual transmission accounts for about 80 percent of all new infections,” said Dr. Margaret Chan, director-general of the World Health Organization.

“This breakthrough is a serious game changer and will drive the prevention revolution forward,” said Michel Sidibe, executive director of UNAIDS. “It makes HIV treatment a new priority prevention option.”

For more information, visit: http://www.nih.gov/news/health/may2011/niaid-12.htm or http://www.niaid.nih.gov/news/QA/Pages/HPTN052qa.aspx.

The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.


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