The gift of a lifetime: analysis of HIV at autopsy

Currently, the incidence of HIV infection exceeds the death rate from HIV, and as a result, the prevalence of individuals living with the infection continues to increase. A critical limitation preventing the development of curative strategies is the lack of knowledge regarding mechanisms that allow HIV-infected cells to persist in individuals during combination antiviral therapy (ART). In this issue of the JCI, Chaillon and coworkers assessed HIV-infected cells from various anatomic compartments obtained through a rapid autopsy program of individuals undergoing long-term ART. This study, made possible with strong community collaboration, provides new insights on the potential locations of reservoirs of HIV-infected cells that persist during therapy.