Articles tagged with Human Immunodeficiency Virus
Researchers focus on HIV cure research, highlighting the need for proactive outreach programs to prevent transmission in injecting drug users. The conference also emphasizes the importance of improving maternal and child health in sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia.
A global study of real-world circumcision rollout in South Africa found a marked reduction (>60 percent) of HIV acquisition among circumcised adult men. This is the first time such a large-scale community-level intervention has shown effectiveness in curbing HIV transmission.
The International AIDS Society will launch a Virtual Knowledge Centre to improve knowledge and strengthened operations research capacity for HIV/OST programmes in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The centre aims to create an increased Russian-language evidence base around OST, harm reduction, and HIV.
Boston Medical Center has received a grant to expand its HIV/AIDS clinic and provide more comprehensive case management services. The new facility will enable collaboration between infectious diseases and primary care departments, improving the quality of care for patients with HIV/AIDS.
DNDi has launched a new programme to develop paediatric HIV treatments, focusing on improving dosing, tolerability and affordability. The initiative aims to fill the unmet treatment gap for millions of children with HIV/AIDS in low- and middle-income countries.
A large-scale study reveals that patients in Africa receiving cART for HIV can expect a near-normal lifespan, with females living longer than males. Early initiation of treatment is associated with longer life expectancy, highlighting the need for continued investment in HIV programming.
The Rome Statement for an HIV Cure aims to accelerate HIV cure research by building a global consensus on the state of HIV reservoirs and defining scientific priorities. The strategy recognizes the importance of developing a safe, accessible, and scalable HIV cure as a therapeutic and preventive strategy against HIV infection.
The HPTN 052 study found that early initiation of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) significantly reduces the risk of HIV transmission to uninfected partners, with a 96% reduction in transmissions. Early cART also benefits the infected individual by maintaining higher CD4 counts and reducing HIV-related illnesses or death.
The success of antiretroviral-based HIV prevention, including pre-exposure prophylaxis and treatment for prevention, has transformed the landscape. Effective prevention strategies focus on implementation challenges such as HIV testing, mother-to-child transmission, and behavioural approaches.
The International AIDS Society advocates for an expanded global HIV strategy that incorporates 'Treatment as Prevention' to reduce transmission and prevent the onset of AIDS. This approach promotes widespread HIV testing and facilitated access to free treatment for all medically eligible individuals.
A new study published in The Lancet found that the number of sexual partners, rather than concurrent partnerships, is strongly predictive of HIV transmission in women. Researchers analyzed data from over 87,000 individuals in South Africa and found that men with multiple lifetime partners were more likely to transmit HIV.
The IAS and NIDA have awarded fellowships to young researchers from China and Indonesia to study the linkages between drug use and HIV. The fellowships will support research in clinical science, law, and public health to improve strategies targeting HIV infections related to drug use.
A new study led by Johns Hopkins researchers found that community members link adolescent girls' increased HIV vulnerability to weak structural support systems. The study's findings highlight the need for policies and interventions to strengthen cultural, economic, educational, and legal structures to protect girls.
The Gladstone Institutes will explore the molecular basis of HIV latency and develop inhibitors against cellular proteins to potentially cure HIV-infected patients. The funding is part of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases' Martin Delaney Collaboratory initiative.
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) has awarded over $14 million in grants to three research teams focused on developing strategies to eradicate HIV reservoirs. The grants aim to develop proteins that directly attack these reservoirs, as well as study immune cells' resistance to the virus.
The International AIDS Society announced six winners of prestigious scientific awards to be presented at the 6th IAS Conference on HIV Pathogenesis, Treatment and Prevention. These awards recognize innovative HIV research throughout the world, highlighting the challenges faced by women and girls in the epidemic.
A team of researchers led by UCSF and the Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute aim to eradicate HIV from the body using a combination regimen. They will define HIV's reservoir, understand its creation and maintenance, and test potential treatments.
A new mathematical model predicts the location of mutations that lead to HIV-drug resistance, providing a potential solution to improve anti-HIV drug design. The study suggests that understanding these physical properties and interactions can help develop better strategies for combating the virus.
Researchers found that patients treated with antiretroviral drugs, particularly NRTIs, develop damaged mitochondria similar to those of aged individuals. This damage accelerates the accumulation of errors in mitochondrial DNA, leading to premature aging. The study highlights the need to repair or stall this damage and explores the pote...
Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine found that measuring carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT) biomarker was a poor method for detecting unhealthy drinking among HIV-infected adults. The study suggests that CDT is not sufficiently sensitive for use in screening for unhealthy alcohol use in people with HIV infection.
