A review on infection with human immunodeficiency virus.

Management of infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) improved dramatically during the 1990s. The advent of high-performance quantitative HIV assays and highly active antiretroviral therapy were the two most important developments in HIV medicine. As a result, HIV mortality and morbidity have reduced significantly, although a proportion of HIV-infected patients are still diagnosed late. Management of HIV during pregnancy has also improved so that vertical transmission is now limited to less than 2% of all cases. Knowledge of the different stages of HIV infection enables optimal timing of start of antiretroviral therapy. Routine offering of HIV testing might also reduce the number of patients diagnosed with immunodeficiency. Better knowledge of the life cycle of HIV has made it possible to design new classes of antiretroviral drugs. The new drugs, however, pose new challenges as they might have long-term side effects. In addition, their interactions with other antiretroviral drugs might not be favourable.