Editing Misconceptions about HIV/AIDS (section)

==Treatment==

===Cure===
{{see also|HIV/AIDS#Management|Management of HIV/AIDS}}
[[File:Stribild bottle Dutch labeling.jpg|thumb|A bottle containing Stribild tablets (medication used to treat HIV). Stribild is a combination drug containing [[tenofovir disoproxil fumarate]], [[emtricitabine]], [[elvitegravir]] and [[cobicistat]].]]
[[Highly active anti-retroviral therapy]] (HAART) in many cases allows the stabilization of the patient's symptoms, partial recovery of CD4+ [[T-cell]] levels, and reduction in [[viremia]] (the level of virus in the blood) to low or near-undetectable levels. Disease-specific drugs can also alleviate symptoms of AIDS and even cure specific AIDS-defining conditions in some cases. Medical treatment can reduce HIV infection in many cases to a survivable chronic condition. However, these advances do not constitute a cure, since current treatment regimens cannot eradicate latent HIV from the body.{{cn|date=January 2021}}

High levels of HIV-1 (often HAART-resistant) develop if treatment is stopped, if compliance with treatment is inconsistent, or if the virus spontaneously develops resistance to an individual's regimen.<ref name ="Becker, 2002">{{cite journal | last1 = Becker | first1 = S. | last2 = Dezii | first2 = C.M. | last3 = Burtcel | first3 = B. | last4 = Kawabata | first4 = H. | last5 = Hodder | first5 = S. | year = 2002 | title = Young HIV-infected adults are at greater risk for medication nonadherence | journal = Medscape General Medicine | volume = 4 | issue = 3| page = 21 | pmid = 12466764 }}</ref> [[Antiretroviral treatment]] known as [[post-exposure prophylaxis]] reduces the chance of acquiring an HIV infection when administered within 72 hours of exposure to HIV.<ref name=Fan>{{Cite book |year=2005 |title=AIDS: science and society |editor=Fan, H. |editor2=Conner, R.F. |editor3=Villarreal, L.P. |edition=4th |publisher=Jones and Bartlett Publishers |location=Boston |isbn=978-0-7637-0086-7 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/aidssciencesocie00fanh }}</ref> 
However, an overwhelming body of clinical evidence has demonstrated the U=U rule - if someone's viral load is undetectable (<200 viral copies per mL) they are untransmissible. Essentially this means if a person living with HIV is well controlled on medications with a viral load less than 200, they cannot transmit HIV to their partners via sexual contact. <ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.niaid.nih.gov/diseases-conditions/treatment-prevention | title=HIV Undetectable=Untransmittable (U=U), or Treatment as Prevention &#124; NIH: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases | date=21 May 2019 }}</ref>
The landmark study that first established this was the HPTN052 study, which looked at over 2000 couples over 10 years, where one partner was HIV positive, and the other partner was HIV negative. <ref>{{cite journal | pmid=28385131 | pmc=5633001 | doi=10.1080/15284336.2017.1311056 | title=Virologic outcomes in early antiretroviral treatment: HPTN 052 | journal=HIV Clinical Trials | date=May 2017 | volume=18 | issue=3 | pages=100–109 | last1=Eshleman | first1=Susan H. | last2=Wilson | first2=Ethan A. | last3=Zhang | first3=Xinyi C. | last4=Ou | first4=San-San | last5=Piwowar-Manning | first5=Estelle | last6=Eron | first6=Joseph J. | last7=McCauley | first7=Marybeth | last8=Gamble | first8=Theresa | last9=Gallant | first9=Joel E. | last10=Hosseinipour | first10=Mina C. | last11=Kumarasamy | first11=Nagalingeswaran | last12=Hakim | first12=James G. | last13=Kalonga | first13=Ben | last14=Pilotto | first14=Jose H. | last15=Grinsztejn | first15=Beatriz | last16=Godbole | first16=Sheela V. | last17=Chotirosniramit | first17=Nuntisa | last18=Santos | first18=Breno Riegel | last19=Shava | first19=Emily | last20=Mills | first20=Lisa A. | last21=Panchia | first21=Ravindre | last22=Mwelase | first22=Noluthando | last23=Mayer | first23=Kenneth H. | last24=Chen | first24=Ying Q. | last25=Cohen | first25=Myron S. | last26=Fogel | first26=Jessica M. }}</ref>

