Researchers work to determine when to begin HIV treatment

While all sexually transmitted diseases carry serious risks, HIV is known as one of the most dangerous infections that a person can contract. When an individual is diagnosed with this condition, the first thing they have to decide with their doctor is the best time to begin treatment. While previous studies found that the earlier a person begins taking medication the better, new research suggests that there may be a limit to this theory.

Researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have found that there should be a starting line for when to begin therapy for HIV.

"The drugs used to treat HIV are expensive, treatment is life-long, and the side effects can be serious," said researcher Michele Jonsson Funk, Ph.D. "So we really need to know if the patient's investment will pay off, how large the benefit is likely to be, and how long it will take to realize it."

Scientists decided that treatment should begin when a patient's CD4 count is between 350 and 500. A CD4 count refers to the number of a certain type of white blood cell that is used to fight off an HIV infection. HIV lowers the number of CD4 cells in a person, making it difficult to combat common diseases, such as pneumonia.