Control of SIV rebound through structured treatment interruptions during early infection

In a randomized controlled trial with acute simian immunodeficiency virus ( SIV)-infected macaques, both highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) a nd HAART with fixed-schedule structured treatment interruption (STI-HAART; alternating 3 weeks on and 3 weeks off therapy) suppressed viral load. In t he STI-HAART group, T cell virus-specific immune response (VIR) and control of viral rebound increased concurrently during subsequent interruptions. I n contrast, VIR did not increase and SIV rebounded after permanent treatmen t withdrawal in all animals on continuous HAART. Fixed-schedule STI-HAART a ppears to be an effective alternative to continuous HAART for the early tre atment of retroviral infection.