===Sexual intercourse with a virgin will cure AIDS===
{{See also|Virgin cleansing myth}}
The myth that sex with a virgin will cure AIDS is prevalent in South Africa.<ref name=babyrape>{{cite news |first=Jane |last=Flanagan |title=South African men rape babies as 'cure' for Aids |work=Telegraph |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/southafrica/1362134/South-African-men-rape-babies-as-%27cure%27-for-Aids.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080612061053/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/southafrica/1362134/South-African-men-rape-babies-as-%27cure%27-for-Aids.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2008-06-12 |access-date=2009-03-25 |date=2001-11-11 |location=London}}</ref><ref name="Meel, 2003">{{cite journal | doi = 10.1258/rsmmsl.43.1.85 | last1 = Meel | first1 = B.L. | year = 2003 | title = 1. The myth of child rape as a cure for HIV/AIDS in Transkei: a case report | journal = Med. Sci. Law | volume = 43 | issue = 1| pages = 85–88 | pmid = 12627683 | s2cid = 2706882 }}</ref><ref name="Groce, 2004">{{cite journal | doi = 10.1016/S0140-6736(04)16288-0 | last1 = Groce | first1 = N.E. | last2 = Trasi | first2 = R. | year = 2004 | title = Rape of individuals with disability: AIDS and the folk belief of virgin cleansing | journal = Lancet | volume = 363 | issue = 9422| pages = 1663–64 | pmid = 15158626 | s2cid = 34857351 }}</ref> Sex with an uninfected virgin does not cure an [[HIV]]-infected person, and such contact will expose the uninfected individual to HIV, potentially further spreading the disease. This myth has gained considerable notoriety as the perceived reason for certain [[sexual abuse]] and [[child sexual abuse|child molestation]] occurrences, including the rape of infants, in [[South Africa]].<ref name=babyrape /><ref name="Meel, 2003"/>

===Sexual intercourse with an animal will avoid or cure AIDS===
In 2002, the National Council of [[Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals|Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals]] (NSPCA) in [[Johannesburg]], [[South Africa]], recorded beliefs amongst youths that [[zoophilia|sex with animals]] is a means to avoid AIDS or cure it if infected.<ref>[http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/Aids_Focus/0,,2-7-659_1161152,00.html "Bestiality new Aids myth – SPCA"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081219070401/http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/Aids_Focus/0,,2-7-659_1161152,00.html |date=2008-12-19 }}, March 25, 2002; retrieved February 22, 2007</ref> As with "virgin cure" beliefs, there is no scientific evidence suggesting a sexual act can actually cure AIDS, and no plausible mechanism by which it could do so has ever been proposed. While the risk of contracting HIV via sex with animals is likely much lower than with humans due to HIV's inability to infect animals, the practice of bestiality still has the ability to infect humans with other fatal [[zoonotic diseases]].{{cn|date=January 2021}}

===HIV antibody testing is unreliable===
[[Medical diagnosis|Diagnosis]] of [[infection]] using [[ELISA|antibody testing]] is a well-established technique in [[medicine]]. HIV [[antibody]] tests exceed the performance of most other infectious disease tests in both sensitivity (the ability of the screening test to give a positive finding when the person tested truly has the disease) and specificity (the ability of the test to give a negative finding when the subjects tested are free of the disease under study). Many current HIV antibody tests have sensitivity and specificity in excess of 96% and are therefore extremely reliable.<ref>[https://www.who.int/diagnostics_laboratory/publications/en/HIV_Report15.pdf "HIV Assays: Operational Characteristics", World Health Organization, 2004]</ref> While most patients with HIV show an antibody response after six weeks, window periods vary and may occasionally be as long as three months.<ref name=GilbertKrajden10>{{cite journal|last1=Gilbert|first1=Mark|last2=Krajden|first2=Mel|title=Don't wait to test for HIV|journal=BC Medical Journal|date=July–August 2010|volume=52|issue=6|page=308}}</ref>

