Research on HIV epidemiology and control. Covers prevention policy, HIV-substance use links, TB co-treatment, and clearing infection in newborns.
A 15-year international study found that HIV-1 subtype C, the most dominant form of the virus, is also the slowest to progress to AIDS. This counterintuitive finding challenges Darwinian evolutionary theory.
Researchers will examine the intersection of alcohol use and comorbidities in people living with HIV, including tuberculosis, cardiovascular disease, and falls. The five-year grants aim to improve health outcomes for alcohol-using individuals living with HIV.
Researchers at UC Riverside and Riverside University Health System found that late-HIV diagnosed individuals are more likely to transmit the virus to others due to untreated viral loads. This increased risk also leads to negative health outcomes, including premature death and opportunistic infections.
A new study reveals that some HIV-infected children control the virus by activating low levels of immune activation and producing potent antibodies. This differs from adults who develop AIDS despite effective antiretroviral therapy.
Only four in 10 gay and bisexual men in Baltimore are aware of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), a medication that reduces HIV incidence by 92 percent. Despite its effectiveness, PrEP is underused due to lack of education among healthcare providers and patients.
New research highlights age-specific approaches for caring for older adults with HIV, addressing late diagnoses, differing side effects, and comorbidities. The study offers tools like the VACS Index to guide personalized care.
Researchers developed a technology to generate mouse models quickly testing and tweaking potential HIV vaccines. The goal is to create broadly neutralizing antibodies able to fight any mutant HIV strain, which would be the 'holy grail' of AIDS vaccines.
Researchers have successfully developed new approaches to induce HIV-blocking antibodies in mice with human-like immune systems. The studies showed that a prime shot combined with booster shots of immunogens can activate precursor cells to produce neutralizing antibodies, paving the way for future clinical studies.
Scientists describe a multi-step method to produce broadly neutralizing antibodies in genetically engineered mice, which can recognize multiple HIV mutations. This approach offers a starting point for developing an HIV vaccine that could prevent infection or cure the systemic illness.
Researchers describe a potential vaccination strategy to jump-start the selection and evolution of broadly effective antibodies against HIV. They plan to test this approach in an upcoming human clinical trial, promising progress toward a human vaccine.
A new study shows early infant circumcision can be safely performed by trained nurses with low rates of adverse events. The procedure resulted in high maternal satisfaction and healed wounds within four weeks.
A single HIV mutation was found to induce two different outcomes in T cell adaptation, revealing a complex co-evolution between the virus and human immune cells. This finding has significant implications for the development of T cell-mediated AIDS vaccines.
Researchers discovered that some monkeys with depleted immune systems still had a second line of defense against tuberculosis, targeting CD8 and B cells. This finding could lead to more effective vaccines for TB, which affects people co-infected with HIV.
Scientists developed a reductionist approach to HIV vaccine design by engineering broadly neutralizing antibodies with minimized rare features. The resulting antibodies retained their specificity for HIV while exhibiting excellent neutralization breadth, offering promising leads for HIV vaccine development.
A recent study published in JAMA Cardiology found that HIV-infected adults with major depressive disorder (MDD) were more likely to experience a heart attack than those without MDD. The study, which included over 26,000 HIV-infected veterans, revealed a 30% increased risk of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in those with MDD.
Researchers at University of Colorado Anschutz developed a technique to estimate patient adherence to antiretroviral drugs. The test measures traces of PrEP medicine in dried blood samples, providing an objective way to determine consistent use.
Researchers found that nearly a third of HIV's immune target sites were 'pre-adapted' to the newly-infected partner, suggesting vaccine designers focus on conserved viral proteins. The study builds upon previous research using computer models and emphasizes the importance of finding this balance in vaccine development.
A recent study found that a UB-developed smartphone app can improve antiretroviral therapy adherence among people living with HIV. Participants reported high compliance with daily report completion, citing the app's ease of use and text reminders as key factors.
A study found that providing antiretroviral treatment (ART) to both members of a couple and offering pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to the HIV-negative partner significantly reduced HIV transmission rates, with a 96% decrease in transmission compared to expected rates.
The University of Kansas is partnering with the Peace Corps to provide custom, web-based resources to staff and volunteers in Africa. The Community Tool Box will support volunteers with research-based knowledge from disciplines such as community development and urban planning, making best practices easy to implement in the field.
