Does MDR HIV progress faster to AIDS?
We do not know how quickly these virus strains will progress to AIDS. We have observed these four cases for only a short time, which is too short to tell how their disease may progress. At present, each of these cases is early in HIV infection and does not yet need treatment. Can people who already have HIV get “re-infected” with MDR HIV? Yes. People who already have one strain of HIV can get a different strain, usually within some months of the first infection. The second strain could be drug-resistant or not. Getting MDR HIV on top of existing HIV may cause current medications to stop working. It could also limit future treatment options and impact health. What is happening with these individuals? Public Health is working with these individuals and their medical providers to locate and test sexual and drug partners for HIV infection and drug resistance. What Should I Do? If you are a medical provider: • Conduct genetic drug resistance testing in all patients with newly-identified HIV