Progress in testing methodology has enabled detection of viral genetic material, antigens, and the virus itself in bodily fluids and cells. While not widely used for routine testing due to high cost and requirements in laboratory equipment, these direct testing techniques have confirmed the validity of the antibody tests.<ref name="Jackson, 1990">{{cite journal | last1 = Jackson | first1 = J.B. | last2 = Kwok | first2 = S.Y. | last3 = Sninsky | first3 = J.J. | last4 = Hopsicker | first4 = J.S. | last5 = Sannerud | first5 = K.J. | last6 = Rhame | first6 = F.S. | last7 = Henry | first7 = K. | last8 = Simpson | first8 = M. | last9 = Balfour | first9 = H.H. Jr |display-authors=etal | year = 1990 | title = Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 detected in all seropositive symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals | journal = J. Clin. Microbiol. | volume = 28 | issue = 1| pages = 16–19 | doi = 10.1128/JCM.28.1.16-19.1990 | pmid = 2298875 | pmc = 269529  }}</ref><ref name="Busch, 1991">{{cite journal | doi = 10.1056/NEJM199107043250101 | last1 = Busch | first1 = M.P. | last2 = Eble | first2 = B.E. | last3 = Khayam-Bashi | first3 = H. | last4 = Heilbron | first4 = D. | last5 = Murphy | first5 = E.L. | last6 = Kwok | first6 = S. | last7 = Sninsky | first7 = J. | last8 = Perkins | first8 = H.A. | last9 = Vyas | first9 = G.N. |display-authors=etal | year = 1991 | title = Evaluation of screened blood donations for human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infection by culture and DNA amplification of pooled cells | journal = N. Engl. J. Med. | volume = 325 | issue = 1| pages = 1–5 | pmid = 2046708  | doi-access = free }}</ref><ref name="Silvester, 1995">{{cite journal | last1 = Silvester | first1 = C. | last2 = Healey | first2 = D.S. | last3 = Cunningham | first3 = P. | last4 = Dax | first4 = E.M. | year = 1995 | title = Multisite evaluation of four anti-HIV-1/HIV-2 enzyme immunoassays. Australian HIV Test Evaluation Group | journal = J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr Hum Retrovirol | volume = 8 | issue = 4| pages = 411–19 | pmid = 7882108 | doi=10.1097/00042560-199504000-00014}}</ref><ref name="Urassa, 1999">{{cite journal | doi = 10.1016/S1386-6532(99)00043-8 | last1 = Urassa | first1 = W. | last2 = Godoy | first2 = K. | last3 = Killewo | first3 = J. | last4 = Kwesigabo | first4 = G. | last5 = Mbakileki | first5 = A. | last6 = Mhalu | first6 = F. | last7 = Biberfeld | first7 = G. | year = 1999 | title = The accuracy of an alternative confirmatory strategy for detection of antibodies to HIV-1: experience from a regional laboratory in Kagera, Tanzania | journal = J. Clin. Virol. | volume = 14 | issue = 1| pages = 25–29 | pmid = 10548127 }}</ref><ref name="Nkengasong, 1999">{{cite journal|last1=Nkengasong|first1=J.N.|author-link=John Nkengasong|last2=Maurice|first2=C.|last3=Koblavi|first3=S.|last4=Kalou|first4=M.|last5=Yavo|first5=D.|last6=Maran|first6=M.|last7=Bile|first7=C.|last8=N'guessan|first8=K.|last9=Kouadio|first9=J.|last10=Bony|first10=Séka|last11=Wiktor|first11=Stefan Z.|display-authors=9|year=1999|title=Evaluation of HIV serial and parallel serologic testing algorithms in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire|journal=AIDS|volume=13|issue=1|pages=109–17|doi=10.1097/00002030-199901140-00015|pmid=10207552|first12=Alan E.|last12=Greenberg|doi-access=free}}</ref><ref name="Samdal, 1996">{{cite journal | doi = 10.1016/S0928-0197(96)00244-9 | last1 = Samdal | first1 = H.H. | last2 = Gutigard | first2 = B.G. | last3 = Labay | first3 = D. | last4 = Wiik | first4 = S.I. | last5 = Skaug | first5 = K. | last6 = Skar | first6 = A.G. | year = 1996 | title = Comparison of the sensitivity of four rapid assays for the detection of antibodies to HIV-1/HIV-2 during seroconversion | journal = Clin. Diagn. Virol | volume = 7 | issue = 1| pages = 55–61 | pmid = 9077430 }}</ref>{{citation overkill|date=January 2021}}

Positive HIV antibody tests are usually followed up by retests and tests for [[antigen]]s, viral genetic material and the virus itself, providing confirmation of actual infection.{{cn|date=January 2021}}