Prospective study in HIV-1 infected patients with a plasma viral load below the limit of detection and stable for at least 5 years.

Evaluation of the mucosal HIV reservoirs (HIV-DNA quantification and distribution of the infected T lymphocytes in the gut mucosa associated lymphoid tissue compared to the blood in HIV-1 infected patients under antiretroviral treatment with an undetectable plasma viral load below the 50 copies/ml limit of detection for at least 5 years).

Inclusion Criteria:

• HIV-1 documented infection
• HIV-1 plasma viral load measurable before antiretroviral treatment initiation
• Patients treated with an antiretroviral combination containing a protease inhibitor and/or a non-nucleosidic reverse transcriptase inhibitor without any interruption since treatment initiation
• Patients with a stable plasma viral load below the limit of detection (HIV-RNA < 50 copies/ml since January 2006 and/or HIV-RNA < 200 copies/ml during the anterior period) under antiretroviral treatment for at least 5 years and for at least 90 % of the measures

Exclusion Criteria:

• Contraindication to the biopsy
• No ability or willingness to provide informed consent
• Concomitant treatment with antithrombotics or platelets antiaggregatory
• Patients co-infected with HCV and or HBV
• Patients who received an immunosuppressive treatment during 3 months prior enrollment (chemotherapy, radiotherapy, corticotherapy, splenectomy) or an immunotherapy during 5 years prior enrolment (IL-2, anti-HIV vaccine, IFN-alpha)

HIV-1 infected patients followed in specialized infectious disease/HIV hospital department