HIV Treatment Interruption Is Pervasive After Release From Texas Prisons
Nearly all Texas state prisoners who receive antiretroviral therapy while incarcerated experience some treatment interruption following their release, according to a new NIDA-funded study by Dr. Jacques Baillargeon of the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. More than two-thirds of these interruptions last longer than 60 days, during which time ex-prisoners may develop higher viral loads that increase their risk of disease progression and transmission to others. These results highlight a national public health problem, according to Dr. Baillargeon, who notes that prison discharge