The end of the era of AIDS can be a matter of time after a large-scale study of 1,000 males whose HIV infection was completely suppressed with antiretroviral drugs, didn’t infect their partners. “The success of the therapy means that if all HIV-positive people received treatment, further spread of the infection would not happen,” writes the British newspaper The Guardian.
Among the nearly 1000 pairs of men throughout Europe, where one partner is living with HIV received treatment to suppress the virus, no cases of transmission of HIV-negative partner during sex without a condom. Although during the eight-year study 15 men were HIV-positive, DNA testing showed that it was sex with someone other than their partner.
“This is great. Our results provide compelling evidence that gay men risk of HIV transmission when antiretroviral therapy is equal to zero. Our results support the idea that undetectable viral load makes HIV indescribable,” said Professor Alison Rodgers from University College London, one of the leaders of the study published in the medical journal Lancet.
Earlier studies have also shown that antiretroviral therapy protects heterosexual couples where one partner has HIV.
“This powerful message will help put an end to the HIV pandemic by preventing the transmission of infection and fight stigma and discrimination faced by many people with HIV, added Rogers. Now the focus should be on disseminating this information. All HIV-infected people should have access to testing and effective treatment to maintain undetectable viral load”.