Abstrato

HIV-1 virulence, fitness and replication capacity

Eric S Daar

The virulence and fitness of a given pathogen can influence the pathogenesis of disease. Recent studies have demonstrated numerous factors that contribute to the virulence and fitness of HIV-1 in vivo and in vitro. Moreover, emerging data shows that variability in these factors is likely to influence the natural history of disease and potentially be altered by antiretroviral therapy. These observations have led to further studies that have enhanced our understanding of how drug resistance mutations can alter viral fitness, which in turn may have substantial implications for those with limited treatment options. This review will define viral virulence and fitness in the context of HIV-1 infection and summarize the current data demonstrating how this may be relevant to the pathogenesis of disease and how it could potentially be exploited in the future to optimize the management of patients in the clinic.