Richard Pizzi

 

A great volume of HIV and AIDS research enters the medical literature every month. It can be difficult to monitor everything, so here’s a quick look at some notable news items and journal articles published over the past few weeks.

Targeted recruitment of hospitalized populations is a feasible and productive approach for finding and engaging people who live with HIV and who are newly diagnosed or out of routine care, according to a study in HIV Clinical Trials.

alexskopje/Thinkstock

A comparative study of term, uncomplicated pregnant women, both HIV-infected and -uninfected, found few differences between groups apart from maternal vascular malperfusion, a lesion that may underlie the development of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and has been observed at higher rates in some HIV-infected women on antiretroviral therapy.

A recent study highlighted the need to enhance the immunogenicity of the seasonal trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine for the HIV-positive population, potentially through harnessing the innate immunity with an external adjuvant.

Greater attention is needed to build a more comprehensive understanding of the rural HIV epidemic in the United States and Canada, including research efforts, innovative approaches to care delivery, and greater community engagement in prevention and care, a recent study revealed.

Recent U.S. research supports prioritizing in-person partner services for HIV and suggests that in-person partner services for syphilis may not have major public health benefit, according to a study in Sexually Transmitted Diseases.

A multinational study of HIV/TB coinfected children highlighted the importance of early antiretroviral therapy for children with HIV/TB coinfection, and reinforced the need for implementation research to improve pediatric TB management.

Placentas of HIV-infected pregnant women under combined antiretroviral therapy containing zidovudine showed evidence of mitochondrial DNA depletion, increased oxidative stress levels, and apoptosis suggestive of secondary mitochondrial failure, all potential bases of associated adverse perinatal outcomes.

U.S. investigators observed no evidence that reporting depressive symptoms increased the likelihood of all-cause mortality in a large cohort of HIV-infected adults in care, controlling for a range of time-varying factors.

The second-generation maturation inhibitor GSK3532795 maintains potent antiviral activity toward HIV protease inhibitor-resistant clinical isolates, according to a study in JAIDS.

Pregnant adolescents must be a priority for primary HIV prevention services and expanded HIV treatment services among pregnant women to achieve an AIDS-free generation in Zimbabwe and similar high HIV burden countries, a recent study revealed.
 

rpizzi@frontlinemedcom.com

On Twitter @richpizzi

 

A great volume of HIV and AIDS research enters the medical literature every month. It can be difficult to monitor everything, so here’s a quick look at some notable news items and journal articles published over the past few weeks.

Targeted recruitment of hospitalized populations is a feasible and productive approach for finding and engaging people who live with HIV and who are newly diagnosed or out of routine care, according to a study in HIV Clinical Trials.

alexskopje/Thinkstock

A comparative study of term, uncomplicated pregnant women, both HIV-infected and -uninfected, found few differences between groups apart from maternal vascular malperfusion, a lesion that may underlie the development of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and has been observed at higher rates in some HIV-infected women on antiretroviral therapy.

A recent study highlighted the need to enhance the immunogenicity of the seasonal trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine for the HIV-positive population, potentially through harnessing the innate immunity with an external adjuvant.

Greater attention is needed to build a more comprehensive understanding of the rural HIV epidemic in the United States and Canada, including research efforts, innovative approaches to care delivery, and greater community engagement in prevention and care, a recent study revealed.

Recent U.S. research supports prioritizing in-person partner services for HIV and suggests that in-person partner services for syphilis may not have major public health benefit, according to a study in Sexually Transmitted Diseases.

A multinational study of HIV/TB coinfected children highlighted the importance of early antiretroviral therapy for children with HIV/TB coinfection, and reinforced the need for implementation research to improve pediatric TB management.

Placentas of HIV-infected pregnant women under combined antiretroviral therapy containing zidovudine showed evidence of mitochondrial DNA depletion, increased oxidative stress levels, and apoptosis suggestive of secondary mitochondrial failure, all potential bases of associated adverse perinatal outcomes.

U.S. investigators observed no evidence that reporting depressive symptoms increased the likelihood of all-cause mortality in a large cohort of HIV-infected adults in care, controlling for a range of time-varying factors.

The second-generation maturation inhibitor GSK3532795 maintains potent antiviral activity toward HIV protease inhibitor-resistant clinical isolates, according to a study in JAIDS.

Pregnant adolescents must be a priority for primary HIV prevention services and expanded HIV treatment services among pregnant women to achieve an AIDS-free generation in Zimbabwe and similar high HIV burden countries, a recent study revealed.
 

rpizzi@frontlinemedcom.com

On Twitter @richpizzi

 

A great volume of HIV and AIDS research enters the medical literature every month. It can be difficult to monitor everything, so here’s a quick look at some notable news items and journal articles published over the past few weeks.

Targeted recruitment of hospitalized populations is a feasible and productive approach for finding and engaging people who live with HIV and who are newly diagnosed or out of routine care, according to a study in HIV Clinical Trials.

alexskopje/Thinkstock

A comparative study of term, uncomplicated pregnant women, both HIV-infected and -uninfected, found few differences between groups apart from maternal vascular malperfusion, a lesion that may underlie the development of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and has been observed at higher rates in some HIV-infected women on antiretroviral therapy.

