![Superinfection1_6](https://www.hivplusmag.com/media-library/superinfection1-6.jpg?id=32678896&width=1200&height=800)
Treatment GuideJust DiagnosedSex & DatingAfrican AmericanStigmaAsk the HIV DocPrEP En EspañolNewsVoicesPrint IssueVideoOut 100
CONTACTCAREER OPPORTUNITIESADVERTISE WITH USPRIVACY POLICYPRIVACY PREFERENCESTERMS OF USELEGAL NOTICE
© 2024 Pride Publishing Inc.
All Rights reserved
All Rights reserved
By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Private Policy and Terms of Use.
What exactly happens when a virus becomes drug-resistant, and what can you do about it? Making billions of copies of itself a day, HIV will occasionally create an imperfect, or mutant, copy of itself. This new version of the virus may be resistant to antiretroviral medications, meaning that the drugs are not able to effectively fight the virus anymore. Consequently, since your medications do not kill this one copy, it multiplies until it becomes a more dominant presence in the blood stream than that of the original, or 'wild-type' virus. (This is most likely to happen if you have missed doses of your meds.) Complicating the matter further, you may also develop 'cross resistance' to medications that are in a similar class to those you are currently taking. Fortunately, in the face of such a dose of bad news, there is an arsenal with which to fight back. First of all, drug-resistance tests can help you decide which medications are more likely to work for you. And second, even if you are resistant to all medications, researchers say you should stay on highly active antirotroviral therapy, since your drugs are still fighting the wild-type virus in your body [see accompanying article 'Do Not Quit Yet']. How Fit Is It? If genetic testing or treatment failure suggest you have a drug-resistant strain of HIV, there is a silver lining: Mutated viruses are less 'fit,' meaning they replicate more slowly than the nonresistant, or 'wild type' virus. To give you an idea of how fit your virus is, there is a new lab test called a viral replication capacity test, which you can request along with HIV drug resistance phenotype testing. By comparing the performance of your virus in a test tube to that of a wild-type virus, lab technicians can assess your replication capacity. Your test result is presented as a percentage'anything above 100% is a more fit virus than the wild type and anything lower is less fit. However, according to Sidney Ho, a spokesman for ViroLogic, which manufactures the test, the precise significance of one percentage over another is still not clear; more research needs to be done on the matter. If your strain of HIV does have a low replication capacity, you may be able to maintain both a high viral load and a stable CD4 count. This seeming contradiction happens because the immune system is able to keep up with a virus that replicates slowly. You and your physician may be able to use your test results to make treatment decisions for you based upon this phenomenon.
Want more breaking equality news & trending entertainment stories?
Check out our NEW 24/7 streaming service: the Advocate Channel!
Download the Advocate Channel App for your mobile phone and your favorite streaming device!
From our Sponsors
Most Popular
Before AIDS, gay artist Rex drew hot men on the prowl — then he disappeared
April 11 2024 3:15 PM
Diets that mimic fasting reverse aging: study
March 07 2024 5:28 PM
PrEP without a prescription now a reality in California
February 06 2024 8:37 PM
Injectable HIV treatment, prevention: Everything you need to know
March 26 2024 3:28 PM
8 dating tips for gay men from a gay therapist
March 21 2024 2:50 PM
Happy national foreskin day!
April 04 2024 1:45 PM
The science behind U=U has been liberating people with HIV for years
June 04 2024 3:31 PM
Scarlet fever: exploring our fascination with blood
March 13 2024 1:47 PM
On Anal Sex Day, crack up with The Bottom's Digest
April 18 2024 10:22 AM
Plus: Featured Video
Latest Stories
Activist and philanthropist Bruce Bastian dies at 76
June 26 2024 1:28 PM
Yes, HIV-positive people can safely breastfeed
June 26 2024 12:59 PM
Exclusive: We kiki with Q from 'RuPaul's Drag Race'
June 24 2024 11:37 AM
Court rules to keep PrEP coverage under Obamacare
June 21 2024 5:42 PM
In honor of Juneteenth 2024, meet The Normal Anomaly
June 19 2024 1:39 PM
What is Juneteenth?
June 19 2024 11:30 AM
As Pride party season begins, the CDC urges mpox vaccinations
May 16 2024 6:52 PM
Advocacy in action with AIDSWatch
May 09 2024 12:30 PM
The Talk: Thriving with HIV
May 08 2024 10:45 AM
The Talk: What HIV isn’t
May 07 2024 10:48 AM
The Talk: Finding balance with HIV
May 06 2024 10:51 AM
Justice Dept plans to reschedule marijuana as a lower-risk drug
May 03 2024 2:40 PM
The Talk: Starting your journey with HIV
May 03 2024 2:00 PM
Why is a mother’s mental health so important? A doctor explains
May 01 2024 1:38 PM
Walmart to close all of its health care clinics
April 30 2024 12:30 PM
Vampire facial spa infected several women with HIV
April 29 2024 7:26 PM