Clinton calls for rethink on universal HIV testing

http://www.aidsmap.com/en/news/D5CBB09D-9940-4BFD-8FE8-54085F9CBB11.asp

Universal HIV testing in developing countries with high levels of infection could prove valuable in tackling the spread of the pandemic, former President of United States Bill Clinton said on Tuesday.

HIV infection rates down one-third in south India since 2000

http://www.aidsmap.com/en/news/54D98222-F9A6-4EF7-A507-AD543BEB265A.asp

HIV prevalence has declined by one-third since 2000 in the worst affected region of India, researchers from Canada and India report today in the online edition of The Lancet. The decline is attributed to a reduction in HIV transmission rather than deaths from AIDS, and the investigators say that increased condom use by men visiting sex workers is the most likely explanation for the decline, which is focused in southern India.

New treatment for oral thrush as effective as current standard of care, and better at preventing relapse

http://www.aidsmap.com/en/news/76477A78-8FC0-43E4-BB5D-B9113CE3ECD0.asp

A new oral treatment for oral candidiasis is as effective as the current standard of treatment and may be even better at preventing relapse in HIV-positive individuals, according to an international, randomised, blinded study published in the April 15th edition of Clinical Infectious Diseases.

Final report on 3 by 5 - target not met, but progress and valuable lessons for universal access by 2010

http://www.aidsmap.com/en/news/B9059B57-61D8-485A-A2F7-FB3CC56FAB61.asp

A total of 1.3 million people in resource-limited and middle-income countries were receiving antiretroviral therapy for HIV infection at the end of 2005, according to figures released today by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNAIDS. This is well short of the target of the 3 million target (3 by 5) set on World AIDS Day 2003. Nevertheless, WHO and UNAIDS are heralding the expansion of HIV treatment access which, they estimate has saved as many as 350,000 lives. They are also hopeful that the lessons learned from 3 by 5 will lead to a foundation for efforts to provide universal access to anti-HIV treatment by 2010.

Unexpected interaction between heroin substitute and atazanavir/ritonavir

http://www.aidsmap.com/en/news/BAFF840C-6CD1-434D-8B2D-16E4B0DF2222.asp

Atazanavir (Reyataz), boosted by low dose ritonavir (Norvir) appears to interact with the opiate substitute, buprenorphine. Doctors from Connecticut in the USA report a series of cases demonstrating the interaction in the March 21st edition of AIDS and recommend, “the use of buprenorphine in combination with ritonavir and atazanavir should be undertaken cautiously.”

HAART failure rate halves in seven years

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The risk of an initial antiretroviral combination failing more than halved between 1996 and 2002, according to an international retrospective observational study published in the March 13 th edition of the Archives of Internal Medicine. Reasons for the improvements include more potent drugs, treatment guidlines emphasising maximal viral suppression, and a better understanding of resistance and adherence.

TB with resistance to second-line drugs increasing, a 'serious and emerging public health threat' warn doctors

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Tuberculosis (TB) with resistance to second-line drugs is becoming increasingly prevalent around the world, according to data from the World Health Organization and the US Centers for Disease Control released on World TB Day (24th March) and published in the March 24th edition of Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Individuals who have TB with resistance to second-line drugs have a significantly increased risk of death compared to patients with resistance to first-line drugs, and the investigators express concern about the emergence “untreatable” strains of TB.

Condoms for HIV prevention do not lead to earlier sex, more sex, or more partners, meta-analysis concludes

http://www.aidsmap.com/en/news/34FE2167-2DE0-4B2A-B2D0-319230755C1E.as

HIV prevention interventions that include information on condoms do not inadvertently encourage an earlier sexual debut, more frequent sexual activity or more sexual partners, according to a meta-analysis of 174 studies published in the March edition of the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes. The study also concludes that including information on condoms alongside motivational and behavioural components is more likely to have a positive effect on reducing frequency of sexual activity than interventions which do not include all three components.

Family support just as good as directly observed therapy for TB treatment, Nepal study finds

http://www.aidsmap.com/en/news/0D5A2FEB-441A-4446-941B-F7D4645C4622.asp

Family members can help a person with tuberculosis successfully complete treatment just as well as directly observed therapy (DOTS) offered by community health volunteers, according to a study conducted in the remote hill and mountain districts of Nepal. Both approaches met international targets for treatment success according to the report, which was published in the March 18th issue of The Lancet — though neither approach identified new TB cases as well as when a trained health worker is involved in treatment.

Genital schistosomiasis increases HIV risk for Zimbabwean women

http://www.aidsmap.com/en/news/6DB7D447-1232-4B0F-A229-3A05C43A6223.asp

Genital lesions caused by the waterborne parasite schistoma haemotobium increased the risk of acquiring HIV infection threefold in women living in rural Zimbabwe, according to findings from a study conducted by Norwegian and Zimbawean researchers published in the February 28th edition of the journal AIDS.

WHO launches new stop TB strategy to fight the global tuberculosis epidemic

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The World Health Organization launched a new strategy to fight tuberculosis last week with a renewed call for expansion of directly observed therapy (DOTS), together with an increased focus on TB/HIV coinfection and on multidrug resistant TB.

Graves' disease may be a risk for patients starting ART with a low CD4 cell count who then have good immune restoratation

http://www.aidsmap.com/en/news/42014037-98C4-4248-A574-5CA398E27901.asp

Patients who start HIV treatment with a very low CD4 cell count and then experience a rapid and substantial increase in their CD4 cell count should be monitored for Graves’ disease, an autoimmune disorder, according to investigators form the United States, writing in the February 14th edition of AIDS. Their warning comes after they observed five cases of Graves’ disease in their patients,and this prompted a wider review of medical literature which helped them identify the incidence and risk factors for Graves’ disease in patients starting antiretroviral therapy.

Donors must keep promise to support children, Save the Children urges

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The charity Save the Children today called for higher priority to be given to the plight of AIDS orphans by international donors, and for them to follow through on last year’s G8 summit commitment to `proper support` for children and families affected by HIV. Save the Children says that donors need to take seriously the UNAIDS Global Task team recommendation that $6.4 billion should be devoted to vulnerable children over the next three years alone.

MSF calls for rapid registration of heat-stable Kaletra in low-income countries

http://www.aidsmap.com/en/news/77056606-BEC2-4AD0-A5E2-CFC41AD6788D.asp

Medicins Sans Frontieres this week called on Abbott Laboratories to speed up the registration of its heat-stable formulation of the protease inhibitor Kaletra, which the advocacy organisation says is urgently required for second-line treatment in developing countries. It also called on the company to offer the new formulation at the same price as the old formulation to low income countries.