A recent study highlighted the need to enhance the immunogenicity of the seasonal trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine for the HIV-positive population, potentially through harnessing the innate immunity with an external adjuvant.

Greater attention is needed to build a more comprehensive understanding of the rural HIV epidemic in the United States and Canada, including research efforts, innovative approaches to care delivery, and greater community engagement in prevention and care, a recent study revealed.

Recent U.S. research supports prioritizing in-person partner services for HIV and suggests that in-person partner services for syphilis may not have major public health benefit, according to a study in Sexually Transmitted Diseases.

A multinational study of HIV/TB coinfected children highlighted the importance of early antiretroviral therapy for children with HIV/TB coinfection, and reinforced the need for implementation research to improve pediatric TB management.

Placentas of HIV-infected pregnant women under combined antiretroviral therapy containing zidovudine showed evidence of mitochondrial DNA depletion, increased oxidative stress levels, and apoptosis suggestive of secondary mitochondrial failure, all potential bases of associated adverse perinatal outcomes.

U.S. investigators observed no evidence that reporting depressive symptoms increased the likelihood of all-cause mortality in a large cohort of HIV-infected adults in care, controlling for a range of time-varying factors.

The second-generation maturation inhibitor GSK3532795 maintains potent antiviral activity toward HIV protease inhibitor-resistant clinical isolates, according to a study in JAIDS.

Pregnant adolescents must be a priority for primary HIV prevention services and expanded HIV treatment services among pregnant women to achieve an AIDS-free generation in Zimbabwe and similar high HIV burden countries, a recent study revealed.
 

rpizzi@frontlinemedcom.com

On Twitter @richpizzi

 

The struggle to defeat Ebola virus disease continues globally, although it may not always make the headlines. To catch up on what you may have missed, here are some notable news items and journal articles published over the past few weeks that are worth a second look.

Italian researchers observed the presence of total Ebola virus RNA and replication markers in specimens of the lower respiratory tract, even after viral clearance from plasma, suggesting possible local replication.

CDC/Daniel J. DeNoon

A case study in the Journal of Infectious Diseases described the first neonate documented to have survived congenital infection with Ebola virus. The child was treated with monoclonal antibodies (ZMapp), a buffy coat transfusion from an Ebola survivor, and the broad-spectrum antiviral GS-5734.

Researchers have identified a mechanism that appears to represent one way that host cells have evolved to outsmart infection by Ebola and other viruses, according to a study in PLOS Pathogens.

Post–Ebola virus disease symptoms can remain long after recovery and long-term viral persistence in semen is confirmed, according to a study in Lancet Infectious Diseases. The authors say the results justify calls for regular check-ups of survivors at least 18 months after recovery.

A new mouse model of early Ebola virus infection may show how early immune responses can affect the development of Ebola virus disease, according to a study in Cell Reports, and identify protective immune responses as targets for developing human Ebola virus therapeutics.

The addition of disease surveillance officers in Kambia, Sierra Leone, enabled public health officials to provide a more timely response to Ebola virus alerts as well as conduct active case searching throughout the district, according to a report in MMWR, which investigators said was associated with earlier detection and a decline in number of new Ebola virus disease cases recorded.

A study published in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases proposed highly predictive and easy-to-use prognostic tools that stratify the risk of Ebola virus disease mortality at or after Ebola virus disease triage.

According to a study published in the Journal of Human Lactation, donor human milk processed at nonprofit milk banks is safe from Ebola and Marburg viruses because the viruses are safely inactivated in human milk by standard North American pasteurization techniques.

A recent study found that the 2014-2015 West Africa Ebola epidemic was largely driven and sustained by “superspreadings” that were ubiquitous throughout the outbreak, and that age is an important demographic predictor for superspreading. The authors said their results highlight the importance of control measures targeted at potential superspreaders and enhance understanding of causes and consequences of superspreading for Ebola virus.

Ebola, and more recently Zika and yellow fever, have demonstrated that the world does not yet have a reliable or robust global system for preventing, detecting, and responding to disease outbreaks, according to an analysis in BMJ.

Ebola virus strains can be generated that replicate and cause disease within new host rodent species, according to a bioinformatics study, raising concerns that few mutations may result in novel human pathogenic Ebola viruses.

A study in Sierra Leone using a new highly specific and sensitive assay found that asymptomatic infection with Ebola virus was uncommon despite high exposure. The authors said “low prevalence suggests asymptomatic infection contributes little to herd immunity in Ebola, and even if infectious, would account for few transmissions.”

Malaria parasite coinfection was common in patients presenting to Ebola Treatment Units in Sierra Leone, according to a study in The Lancet Infectious Diseases, and conferred an increased mortality risk in patients infected with Ebola virus, supporting empirical malaria treatment in Ebola Treatment Units. The authors said high mortality among patients without Ebola virus disease or malaria suggests expanded testing and treatment might improve care in future Ebola epidemics.

rpizzi@frontlinemedcom.com

On Twitter @richpizzi

 

The struggle to defeat Ebola virus disease continues globally, although it may not always make the headlines. To catch up on what you may have missed, here are some notable news items and journal articles published over the past few weeks that are worth a second look.

Italian researchers observed the presence of total Ebola virus RNA and replication markers in specimens of the lower respiratory tract, even after viral clearance from plasma, suggesting possible local replication.

