Emergence of drug-resistant HIV-1 variants in patients undergoing structured treatment interruptions.

We report the emergence of drug-resistant viral mutations in chronically HIV-infected individual undergoing structured treatment interruptions (STI). THe protease mutations K101E and K103N were detected at the end of the second or third STI. We concluded that the repeated abrupt termination and resumption of certain antiretroviral drug regimens during STI therapy may lead to the development of drug resistance in chronically HIV-infected individuals.