[Causal therapy possibilities in HIV infections]

By means of the replication cycle of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) some starting points for antiviral chemicals are outlined. Only azidothymidine is approved yet for treatment of AIDS patients. It restrains virus multiplication, improves the general immunologic situation, and in case of HIV encephalopathy it leads to marked clinical improvement. However, the indications of azidothymidine are limited by its unwanted side reactions. Seemingly the therapeutic effect is only a temporary one. Contagiosity of treated patients remains unaffected. Out of the bulk of chemicals now under investigation in laboratory and clinic those should have the best chance to be successful which interfere with protein products of the viral control genes.