Posts tagged HIV prevention
Consistent HIV Treatment Reduces Heterosexual Transmission
9 years ago
by ADMIN
in HIV Management
Recent studies show that HIV treatment that is effective in suppressing the disease works well at preventing the spread of the disease between heterosexual partners. These Canadian findings were the result of a trial funded by NIAID.
The idea of lessening HIV transmission with treatment is not entirely new. In fact, one study from 2011 revealed that the risk of spreading HIV to a partner is reduced by 96 percent when treatment starts early and is taken consistently. The study focused specifically on heterosexual couples in which only one partner was HIV positive.
More than 1,700 heterosexual couples across four continents signed up to be a part of the clinical trial. As a part of the study, all of the couples received training on how to avoid transmission of HIV. Infected individuals were assigned at random to either begin immediate antiretroviral treatment or to delay starting treatment until immunocompromised. Approximately 600 couples did not complete the entire trial, but the data from the other 1,100+ was sufficient to get results. What was learned?
The healthy partner was 93 percent less likely to contract HIV if the infected partner began treatment immediately. In the case of couples where the treatment was begun early on, only eight partners ended up being infected. In fact, four of those individuals were diagnosed early on, showing that the longer treatment went on, the less likely the health partner was to be infected.
It is also important to note that in all four individuals who were infected later on, the partner receiving treatment had not had the disease fully suppressed for one reason or another. In the case of those for whom the treatment worked, there was no transmission after the early part of the study. Another important discovery was that, for those who waited to start treatment, it took longer to suppress the virus, thus leaving a longer window where transmission risk was higher.
The moral of the story: to protect your partner, start treatment early and stick with it to ensure suppression.
An Ounce of Prevention Could Save Tons of Money in the War on HIV
9 years ago
by ADMIN
in HIV Management
A study performed in Canada showed that every dollar a community spent on HIV-prevention methods resulted in saving five dollars in treatment. Over the past 25 years, programs costing about $1.3 billion dollars have resulted in approximately $6.5 billion less in treatment. That is a tremendous savings for an already financially burdened health care system. Let’s take a look at why prevention is so cost effective as opposed to treatment.
The Economic Burden of HIV
HIV treatments now allow patients to live a long, full life. That is good news for patients, but financial burdensome for health care systems because it means patients receive treatment for years longer than they once did. For example, in the US, it costs, on average, more than a quarter of a million dollars to treat an HIV positive person over the course of their lifetime, some costing as much as $400K. The same holds true in Canada with lifetime treatment costing a little over $285,000 USD per patient.
Where Community-Based Programs Prove Most Effective
Preventative programs are generally run by local and national non-profit groups. These organizations work to provide ongoing:
- Education
- Prevention
- Support Services
These programs target at-risk groups including, but not limited to:
- Homosexual men
- Those who use injectable drugs
- HIV endemic populations
Other Prevention Savings Considerations
The researchers claim that not all of the HIV-prevention methods were taken into account in the study and that even more savings took place than was recorded. Specifically, claims are made that an additional 70,000 infections were prevented by other programs. This resulted in an additional $25 billion in health care savings. This includes a treatment option that was released back in 1997 called highly active antiretroviral therapy, or HAART. Three or more drugs are combined for HAART treatment, and these medications delay the onset of HIV symptoms, preventing the disease from progressing into AIDS.
HIV Is Still Newsworthy in the Gay District of Montréal
9 years ago
by ADMIN
in HIV Management
Modern HIV treatments keep the disease out of the news for the most part. After all, regular treatment reduces the risk of transmission, and many patients have “undetectable” amounts of the diseases in their system. However, in Montreal’s Village district, called The Village, home to many gay and bisexual males, HIV news is still a prevalent concern.
One thing that sets the Village apart from the rest of the city is the presence of many more community groups and care facilities. On December 1st of each year, World AIDS Day, there is a vigil held in the Park of Hope. In the Chapel of Hope, a flame perpetually burns to remember AIDS victims, and this location is well known locally as a place for contemplation. Another supporter of AIDs victims is the FARHA Foundation, which has a walk each year in late September. This too mainly takes place in the Village. Outside of the Village, there are no public events related to AIDS.
