Mild neuropsychiatric disorders can persist for two years after starting efavirenz

http://www.aidsmap.com/en/news/4C8F3168-DF40-46A4-9A52-9A6347B27262.asp?hp=1

Mild neuropsychiatric disturbances can persist for up to two years after starting efavirenz (Sustiva), according to a study published in the April 15th edition of the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes. However, the investigators from Spain and the Netherlands found that these neuropsychological side-effects were generally tolerable, did not affect quality of life, were not related to high levels of efavirenz in the blood, and did not lead to poorer adherence.

Extra £24 million of UK government funding for microbicide gel trial

http://www.aidsmap.com/en/news/6DF66204-F60A-4D88-8DE1-5AC1493DE7F9.asp?hp=1

The UK government is to provide an extra £24 million of funding for a trial into the safety and efficacy of an HIV microbicide.

Study in southern Mexico reports that DOTS programme can reduce the prevalence of drug resistant TB

http://www.aidsmap.com/en/news/32B08E3C-CF7C-4286-8D34-472910467BF6.asp?hp=1

A pilot tuberculosis (TB) control programme in southern Mexico achieved a high cure rate, and reduced the incidence and transmission of drug resistant TB, according to a study published in the April 2nd edition of the Lancet. The success of the programme, based on the World Health Organization's DOTS (Directly Observed Therapy-Short-course) strategy, was particularly notable because it occurred in a health district where more than a third of the cases were resistant to at least one TB drug when the study began.

HIV causes metabolic disturbances in the absence of antiretroviral therapy

http://www.aidsmap.com/en/news/42BDFE1C-7DFA-4E8D-B46E-3EFA9FD65820.asp?hp=1

Patients with more advanced HIV disease who are not taking highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) tend to have unfavourable changes in blood fat and sugar levels, according to the results of a study presented in the March edition of HIV Medicine.

Starting HAART with a CD4 cell count below 100 cells/mm3 a risk factor for IRIS, study finds

http://www.aidsmap.com/en/news/80DB1BAE-B97A-4471-9858-12045805E0B9.asp?hp=1

Immune restoration inflammatory syndrome (IRIS) is most likely to occur in individuals who start HAART with very advanced immune suppression, according to a Serbian study published in the March edition of HIV Medicine. The investigators, from the Institute of Infectious and Tropical Diseases in Belgrade also found that the risk of IRIS was extremely low for patients who achieved an increase in their CD4 cell count to above 400 cells/mm3.

'ABC' prevention is becoming 'AB' in Uganda, thanks to US influence against condom use, says report

http://www.aidsmap.com/en/news/EF01AD9F-9733-412C-B282-30DF89760ED1.asp?hp=1

The US-funded strategy of 'ABC' - Abstinence, Be Faithful, use Condoms - is in effect an abstinence- and pro-marriage monogamy-only strategy in Uganda, according to a new 80 page report, The Less They Know, the Better: Abstinence-Only HIV/AIDS Programs in Uganda, released on Wednesday by Human Rights Watch.

Revisions to India's patent law could affect future supply of affordable generic antiretrovirals

http://www.aidsmap.com/en/news/B37B595E-09B6-4499-A93E-9766C0F21AE8.asp?hp=1

Last week, India's Parliament passed a bill that many feared would end access to the affordable generic medications that India sells throughout the developing world. But even though the bill makes substantial changes to India's patent laws, it is not expected to have an immediate affect on access to the generic antiretrovirals (ARVs) already available.

Argentinian generic indinavir compares well with Crixivan

http://www.aidsmap.com/en/news/B72B5CBB-7538-44D5-98F7-4C5A78D6377A.asp?hp=1

Systemic exposure to indinavir is similar whether using Crixivan brand name indinavir or a generic indinavir formulation from Argentina, according to a letter to the editor published in this month's Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes.

Link between TB and HIV in Africa stressed by WHO on World TB Day

http://www.aidsmap.com/en/news/754813E0-A17F-4E66-A049-0F7248E033CD.asp?hp=1

Cases of TB have tripled in African countries with a high HIV prevalence since 1990, according to a report released by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to mark World TB Day on March 24th. Across the world, however, TB prevalence fell by 20% in the same period and the incidence of new cases is falling or stable in all world regions with the exception of Africa.

TB drug discovery to receive major boost

http://www.aidsmap.com/en/news/0E66F78F-D433-406C-98D5-DD4196CD0281.asp?hp=1

TB drug development is to receive a major injection of cash and expertise, the Global Alliance for TB Drug Development announced yesterday. The Alliance, which is funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Rockefeller Foundation, the Dutch government and USAID, is launching a research partnership with GlaxoSmithKline's Diseases of the Developing World programme to bring six or seven new drugs targeting novel steps in the life cycle of mycobacterium tuberculosis. Human studies on some of these compounds could begin during 2005.

A quarter of US women stop HAART within five years

http://www.aidsmap.com/en/news/10B53F6F-1C62-452B-8E9F-9D9718F6857A.asp?hp=1

Almost a quarter of American women who started anti-HIV therapy between 1995 and 2000 later discontinued this treatment, according to a study published in the April 1st edition of the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes. The investigators also found that women who started HAART after the spring of 1998 were significantly more likely to discontinue than women commencing treatment before that date, probably because discontinuation has become more acceptable as knowledge about long-term side-effects has developed.