A NYU research team created a social/behavioral intervention that increased the number of African American and Latino individuals living with HIV/AIDS who enrolled in studies. The ACT2 program found nine out of ten eligible participants joined, compared to none in a control group.
A study by Maricopa Integrated Health System found that nearly one-quarter of ER patients with confirmed HIV diagnosis have acute infections and over one-quarter have advanced to AIDS. The results emphasize the importance of early detection and interventions to extend life and minimize transmission risk.
Researchers have developed a new monkey model for AIDS using pigtailed macaques, which can cause full-blown AIDS in primates. The model allows for the study of HIV-1's interaction with host antiviral defenses and has the potential to improve prevention and treatment research.
Researchers found that patients with CNSi at diagnosis were nearly three times as likely to have CNSr during treatment, which is associated with poor prognosis. However, CNSi did not appear to impact overall survival, suggesting a need for improved diagnostic tools and treatments.
Researchers found that people infected with HIV who have low cholesterol levels in their immune cells experience slower disease progression. The study suggests that this inherited trait may affect the body's ability to transmit the virus to other cells, leading to a slower progression of AIDS.
The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation is launching a three-year training program for nurse midwife technicians in rural Malawi to address the critical shortage of health care workers. The program aims to provide quality HIV and health services to rural communities, with support from the US CDC through PEPFAR.
A new diagnostic tool has been developed to identify children with emotional behavior disorders, including those orphaned by HIV/AIDS. The study found that poverty may wash out any effects of AIDS on the children's mental health, and that community-based organizations need training to respond to their needs.
A recent study found that mortality from viral hepatitis is significantly higher than from HIV/AIDS across EU countries. In 2010, there were nearly 90,000 deaths due to hepatitis C and nearly 31,000 deaths due to hepatitis B, compared to just over 8,000 deaths from HIV/AIDS.
A new study published in AIDS Care found that pressure from counselors and perceived ineffectiveness of interventions can deter young adults from returning for follow-up sessions. The study suggests that tailoring interventions to individual needs, including delivering personalized information about HIV risk, can improve retention rates.
The Miriam Hospital will continue to conduct HIV/AIDS research and provide treatments under the NIH grant, which has supported studies since 2000. The grant renewal allows for further investigation into novel therapeutic interventions and reduced pill burden for treatment-experienced patients.
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has a profound impact on vulnerable Americans living with HIV/AIDS, significantly reducing the transmission of the disease and improving treatment outcomes. Early treatment initiation is crucial in preventing new cases and mortality, with estimated cost savings of $80 billion from 1996 to 2009.
The University of North Carolina has received a seven-year, $40 million award from the NIH for its Global HIV Prevention and Treatment Clinical Trials Unit. The unit will lead research on HIV treatment, prevention, and cure, with a focus on high-risk populations in the US and sub-Saharan Africa.
A recent study by New York University researchers found that programs for people who use drugs, such as syringe exchange and treatment, are associated with lower rates of AIDS incidence and death among heterosexuals. The study highlights the importance of addressing HIV epidemics in one population to reduce risks in other populations.
Chronic THC administration has been shown to increase survival of T cell populations and reduce overall cell death in the gut of monkeys infected with simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV). This finding suggests that marijuana may have a protective effect against HIV-related inflammation and disease progression.
Hoosen Coovadia, a South African pediatrician and research scientist, has been recognized for his unwavering commitment to sound science guiding public policy. He was awarded the 2013 AAAS Scientific Freedom and Responsibility Award for defying government opposition on HIV/AIDS issues.
A safe and effective HIV vaccine is necessary to control and potentially end the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Recent scientific advances offer promising areas for further exploration, including the discovery of broadly neutralizing antibodies and improved understanding of T-cell responses.
A safe and effective HIV vaccine is necessary to control and end the AIDS pandemic, according to a new commentary by NIAID Director Anthony S. Fauci. Recent advances in understanding broadly neutralizing antibodies and T-cell responses offer promising areas for further exploration.
A group of experts warn that high blood pressure could be as devastating to global health as HIV, with potentially more deaths over the next 20 years. Despite similarities between the two conditions, there is 'denial' and misunderstanding about hypertension's impact, hindering effective treatment and management.
Scientists at UC Berkeley and NIH have captured a high-resolution snapshot of the Nef protein, which hijacks host proteins to facilitate HIV's lethality. By blocking a promising target on host protein AP2, researchers aim to slow or stop HIV.
The UTSA Institute for Health Disparities Research and the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio will provide comprehensive services to young minority adults through the Oh Snap! program. The program aims to reduce substance abuse and HIV/AIDS transmission among 18-24 year olds in the greater San Antonio region.
