News from aidsmap
COVID-19 vaccine and booster highly effective in people with HIV, large studies show
Two studies published this month provide reassurance that people with HIV who are vaccinated against COVID-19 have a low risk of serious illness or death, and both studies show that a third dose of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine provided even greater protection.
Stigma and discrimination against people with HIV are as big an issue as ever
Preliminary results from a survey of stigma and discrimination conducted by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) show that people living with HIV in Europe are as likely to have experienced stigma in recent years as they were a decade ago. These early results were announced at the fifth Standard of Care meeting organised by the European AIDS Clinical Society in Brussels.
Low-level HIV and viral load blips are important warning signals, European study finds
Viral load blips above 50 copies/ml are associated with an increased risk of subsequent treatment failure and need to be taken seriously as signals of non-adherence and emerging drug resistance, investigators from the EuResist study report in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases.
Communities in Africa twice as likely to have HIV when mines open nearby
When industrial mines open in sub-Saharan Africa, the local population becomes twice as likely to be HIV positive than before the mines opened. Mining operations also increase the likelihood of multiple sex partners by 70%, high-risk sex partners by 30%, and condomless sex by 70%. Additionally, mining communities have 20% less knowledge about HIV than non-mining areas.
Monkeypox vaccine appears effective, but studies have mixed results
The MVA-BN smallpox and monkeypox vaccine, sold as Imvanex in Europe and Jynneos in the United States, has now been widely rolled out in several countries, but questions remain about its effectiveness in real-world use.
The paediatric drug pipeline should include improvements to current HIV treatment, long-acting formulations and antibodies
Priorities for the development of new HIV medications for children include a complete dolutegravir-based regimen than can be mixed with water, an improved protease inhibitor for second-line treatment and injectable cabotegravir for infant prophylaxis. Looking further forward, a World Health Organization group recommends the development of new technologies such as skin patches and investigation of broadly neutralising antibodies for infants.
Dolutegravir has direct effects on fat cells
The integrase inhibitor dolutegravir suppresses the production of a key signalling chemical in fat cells that is also suppressed in obesity, Spanish researchers report in the journal Life Sciences. The finding confirms research carried out by a French research group, and provides further evidence that dolutegravir can have direct effects on the cells that store fat.
Risk of lung cancer is higher for people with HIV
People in their 40s living with HIV in the United States were at twice the risk of developing lung cancer compared to the rest of the population, while people with HIV in their 60s were at 30% higher risk, a large study of cancer diagnoses between 2001 and 2016 in the United States has found.
Monkeypox in Spain: the story so far
The recent monkeypox outbreak has affected countries across the European region, and Spain has reported the highest number of cases to date. Dr Cristina Galván, a dermatologist who was closely involved in the Spanish response, reflects here on the experience of working on the outbreak so far.
Are people with a shorter history of viral suppression at greater risk of failure of dolutegravir/lamivudine?
The presence of a mutation that causes resistance to lamivudine and emtricitabine did not increase the risk of viral rebound in the vast majority of people with HIV who switched to a two-drug regimen of dolutegravir/lamivudine when virally suppressed, French researchers report in the Journal of Global Antimicrobial Resistance.
Spontaneous hepatitis C clearance rare in gay and bisexual men with HIV
Fewer than one in eight gay or bisexual men with HIV spontaneously cleared a recent infection with hepatitis C, a large European study has found. The study investigators say that if hepatitis C virus levels don’t decline within a month of diagnosis in gay or bisexual men with ongoing risk behaviour, direct-acting antiviral treatment should be offered – and in some cases, doctors should not wait, but should offer treatment upon diagnosis.
Older adults with HIV have different profiles and different needs
Although equally considered “older people with HIV”, long-term HIV survivors and people with HIV who are aged over 65 have markedly different characteristics and related needs. This is what a Spanish study published in PLOS ONE has found, confirming that people who are ageing with HIV are a heterogeneous group.
aidsmapWOMEN
On Monday 24 October, NAM aidsmap's Susan Cole will be discussing self-empowerment against HIV stigma in aidsmapWOMEN. Susan's guests are Fungai Murau, Angelina Namiba and Longret Kwardem from the 4M Mentor Mothers Network; Dr Rageshri Dhairyawan from Barts Health NHS Trust; and MP Florence Eshalomi.
Watch the live broadcast at 5pm (UK time) on aidsmap's Facebook and Twitter pages.
Coming soon: news from HIV Glasgow 2022
The International Congress on Drug Therapy in HIV Infection (HIV Glasgow) is taking place from 23 to 26 October. It is being held as a hybrid meeting this year.
NAM is delighted to be continuing its partnership with HIV Glasgow as official scientific news reporter for the conference.
We’ll be publishing news online next week and sending out a summary news bulletin by email in the week after the conference. As a subscriber to aidsmap news, you’ll automatically receive this bulletin. All our conference news stories and the bulletin will be available at www.aidsmap.com/conferences/hiv-glasgow-2022.
Editors' picks from other sources
CDC: Latinos with HIV report stigma, discrimination | Axios
Latinos with HIV are facing stigma and discrimination due to their diagnosis, making it harder for them to receive adequate care, according to CDC data released Thursday.
Monkeypox vaccines still aren’t reaching Black Americans | The 19th
Black Americans are still not receiving as many MPV vaccine doses as White Americans. This disparity is an inevitable outcome of a broken health care system, experts say — and it could have been avoided if queer people of color were prioritized first in MPV vaccination efforts, and if lessons learned from the COVID-19 were applied.
Uganda: Activists warn on mandatory HIV testing of suspects | Monitor
Health rights activists and lawyers have warned of evasion of privacy and confidentiality for arrested suspects once they are subjected to mandatory testing for HIV/Aids, Tuberculosis (TB) and malaria.
What does the future look like for monkeypox? | Nature
With cases declining in the United States and Europe, Nature examines scenarios of how the outbreak might play out.
Pledge aid or deprive Commonwealth’s poorest in diseases fight, UK warned | The Guardian
Some of the poorest countries in the Commonwealth may be left unable to deploy cutting-edge UK innovations against three of the world’s deadliest diseases if Britain fails to give generously to a key international fund, the UK government has been warned.
Sexual health & HIV policy EUROBulletin
The October edition of the EUROBulletin is available to read online.
In our EUROBulletin feature interview, we spoke to dermatologist Dr Cristina Galvá who's been closely involved in the Spanish monkeypox response. She reflects on the experience of working on the outbreak and the importance of research in bringing an end to monkeypox.
Also in this edition: further updates on monkeypox across Europe; a new action plan for Europe on HIV, STIs and hepatitis; and several updated reports on STI epidemiology.