NCD Brief Six – Tracking the next syndemic

Tracking the next syndemic: The relationship between HIV and noncommunicable diseases

Percept | January 2022

The early story of HIV infection was that it was a death sentence. An HIV-infected person would
eventually develop acquired immune-deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and their life would be cut short.
Combination antiretroviral therapy (ART) has managed to improve the health of people living with
HIV (PLWHIV), extend their lives, and substantially reduce the risk of transmission. This has increased
the life expectancy of PLWHIV, and those that enroll and adhere to treatment have a life expectancy
not much shorter than people without HIV.