Treatment-associated polymorphisms in protease are significantly associated with higher viral load and lower CD4 count in newly diagnosed drug-naive HIV-1 infected patients.

• Authors: Albert J, Åsjö B, Balotta C, Boucher CA, Bruckova M, Camacho RJ, Clotet B, Coughlan S, Deforche K, Grossman Z, Hamouda O, Horban A, Korn K, Kostrikis LG, Kücherer C, Libin P, Liitsola K, Nielsen C, Paraskevis D, Poljak M, Puchhammer-Stöckl E, Riva C, Ruiz L, Schmit JC, Schuurman R, Sönnerborg A, SPREAD-programme, Staneková D, Stanojevic M, Struck D, Theys K, Van de Vijver DA, Van Laethem K, Vandamme AM, Vercauteren J, Wensing AMJ
• Journal: Retrovirology
• Link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Treatment-associated+polymorphisms+in+protease+are+significantly+associated+with+higher+viral+load+and+lower+CD4+count+in+newly+diagnosed+drug-naive+HIV-1+infected+patients

BACKGROUND:
The effect of drug resistance transmission on disease progression in the newly infected patient is not well understood. Major drug resistance mutations severely impair viral fitness in a drug free environment, and therefore are expected to revert quickly. Compensatory mutations, often already polymorphic in wild-type viruses, do not tend to revert after transmission.
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