HIV/AIDS Glossary

One of the main obstacles to curing HIV is that the virus can remain hidden and inactive (latent) inside certain cells of the immune system (such as CD4 cells) for months or even years. While HIV is in this latent state, the immune system cannot recognize the virus, and antiretroviral therapy (ART) has no effect on it. Latency-reversing agents reactivate latent HIV within CD4 cells, allowing ART and the body's immune system to attack the virus. Currently, latency-reversing agents are still under investigation and have not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).