Despite limited safety data, investigators face significant challenges to conducting HIV research in pregnant women, including complex ethical and legal concerns. To address these gaps, Dr. Anne Lyerly is leading the PHASES Project to develop guidance for ethically advancing HIV research in pregnant women.
A researcher at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso is on a mission to identify genes that enable HIV latentness. He plans to conduct genome-wide knockout screening to find specific genes that allow the virus to persist.
Scientists have discovered a key component of the HIV virus that it uses to infect cells while avoiding detection by the immune system. They identified iris-like pores in the capsid shell that suck in nucleotides needed for replication, explaining why HIV is successful at evading the immune system.
A study published in eLife found no significant difference in the rate of mutations leading to drug resistance between HIV-positive and negative TB patients. HIV co-infection accelerates the development of active TB but does not increase the evolution of multidrug-resistant strains.
A Binghamton University study explores how societal expectations of masculinity impact experiences of living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria. Participants who met traditional notions of masculinity reported less stigma, while those who did not fared worse.
The study highlights the importance of managing pericardial effusions, myocardial disease, pulmonary arterial hypertension, and other cardiac complications in HIV-infected patients. Clinicians must be aware of these manifestations, diagnosis, and treatment options to improve patient outcomes.
A team of researchers has developed a hybrid method to study the critical HIV protein Nef, which compromises the immune system. By combining two biophysical techniques, they gained insights into how Nef changes structure to interact with host proteins and evade the immune system.
A Tanzanian study has found that people infected with the parasitic worm W bancrofti in areas where HIV is endemic are more likely to acquire HIV. The study, published in The Lancet, suggests that controlling lymphatic filariasis could prevent incident HIV infections among the 120 million people living with this chronic infection.
Researchers found that early antiretroviral therapy significantly reduces total HIV DNA levels in the body, which may predict time to viral load rebound after treatment cessation. The study suggests that people with a smaller HIV reservoir size have a greater chance of achieving long-term HIV remission.
Researchers developed a new anti-HIV medication called EFdA, which prevents vaginal and oral transmission of HIV in pre-clinical models. The study showed that daily doses of EFdA can prevent HIV infection in mice exposed to high doses of the virus.
Researchers found that individuals with high levels of broadly neutralizing antibodies have distinct immune system variations, including autoantibodies and altered T follicular helper cells. These findings support approaches to developing an HIV vaccine by modifying the immune system to mimic these conditions.
Researchers have identified the first case of Alzheimer's disease in an HIV-positive individual, challenging existing knowledge about dementia in people with HIV. The discovery highlights the need for timely diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer's disease in this population.
A new study by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln has confirmed that certain strains of simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) can infect human cells, supporting a hypothesis that HIV originated from chimpanzee transmission. The research found that SIV strains with genetic similarities to HIV-1 M were more likely to infect humans.
Researchers at the University of North Carolina and partner institutions have made significant strides in understanding HIV latency, a key obstacle to eradicating the virus. The team has developed effective strategies, including histone deacetylase inhibitors, to reverse latency and boost the immune system.
Drs. Henry Boom and Moses Joloba at Case Western Reserve University and Makerere University, respectively, have received a $1.5 million five-year grant to strengthen Ugandan biomedical research capacity. The program aims to provide PhD-level training in microbiology and immunology to talented young Ugandan scientists.
A randomized trial in South Africa found that screening at home and immediate antiretroviral treatment reduce HIV transmission, but only 4 out of 10 seropositive people had undetectable viral loads. The study highlights the need to improve entry into healthcare systems for those diagnosed with HIV.
Researchers found that improving health facility efficiency in Kenya, Uganda, and Zambia could increase ART visits by 33% in Kenya and Zambia, and 62% in Uganda. This could support facilities seeing almost 460,000 new ART patients across the three countries.
A special supplement to JAIDS provides critical information on HIV prevalence, risk factors, and prevention strategies for transgender individuals. The research highlights the need for culturally-tailored interventions and emphasizes the importance of understanding epidemiology and behavioral approaches.
Global Burden of Disease 2015 analysis shows slow decline in new HIV infections between 2005-2015, with stagnation in recent years. Treatment coverage varies globally, with massive scale-up needed in regions like Middle East and Eastern Europe.
A new study found that the rate of new HIV infections increased in 74 countries between 2005 and 2015, posing significant challenges to ending the AIDS pandemic. Despite progress in lowering AIDS mortality, the pace of decline in new infections has slowed, with only a 0.7% drop per year between 2005 and 2015.
