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HIV/AIDS
England on track to achieve elimination of HIV transmission by 2030
The annual number of new HIV infections among men who have sex with men in England is likely to have fallen dramatically, from 2,770...
High rates of cervical cancer found in women living with HIV
Spotlight reports that a study recently published in The Lancet medical journal found that women living with HIV made up an estimated 63.4% of...
A blood test to find those at high risk of TB in people living with HIV
Researchers from the South African Tuberculosis Vaccine Initiative at the University of Cape Town, the Aurum Institute, the Centre for the AIDS Programme of...
Lenacapavir demonstrates efficacy in people with highly resistant HIV
Lenacapavir, an experimental HIV capsid inhibitor, led to rapid viral load reduction in highly treatment-experienced people with multidrug-resistant virus, according to a study presented...
A rapid review of CROI 2021 Virtual
Dr Paul Sax, a contributing editor at the NEJM Journal Watch Infectious Diseases writes:
For a few years in the early 2010s, the Conference on...
Significant increase in taking HIV meds using home delivery model in SA
Home delivery of HIV medicines in South Africa significantly increased viral suppression compared to those who received clinical care, according to a study by...
First-in-human clinical trial confirms new HIV vaccine approach
A phase 1 clinical trial testing a novel vaccine approach to prevent HIV has produced promising results, IAVI and Scripps Research have announced. The...
Universal access to preventive drugs could reduce HIV incidence in sub-Saharan Africa
Universal HIV testing with linkage to treatment and prevention may be a promising approach to accelerate reductions in new infections in generalized epidemic settings,...
FDA approves monthly injectable Cabenuva to treat HIV
In a move that could transform HIV treatment, the US Food and Drug Administration has approved a monthly injectable medication, a regimen designed to...
Sexually transmitted LGV reaches record levels in England
Diagnoses of the sexually transmitted infection lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV) in England reached record levels in 2019, with almost all cases involving gay and bisexual...
Study's findings on rape survivors' long-term risk of HIV also has legal implications
A SA Medical Research Council study – with important legal implications – has shown that female rape survivors are 60% more likely to contract...
Respiratory problems and bronchitis more common in people with HIV
There are higher rates of poor respiratory health in people ageing with HIV than in carefully matched HIV-negative people, with symptoms strongly associated with...
Trial stopped: Long-acting injectable highly effective in preventing HIV in women
One of the most eagerly awaited HIV study findings, that of an injection every two months that can prevents HIV infection in women, became...
New HIV diagnoses among UK gay and bisexual men at 20-year low
New diagnoses of HIV among gay and bisexual men have dropped to their lowest level in 20 years, according to a report from Public...
Diabetes drug may aid weight loss in people with HIV
Metformin, a drug used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes, may have a role in reversing weight gain in people with HIV on...
Meta-analysis shows lower incidence of prostate cancer in men living with HIV
Rates of prostate cancer are approximately 25% lower among men living with HIV compared to men in the general population, Aidsmap reports a research...
WHO: Meta-analysis as to optimal first-line HIV medication
A study published by The Lancet is set to change international treatment recommendations for people who are newly diagnosed with HIV – an update...
Islatravir plus doravirine demonstrates high potency and tolerability
Islatravir, the first of a new class of antiretrovirals, continued to demonstrate high potency and good tolerability at 96 weeks when combined with doravirine...
First in vitro view reveals essential steps for causing AIDS
Accomplishing a feat that had been a pipe dream for decades, scientists have recreated in a test tube the first steps of infection by...
A switch to TAF-based cART more common than dual therapy
A consistent proportion of people with HIV are switching from tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF)-based therapy to other alternative regimens, according to a study by...
Community-based ART improves viral suppression rates in men
A study in South Africa and Uganda that compared community-based with clinic-based antiretroviral treatment (ART) services found community-based services led to significantly more people,...
Preventive drug regimen in at-risk group increases PrEP uptake — Eswatini
A promotional programme designed to educate patients on HIV risk and prevention saw use of a preventive drug regimen among at-risk groups in Africa...
Suicidal thoughts remain a pressing concern among PLWH
In recent years, remarkable achievements in HIV testing and antiretroviral therapies have improved the detection, management, and care of persons living with HIV (PLWH)....
Zambia's targeted testing initiative finds one in four men testing positive
An innovative initiative that combined community-based HIV testing with 'index testing' – where people who test positive are supported to inform their sexual partners...
Small financial incentives can improve HIV patient retention and care
A study conducted by researchers from the University of California Berkeley School of Public Health shows that providing cash incentives for HIV-positive adults undergoing...
Adult doses of dolutegravir can be used with children of 20k or more
The pharmacokinetics (how the body absorbs, distributes, metabolises and excretes drugs) of adult dolutegravir 50mg tablets given to children living with HIV weighing 20kg...
Differentiated models of care needed for first six-months of ART
With many HIV treatment programmes in sub-Saharan Africa still expecting new patients to attend a clinic monthly for their first six months of antiretroviral...
HIV infection despite apparently adequate adherence to PrEP
Two reports of HIV infection occurring despite apparent adequate adherence to PrEP, confirmed by drug level testing, are the first reliably-documented cases to be...
Drug resistance development with darunavir
HIV-1 protease inhibitor darunavir is rarely associated with drug resistance development, according to a study by researchers at Janssen Pharmaceutica Belgium.
Reduced antiretroviral treatment effectiveness...
Novel gene-sequencing probes to investigate 'elite controllers'
A study has used novel gene-sequencing probes to investigate exactly how the one in 200 people with HIV who are so-called “elite controllers” manage...
Half of South Africans who needed a repeat viral load test received it late
The first national analysis of repeat viral load testing in South Africa finds that 85% of people on HIV treatment, with increasing viral loads,...
Further studies link dolutegravir to weight gain
A growing body of evidence continues to show that people who use the integrase inhibitor dolutegravir are more likely to gain weight after starting...
TB drugs and ARVs decrease mortality in people with HIV
In patients with HIV and multidrug-resistant tuberculosis, the use of antiretroviral therapy (ART) and more effective anti-tuberculosis drugs was associated with lower odds of...
Integrase inhibitors and reduction in prevalence of potential drug-drug interactions
The introduction of integrase inhibitors has been accompanied by a reduction in the prevalence of potential drug-drug interactions among people with HIV taking antiretrovirals...
EMA position on vaginal ring paves the way for its adoption
On 24 July, fittingly just days before the start of Women’s Month in South Africa, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) delivered a positive opinion...
The top treatment stories out of AIDS 2020 conference
AIDS 2020, the 23rd International AIDS Conference was held virtually this year due to social distancing and the coronavirus and Aidsmap has selected the top treatment...
PrEP adherence demonstrated with urine tenofovir novel immunoassay
A novel immunoassay that measures urine tenofovir levels has high predictive utility and may adequately determine pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) adherence and predict HIV protection,...
Follow-up finds dolutegravir use at conception not tied to neural tube defects in infants
Contradicting 2018 interim findings that dolutegravir use in pregnancy increased the risk of the rare birth defects, a Botswana follow-up study found no significant difference...
NEJM: Review of some 23rd International AIDS Conference highlights
Long-acting injectable cabotegravir is superior to TDF/FTC for pre-exposure prophylaxis in MSM and transgender women: Sure, we’ve known some of these results of HPTN...
Recycling tenofovir better than switch to second-line zidovudine
Retaining tenofovir after the failure of first-line treatment rather than replacing it with zidovudine was associated with better retention in care, better adherence and...