A selection of news stories which have appeared since December 19 2003.

More evidence that earlier treatment provides greatest benefit for children with HIV

In HIV positive children, starting antiretroviral therapy at younger ages and before severe immune suppression occurs appears to promote better CD4 cell recovery, according to an American study published in the December 20th edition of The Lancet.

HAART just as effective in HIV/TB coinfected patients

HIV-positive patients with active tuberculosis (TB), who receive anti-TB therapy and HAART are just as likely as HAART-treated HIV-positive patients without TB to benefit from antiretroviral therapy, according to a Taiwanese study published in the December edition of AIDS. The investigators also found that the TB patients were at no greater risk of developing AIDS developing illnesses or dying than the non-TB patients were.

TB case detection likely to prove more effective than HAART in limiting TB spread

Detecting and treating cases of active tuberculosis in countries with high HIV rates is more effective at reducing TB incidence and death than providing HAART, treating latent TB infection, or preventing HIV infection, according to a statistical model developed by researchers at the University of Southampton and the World Health Organization and published in the November 21st edition of AIDS.

TB recurrence risk not reduced by longer therapy, or TB and HAART together

Providing concurrent anti-HIV and tuberculosis (TB) therapy, or TB

treatment of greater than standard duration does not reduce the incidence of TB recurrence, according to a study conducted in Taiwan and published in the December 1st edition of the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes. The investigators also found a higher recurrance rate than that found in a meta-analysis of studies published earlier this year in Clinical Infectious Diseases.

Looking forward to 2004: microbicide and ARV prevention prospects

Several would-be microbicides are due for large-scale clinical trials in 2004, testing two basic ideas about how to protect women from HIV through vaginal sex. More than 50 products are in the pipeline although there will never be funding to test them all fully. Increasingly, serious issues will have to be resolved concerning the process by which products are evaluated and, it is hoped, can be made available to all who need them.

Looking forward to 2004: HIV vaccine prospects

In 2003, the first preventive vaccines to go into full scale trials were

shown conclusively not to work. It is unlikely that anything as clear and definite will be reported next year, but there should still be plenty of news to follow, with a pipeline of vaccine candidates that is expanding by the month.

Looking forward to 2004: treatment for hepatitis C

Hepatitis C treatment has moved forward subtantially in the past two years with the widespread adoption of combination therapy with pegylated interferon and ribavirin. What does 2004 hold for the treatment of hepatitis C, especially in people coinfected with HIV and hepatitis C?

UK government announces plans to restrict NHS care for non-UK nationals

The UK government has announced plans to limit the rights of overseas visitors and failed asylum seekers to free treatment from the National Health Service.