Researchers discovered that cells from HIV-infected people with suppressed virus harbor defective HIV DNA that can produce HIV-related proteins. This finding may explain persistent immune activation during suppressive treatment and pose a potential barrier to an HIV cure.
The monthly dapivirine vaginal ring provides significant protection against HIV infection in women, with consistent use reducing risk by at least 56%. Two open-label studies have launched to further investigate the product's efficacy and support its consistent use.
The HOPE study will build on the ASPIRE trial results, gathering more information on the dapivirine ring's safety and effectiveness in reducing HIV risk. The study aims to understand why the ring works for some women but not others.
Researchers found that using the dapivirine ring consistently provided significant protection against HIV, with high adherence associated with better HIV protection. The study's results coincide with the start of the HOPE open-label study, which will gather additional information on the ring's safety and effectiveness.
Research by Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health sheds light on the relentless spread of HIV in South African communities, particularly among adolescent girls and young women. The studies found that Prevotella bivia and Gardnerella vaginalis bacteria increase vulnerability to HIV through inflammation and pH imbalance.
The HPTN 052 study found a significant reduction in HIV transmission when the infected person starts antiretroviral therapy at a higher CD4 cell count. Researchers also discovered that 93% of HIV transmission was prevented with early treatment initiation.
Researchers have discovered how new HIV drugs work by locking the immature form of the virus in place, preventing it from maturing and infecting other cells. The study provides insights into the workings of these drugs and their resistance to mutations.
A daily PrEP pill can reduce new HIV cases among men who have sex with men (MSM) by a third in the US over 10 years if guidelines are followed, according to a modeling study. The medication is highly effective in preventing HIV infection when used consistently.
A new discovery has identified cell markers to target HIV reservoirs, opening new treatment perspectives. The study found that using antibodies specifically binding to these markers could destroy HIV reservoirs and potentially cure infected individuals by allowing them to stop antiretroviral therapy.
The National Institutes of Health has awarded $30 million in annual funding to six international collaborations working on an HIV cure. The program aims to address the virus's ability to establish a reservoir in immune cells, making it challenging to develop a cure.
Researchers from George Washington University have received a $28 million grant to develop an innovative cell therapy approach to eliminate HIV reservoirs. The project, named 'BELIEVE,' aims to enhance the immune system's ability to kill HIV-infected cells.
Researchers at UNC Chapel Hill will receive nearly $23 million over five years to study the 'kick and kill' strategy for eradicating HIV. The approach involves waking up latent viruses and boosting the immune system to recognize and clear them.
The US Army's MHRP is part of a collaborative research team awarded $4.6M per year to develop an integrated approach to finding an HIV cure. Researchers will study immune responses generated by therapeutic vaccines and broadly neutralizing antibodies.
Researchers at the University of Oxford have made breakthrough in treating HIV by targeting its dormant cells. A novel protein called ImmTAV has been shown to effectively kill latently infected cells in laboratory conditions.
A study in Uganda found that increasing community medical male circumcision and antiretroviral therapy (ART) coverage was associated with reduced community HIV incidence. Median community HIV incidence declined from 1.25 to 0.84 per 100 person-years in males, and from 1.25 to 0.99 per 100 person-years in females.
Research suggests that increasing male circumcision rates and ART coverage significantly reduces new male HIV infections in rural Ugandan communities. Communities with higher circumcision coverage saw a 39% decline in new infections, while those with higher ART coverage among women saw a 23% reduction.
A new study found that patient navigation and financial incentives were ineffective in improving HIV suppression among hospitalized patients with HIV infection and substance use. The research suggests that other approaches are needed to address the complex issues surrounding this vulnerable population.
A new study of over 800 couples found that neither gay men nor heterosexual people with HIV transmitted the virus to their partners if on suppressive antiretroviral treatment. The PARTNER study, the world's largest of its kind, monitored couples for several years and recorded no instances of transmission.
A study of nearly 1,166 HIV serodifferent couples found no documented cases of within-couple HIV transmission during a median follow-up of 1.3 years. The researchers suggest that with eligible couple-years accrued, appreciable levels of risk cannot be excluded, particularly for anal sex.
Researchers found that patient navigation with financial incentives did not improve viral suppression rates among hospitalized patients with HIV infection and substance use. Treatment as usual was more effective in achieving viral suppression, with a treatment difference of 4.5% compared to the intervention group.