Viral reservoirs/transient infection in HIV/AIDS: where are we now and where should we go? Summary of the June 13-14, 2002 Think Tank meeting.

Highly active antiretroviral therapy in individuals infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) often lowers serum levels of virus to below current detection limits. However, cessation of therapy results in there appearance of virus replication, indicating that HIV-infected cells persist in such individuals. Identification, and elimination, of such reservoirs of virus-infected cells are crucial for eradicating HIV from infected individuals. More research studies are needed to devise strategies with the potential for eventually curing HIV infections. Specifically, research areas that are of particular importance include (1) identification of reservoirs of resting cells infected by HIV, (2) elucidation of the mechanism of establishment and maintenance of the latent state, (3) understanding the biology and clinical outcome of transient infection, and (4) development of more sensitive methods of detecting and studying HIV infection of cells in vitro and in vivo.