CDC/Daniel J. DeNoon

A case study in the Journal of Infectious Diseases described the first neonate documented to have survived congenital infection with Ebola virus. The child was treated with monoclonal antibodies (ZMapp), a buffy coat transfusion from an Ebola survivor, and the broad-spectrum antiviral GS-5734.

Researchers have identified a mechanism that appears to represent one way that host cells have evolved to outsmart infection by Ebola and other viruses, according to a study in PLOS Pathogens.

Post–Ebola virus disease symptoms can remain long after recovery and long-term viral persistence in semen is confirmed, according to a study in Lancet Infectious Diseases. The authors say the results justify calls for regular check-ups of survivors at least 18 months after recovery.

A new mouse model of early Ebola virus infection may show how early immune responses can affect the development of Ebola virus disease, according to a study in Cell Reports, and identify protective immune responses as targets for developing human Ebola virus therapeutics.

The addition of disease surveillance officers in Kambia, Sierra Leone, enabled public health officials to provide a more timely response to Ebola virus alerts as well as conduct active case searching throughout the district, according to a report in MMWR, which investigators said was associated with earlier detection and a decline in number of new Ebola virus disease cases recorded.

A study published in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases proposed highly predictive and easy-to-use prognostic tools that stratify the risk of Ebola virus disease mortality at or after Ebola virus disease triage.

According to a study published in the Journal of Human Lactation, donor human milk processed at nonprofit milk banks is safe from Ebola and Marburg viruses because the viruses are safely inactivated in human milk by standard North American pasteurization techniques.

A recent study found that the 2014-2015 West Africa Ebola epidemic was largely driven and sustained by “superspreadings” that were ubiquitous throughout the outbreak, and that age is an important demographic predictor for superspreading. The authors said their results highlight the importance of control measures targeted at potential superspreaders and enhance understanding of causes and consequences of superspreading for Ebola virus.

Ebola, and more recently Zika and yellow fever, have demonstrated that the world does not yet have a reliable or robust global system for preventing, detecting, and responding to disease outbreaks, according to an analysis in BMJ.

Ebola virus strains can be generated that replicate and cause disease within new host rodent species, according to a bioinformatics study, raising concerns that few mutations may result in novel human pathogenic Ebola viruses.

A study in Sierra Leone using a new highly specific and sensitive assay found that asymptomatic infection with Ebola virus was uncommon despite high exposure. The authors said “low prevalence suggests asymptomatic infection contributes little to herd immunity in Ebola, and even if infectious, would account for few transmissions.”

Malaria parasite coinfection was common in patients presenting to Ebola Treatment Units in Sierra Leone, according to a study in The Lancet Infectious Diseases, and conferred an increased mortality risk in patients infected with Ebola virus, supporting empirical malaria treatment in Ebola Treatment Units. The authors said high mortality among patients without Ebola virus disease or malaria suggests expanded testing and treatment might improve care in future Ebola epidemics.

rpizzi@frontlinemedcom.com

On Twitter @richpizzi

 

The struggle to defeat Ebola virus disease continues globally, although it may not always make the headlines. To catch up on what you may have missed, here are some notable news items and journal articles published over the past few weeks that are worth a second look.

Italian researchers observed the presence of total Ebola virus RNA and replication markers in specimens of the lower respiratory tract, even after viral clearance from plasma, suggesting possible local replication.

CDC/Daniel J. DeNoon

A case study in the Journal of Infectious Diseases described the first neonate documented to have survived congenital infection with Ebola virus. The child was treated with monoclonal antibodies (ZMapp), a buffy coat transfusion from an Ebola survivor, and the broad-spectrum antiviral GS-5734.

Researchers have identified a mechanism that appears to represent one way that host cells have evolved to outsmart infection by Ebola and other viruses, according to a study in PLOS Pathogens.

Post–Ebola virus disease symptoms can remain long after recovery and long-term viral persistence in semen is confirmed, according to a study in Lancet Infectious Diseases. The authors say the results justify calls for regular check-ups of survivors at least 18 months after recovery.

A new mouse model of early Ebola virus infection may show how early immune responses can affect the development of Ebola virus disease, according to a study in Cell Reports, and identify protective immune responses as targets for developing human Ebola virus therapeutics.

The addition of disease surveillance officers in Kambia, Sierra Leone, enabled public health officials to provide a more timely response to Ebola virus alerts as well as conduct active case searching throughout the district, according to a report in MMWR, which investigators said was associated with earlier detection and a decline in number of new Ebola virus disease cases recorded.

A study published in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases proposed highly predictive and easy-to-use prognostic tools that stratify the risk of Ebola virus disease mortality at or after Ebola virus disease triage.

According to a study published in the Journal of Human Lactation, donor human milk processed at nonprofit milk banks is safe from Ebola and Marburg viruses because the viruses are safely inactivated in human milk by standard North American pasteurization techniques.

A recent study found that the 2014-2015 West Africa Ebola epidemic was largely driven and sustained by “superspreadings” that were ubiquitous throughout the outbreak, and that age is an important demographic predictor for superspreading. The authors said their results highlight the importance of control measures targeted at potential superspreaders and enhance understanding of causes and consequences of superspreading for Ebola virus.

