Microbial Translocation: A Marker of Advanced HIV-1 Infection and a Predictor of Treatment Failure?

Abstract

To the Editor—We agree that the issue of whether microbial translocation (MT) is a cause or consequence of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) disease progression is an important question that can only be addressed through longitudinal analyses of natural history cohorts such as the study by Redd et al [1]. A timely and definitive answer to this question will depend on the availability of archived specimens that have been well characterized and properly stored. Specimen banks of this nature are relatively rare in Africa.