Text written in Basque and translated automatically by Elia without any subsequent editing. SEE ORIGINAL

[Antiretrovirals: the virus under control]

Antiretrovirals have so far been the only ones that have managed to control the proliferation of the HIV virus. In fact, these drugs prevent every part of HIV reproduction.

Antiretrovirals have so far been the only ones that have managed to control the proliferation of the HIV virus. In fact, these drugs prevent every part of HIV reproduction.

The virus acts against TCD4 lymphocytes, that is, against our defenses. HIV works like a parasite in our body: it enters the cells and uses its mechanism to reproduce. If he fails to reproduce, he will die in a day and a half. If

it manages to enter the cell, however, it will use the cell's DNA to convert the single strand containing the virus into a double strand. Through this process, hundreds of new viruses will be created. They will leave the cell that they have just killed and go through the body ready to infect and kill more cells. Antiretrovirals are drugs that interfere with every part of this process; their

main objective is to prevent the proliferation of the

virus. These drugs are divided into six families. Each one prevents a specific moment of the reproductive process. And each family is made up of several classes of

medicines. The most widespread treatment mixes three pills from different families.
But depending on the condition of each patient, you will be given a type

of treatment. KOLDO AGIRREBENGOA; Hospital Cruces: A patient has not taken the treatment once and there we will do an initial treatment, that would be shorter in terms of treatment, easier to take. The goal is a single pill. That's where we have three drugs in one pill.

If a patient is taking treatment for a long time, however, it is common for the virus to become resistant to different types of pills, so the medicine will not affect

him. KOLDO AGIRREBENGOA; Hospital Cruces:What drugs the patient has used will resist against these ba's or against these families and then not only against one drug, but against this drug and the whole family. That’s why we don’t only need new antiretrovirals in research, but also new families. The more families and pills you have, the more combinations you can
make

between them. Thus, the multi-pill resistant patient will also be able to continue the treatment.

This device measures the amount of TCD4 or defensin in one milliliter of blood. If the antiretroviral treatment is effective, we will have a high number of defenses per milliliter. A sign that the virus has failed to kill the defenses. The other parameter that helps measure the effectiveness of the treatment is “Viral load”. I mean, the amount of virus in our blood.

KOLDO AGIRREBENGOA; Hospital Cruces: If it is undetectable, it means that we do not find it, this does not mean that the virus does not exist, but that it does not reproduce. You have the virus inside you, but you don't suffer. The disease is the multiplication of

the virus. However, these drugs have a downside, which is the side effects. One of the most widespread is lipodystrophy, the loss of fat in the arms, thighs, buttocks and cheeks, which has been suffered by thousands of patients over the years. However, current medications rarely cause this side effect.

KOLDO AGIRREBENGOA; Hospital Cruces: Antiretrovirals in the Americas in 2005 managed to gain 1 million years of death. I mean, they saved a lot of lives. These are the stadistics they make in the Americas. A million years of death benefits.

These drugs can only be obtained in hospital pharmacies and generate an annual expenditure of 30 million euros in the Basque Country. This is money that only some rich territories can afford, that is, therapy that has given life to millions of patients.