Question

Which is NOT a medication used to treat HIV?

		protease inhibitors
		antibiotics
		fusion inhibitors
		integrase inhibitors
		antibodies that bind CD4 on T-helper cells

Answer 1

Antibodies that bind CD4 on Helper T cells.

HIV infects white blood cells in the body's immune system called T-helper cells (or CD4 cells). The virus attaches itself to the T-helper cell; it then fuses with it, takes control of its DNA, replicates itself and releases more HIV into the blood.

On activated CD4+ T cells, CD4 molecules can also interact directly with the T-cell receptor complex to influence the immune response. Unfortunately, in addition to interacting with the T-cell receptor and class II MHC determinants, CD4 serves as a high affinity receptor for HIV, the causative agent of AIDS.

Protease, fusion and integrase inhibitors are very well used in the treatment of HIV.

A fusion inhibitor blocks the HIV envelope from merging with the host CD4 cell membrane (fusion). This prevents HIV from entering the CD4 cell.

Integrase inhibitors (INSTIs) are a class of HIV medication. They block an HIV enzyme, and this prevents the virus from multiplying in the blood.

Protease inhibitors (PIs) are a class of antiviral drugs that are widely used to treat HIV/AIDS and hepatitis C. Protease inhibitors prevent viral replication by selectively binding to viral proteases (e.g. HIV-1 protease) and blocking proteolytic cleavage of protein precursors that are necessary for the production of infectious viral particles.

A combination of the antibiotics atovaquone and azithromycin is at least as effective and just as safe as the antibiotic co-trimoxazole at preventing serious bacterial infections in HIV-positive children.