Is less than 95% adherence to NNRTIs good enough to lead to viral suppression?

http://www.aidsmap.com/en/news/4007926C-60CE-4A3D-9CB5-69753377ED26.asp?hp=1

Adherence to nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) regimens does not need to be perfect to push a viral load below 400 copies/mL, according to results from a study of indigent San Franciscans presented at the 12th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections in Boston, Massachusetts. But shaky adherence to a single (unboosted) protease inhibitor (PI) regimen greatly lowered the chance of viral suppression in this group.

Pre-exposure prophylaxis may only offer limited benefit

http://www.aidsmap.com/en/news/F4EFF025-193B-4459-B3FC-AA5BD7096C71.asp?hp=1

A trial of tenofovir as pre-exposure prophylaxis against rectal exposure to HIV in rhesus monkeys has produced disappointing results, the 12th Retrovirus Conference was told on its final day in Boston.

Vanguard treatment programmes pave the way to scale up

http://www.aidsmap.com/en/news/F0362CA9-E3EE-463D-BF3B-0EA1EB4F6FFF.asp?hp=1

"Over the past couple years, there has been a confluence of events and most importantly, the determination to meet the ethical, social and medical imperative to actually provide access to care and treatment to the millions of people living with HIV."

Little difference in child transmission rates between formula feed and breast-plus-AZT

http://www.aidsmap.com/en/news/86A77A75-6B10-4542-9775-247C880EE382.asp?hp=1

Two studies presented on Thursday at the Twelfth Annual Retrovirus Conference in Boston have shown that the use of prophylaxis in babies breast-fed by HIV-positive mothers can reduce HIV transmission to comparable rates to formula-fed babies. However, this approach can increase the risk of the child developing resistance to the drugs used, at least temporarily.

Pregnant women with CD4 cell counts over 250 not at greater risk of nevirapine-related toxicity in Kenyan study

http://www.aidsmap.com/en/news/B89949C7-C2FC-4207-87B7-7E621A5EF406.asp?hp=1

A Kenyan study of nevirapine (Viramune) in pregnant women, most of whom had relatively high CD4 cell counts, has observed that the incidence of liver toxicity and serious allergic reactions is similar to that seen in other nevirapine trials. The study, reported this week at the Twelfth Annual Retrovirus Conference in Boston observed slightly more nevirapine toxicity in women with lower CD4 cell counts.

Three trials bring African mother to child transmission down to four per cent; WHO vows to reconsider guidelines

http://www.aidsmap.com/en/news/819CD092-3764-4C00-9C68-66E9BA35AA9D.asp?hp=1

Three trials of various regimens of nevirapine plus NRTIs to prevent mother-to-baby transmission of HIV have brought the infection rate among newborn babies down to between below five per cent, the 12th Retrovirus Conference in Boston heard on Thursday.

Six- and nine-month courses of TB treatment equivalent in Indian HIV-positive patients

http://www.aidsmap.com/en/news/F093DBCD-70F6-499B-8631-D718F74E3952.asp?hp=1

A six-month course of tuberculosis (TB) treatment resulted in a similar cure rate to a nine-month course in HIV-positive patients in India, according to a study presented on Friday at the Twelfth Annual Retrovirus Conference in Boston. This suggests that this approach may help to reduce the cost of TB treatment in resource-limited settings with a high prevalence of HIV.

Single-dose nevirapine reduces HIV transmission in second delivery

http://www.aidsmap.com/en/news/0507DD7B-0FD6-4A3F-BB67-5E71638EE5EC.asp?hp=1

HIV-positive mothers who have previously used single-dose nevirapine to prevent passing on HIV to their baby during delivery can use the same procedure to prevent transmission in a second delivery, according to the results of a pilot study presented on Thursday at the Twelfth Annual Retrovirus Conference in Boston.

Pregnancy doubles the risk of HIV infection

http://www.aidsmap.com/en/news/2FFFA96F-EF36-42C2-8BBF-8EE2291C75DB.asp?hp=1

Women are more vulnerable to HIV infection when they are pregnant, with an infection rate more than double that among other women, a study from Uganda has found.