Ebola, and more recently Zika and yellow fever, have demonstrated that the world does not yet have a reliable or robust global system for preventing, detecting, and responding to disease outbreaks, according to an analysis in BMJ.

Ebola virus strains can be generated that replicate and cause disease within new host rodent species, according to a bioinformatics study, raising concerns that few mutations may result in novel human pathogenic Ebola viruses.

A study in Sierra Leone using a new highly specific and sensitive assay found that asymptomatic infection with Ebola virus was uncommon despite high exposure. The authors said “low prevalence suggests asymptomatic infection contributes little to herd immunity in Ebola, and even if infectious, would account for few transmissions.”

Malaria parasite coinfection was common in patients presenting to Ebola Treatment Units in Sierra Leone, according to a study in The Lancet Infectious Diseases, and conferred an increased mortality risk in patients infected with Ebola virus, supporting empirical malaria treatment in Ebola Treatment Units. The authors said high mortality among patients without Ebola virus disease or malaria suggests expanded testing and treatment might improve care in future Ebola epidemics.

rpizzi@frontlinemedcom.com

On Twitter @richpizzi

 

Here’s your weekly quick take on recent notable news and journal articles related to HIV and AIDS research:

Novel therapy tested. An unboosted HIV-1 integrase strand-transfer inhibitor produced led to rapid declines in HIV-1 RNA after 10 days of monotherapy in a phase 1B study reported in JAIDS. The drug (bictegravir) was well tolerated, and displayed rapid absorption and a half-life supportive of once-daily therapy in HIV-infected subjects.

copyright alexskopje/Thinkstock

New diagnoses declining in black women. Based on three different measures, the disparity in HIV diagnoses in black women decreased in 2014, compared with 2010, according to a CDC report.

Legalizing sex work is linked to lower HIV rates. Rates of HIV infection in female sex workers are lower in European countries that have legalized of some aspects of sex work, according to a study in the Lancet HIV.

Flu vaccine likely safe in HIV-positive women on therapy. H1N1 influenza vaccination in HIV-infected women on effective antiretroviral treatment did not induce measurable antigen-driven proliferation of the HIV-1 proviral reservoir, according to a study in AIDS Research and Therapy.

Could vitamin supplements lower subsequent TB risk? At the start of ART, vitamin A and D deficiencies were more common in adults who went on to develop tuberculosis, according to a study in JAIDS.

Cerebrospinal fluid CD8+ T cells beneficial in acute HIV infection. CD8+ T cells expand in the central nervous system during acute HIV infection and are functional and directed against HIV antigens. If combination antiretroviral therapy is initiated early, the cells could protect against injury seen in chronic HIV infection based on a study in JAIDS.

Opioid use declined with HIV care. Opioid prescription use decreased substantially with longer time in HIV care among both episodic and chronic opioid users infected with HIV, according to a study in JAIDS.

HIV treatment goals need to improve. Meeting the National HIV/AIDS Strategy goals will require more efforts to link and retain black patients to care. Among blacks living with diagnosed HIV at year-end 2013, 53.5% were retained in care and 48.5% achieved viral suppression. The lowest levels of care and viral suppression were among persons with infection attributed to injection drug use and males with infection attributed to heterosexual contact, according to a report in MMWR. The strategy goals are 85% linkage to care, 90% retention in care, and 80% viral load suppression by 2020.

rpizzi@frontlinemedcom.com

On Twitter @richpizzi

 

Here’s your weekly quick take on recent notable news and journal articles related to HIV and AIDS research:

Novel therapy tested. An unboosted HIV-1 integrase strand-transfer inhibitor produced led to rapid declines in HIV-1 RNA after 10 days of monotherapy in a phase 1B study reported in JAIDS. The drug (bictegravir) was well tolerated, and displayed rapid absorption and a half-life supportive of once-daily therapy in HIV-infected subjects.

copyright alexskopje/Thinkstock

New diagnoses declining in black women. Based on three different measures, the disparity in HIV diagnoses in black women decreased in 2014, compared with 2010, according to a CDC report.

Legalizing sex work is linked to lower HIV rates. Rates of HIV infection in female sex workers are lower in European countries that have legalized of some aspects of sex work, according to a study in the Lancet HIV.

Flu vaccine likely safe in HIV-positive women on therapy. H1N1 influenza vaccination in HIV-infected women on effective antiretroviral treatment did not induce measurable antigen-driven proliferation of the HIV-1 proviral reservoir, according to a study in AIDS Research and Therapy.

Could vitamin supplements lower subsequent TB risk? At the start of ART, vitamin A and D deficiencies were more common in adults who went on to develop tuberculosis, according to a study in JAIDS.

Cerebrospinal fluid CD8+ T cells beneficial in acute HIV infection. CD8+ T cells expand in the central nervous system during acute HIV infection and are functional and directed against HIV antigens. If combination antiretroviral therapy is initiated early, the cells could protect against injury seen in chronic HIV infection based on a study in JAIDS.

Opioid use declined with HIV care. Opioid prescription use decreased substantially with longer time in HIV care among both episodic and chronic opioid users infected with HIV, according to a study in JAIDS.

