Seminar paper from the year 2015 in the subject Medicine - Pharmacology, Pharmacy, grade: 2,0, language: English, abstract: The Human Immunodeficiency Virus, short called HIV, targets the human immune system and weakens the surveillance and defense system against infections. Infected people become gradually immunodeficient, while the virus destroys and impairs the function of immune cells. The Immune function is typically measured by the CD4 cell count. The most advanced stage of HIV is the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). HIV is a major public health issue, since it is the "world's most leading infectious killer" (WHO, 2014). Until today, no cure for HIV was found, but treatment with antiretroviral (ARV) drugs can help to control the virus. In a standard antiretroviral therapy (ART) are at least three antiretroviral drugs combatant to suppress the HIV virus and stop the progression of the disease. In 2013 around 12.9 million people are receiving ART globally, of which 11.7 million were in low- and middle-income countries.