Can HIV be resistant to drugs?
As HIV multiplies, it sometimes changes form (mutates). Some HIV mutations that develop while a person is taking HIV medicines can lead to drug-resistant HIV. Once drug resistance develops, HIV medicines that previously controlled a person's HIV are no longer effective.
What is drug resistance in HIV and how can you avoid it?
1. Take your medication every day as directed. The single most important way to prevent drug resistance is to take your medication every day as prescribed. When HIV multiplies, the virus can mutate into drug-resistant variations.
Does HIV treatment always work?
Current treatments available for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are very effective, allowing people with the virus to live long and relatively healthy lives. However, sometimes your specific treatment can start to fail, which can raise your viral load and trigger symptoms.
How do you know if you are HIV resistant?
If your doctor finds your viral load is suddenly detectable when it wasn't before, a special blood test called a genotype will be performed to determine if drug resistance has developed.
What causes drug resistance?
Microbes also may get genes from each other, including genes that make the microbe drug resistant. Bacteria multiply by the billions. Bacteria that have drug-resistant DNA may transfer a copy of these genes to other bacteria. Non-resistant bacteria receive the new DNA and become resistant to drugs.
What causes viral load to increase while on treatment?
Vaccinations, such as a flu jab, and infections can cause a temporary increase in your viral load. Talk to your doctor about whether you should delay your next viral load test – sometimes it is recommended to wait at least one month after having a vaccination or getting over an infection.