News from aidsmap
‘Old style’ tenofovir really may protect against COVID, large US study finds
A study in over 20,000 men living with HIV in the United States has found the strongest evidence yet that tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF – the older formulation of tenofovir that in the US has been largely replaced by the newer tenofovir alafenamide or TAF) may help to protect against symptomatic COVID infection, hospitalisation and admission to intensive care.
MRI imaging used to find areas of active HIV replication in the body
A research team led by Dr Denis Beckford-Vera of the University of San Francisco, California, have undertaken a first in-human study to identify areas of HIV replication using a new scanning technique that combines MRI imaging and radioactively labelled monoclonal antibodies. Viral reservoirs were identified not only in the gut and lymph nodes, but also the nose and bone marrow.
Liver fibrosis may not improve beyond one year after hepatitis C cure
After being cured of hepatitis C, markers of liver fibrosis do not continue to decline one year beyond cure, a study of women living with HIV and hepatitis C in the United States has found. The results challenge the assumption that most people with hepatitis C can expect to experience a long-term improvement in liver health after being cured of hepatitis C and highlight the need for ongoing monitoring of liver fibrosis after hepatitis C, say the study investigators.
Gay Muslim men living with HIV in Senegal are being persecuted and report shame, violence and isolation
Gay Muslim men living with HIV in Dakar face persecution such as violence and incarceration due to their sexuality. Many are socially isolated, often because of religious or political factors, despite same-sex relationships being historically acceptable. Researchers in the US and Senegal aimed to study the impact that the combination of these different forms of stigma had on these men and their lived experiences.
Food insecurity among women in sub-Saharan Africa doubles the risk of HIV acquisition
Data from over 112,000 adults in six African countries show that living in food-insecure households doubled women’s risk of acquiring HIV. In contrast, no significant risk was noted in men. Food insecure women also reported higher rates of transactional sex, early sexual debut (occurring before 15 years), forced sex, and sex with much older men. The women compounded their risk by not using condoms with partners of unknown or positive HIV status.
Merck restarts islatravir HIV treatment studies, but abandons monthly PrEP
Merck plans to start new clinical trials of HIV treatment using a lower dose of its experimental antiretroviral islatravir, which has been on hold since late last year due to safety concerns, the company announced in September. Studies of islatravir for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) will be discontinued, and there was no announcement about the development of implants or injections.
Success in containing and treating HIV among people injecting drugs in the UK has stalled in recent years
Despite the United Kingdom’s successful containment of HIV infection among people injecting drugs, progress towards lowering HIV prevalence and improving HIV care and treatment uptake within this population has stalled in the past ten years.
Home HIV testing and HIV testing accuracy
Earlier this year, we updated our information page on home HIV testing (self-testing and self-sampling) and our research briefings on the accuracy of different types of HIV tests: rapid tests, fourth-generation combination tests, self-tests and self-sampling kits. You can read all these updated pages on aidsmap.com.
Editors' picks from other sources
Global Fund secures $14.3 billion from donors | The Lancet (requires free registration)
The Global Fund fell short of the US$18 billion target it hoped to receive from donors, with the UK and Italy both deferring their pledges. “The scary combination of states paying the economic price for their COVID-19 nightmares and soaring energy prices, with more national-facing governments mean further cuts to traditional health assistance are coming,” commented Sophie Harman of Queen Mary University of London.
Treatment Action Campaign slams Thabo Mbeki over his views on HIV | GroundUp
The former president of South Africa repeated misconceptions about the disease when he addressed the University of South Africa.
Black men account for 91% of HIV-related arrests in Louisiana | Los Angeles Blade
Since 2011, as many as 176 people have had contact with Louisiana’s criminal legal system because of allegations of HIV crimes, according to a new report. HIV-related crimes are disproportionately enforced based on race and sex.
England's Health Secretary must prioritise monkeypox's devastating impact on sexual health services | Terrence Higgins Trust
Leading charities have warned newly appointed Health Secretary Thérèse Coffey MP that sexual health clinics are in crisis with the current monkeypox outbreak displacing other vital services, including testing for sexually transmitted infections, HIV prevention and access to contraception.
After 21 years, Sydney’s supervised injecting centre model is hard to improve | Cosmos
The at times controversial Sydney supervised injecting centre celebrates its 21st anniversary, without a single death from overdose on the premises. Since its opening, it has supervised 1,232,951 drug injections, and made 20,420 referrals to health and social services.
Taking your HIV treatment
The new edition of our booklet Taking your HIV treatment is now available on our clinic portal.
The booklet provides basic information on how HIV treatment works, what taking it involves and how to manage it in your life.
Staff and patients at UK-based HIV and GUM clinics that are members of our subscription scheme can access the booklet on the clinic portal and clinics can order printed copies.
To find out if your clinic is registered or for information on joining the scheme, please email us at info@nam.org.uk.