Uncontrolled HIV a Risk Factor for Severe Mpox, Global Analysis Confirms
BRISBANE, Australia — The elevated risk of severe mpox in people living with HIV appeared restricted to those with uncontrolled HIV or immunosuppression from other conditions, according to an update on the global outbreak from World Health Organization (WHO) researchers. Of more than 32,000 cases of mpox (formerly monkeypox) reported worldwide where patients’ HIV status […]
Infant Boys Better at Resisting HIV Than Girls?
BRISBANE, Australia — Infant boys appeared more likely than girls to be able to resist in utero vertical transmission of HIV, even when their mothers had less than optimal antiretroviral therapy, a longitudinal study showed. Of 281 mother-child pairs, five babies — all boys — had persistently undetectable HIV viral loads even when they were […]
People With HIV Had Only a Modest Reduction in Death During Omicron Wave
BRISBANE, Australia — While Omicron was generally considered to be a milder strain of SARS-CoV-2 that led to fewer deaths, there was scant relief for people living with HIV who were hospitalized during this wave of COVID-19, researchers reported here. Overall death rates were 19.6% for people with HIV compared with 9.8% for those without […]
Another HIV Patient Possibly Cured With Stem Cell Transplant
BRISBANE, Australia — Another HIV patient has been off antiretroviral medication for 20 months without detectable HIV levels after he underwent stem cell transplant to treat cancer — but, unlike previous “cures,” this patient’s donor stem cells did not have the mutation that confers resistance to HIV. Dubbed the “Geneva patient,” the man was diagnosed […]
Statin Reduced Risk of Heart Disease in People With HIV
BRISBANE, Australia — The cholesterol-lowering agent pitavastatin (Livalo) as primary prevention reduced the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) among people living with HIV, the randomized REPRIEVE trial showed. Over a median follow-up of about 5 years, incidence of any MACE was 35% lower in the pitavastatin group compared with a placebo group, at […]
Near-Zero Risk of HIV Transmission With Low Viral Loads
BRISBANE, Australia – The risk of sexual transmission of HIV with viral loads of less than 1,000 copies per mL was almost zero, according to a meta-analysis and systematic review. In eight studies involving 7,762 serodiscordant couples across 25 countries, there were two cases of possible transmission among patients who had detectable viral loads that […]
Long-Acting Injection Preferred Over Daily Pills for PrEP
BRISBANE, Australia – When given a choice for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to prevent infection with HIV, women preferred injectable cabotegravir (Apretude) every 2 months rather than an oral pill daily, researchers reported here. About 78% of women enrolled in the landmark HPTN 084 trial said they preferred the injection over taking the pills, said Mina […]
Circumcision May Be Protective Against HIV in Men Who Have Sex With Men
BRISBANE, Australia — Voluntary medical male circumcision appeared to protect men who have sex with men from acquiring HIV, especially those who primarily practice insertive anal sex, researchers from China reported here. Of the 124 men assigned to undergo circumcision, there were no seroconversions during the 12 months of the randomized controlled trial, while five […]
The road to success when it comes to mitigating flood disasters
Australia has experienced one of the worst flood disasters on record in the eastern states this year, with 23 people killed, thousands left homeless, and a damage bill expected to top $1.5 billion. Climate change aside, increasing urban development is escalating the potential flood risks and adding to the likelihood of a projected $10 billion […]
Mental illness plays havoc with the mind as well as the heart
University of South Australia scientists have uncovered another reason why society should be paying more attention to mental health: it is closely aligned to blood pressure and heart rate variations. A new study published in BioMedical Engineering draws a link between mental illness and widely fluctuating blood pressure, which can lead to cardiovascular disease and […]