Ukrainians displaced by Russian invasion struggling to access HIV and drug dependency treatment

Considerable efforts are underway to support Ukrainian refugees and internally displaced people to access the HIV and drug dependency treatment they need, the European Union’s HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis and TB Civil Society Forum heard on Wednesday 16 March.

Medical mistrust is linked to discrimination, poor care engagement, and low adherence among Black adults in the US

Perceived discrimination due to race, HIV status and sexual orientation combined with mistrust of healthcare organisations, physicians and HIV information were found to be negatively associated with adherence to HIV treatment and engagement in care among Black adults in the US. According to the study, healthcare providers and organisations need to address medical mistrust to improve the health and wellbeing of Black Americans living with HIV.

Male clients of sex workers in sub-Saharan Africa 50% more likely to be living with HIV than other men

One in 12 sexually active men in sub-Saharan Africa have ever paid for sex and were 50% more likely to be living with HIV compared to men who did not pay for sex, a study recently published in PLOS Medicine has found. The research, which analysed population-based surveys from 35 countries also found that from 2010 to 2020, only 68% of men reported using a condom during their last paid sex encounter, and younger men were more likely to have had paid for sex in the past 12 months.

People with HIV more likely to develop high blood pressure after starting an integrase inhibitor

People with HIV taking integrase inhibitors were more likely to develop high blood pressure than those taking non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs), a large international cohort study has reported.

Study shows Biktarvy for PEP has fewer side effects and better completion rates

Patients at a study at Fenway Health taking a daily single pill of the fixed drug combination bictegravir/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide (Biktarvy) for PEP after sexual exposure had fewer side effects and better completion rates than participants in previous studies of other PEP regimens, Professor Kenneth Mayer and colleagues report in the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes.

Late HIV diagnosis of older people is an increasing problem, in most parts of the world

Among people diagnosed with HIV over the age of 50, the proportion diagnosed at a late stage is higher than among younger people, in almost all global regions examined by Professor Amy Justice of Yale University in The Lancet HIV. While rates of late diagnosis have fallen among younger people in many regions in recent years, there has been less progress for older people.

Trans women 66 times more likely to have HIV, with trans men nearly 7 times more likely, global analysis finds

Updated prevalence estimates based on a systematic review by Dr Sarah Stutterheim and colleagues at Maastricht University published in PLOS ONE show that not only are trans women much more likely to acquire HIV than previously thought, trans men are also at as substantially higher risk than the general population.

PrEP increases sexual pleasure, intimacy, and closeness

Many people view PrEP as enhancing their sexual pleasure and intimacy, according to a new analysis. Despite many healthcare providers prescribing PrEP to people because of “risky behaviour,” Christine Curely and colleagues at the University of Connecticut say that more messaging around its potential to augment sexual pleasure could decrease stigma and improve uptake and adherence.

Metabolic disorders cause liver damage in people with HIV more often than viral hepatitis in lower-income countries

Liver fibrosis in people with HIV in low- and middle-income countries was more often attributable to metabolic disorders than viral hepatitis, a six-country comparative study has found. The findings were presented last month at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI 2022).

Better adherence to PrEP is associated with more bone loss

A small proportion of people experienced bone loss after starting daily tenofovir disoproxil fumarate/emtricitabine (TDF/FTC; Truvada or generic equivalents) for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), and those who were more adherent saw a greater effect, according to research presented at CROI 2022.

Injectable cabotegravir plus rilpivirine every two months maintains viral suppression for three years, but carries higher risk of treatment failure

People who received injectable cabotegravir (Vocabria) plus rilpivirine (Rekambys) every other month were as likely to maintain viral suppression as those who got the jabs once-monthly, but those using the less frequent dosing schedule were more likely to experience virological failure, according to three-year follow-up data presented at CROI 2022.

Higher risks of cancer for Black men with HIV suggest racial inequities in US health care

Two US studies show Black men with HIV have worse cancer outcomes than others. One study showed Black men with HIV have more than twice the risk of dying after diagnosis with Kaposi’s sarcoma compared to Hispanic men. The second study showed Black gay and bisexual men with HIV experienced anal cancer at rates 2.4 times higher than other men.

Eastern Cape becomes the first South Africa province to campaign on U=U | UNAIDS

Hundreds of people living with HIV are spreading the word in South Africa that effective treatment can prevent onward transmission of the virus. The Eastern Cape has launched a public information campaign to raise awareness of U=U (undetectable = untransmittable) and to encourage people living with HIV to commence, maintain or resume treatment and achieve and maintain an undetectable viral load.

Community response to ViiV’s recent statements on CAB-LA | AfroCAB

ViiV must immediately pursue generic access for long-acting injectable cabotegravir (CAB-LA) in an open and transparent fashion. This includes immediately publicly announcing the price of CAB-LA in all global markets and ensuring it is comparable to that of oral PrEP.

UNAIDS welcomes parliament’s decision to repeal the law that criminalises HIV transmission in Zimbabwe | UNAIDS

UNAIDS congratulates Zimbabwe’s parliament for repealing section 79 of the Criminal Law Code, which criminalises HIV transmission. A new marriage bill adopted by parliament that repeals the criminal code section is to be signed into law by the president.

Testing cord blood transplants as a cure for leukaemia – and HIV | Fred Hutch

New clinical trial at several US cancer centers will enrol people living with HIV and advanced leukaemia.

South Africa approves dapivirine vaginal ring for use by women | International Partnership for Microbicides

"We are delighted to continue celebrating International Women’s Day with this news for women’s HIV prevention and sexual and reproductive health,” said Dr Zeda Rosenberg, IPM’s founder and CEO.