Breakthrough in search for HIV cure leaves researchers ‘overwhelmed’

Exclusive: Melbourne team demonstrates way to make the virus visible within white blood cells, paving the way to fully clear it from the body

A cure for HIV could be a step closer after researchers found a new way to force the virus out of hiding inside human cells.

The virus's ability to conceal itself inside certain white blood cells has been one of the main challenges for scientists looking for a cure. It means there is a reservoir of the HIV in the body, capable of reactivation, that neither the immune system nor drugs can tackle.