Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) has turned a fatal infection into a manageable chronic condition.
Taking ART regularly reduces the presence of the virus in the bloodstream to undetectable levels. If taken regularly, HIV can be suppressed. According to NIAID-supported research, “achieving and maintaining a “durably undetectable” amount of HIV in the blood, not only preserves the health of the person living with HIV, but also prevents sexual transmission of the virus to an HIV-negative partner.”
ART prevents the virus from making multiple duplicate copies of itself. Within 6 months of starting the medication, the viral level drops to undetectable levels. After 6 months, the virus becomes durably undetectable. It stops progressing, after achieving and maintaining durably undetectable levels, which helps HIV+ people live a healthy and longer life. It is crucial to take the prescribed medicine every day to maintain this level.
However, even though the virus is undetectable, it’s not vanished. It merely becomes dormant. In absence of regular medicine intake, the virus emerges and begins to multiply, which makes it detectable again.
It is not advisable to stop the medication and restart it, because that can cause drug resistance to build, rendering the treatment ineffective. It’s essential to get the viral level tested every 3-4 months and continue talking to the health experts. Viral levels are “durably undetectable” only when all the test results are undetectable for at least 6 months.
HIV+ people, who are on a rigid ART regiment, do not risk sexually transmitting the disease to an HIV-negative person. “There is effectively no risk of sexual transmission of HIV when the partner living with HIV has achieved an undetectable viral load and then maintained it for at least six months.” Additionally, those living with HIV can involve their partners in treatment plans.
HIV is no longer a death sentence, but merely a chronic ailment. The best way to avoid panic and stigma, is to stay informed and spread awareness.
