[AIDS 2026] aidsmap: Returning to HIV care does not erase the effects of treatment interruption, studies show
![[AIDS 2026] aidsmap: Returning to HIV care does not erase the effects of treatment interruption, studies show](/api/imagekit?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.eatg.org%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F05%2Fdoctor-g67f140729-640.png&w=3840&q=75)
Research presented at AIDS 2026 indicates that people with HIV in South Africa who interrupt their treatment face a significantly higher risk of developing tuberculosis, even after resuming medication. The study found that treatment interruptions accounted for over half of all first TB episodes in the observed cohort.
Why it matters
The findings highlight the critical need for consistent HIV treatment adherence to prevent severe co-infections like TB, which remains a major public health challenge.
People with HIV in South Africa are ten times more likely to develop TB while interrupting treatment than while taking it. Even after resuming treatment and achieving viral suppression, their risk stayed 50% higher.
Using provincial health data from Western Cape, South Africa, Haroon Moolla from the University of Cape Town told AIDS 2026 that of the almost 150,000 adults who started ART between 2017 and 2024, 60% had interrupted treatment at least once by the end of the study period. While interruptions made up only a fifth of the total follow-up time, they accounted for over half of all first TB episodes.
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