HIV treatment goals need to improve. Meeting the National HIV/AIDS Strategy goals will require more efforts to link and retain black patients to care. Among blacks living with diagnosed HIV at year-end 2013, 53.5% were retained in care and 48.5% achieved viral suppression. The lowest levels of care and viral suppression were among persons with infection attributed to injection drug use and males with infection attributed to heterosexual contact, according to a report in MMWR. The strategy goals are 85% linkage to care, 90% retention in care, and 80% viral load suppression by 2020.

rpizzi@frontlinemedcom.com

On Twitter @richpizzi

 

Here’s your weekly quick take on recent notable news and journal articles related to HIV and AIDS research:

Novel therapy tested. An unboosted HIV-1 integrase strand-transfer inhibitor produced led to rapid declines in HIV-1 RNA after 10 days of monotherapy in a phase 1B study reported in JAIDS. The drug (bictegravir) was well tolerated, and displayed rapid absorption and a half-life supportive of once-daily therapy in HIV-infected subjects.

copyright alexskopje/Thinkstock

New diagnoses declining in black women. Based on three different measures, the disparity in HIV diagnoses in black women decreased in 2014, compared with 2010, according to a CDC report.

Legalizing sex work is linked to lower HIV rates. Rates of HIV infection in female sex workers are lower in European countries that have legalized of some aspects of sex work, according to a study in the Lancet HIV.

Flu vaccine likely safe in HIV-positive women on therapy. H1N1 influenza vaccination in HIV-infected women on effective antiretroviral treatment did not induce measurable antigen-driven proliferation of the HIV-1 proviral reservoir, according to a study in AIDS Research and Therapy.

Could vitamin supplements lower subsequent TB risk? At the start of ART, vitamin A and D deficiencies were more common in adults who went on to develop tuberculosis, according to a study in JAIDS.

Cerebrospinal fluid CD8+ T cells beneficial in acute HIV infection. CD8+ T cells expand in the central nervous system during acute HIV infection and are functional and directed against HIV antigens. If combination antiretroviral therapy is initiated early, the cells could protect against injury seen in chronic HIV infection based on a study in JAIDS.

Opioid use declined with HIV care. Opioid prescription use decreased substantially with longer time in HIV care among both episodic and chronic opioid users infected with HIV, according to a study in JAIDS.

HIV treatment goals need to improve. Meeting the National HIV/AIDS Strategy goals will require more efforts to link and retain black patients to care. Among blacks living with diagnosed HIV at year-end 2013, 53.5% were retained in care and 48.5% achieved viral suppression. The lowest levels of care and viral suppression were among persons with infection attributed to injection drug use and males with infection attributed to heterosexual contact, according to a report in MMWR. The strategy goals are 85% linkage to care, 90% retention in care, and 80% viral load suppression by 2020.

rpizzi@frontlinemedcom.com

On Twitter @richpizzi

 

If you work on the front lines of medical care treating patients with hepatitis, you may not have time to review all the hepatitis research that enters the medical literature every month. Here’s a quick look at some notable news items and journal articles published over the past month, covering the major hepatitis viruses.

Hepatitis A virus vaccine provides protective antibody levels 20 years after childhood vaccination, according to a study of Alaska Native persons.

vchal/Thinkstock

HBV/HIV coinfection had no adverse influence on main pregnancy outcomes or on HIV viral load suppression in late pregnancy, according to a recent study, but was associated with a significantly reduced CD4 response in pregnancy.

Outcome measures that reflect the entire cycle of hepatitis care are needed to assist both clinicians and administrators in improving quality and value of care, according to an analysis in Hepatology.

Prophylactic antiviral therapy management is necessary for hepatitis B surface antigen–positive breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, a recent study revealed, in spite of high correlation with lamivudine-resistant hepatitis B virus variants with tyrosine-methionine-aspartate-aspartate motif-mutations.

According to a recent review of the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients, there was a slight reduction in anti-HBV core antibody–positive donor organs from 2005 to 2014, and stable reporting of HCV-positive donor organs and HIV-positive recipients.

The proportion of anti-HCV–positive patients in Poland decreased from 2004 to 2014, according to a study reported in Eurosurveillance.

A study in the journal AIDS found that HIV/HCV coinfection is associated with the greater homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance, even after demographic, lifestyle, and metabolic factors are controlled for.

Hepatitis A virus vaccination had increased effectiveness for postexposure prophylaxis in HA outbreaks, similar to that of immunoglobulin, and offered long-term protection, according to a study in Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics. The authors said the result supports the preferential use of vaccination to avoid secondary cases.

Hepatitis C virus subtype 3b and 6a subepidemics in China are currently not under control, according to a report in the Journal of Viral Hepatitis, and new epidemic waves may emerge given the rapid increase in international travel.

Strong, consistent evidence exists that Western health professionals miss opportunities for hepatitis B virus testing and vaccination of Chinese migrant populations, a recent study revealed.

New research shows that laboratory of genetics and physiology 2, a retinoic acid–inducible gene I–like receptor, plays an essential role in hepatitis C virus infection–induced interferon responses.

A study in Hepatology revealed that the hepatitis C virus uses the protein NS5B to specifically suppress the tumor suppressor NORE1A, facilitating viral replication and elevated Ras signaling.

Combined hepatitis A and B vaccine could stimulate both high level of anti-hepatitis A and anti-hepatitis Bs antibodies and not increase adverse events, a recent study revealed, providing a new choice for hepatitis B booster.

