Tuberculosis risk for HIV-infected patients in the first 6 months following highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) initiation is not higher than prior to HAART initiation after adjusting for CD4+ count and viral loads, according to a study in JAIDS. The authors say these findings suggest that short-term TB risk may be related to low CD4+ counts and high viral loads near HAART initiation and support early HAART initiation to decrease TB risk.
In an HIV Medicine review essay, researchers assessed the future role of tenofovir alafenamide (TAF), a novel prodrug of tenofovir, in the future of HIV treatment. They concluded that TAF is an agent with a promising role within future ART regimens that aim to deliver undetectable viral load, while requiring less monitoring and having a safety profile designed to minimize comorbid risks while supporting good long-term health.
Researchers say they have developed the first potent and broad variable- and single-domain antibodies (VL sdAb) fusion inhibitor of HIV infection. The study published in the journal AIDS also gives insights into engineering strategies that could be explored to enhance the development of antiviral drugs.
HIV-infected women in Zambia identified more disincentives and reported more negative experiences accessing postnatal care than HIV-uninfected women, according to a recent study. As a result, HIV-infected women were less likely to visit a clinic for newborn care if the clinic or waiting area was a common space used by HIV-uninfected women and their children.
Diabetes mellitus prevalence was higher among younger patients with HIV infection, compared with the background population in Guinea-Bissau, according to a recent study. Traditional risk factors for diabetes, such as advancing age and a family history, apply also for ART-naive patients with HIV, investigators said.
The majority of individuals presenting to physicians with primary HIV infection (PHI), defined as within 6 months from estimated date of infection, have abnormal CD4/CD8 ratios, a U.K. cohort study found. The sooner antiretroviral therapy is initiated in PHI, the greater the probability of achieving normal CD4/CD8 ratios, researchers said.
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