Long-term CD4 increase on HAART averages 250-350 cells, plateaus after 3-4 years

http://www.aidsmap.com/en/news/25878359-FEA1-4747-976A-64EF54A65D30.asp?hp=1

A series of four poster presentations at the 12th Retrovirus Conference looked at the immune recovery of patients staying on HAART for periods of between three and seven years and found that the average CD4 count increase achievable on HAART appears to be in the region of 350. They found median CD4 increases varying from 230 over 3.6 years in a Spanish study to 337 over 4.75 years in a French one.

The 'New York case': details revealed at Boston conference

http://www.aidsmap.com/en/news/49C38CB4-6D78-4B43-8503-4E9FA34F0110.asp?hp=1

In response to recent media reports about a New York man apparently infected with an 'aggressive' strain of HIV that is 'impossible to treat', attendees at the Twelfth Annual Retrovirus Conference heard what is known - and what is not known - about the case, at an additional session on Thursday evening.

Highly sensitive method uncovers high levels of resistance in mothers given single-dose nevirapine

http://www.aidsmap.com/en/news/379A4719-2FBD-49F8-8353-E3FDFF72F567.asp?hp=1

A sophisticated laboratory test has demonstrated that single-dose nevirapine given to mothers can lead to a higher incidence of resistance than detectable by standard assays, according to three similar studies presented on Thursday at the Twelfth Annual Retrovirus Conference in Boston.

D for death, not A B or C, is main cause of decline in Ugandan HIV prevalence

http://www.aidsmap.com/en/news/269D81D6-FDC2-4745-B6BC-76CA718B2217.asp?hp=1

Mortality, not behavioural change, is the main cause of the decline in HIV prevalence seen in Uganda during the last decade, a study from the Rakai district suggests.

Fish oils can reverse high blood lipids caused by antiretrovirals

http://www.aidsmap.com/en/news/EC8DDC7F-A007-4A10-ACDC-3C70185FA5E8.asp?hp=1

Increased levels of blood lipids caused by the administration of antiretroviral drugs can be decreased by fish oil capsules, according to the results of a randomised controlled trial presented on Wednesday at the Twelfth Annual Retrovirus Conference in Boston.

NNRTI-based HAART effective in Thai children

http://www.aidsmap.com/en/news/0485BC33-D88E-4E86-81B9-265F0DBDB607.asp?hp=1

Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) based on generic non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs) is feasible and effective in treated children with advanced HIV disease in resource-limited settings, according to a presentation on Wednesday at the Twelfth Annual Retrovirus Conference in Boston.

3 x 5: South Africa, India, Nigeria `have to start moving` says WHO

http://www.aidsmap.com/en/news/77C1AB07-282C-4658-94BB-BD6F3C8BACE8.asp?hp=1

There is a strong likelihood that the World Health Organization's 3 x 5 target to get three million people onto antiretroviral treatment by the end of 2005 could fail unless governments in South Africa, India and Nigeria show greater commitment to reaching treatment targets, according to Dr Jim Kim of the World Health Organization. He was speaking on the opening day of the Twelfth Annual Retroviruses conference, held this year in Boston, USA.

South Africa completes negotiations for large-scale antiretroviral procurement

http://www.aidsmap.com/en/news/5C4983F9-7A77-491C-8FB1-D56D64590D02.asp?hp=1

On February 18, South African Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang announced that her department has completed negotiations with drug companies to supply antiretroviral drugs to state hospitals. The tenders are to be awarded "shortly."

South Africans march to accelerate rollout of antiretroviral treatment

http://www.aidsmap.com/en/news/60EC6DB0-BA24-4D12-952E-21D0240D11CF.asp?hp=1

About 5,000 protestors marched on the South African Parliament Building in Cape Town on Wednesday, February 16th, demanding that the government speed up the rollout of antiretroviral treatment (ART) to its citizens with HIV. The marchers, rallied by the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC), demanded that the government put 200,000 patients (at least ten percent of which should be children) on ART by February next year.