How is it they can get ‘viral loads’ down to near undetectable levels but not outright kill off the virus?
In: Biology
HIV is unique in that it attacks your various immune cells, and also hides out in them in dormancy for long periods of time without adversely affecting the cell.
Our treatments effectively prevent the infected cells from releasing new viral particles outside of the cell, or basically cripple the viral particles that leaves cells so they can’t easily infect new ones, but can’t really get inside already infected cells that make up the viral reservoir to truly eliminate them.
This is somewhat the case for a lot of persistent viral infections. Its why with viral infections you moreso see a big push for vaccinations to let your immune system do the work rather than trying to cure it after its become established. But of course even a vaccination is tricky for HIV.
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