A Patient Is Taking a Combination of Antiretroviral Drugs as Treatment

A patient is taking a combination of antiretroviral drugs as treatment for early stages of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection.He asks the nurse whether the drugs will kill the virus.Which of the following statements is the nurse's best response to this patient?

A) Antiretroviral drugs are rarely beneficial and are given for palliative reasons only.
B) Antiretroviral drugs will be effective as long as the patient is not exposed to the virus again.
C) Antiretroviral drugs can be given in large enough doses to eradicate the virus without harming the body's healthy cells.
D) Antiretroviral drugs are effective only while the virus is replicating,and replication is often finished by the time symptoms appear.