New HIV incidence assays have the potential to revolutionize AIDS prevention efforts by offering accurate and efficient methods for tracking recent HIV infections. These innovative tests could help target high-risk populations more effectively, ultimately reducing the spread of HIV.
Kinsley French receives NSF Research Fellowship to study protein aggregates and HIV transmission. Her research aims to understand how aggregates form, laying the groundwork for developing a new therapeutic against HIV transmission.
Researchers have found that people with HIV can be safely treated with cancer therapies without adverse interactions. The study, conducted by the AIDS Malignancy Consortium, explores potential interactions between highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART) and newer targeted cancer drugs.
A new HIV investment model is proposed to achieve a more targeted and strategic approach to HIV/AIDS funding. The model would require 30% more funding, estimated at $22 billion annually by 2015, to avoid 12.2 million new infections and 7.4 million deaths between 2011 and 2020.
A new study from North Carolina State University explores the complexities of discussing safer sex with transgender individuals, revealing high HIV prevalence rates and difficulties in communication. The research aims to provide more effective safer sex outreach tools for the community.
Researchers found that college students were more likely to talk about sexual health issues with their partners after watching a Sex and the City episode featuring Samantha and Miranda. The study showed that viewers modeled their behavior after the TV characters, having these conversations in their own lives. Almost half of participant...
New Northwestern University research finds that gay young men in serious relationships are six times more likely to engage in unprotected sex than their casual counterparts. The study highlights the need for targeted HIV prevention efforts towards this population, who account for nearly 70% of all new diagnoses.
Drs. Fauci and Dieffenbach emphasize the importance of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in controlling HIV transmission, with early treatment preventing 96% of transmission in a clinical trial. They also highlight the need for a cure and new biomedical prevention therapies to ultimately end the epidemic.
Researchers estimate 500 HIV-infected, but otherwise healthy deceased donors per year could donate organs due to federal ban. Reversing the ban could improve survival rates and reduce wait times for HIV-infected patients with kidney or liver failure.
China's nationwide HIV treatment coverage has increased to 63.4%, while mortality among eligible patients has fallen by 60%. However, targeting injecting drug users, those infected sexually, and men remains crucial for further improvement.
Humanized BLT mice, created with human bone marrow, liver, and thymus tissues, have been shown to reproduce the design of a recent clinical study on topical microbicide tenofovir. The results demonstrate 88% protection against vaginal HIV transmission, warranting consideration for future testing in people.
Researchers developed CD4 aptamer-siRNA chimeras that inhibit HIV infection in primary cells and humanized mice. These agents protect against vaginal transmission of HIV when applied vaginally to humanized mice.
Researchers have developed a novel, topically-applied molecular microbicide that uses RNA interference (RNAi) to prevent HIV transmission. The microbicide was tested in mice and found to provide long-lasting protection against HIV infection, opening the door to developing an intravaginal microbicide for women's protection.
A UNC-led study found that early initiation of antiretroviral treatment in people infected with HIV can prevent them from transmitting the virus to their partners. The study showed a 96% reduction in HIV transmission to partners among those treated promptly, highlighting the critical impact of early treatment on preventing the spread o...
Researchers at Oregon Health & Science University have developed a vaccine candidate that programs the immune system to respond swiftly to HIV, with over half of monkeys showing control over virus replication. The vaccine candidate has been shown to maintain control for over a year, outperforming antiretroviral therapy in clearing the ...
Researchers at the Ragon Institute identified variations in peptide stability that alter targeting of infected cells by CD8 T cells. The study found that specific mutations can reduce peptide stability, impairing immune response and increasing HIV resistance.
A new study from the Bradley Hasbro Children's Research Center suggests that teens who are offered free or low-cost rapid HIV testing are often willing to accept the test. The study found that 53% of teens in the age group accepted the test, with African-American teens more likely to agree.
Researchers found that HIV evolves to evade ADCC antibodies, but these antibodies can force the virus to become weaker. This study suggests that inducing ADCC responses through a vaccine could help prevent HIV infection.
A new study found that adding community mobilization activities and post-test psychosocial support services to easily accessible HIV counseling and testing programs improved initial and repeat testing rates significantly. The project detected almost four times as many HIV cases in community-based areas than clinic-only programs.
Young black gay men are more likely to contract HIV due to their preference for masculine partners and misconceptions about HIV risk. Researchers found that these men perceive masculine men as lower risk, leading to increased unprotected sex with partners whose HIV status they often miscalculate.
A study found that young black males with male partners have twice the number of new HIV infections as other demographics, likely due to cultural beliefs about masculinity influencing condom use and HIV risk assessment. These cultural norms may lead to increased risk behavior with perceived 'masculine' partners.
