Final answer:
HIV-infected individuals on antiretroviral therapy are still infectious, though with reduced risk of transmission, and there remains a potential for developing drug resistance due to the virus's ability to mutate.
Step-by-step explanation:
HIV-infected persons who are being treated with antiretroviral drugs are still infectious to others. Although highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) can dramatically reduce the viral load to undetectable levels in the bloodstream, it does not eliminate the virus from the body completely as some amount of the virus persists in hidden reservoirs within the body's immune cells. The treatment's effectiveness depends on the patient's rigorous adherence to the drug regimen to avoid the development of resistance due to the virus's rapid mutation capabilities.
Therefore, while the risk of transmitting HIV to others is decreased when the viral load is low or undetectable, there still exists a potential for transmission. Furthermore, HIV-infected individuals can develop drug resistance if the treatment is not adhered to correctly or if the virus mutates. Additionally, being treated for HIV does not preclude the possibility of contracting other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).