[Molecular basis of HIV-1 latency - part I: physiology of HIV-1 latency].

The introduction of the highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in 1996 has greatly extended survival and raised hopes for the eradication of HIV-1. Unfortunately, the optimism declined by revealing the existence of latent HIV-1 reservoirs in cells targeted by the virus. The long-lived HIV-1 reservoirs constitute a major obstacle to the eradication of HIV-1. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of virus latency is essential for efficient therapeutic intervention against the virus.