A study in Hepatology reports that proanthocyanidin, an oligomeric flavonoid, and its analogs represent a new class of anti-hepatitis B virus agents that directly target the preS1 region of the HBV large surface protein. These agents could contribute to the development of a potent, well-tolerated, and broadly active inhibitor of HBV infection.

Hepatitis B virus infection continues to be acquired in adulthood among HIV-positive Ugandans, but HBV incidence is dramatically reduced with HBV-active antiretroviral therapy, a study found.

A Lancet study found that one administration of RG-101, a hepatocyte targeted N-acetylgalactosamine conjugated anti–miR-122 oligonucleotide, was well tolerated and resulted in substantial viral load reduction in all treated patients within 4 weeks, and sustained virologic response in three patients for 76 weeks.

A study in Hepatology found that eradication of hepatitis C virus infection in HIV/HCV coinfected patients is associated not only with a reduction in the frequency of death, HIV progression, and liver-related events, but also with a reduced hazard of diabetes mellitus and possibly of chronic renal failure.

A liver biopsy and antiviral therapy should be strongly considered when treating hepatitis B e antigen–positive patients with a normal or minimally elevated ALT level, low HBV DNA level, and age greater than 35 years, according to a study in the Journal of Viral Hepatitis.

Serum long intergenic noncoding RNA-p21 could serve as a potential biomarker of liver fibrosis in chronic hepatitis B virus infection patients, according to a Chinese study.

rpizzi@frontlinemedcom.com

On Twitter @richpizzi

 

If you work on the front lines of medical care treating patients with hepatitis, you may not have time to review all the hepatitis research that enters the medical literature every month. Here’s a quick look at some notable news items and journal articles published over the past month, covering the major hepatitis viruses.

Hepatitis A virus vaccine provides protective antibody levels 20 years after childhood vaccination, according to a study of Alaska Native persons.

vchal/Thinkstock

HBV/HIV coinfection had no adverse influence on main pregnancy outcomes or on HIV viral load suppression in late pregnancy, according to a recent study, but was associated with a significantly reduced CD4 response in pregnancy.

Outcome measures that reflect the entire cycle of hepatitis care are needed to assist both clinicians and administrators in improving quality and value of care, according to an analysis in Hepatology.

Prophylactic antiviral therapy management is necessary for hepatitis B surface antigen–positive breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, a recent study revealed, in spite of high correlation with lamivudine-resistant hepatitis B virus variants with tyrosine-methionine-aspartate-aspartate motif-mutations.

According to a recent review of the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients, there was a slight reduction in anti-HBV core antibody–positive donor organs from 2005 to 2014, and stable reporting of HCV-positive donor organs and HIV-positive recipients.

The proportion of anti-HCV–positive patients in Poland decreased from 2004 to 2014, according to a study reported in Eurosurveillance.

A study in the journal AIDS found that HIV/HCV coinfection is associated with the greater homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance, even after demographic, lifestyle, and metabolic factors are controlled for.

Hepatitis A virus vaccination had increased effectiveness for postexposure prophylaxis in HA outbreaks, similar to that of immunoglobulin, and offered long-term protection, according to a study in Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics. The authors said the result supports the preferential use of vaccination to avoid secondary cases.

Hepatitis C virus subtype 3b and 6a subepidemics in China are currently not under control, according to a report in the Journal of Viral Hepatitis, and new epidemic waves may emerge given the rapid increase in international travel.

Strong, consistent evidence exists that Western health professionals miss opportunities for hepatitis B virus testing and vaccination of Chinese migrant populations, a recent study revealed.

New research shows that laboratory of genetics and physiology 2, a retinoic acid–inducible gene I–like receptor, plays an essential role in hepatitis C virus infection–induced interferon responses.

A study in Hepatology revealed that the hepatitis C virus uses the protein NS5B to specifically suppress the tumor suppressor NORE1A, facilitating viral replication and elevated Ras signaling.

Combined hepatitis A and B vaccine could stimulate both high level of anti-hepatitis A and anti-hepatitis Bs antibodies and not increase adverse events, a recent study revealed, providing a new choice for hepatitis B booster.

A study in Hepatology reports that proanthocyanidin, an oligomeric flavonoid, and its analogs represent a new class of anti-hepatitis B virus agents that directly target the preS1 region of the HBV large surface protein. These agents could contribute to the development of a potent, well-tolerated, and broadly active inhibitor of HBV infection.

Hepatitis B virus infection continues to be acquired in adulthood among HIV-positive Ugandans, but HBV incidence is dramatically reduced with HBV-active antiretroviral therapy, a study found.

A Lancet study found that one administration of RG-101, a hepatocyte targeted N-acetylgalactosamine conjugated anti–miR-122 oligonucleotide, was well tolerated and resulted in substantial viral load reduction in all treated patients within 4 weeks, and sustained virologic response in three patients for 76 weeks.

A study in Hepatology found that eradication of hepatitis C virus infection in HIV/HCV coinfected patients is associated not only with a reduction in the frequency of death, HIV progression, and liver-related events, but also with a reduced hazard of diabetes mellitus and possibly of chronic renal failure.