The university's AIDS Clinical Trials Unit will conduct human studies to advance knowledge of HIV-related diseases, prevention, and treatment. The award supports the development of effective methods to prevent HIV infection and fine-tune treatments for patients, aiming to improve life expectancy and quality of life.
A team led by The Wistar Institute will conduct a 4-year, randomized clinical trial to test an immunotherapy strategy that has shown promise in reducing the amount of persistent HIV-1 virus residing in cells. The trial aims to establish the effectiveness of this approach in advancing an HIV cure.
Researchers at Gladstone Institutes have identified the precise chain of molecular events driving CD4 T cell death in HIV-infected individuals, leading to AIDS. They also discovered an existing anti-inflammatory drug that blocks this process, paving the way for a Phase 2 clinical trial.
The AIDS Clinical Trial Group (ACTG) Network has received a seven-year, $140 million NIH grant to support its ongoing research. The funding will enable the network to conduct clinical trials in resource-limited settings and develop novel therapeutic interventions for HIV-associated inflammation.
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) has named leadership groups and clinical trials units to lead the restructuring of HIV/AIDS clinical trials networks. The new structure aims to increase collaboration, expand research scope to include co-infections, and create transparent mechanisms for idea solicitation.
CONRAD and Eastern Virginia Medical School will receive $80 million in funding to develop new HIV prevention products, including microbicides and objective measures of adherence. The project aims to address the high risk of HIV infection among young women in South Africa.
A new aggressive HIV strain, A3/02, has been identified in West Africa and is associated with a shorter period of five years from infection to AIDS development. The study also highlights the increasing global spread of recombinant HIV forms, which can be more vigorous and aggressive than traditional strains.
Research found strong partner communication about HIV and being in a committed relationship are key predictors of HIV testing among teens. High HIV knowledge was not associated with increased testing rates.
Key findings include the potential for affordable bridge therapy, a potential solution for those on ART developing aging-related diseases, and a possible clearing of the latent reservoir that could contribute to a cure. A vaccine is also being explored, with promising avenues including monoclonal broadly neutralizing antibodies.
South Africa has made significant progress in reducing child mortality rates, mainly due to improved HIV/AIDS care. The country's under-five mortality rate has decreased by six to 10 percent per year since 2006, with the proportion of deaths due to AIDS falling from 39% to between 11 and 24%.
A MU researcher found that certain types of stories in patient decision-aids can inform patients' decisions without influencing their choices. Process narratives helped women search for information, while experience narratives improved their ability to envision treatment outcomes and evaluate their decisions more favorably.
A new study by St. Michael's Hospital finds that milder forms of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) persist despite the decline in severe cases with combination antiretroviral therapy. Effective screening tests for mild HAND are lacking, affecting up to 50-60% of people living with HIV and AIDS.
A recent study by La Jolla Institute scientist Shane Crotty found that follicular helper T (Tfh) cells play a key role in generating broad neutralizing antibodies against HIV. The research showed a correlation between Tfh cell levels and antibody response, suggesting these cells may serve as an indicator for vaccine development.
Researchers at Oregon Health & Science University have developed an HIV/AIDS vaccine candidate that appears to completely clear the AIDS-causing virus from the body. The vaccine uses a modified form of cytomegalovirus to generate T-cells capable of targeting and eliminating infected cells.
Prostratin and bryostatin show promise as effective treatments for HIV/AIDS, Alzheimer's disease, and resistant cancer. Prostratin flushes out HIV from its cellular sanctuaries, while analogs of bryostatin are up to 1,000-fold more potent in doing so.
Three NIH scientists, Drs. Warner Greene, Richard Sutton, and Timothy Cardozo, receive $500,000 each to support groundbreaking HIV/AIDS research. Their projects focus on modifying the immune response to prevent further CD4 T-cell loss, identifying protective genes against HIV infection, and developing a combined cocaine/HIV vaccine.
The study found that between 2006 and 2010, HIV/AIDS deaths increased in 98 countries, with a growing share of the burden shifting from Eastern Africa to Southeast Asia and the Caribbean. Meanwhile, countries where HIV/AIDS is not the leading cause of disease burden saw a larger share of the overall burden.
The LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans School of Dentistry has been awarded a $1.8 million grant to educate dental students about caring for HIV/AIDS patients and provide dental services to this population. Over 2,000 patients received dental care last year alone, with thousands more provided since the program's inception.
