Antiretroviral therapy (ART)

The current therapy for HIV infection is called HAART (Highly Active AntiRetroviral Therapy) and consists of a combination of at least three different active ingredients. There are more than 20 different drugs in use.

A successful HAART suppresses the viral load (concentration of HIV in the blood) below the detection threshold and indirectly increases the number of T-helper cells. Due to these drugs, an HIV infection changes from a fatal illness into a chronic illness. This way it is possible to prevent the appearance of symptoms, and also to significantly reduce the risk of infection.

The drugs all prevent replication of HIV via various mechanisms, by interrupting the replication cycle. However, these drugs can only work over the long term, if they are taken daily, 365 days a year.



Thanks to antiretroviral therapy (ART), people infected with HIV are living significantly longer and have a better quality of life. But ART cannot completely eliminate the HIV in a person and it is not a cure. The drugs must be taken for a lifetime, which is a heavy burden on the patient. As soon as the drugs are stopped, the viruses replicate again explosively. Sometimes the drugs are not tolerated or the HIVs are resistant to these drugs, which therefore do not work any longer. Despite ART, more than 100 people still die from Aids every year in Switzerlan