A liver biopsy and antiviral therapy should be strongly considered when treating hepatitis B e antigen–positive patients with a normal or minimally elevated ALT level, low HBV DNA level, and age greater than 35 years, according to a study in the Journal of Viral Hepatitis.

Serum long intergenic noncoding RNA-p21 could serve as a potential biomarker of liver fibrosis in chronic hepatitis B virus infection patients, according to a Chinese study.

rpizzi@frontlinemedcom.com

On Twitter @richpizzi

 

If you work on the front lines of medical care treating patients with hepatitis, you may not have time to review all the hepatitis research that enters the medical literature every month. Here’s a quick look at some notable news items and journal articles published over the past month, covering the major hepatitis viruses.

Hepatitis A virus vaccine provides protective antibody levels 20 years after childhood vaccination, according to a study of Alaska Native persons.

vchal/Thinkstock

HBV/HIV coinfection had no adverse influence on main pregnancy outcomes or on HIV viral load suppression in late pregnancy, according to a recent study, but was associated with a significantly reduced CD4 response in pregnancy.

Outcome measures that reflect the entire cycle of hepatitis care are needed to assist both clinicians and administrators in improving quality and value of care, according to an analysis in Hepatology.

Prophylactic antiviral therapy management is necessary for hepatitis B surface antigen–positive breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, a recent study revealed, in spite of high correlation with lamivudine-resistant hepatitis B virus variants with tyrosine-methionine-aspartate-aspartate motif-mutations.

According to a recent review of the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients, there was a slight reduction in anti-HBV core antibody–positive donor organs from 2005 to 2014, and stable reporting of HCV-positive donor organs and HIV-positive recipients.

The proportion of anti-HCV–positive patients in Poland decreased from 2004 to 2014, according to a study reported in Eurosurveillance.

A study in the journal AIDS found that HIV/HCV coinfection is associated with the greater homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance, even after demographic, lifestyle, and metabolic factors are controlled for.

Hepatitis A virus vaccination had increased effectiveness for postexposure prophylaxis in HA outbreaks, similar to that of immunoglobulin, and offered long-term protection, according to a study in Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics. The authors said the result supports the preferential use of vaccination to avoid secondary cases.

Hepatitis C virus subtype 3b and 6a subepidemics in China are currently not under control, according to a report in the Journal of Viral Hepatitis, and new epidemic waves may emerge given the rapid increase in international travel.

Strong, consistent evidence exists that Western health professionals miss opportunities for hepatitis B virus testing and vaccination of Chinese migrant populations, a recent study revealed.

New research shows that laboratory of genetics and physiology 2, a retinoic acid–inducible gene I–like receptor, plays an essential role in hepatitis C virus infection–induced interferon responses.

A study in Hepatology revealed that the hepatitis C virus uses the protein NS5B to specifically suppress the tumor suppressor NORE1A, facilitating viral replication and elevated Ras signaling.

Combined hepatitis A and B vaccine could stimulate both high level of anti-hepatitis A and anti-hepatitis Bs antibodies and not increase adverse events, a recent study revealed, providing a new choice for hepatitis B booster.

A study in Hepatology reports that proanthocyanidin, an oligomeric flavonoid, and its analogs represent a new class of anti-hepatitis B virus agents that directly target the preS1 region of the HBV large surface protein. These agents could contribute to the development of a potent, well-tolerated, and broadly active inhibitor of HBV infection.

Hepatitis B virus infection continues to be acquired in adulthood among HIV-positive Ugandans, but HBV incidence is dramatically reduced with HBV-active antiretroviral therapy, a study found.

A Lancet study found that one administration of RG-101, a hepatocyte targeted N-acetylgalactosamine conjugated anti–miR-122 oligonucleotide, was well tolerated and resulted in substantial viral load reduction in all treated patients within 4 weeks, and sustained virologic response in three patients for 76 weeks.

A study in Hepatology found that eradication of hepatitis C virus infection in HIV/HCV coinfected patients is associated not only with a reduction in the frequency of death, HIV progression, and liver-related events, but also with a reduced hazard of diabetes mellitus and possibly of chronic renal failure.

A liver biopsy and antiviral therapy should be strongly considered when treating hepatitis B e antigen–positive patients with a normal or minimally elevated ALT level, low HBV DNA level, and age greater than 35 years, according to a study in the Journal of Viral Hepatitis.

Serum long intergenic noncoding RNA-p21 could serve as a potential biomarker of liver fibrosis in chronic hepatitis B virus infection patients, according to a Chinese study.

rpizzi@frontlinemedcom.com

On Twitter @richpizzi

 

A great volume of HIV and AIDS research enters the medical literature every month. It’s difficult to monitor everything, so here’s a quick look at some notable news items and journal articles published over the past few weeks.

Researchers demonstrated the safety and activity of the HIV-neutralizing monoclonal antibody 10-1074 in humans and said their study supports the idea that antibodies targeting the V3 glycan supersite might be useful for the treatment and prevention of HIV-1 infection.

Efforts to support HIV disclosure (such as counseling) may be needed for TB-HIV coinfected patients, particularly for women and those unaware of their partners’ status, a study found.

copyright alexskopje/Thinkstock

Mortality among HIV-positive patients who started antiretroviral therapy in sub-Saharan Africa, were lost to programs and successfully traced, has declined substantially during the scale-up of ART, a recent study discovered.

