Press Release: Ending new HIV transmissions begins with empowerment, says HIV Ireland
HIV Ireland, 20 February 2020
HIV Ireland has launched MPOWER, a new initiative aimed to empower men who have sex with men and transmen towards improved sexual health and wellbeing. MPOWER provides rapid HIV testing and information on safer sex practices, chemsex and harm reduction.
Notifications of HIV & STIs reported in Ireland – Week 7, 2020
Health Protection Surveillance Centre, 20 February 2020
Latest weekly report from the HPSC shows that 90 HIV notifications have been reported in Ireland to date in 2020.
Diceman exhibition to celebrate the life of the High King of Grafton Street
GCN, 20 February 2020
Marking 25 years after his passing, The Little Museum of Dublin will pay homage to street-artist and activist Thom McGinty, AKA the Diceman in a new exhibition documenting his life and career.
Gay men versus condoms. Where are we at?
Means Happy, 18 February 2020
Gay men talk about condoms use, STIs and PrEP.
Russian blogger's HIV documentary reaches millions, draws Kremlin praise
Reuters, 18 February 2020
A hard-hitting YouTube documentary about Russia's HIV epidemic by a popular blogger has attracted more than 13 million views in a week and even drawn praise from the Kremlin.
HIV and migrants: Monitoring implementation of the Dublin Declaration on partnership to fight HIV/AIDS in Europe and Central Asia (2018 progress report)
ECDC, 20 February 2020
The aim of this report is to assess the situation for migrants at risk of or living with HIV, and to identify the efforts that are being made across Europe regarding HIV prevention among this population.
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UNAIDS and China working together during the COVID-19 outbreak to ensure that people living with HIV continue to get treatment
UNAIDS, 19 February 2020
A survey of people living with HIV has found that, because of the lockdowns and restrictions on movement in some places in China, these patients are at risk of running out of their HIV treatment and they don’t know where to collect their next antiretroviral therapy refill from.
Crisis in childhood HIV treatment in western and central Africa
UNAIDS, 17 February 2020
In 2018, coverage of antiretroviral therapy among children living with HIV in western and central Africa was just 28%, far lower than the global average.
Very few people with HIV stop smoking after brief advice from clinicians
Aidsmap, 19 February 2020
Two recent reports highlight the low rates of smoking cessation achieved using recommended brief interventions during routine appointments at HIV clinics.
People living with HIV diagnosed with COPD 12 years younger than HIV-negative people
EurekAlert!, 18 February 2020
A study has found that people in Ontario living with HIV had a 34% higher incidence rate of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease than HIV-negative individuals.
Addressing Weight Gain That Follows Life-Saving Antiretroviral Therapy
Contagion Live, 17 February 2020
Some of the weight gain after ART initiation often represents effective viral suppression. However, sometimes this weight gain is excessive and places the patient in the overweight or obese category with increased health risks.
Vitamin E effective, safe for fatty liver in HIV patients
EurekALert!, 14 February 2020
Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis - a severe form of fatty liver disease that commonly affects patients with HIV - can be safely treated with vitamin E.
HIV drugs reduce feminising hormone levels by 36% in HIV-positive trans women, Thai study finds
Aidsmap, 14 February 2020
Results of a limited study confirms that doctors should adjust HIV treatment accordingly to each patient’s situation.
Can Bone Loss be Reversed by Switching Drugs?
HIV Plus Mag, 13 February 2020
A new study on older people living with HIV shows that bone loss associated with tenofovir-based regimen could be reversed switching to a different medication.
New study uncovers human genes controlling HIV infection
News Medical, 20 February 2020
Researchers have developed a new way to understand how host cells control HIV infection in human cells.
PrEP
Gay Project Ireland launch petition to make PrEP available in Cork
GCN, 20 February 2020
Gay Project Ireland has launched a petition calling on the HSE and the Minister for Health to take action towards making PrEP and HIV testing available in Cork.
“Since your partner is not an angel… it would be prudent to use PrEP”: motivations to start PrEP in Kenya and Uganda
Aidsmap, 18 February 2020
Qualitative research with adolescents and young adults in rural Kenya and Uganda has revealed multiple factors affecting the uptake of PrEP. While young people still feel vulnerable to acquiring HIV, the perceived severity of the infection had been diminished due to the success of treatment.
A drug can stop HIV infection – so why isn't it available on the NHS in England?
The Guardian, 16 February 2020
Major studies have shown that PrEP effectively ends the threat of contracting HIV. But gay men and other users are currently left to self-source it online.
Drugs
‘Rapid’ HIV tests rollout in Scotland to tackle worst outbreak in decades
The Scotsman, 18 February 2020
Addiction workers are offering rapid blood tests at needle exchanges sites in Glasgow in order to tackle the spread of HIV among drug users who share needles.
Injecting drugs in public places linked to a higher risk of HIV, hepatitis C and overdose, Scottish survey finds
Aidsmap, 17 February 2020
Lack of safer drug consumption facility impeding efforts to control HIV outbreak among Glasgow drug users.
Harm Reduction and Social Inclusion
Correlation, February 2020
This factsheet highlights the need for a wider and integrated harm reduction approach in the context of social integration.
STIs
STI Cases Continue To Rise As 1,647 HIV And STI's Recorded This Year
Spin 108, 13 February 2020
The Health Protection Surveillance Centre says the number of people contracting an STI in Ireland continues to rise. New data show there have been 241 cases of chlamydia and 93 cases of gonorrhoea recorded in the past week.
Young men at high risk know little about cancer-causing HPV
Reuters, 19 February 2020
New York City survey: many young men who have sex with men are unaware of their increased risk for contracting HPV and of the vaccine that can prevent these infections.
Sexual Health
Taken'd! Sexual health and risk behaviours animation
Cork Traveller Visibility Group, 14 February 2020
This animation film has been made by the Cork Traveller Visibility Group in collaboration with the Sexual Health Centre. It highlights the risks taken when misusing drugs and alcohol and/or having sex, and how these can affect sexual health and general health.
Sex Work
The role of sex work laws and stigmas in increasing HIV risks among sex workers
Nature, 18 February 2020
In the context of a slowing HIV pandemic, epidemics among sex workers in most settings across sub-Saharan Africa are stable or growing. Medical and socio-behavioural surveys show that criminalisation laws and stigma prevent the effective provision and uptake of HIV prevention interventions for this population.
Conferences and Events
‘Let’s Talk About Sex’ Symposium, 22
nd February 2020, UCD Health Sciences Centre, Dublin.
SSSTDI Spring Meeting, Belmont House Hotel, Banbridge, Co. Down, 28th March 2020.
Access to Medicines Ireland – 4th Annual Conference: Toward an Alternative Future for Medicines, Royal College of Surgeons, Dublin, 7
th April 2020.