Clearly, HIV and AIDS have had an impact on the lives of those living in this part of the city beyond what is mentioned in the news anymore. While HIV is not something most people think about on a day-to-day basis, it is truly a part of the daily life in the gay community of Montreal. Murals in neighborhood parks reflect local hopes for the AIDS scourge to be, one day, a thing of the past.
In the meantime, the LGBT community sees recent cinematic depictions as a way to collectively remember the community’s long fight against AIDS. There is a big difference, however, between nostalgia and current efforts. After all, what is depicted in movies does not often reflect real life challenges faced in such communities. And HIV news is still a growing concern in places like Montreal’s The Village district, which is why it plays such a large social role for the AIDS community.
Cocaine’s Effect on the Immune System and HIV Infection
9 years ago
Research out of UCLA links cocaine use to a weakened resistance to HIV. What was involved in the study? And what does it mean by at-risk individuals? Read on to learn how cocaine use increases your chances of HIV infection.
It is well documented that there are surprising similarities between the immune systems of mice and humans. That makes them the perfect test subject when it comes to studying infection and deadly diseases. Therefore, a study that had previously only been performed in a dish has now been tested with live subjects. What was the result? Let’s consider the process first.
In previous lab tests, it was determined that the use of cocaine over a period of just three days is enough to affect the immune system. The body starts out with cells that can put up quite a fight with HIV. These immune cells are called CD4 T cells. The cocaine exposure, however, blocks the normal working of these cells by stimulating two of the cell’s receptors.
For five days, mice were given injections. Half were given cocaine, and the other half was given a placebo with saline. Next, HIV was introduced via injections, and then the cocaine/placebo routine continued for another 14 days. At the end of the study, they not only discovered that the mice who were given cocaine had higher concentrations of the virus in their system but also that nearly half of the mice given a placebo had undetectable amounts of the disease.
The CD4 T cells, however, were not affected as suspected. On the contrary, it was the CD8 T cells that seemed to cease functioning. Either way, though, the fact remains that cocaine made it tougher for the immune system to defend itself against HIV.
This study continues to highlight the connection between illicit drug use and HIV infection. It reveals that anyone who uses cocaine is placing themselves at higher risk for infection. While ceasing drug use is the best option, frequent testing is important for one who pursues an at-risk lifestyle.
Research Shows Why HIV Progresses Faster in Some
9 years ago
A study was performed to determine why HIV is able to evade the efforts of current HIV treatments and persist in the body. This study will lead to improved HIV prevention. Let’s look at a breakdown of the HIV genetic code and what researchers found which may eventually lead to better treatments.
Researchers understand the way HIV spreads within the body. In order for HIV to enter a host cell, there is a sort of viral envelope. This envelope contains two glycoprotein molecules that have been named gp41 and gp120. The gp120 molecule has been further studied and broken down into sections that have been labelled with either a C or a V and the numbers 1 through 5.
In turn, this genetic code tells the virus to use the R5 receptor to enter a CD4 immune cell. This entry point is the focus of most HIV drugs. However, in about half of patients the virus will avoid using the R5 entry point and switch to the X4 receptor. This change results in a worsening of the disease and difficulty treating HIV with currently available medications.
Previous research made it seem that the gp120’s V3 region was the part that was solely responsible for this change and progression in how the disease spreads within the body. While the V3 region does clearly play a role, a minute genetic change in the gp120’s C2 region also comes into play. This genetic change, though slight, could prove to be an important discovery for researchers.
Now, it is up to researchers to figure out how to put this knowledge to use in combating HIV’s ability to progress despite treatment. It is hoped that the additional knowledge as to how the disease changes which receptor it focuses on will result in finding ways to predict progression and find a way to develop better means for HIV prevention and treatment.