The University of South Florida is adapting a proven program to reduce sexual risk behavior among African-American college women. The study aims to test if this tailored approach helps reduce HIV/AIDS risk, which disproportionately affects young black women.
A new study published in JAMA Internal Medicine found that decision aids increased men's knowledge and reduced conflict about PSA screening, but did not impact their decisions. The tools were equally effective in improving knowledge and reducing decisional conflict.
A study found that both web-based and print-based decision aids significantly improved prostate cancer knowledge and reduced decisional conflict among patients. The tools offered flexibility for patients and providers, with increased satisfaction reported among those using print decision aids up to 13 months after treatment.
The study aims to determine end-of-life needs and available services for HIV/AIDS patients in Appalachian regions. The researchers will examine factors such as poverty, lack of health services, and stigma, and develop targeted interventions to address discrepancies.
Researchers found that approximately 13% of smokers used e-cigarettes as a means of quitting, with younger smokers more likely to use them. E-cigarette users were also found to be more motivated to quit smoking compared to those who tried other cessation aids.
A team of researchers has developed a strategy for inducing a key part of an effective immune response to HIV by tracing the evolution of HIV-recognizing molecules. The study suggests that a future vaccine against HIV could combine multiple biological components to give broad protection against the virus.
A University of Missouri researcher has developed an intervention to help adults with hearing impairments acclimate to hearing aids. The intervention aims to reduce the stigma associated with wearing hearing aids and increase their use among this population.
A study by UC Riverside sociologist Augustine Kposowa found that married men are significantly less likely to die of HIV/AIDS than divorced or single counterparts. In contrast, racial disparities persist, with African-American and Latina women facing higher mortality rates than white women.
A new intervention program in rural India has shown significant improvements in HIV/AIDS patients' lives by training lay women as social health activists. The program improved therapy adherence, immune-cell counts, and nutrition levels among patients.
A University of Missouri researcher studied how stories influence patients' decision-making when behavior change is not the desired outcome. The study found that including patient stories in decision aids can make them more trustworthy and emotional, but may not affect treatment choice.
A new study found that injection drug users living with HIV/AIDS who were food insecure at the start of life-prolonging antiretroviral therapy were twice as likely to die compared to those who were food secure. Researchers also found that hunger was not a primary cause of mortality in this population.
A New York City program successfully located 689 out of 797 HIV-positive patients who were presumed lost to follow-up, with 77% of these patients accepting appointments at an HIV clinic and 57% returning to treatment. The effort aimed to re-engage patients in care and identify new cases of HIV infection among their sexual partners.
A University of Michigan study found that despite strong recommendations to use decision aids, there is a lack of evidence on whether they work effectively. The researchers reviewed 73 decision aids for breast, cervical, colon, and prostate cancers but only half were evaluated for subsequent screening behavior.
The University of Rochester has been designated a Center for AIDS Research by the National Institutes of Health, with $7.5 million in new funding to advance HIV/AIDS research. The CFAR will focus on brain and aging effects, as well as RNA biology, with collaborations between departments.
A simple training program can improve early-childhood development in children of AIDS patients by teaching caregivers how to support their children's social skills and cognitive abilities. The study found that these children made significant gains in language learning, memory, and overall cognitive skills after receiving the training.
A study published in AIDS journal reports that patients with undetectable viral loads and near-normal immune cell counts on antiretroviral therapy have similar mortality rates to the general population. However, those with lower CD4+ cell counts were at increased risk of death.
Two important studies published in the March issue of AIDS found that current CDC HIV screening guidelines may be too conservative, especially for low-risk groups, and that heavy drinking leads to increased HIV risk for men who have sex with men. The studies suggest that frequent testing and addressing risky behaviors can help prevent ...
A new study at UT Dallas is investigating whether hearing aids can improve balance and prevent falls in people with hearing impairments. The research project aims to identify individuals at risk of falling and evaluate the effects of different hearing aid technologies on balance and gait.
Decision aids are being reevaluated to determine when it's acceptable to provide a
A network of steroid molecules found in the brain is disrupted during HIV infection, leading to brain damage. Treatment with DHEA-S has been shown to prevent neuronal damage and reduce neurovirulence.
A study found that moderate gum disease exacerbated infection and inflammation in a monkey model of AIDS, potentially slowing treatment effects. Researchers emphasize the importance of controlling mild mouth inflammation due to its negative implications on long-term disease progression.
A UCLA-led study found that older adults' general mistrust of the government and AIDS-related conspiracy theories significantly impact their willingness to get tested for HIV. Despite venues offering free testing, 45% of participants had not taken an HIV test in the past year.