A new study in South Africa found that HIV-positive individuals take almost as much risk in their sexual behavior when they know their partner is HIV-negative or don't know their status, as when they know their partner is already infected. Couples-based HIV counseling is recommended to address this issue and reduce transmission.
Researchers tested an intervention targeting multiple health-related behaviors in African American couples where one partner is HIV-positive. The study found that the intervention led to increased fruit and vegetable consumption, physical activity, and cancer screenings among participants.
Researchers have discovered TRIM5's mechanism of preventing HIV multiplication, which opens up new prospects for fighting the virus in humans. The protein triggers an immune response and stimulates the production of signal molecules to eliminate infected cells.
A University of Minnesota scientist has been awarded a five-year, $10 million grant to study the human antiviral protein APOBEC3G and its potential to treat HIV and other viral diseases. By producing atomic resolution images of the protein, researchers hope to develop novel methods to alter it for therapeutic use.
Researchers found that higher levels of HIV-1 in genital secretions are associated with a greater risk of transmission between opposite-sex couples, independent of blood levels. The study's findings offer insight into the biology of infection spread and suggest new strategies for prevention.
Researchers discovered that HIV envelope protein complex can be exposed to raise more broadly cross-reactive antibodies against HIV. This finding could lead to the development of effective vaccines against HIV and AIDS.
Researchers estimate that lifting the ban on HIV-infected organ donation could provide transplants to 500 patients annually. The study suggests that this change would not only benefit HIV-positive patients but also reduce waiting times for non-HIV infected patients.
A telemedicine program called Hospital VIHrtual has been shown to provide comprehensive control over HIV-infected patients in medical, pharmaceutical, psychological, and quality of life aspects. The virtual hospital allows for efficient management of stable HIV patients, reducing costs and time spent on travel and waiting for visits.
Elevated p21 protein levels in natural HIV controllers effectively suppress key viral life cycle steps. This ability is associated with increased p21 expression and may be linked to shared mechanisms of immune defense against cancer and HIV.
The American Thoracic Society's report highlights the evolving landscape of HIV-associated pulmonary disease, including increased chronic lung diseases and new syndromes associated with antiretroviral therapy. Clinicians face a wider range of HIV-associated diseases, emphasizing the need for continued research and treatment modalities.
A 6-month daily dose of the antiretroviral drug nevirapine significantly reduced HIV transmission through breast milk to infants of HIV-infected mothers. The extended regimen achieved a 54% reduction in HIV transmission risk compared to six-week treatment, while preserving health benefits of extended breastfeeding.
Researchers have discovered that adding one or two drugs to the standard ZDV treatment can significantly reduce the risk of HIV transmission from mother to infant. The study found that treatment with two and three drug regimens reduced HIV transmission by more than 50%.
A study published in PLoS Medicine found that intensive adherence counseling significantly reduces poor adherence and virologic treatment failure in patients with HIV. Patients receiving counseling were 29% less likely to experience poor adherence, and those receiving early counseling had a 59% lower risk of viral failure.
A randomized controlled trial found that intensive adherence counseling reduces poor adherence and virologic treatment failure by up to 59%. Counseling also had no significant effect on mortality or CD4 counts. The study suggests that adherence counseling should be implemented in HIV clinics caring for large numbers of patients.
Researchers investigated the risks of starting antiretroviral therapy in HIV-infected patients with TB, finding that early ART may not reduce AIDS risk for those with fewer than 250 CD4+ T cells. Microbicide studies showed promise with rectally applied tenofovir gel reducing HIV infection risk in men and women.
A modeling analysis suggests that a combination of methadone substitution therapy and anti-retroviral treatment would have the greatest effect on reducing new infections and improving quality of life. Providing drug-substitution to just 25% of intravenous drug users today could lower HIV prevalence considerably.
A University of Missouri project empowers women living with HIV to make changes by taking pictures and documenting their lives. The photos help identify social, mental, and physical challenges and possible solutions, enabling the women to resolve issues such as difficult housing situations.
A Phase II trial found that tenofovir gel achieved a more than 100-times higher concentration of active drug in vaginal tissue compared to the oral tablet. Most US women preferred the oral tablet, while African women favored the gel and tablet equally. The study's findings will be better understood in the context of VOICE results.
Researchers have reformedulated tenofovir gel to make it safe and effective for rectal use, with laboratory tests showing reduced harm to the lining of the rectum and comparable HIV protection. The reformulated gel is now being tested in clinical trials to address concerns about comfort and side effects.