Latest data from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre show a total of 5 new cases for week 19 2016, bringing the total to 202 HIV new notifications for 2016 to date.
US agency NASTAD has developed a preliminary set of recommendations for states and local communities to implement as part of their strategies in order to reduce and end HIV transmission.
An infographic presented by US researchers has revealed new worrying HIV rates: three out of every ten MSM in several cities in the Southern States have been diagnosed with the HIV - three times the national rate.
The “Early Test” initiative was launched in 2007 and involved nucleic acid testing – a technique capable of detecting HIV infections within a few days after exposure. Investigators found that the number of tests performed by the programme was associated with a significant reduction in HIV incidence, suggesting that testing programs for the diagnosis of AEH infection should be expanded among high-risk groups.
Overview of PrEP policies and availability around the world. PrEP has been approved only in the US and a few other countries, but people at risk of contracting HIV elsewhere in the world are trying to get the prevention drug in various ways.
Dr Michael Brady, medical director of the Terrence Higgins Trust, is calling for PrEP to be made available immediately for people at risk as an essential addition to HIV prevention. Brady also reckons that PrEP implementation delay will result in unnecessary HIV infections and avoidable costs to the NHS.
New York ensures minors access to HIV care without parental consent
Care 2, 18 May 2016
Governor Andrew Cuomo has announced that New York plans to eradicate new HIV infections by ensuring – among other initiatives – that teenagers can get confidential HIV tests without parental consent.
Denmark shows first clear evidence of the success of treatment as prevention in gay men in a high income country
Aidsmap, 18 May 2016
Detailed study of the successful treatment as prevention programme in Denmark.
HIV-infected patients less likely to get cancer treatment
Fox News, 17 May 2016
A large study carried out in US shows that cancer patients living with HIV are much less likely to receive treatment for tumours than people who don't have the virus. Insurance status, other medical conditions and drugs interaction were among the most relevant causes.
South Africa moves to ‘test and treat’
Health-E news, 10 May 2016
South Africa government has allocated R1billion to finance the “universal test and treat” programme: any HIV positive person will be able to get treatment irrespective of their CD4 count by September.
Large-scale HIV vaccine trial to launch in South Africa
NIH, 18 May 2016
After a successful HIV vaccine clinical trial, the South Africa NIAID has decided to advance the experimental regimen into a large clinical trial.
With new data, States can better focus HIV prevention for gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men
Aids Gov, 17 May 2016
US is making substantial but uneven progress on HIV prevention for gay men. HIV prevention for all MSM is now among CDC’s highest priorities.
HIV Update: Pre-Adapted HIV Transmission More Dangerous, Harder to Cure
Nature World News, 18 May 2016
HIV virus is able to adapt to a person's immune response. A new study reveals that pre-adapted HIV can exploit "holes" in the immune response and mutate in order to be nearly unrecognisable by the immune system during transmission.
HIV vaccine design should adapt as HIV virus mutates
Medical Xpress, 16 May 2016
Study on the extent of adaptation of HIV virus to a person's cellular immune response: researchers were able to predict how rapidly the disease would progress in that patient.
HIV rapidly develops resistance to gene-editing cure technology
Aidsmap, 17 May 2016
The new genetic-engineering approach can create resistant viruses that can in some cases replicate even faster than viruses not exposed to the gene therapy - though they are still susceptible to conventional antiretroviral therapy.
Does having HIV affect response to hepatitis C treatment?
Aidsmap, 16 May 2016
Various conflicting findings on HIV and HepC treatments, presented at the recent International Liver Congress in Barcelona, indicate that the interactions between HIV and hepatitis C are still not fully understood.
LGBT
'Stop putting people in gender boxes' - Young Irish transgender man talks online dating and census forms
Irish Independent, 11 May 2016
A young Irish transgender man talks about the many challenges he faces in modern Ireland.
We will lose the battle against HIV without LGBT decriminalisation
The Guardian, 18 May 2016
HIV prevention and treatment is still not accessible or equitable for all, as the communities most affected by the virus – MSM, sex workers and transgender people - still face stigma and discrimination.
Sexual Health
Know It, Own It: Your Sexual Rights Matter
IPFA, 18 May 2016
Know It, Own: Your Sexual Rights Matter is a new global campaign calling for better comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) for young people all over the world. The campaign is led by the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), of which the IFPA is a member association, and coincides with a new report from the IPPF which finds that CSE is being delivered globally "too little, too late and too biological."
