What does HAART therapy aim to achieve in HIV treatment?

HAART therapy, or Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy, is designed to manage HIV infection effectively by achieving sustained viral suppression and improving immune function. By combining multiple antiretroviral drugs, HAART reduces the viral load in the blood to undetectable levels, which helps to prevent the progression of HIV to AIDS. This suppression is crucial because it allows the immune system, particularly the CD4 T-cell count, to recover and bolster the body's defense against opportunistic infections.

While the goal is not the complete eradication of the virus—which remains a challenging task due to HIV's ability to hide in reservoirs within the body—HAART significantly improves the quality of life for individuals living with HIV. Moreover, sustained viral suppression reduces the risk of transmitting the virus to others, making it a cornerstone of public health approaches to managing HIV.

Improvement in immune function is reported through an increase in CD4 T-cell counts over time, but the primary aim of HAART is to maintain low viral levels. Reducing drug resistance is also a potential benefit of proper HAART regimens, as it involves using a combination of drugs to prevent the virus from mutating. Enhanced production of CD4 cells is a consequence of achieving viral suppression, but the main