TESTING FOR HIV-INFECTION IN TIME - SCIENTIFIC REASONS

The author advocates testing, diagnosis and therapy of HIV infection a s soon as possible after contracting the virus and whenever feasible. The arguments are deduced from the results of basic research. The foll owing should be reduced, delayed or inhibited: (1) the viral load in b lood plasma and semen; (2) rapid internal propagation of the virus, wh ich is combined with integration of proviruses into cells of unknown l ife span and compartmentalisation (e.g. the brain may present a sanctu ary site); (3) rapid individual formation of quasispecies out of initi ally homogeneous virus strains of suboptimal fitness, combined with th e transition of NSI strains to the more aggressive SI strains and esca pe from the immune response and therapy; (4) irreversible damage to th e immune system; later opportunistic infections; (5) unconscious trans mission of possibly drug-resistant virus. Early diagnosis and therapy appear possible in many cases, involving major advantages for individu als and society.