Conferences

IAS 2015

NAM is the official provider of online scientific reporting for the 8th International AIDS Society Conference on HIV Pathogenesis, Treatment and Prevention (IAS 2015), taking place in Vancouver, Canada, 19th-22nd July 2015.
PrEP programmes & uptake

Vancouver Consensus Statement calls for early access to treatment and PrEP worldwide

Starting treatment

START trial provides definitive evidence of the benefits of early HIV treatment

HIV testing programmes & uptake

Thai testing campaign suggests how local cultures can influence testing behaviour

Bone & joint problems

Bone loss slows, but continues long-term in HIV-positive people on antiretroviral therapy

Neurological & cognitive problems

Asymptomatic neurocognitive impairment in people with HIV does predict later neurocognitive symptoms

Changing treatment

Rilpivirine + darunavir HIV maintenance regimen matches standard three-drug antiretroviral therapy

The search for a cure

Oestrogen may block HIV reactivation, hints at gender differences in viral reservoirs

Undetectable viral load & treatment as prevention

HIV treatment as prevention scale-up linked to reduced mortality among people who inject drugs in Vancouver

Retention & linkage to care

HIV-positive youth are less likely than adults to achieve viral suppression on antiretroviral treatment

Hepatitis C symptoms & diagnosis

Fatty liver may contribute to higher risk of death for HIV/HCV co-infected people

Hepatitis & HIV

People with HIV and hepatitis B co-infection can safely switch to simpler TAF single-tablet regimen

PrEP science

People with hepatitis B can safely use Truvada PrEP for HIV prevention

PrEP programmes & uptake

First Brazilian PrEP data reinforce evidence that PrEP is most used by those at greatest risk

Harm reduction

Indiana HIV outbreak offers lessons about containing local outbreaks and need for harm reduction

Treatment for women

WAVES shows elvitegravir regimen beats boosted atazanavir for women with HIV

PrEP programmes & uptake

Open-label PrEP in Botswana: very high adherence and no HIV infections seen

Pregnancy and vertical transmission

Peer or community interventions improve outcomes for mothers with HIV

Hepatitis C treatment

Daclatasvir plus sofosbuvir cures HCV for most people with HIV and HCV co-infection in French compassionate use programme

Hepatitis & HIV

Interferon-free hepatitis treatment is highly effective for people with HIV and HCV co-infection in three studies

Pregnancy and vertical transmission

Intensification of antiretroviral therapy reduces risk of late-term mother-to-child HIV transmission

Contraception

Implant and injectable hormonal contraception most effective methods for women living with HIV

Hepatitis & HIV

Liver fibrosis regression after hepatitis C treatment linked to reduced complications and death in people with HIV and HCV co-infection

Changing treatment

Switching to new tenofovir alafenamide keeps virus in check and improves kidney and bone health

Pregnancy and vertical transmission

Raltegravir appears to prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission during late pregnancy

PrEP programmes & uptake

PrEP demo project finds the people at highest HIV risk generally take PrEP most consistently

People who inject drugs

Vancouver's treatment as prevention success is also due to harm reduction and addiction treatment

Self-testing & home testing

HIV self-testing may help the 'hard to reach' learn their status, but uncertainties remain

Harm reduction

Peer-led network intervention substantially lowers HIV infections in people who use drugs in Ukraine

PrEP programmes & uptake

Gay youth PrEP study finds good retention and reasonable adherence

Combatting stigma

Giving people information about HIV treatment as prevention lessens stigma and increases testing rates

HIV treatment

New NNRTI doravirine suppresses HIV as well as efavirenz but with fewer central nervous system side-effects

Starting treatment

Same-day start to antiretroviral treatment leads to faster HIV suppression in San Francisco

Harm reduction

Opioid substitution therapy combined with HIV treatment saves the lives of more drug users than ART alone

Epidemiology & behaviour

Younger gay men have much lower risk of acquiring HIV than previous generations, but racial disparities persist

Migrants, refugees & displaced people

Half of African migrants diagnosed with HIV in France acquired HIV while living there

HIV treatment

Next-generation maturation inhibitor BMS-955176 shows good antiviral activity in combination with atazanavir

PrEP science

Intermittent PrEP may be a robust strategy for anal sex – vaginal much less certain

Epidemiology & behaviour

'Nuanced' sero-adaptive behaviours being used by Australian and American gay men

Improving HIV care

Treatment cascades show 90-90-90 goal within reach for some – but Eastern Europe lags behind Africa

PrEP

The pros and cons of PrEP: trial volunteers recount their experience of the ADAPT study

Circumcision

Cash compensation encourages uptake of circumcision, PMTCT services

Pregnancy and vertical transmission

Active invitation and tracing more likely to get men involved in couples HIV counselling and testing

Economic & social inequality

Cash to stay in school doesn’t reduce HIV incidence in South African study – but school attendance protected young women against HIV

Retention & linkage to care

Innovative approaches to linkage to care boost clinic visits, HIV treatment uptake in African study

PrEP science

Non-daily PrEP regimens provide extra options, but adherence is often better with daily dosing

The search for a cure

Targets proliferate in HIV cure research

Undetectable viral load & treatment as prevention

No HIV infections from partners with fully suppressed viral load during long-term follow up of landmark treatment as prevention trial

The search for a cure

Young woman stays undetectable for twelve years off treatment after early HIV therapy

TB transmission & prevention

Presumptive treatment of TB in advanced HIV no better than giving ART and isoniazid

Hepatitis & HIV

Access to screening and treatment are key issues for hepatitis B and C and HIV/viral hepatitis co-infection

HIV testing policies & guidelines

World Health Organization urges more HIV testing by non-medical staff, outside of clinical settings, targeted to those who need it the most

Treatment guidelines

World Health Organization to recommend HIV treatment for all

HIV prevention policy

Test and treat studies and African countries showing that 90-90-90 targets are achievable