Elevated levels of procoagulants may exert a particularly detrimental effect on neurocognitive functioning among older HIV-infected persons, according to a study in the journal AIDS.

A recent study found that a combination of the anti-HIV drugs tenofovir, lopinavir, and ritonavir in a lipid-stabilized nanosuspension enhanced and sustained intracellular drug levels and exposures in lymph node and blood cells above those in plasma.

Hepatitis B virus infection continues to be acquired in adulthood among HIV-positive Ugandans, but HBV incidence is dramatically reduced with HBV-active antiretroviral therapy, a study found.

In antiretroviral therapy-naive Ugandan children, insulin resistance changed significantly after 48 weeks of ART and correlated with monocyte activation, according to a study in the Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal.

Oxidative stress is associated with a higher risk of serious non-AIDS events in HIV patients, including non-AIDS deaths, according to a study in JAIDS. The authors said the effect is independent and additive to biomarkers of inflammation, monocyte activation and coagulation.

A study at a California teaching hospital found the yield of opt-out HIV rapid antibody screening in inpatients was comparable to the national HIV prevalence average. However, uptake of screening was markedly limited where opt-out screening was delivered by physicians during routine care, with limited time resources being the major barrier.

Variations within fat mass and the obesity-associated (FTO) gene may be predictors of fatty liver disease in HIV-infected patients independently of metabolic factors, according to a study in HIV Medicine.

After adjustment for sex, years of HIV experience, and patient caseload, providing primary care to HIV-infected patients remained associated with delivering comprehensive reproductive health counseling, according to a study in AIDS Care.

A recent study found that treatment dose nevirapine-based combination antiretroviral therapy was generally well tolerated by HIV-infected neonates, and associated with normalization of trough levels over time in most cases without dose adjustment.

Immune function may be impacted by various forms of psychological stress in HIV-positive women, a study found, and investigators said interventions that target stress reduction may be useful in improving immune parameters and quality of life.

Annual HIV incidence among men who have sex with men attending STI clinics in England is high, a study in HIV Medicine revealed, and previous STIs were predictors of HIV acquisition but accounted only for one in five infections.

A study in Public Health Reports found that the prevalence of HIV testing provision at organizations serving young people in Baltimore was low, and few organizations offered linkages to HIV testing.

A study in Hepatology found that eradication of hepatitis C virus infection in HIV/HCV coinfected patients is associated not only with a reduction in the frequency of death, HIV progression, and liver-related events, but also with a reduced hazard of diabetes mellitus and possibly of chronic renal failure.

A recent study found modest but significant improvements in self-assessed quality of life among HIV patients initiating antiretroviral therapy immediately compared to deferring treatment, supporting patient-perceived health benefits of initiating ART as soon as possible after an HIV diagnosis.

Distinct mechanisms may underlie cortical and subcortical injury in people with HIV, a study in JAIDS found, suggesting the potential importance of early initiation of HAART to protect long-term brain health.

A three-hospital study found that an EMR prompt for hospitalized patients was associated with a large increase in HIV testing, a diversification of patients tested, and an increase in diagnoses made by screening.

rpizzi@frontlinemedcom.com

On Twitter @richpizzi

 

A great volume of HIV and AIDS research enters the medical literature every month. It’s difficult to monitor everything, so here’s a quick look at some notable news items and journal articles published over the past few weeks.

Researchers demonstrated the safety and activity of the HIV-neutralizing monoclonal antibody 10-1074 in humans and said their study supports the idea that antibodies targeting the V3 glycan supersite might be useful for the treatment and prevention of HIV-1 infection.

Efforts to support HIV disclosure (such as counseling) may be needed for TB-HIV coinfected patients, particularly for women and those unaware of their partners’ status, a study found.

copyright alexskopje/Thinkstock

Mortality among HIV-positive patients who started antiretroviral therapy in sub-Saharan Africa, were lost to programs and successfully traced, has declined substantially during the scale-up of ART, a recent study discovered.

Elevated levels of procoagulants may exert a particularly detrimental effect on neurocognitive functioning among older HIV-infected persons, according to a study in the journal AIDS.

A recent study found that a combination of the anti-HIV drugs tenofovir, lopinavir, and ritonavir in a lipid-stabilized nanosuspension enhanced and sustained intracellular drug levels and exposures in lymph node and blood cells above those in plasma.

Hepatitis B virus infection continues to be acquired in adulthood among HIV-positive Ugandans, but HBV incidence is dramatically reduced with HBV-active antiretroviral therapy, a study found.

In antiretroviral therapy-naive Ugandan children, insulin resistance changed significantly after 48 weeks of ART and correlated with monocyte activation, according to a study in the Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal.

Oxidative stress is associated with a higher risk of serious non-AIDS events in HIV patients, including non-AIDS deaths, according to a study in JAIDS. The authors said the effect is independent and additive to biomarkers of inflammation, monocyte activation and coagulation.

A study at a California teaching hospital found the yield of opt-out HIV rapid antibody screening in inpatients was comparable to the national HIV prevalence average. However, uptake of screening was markedly limited where opt-out screening was delivered by physicians during routine care, with limited time resources being the major barrier.

Variations within fat mass and the obesity-associated (FTO) gene may be predictors of fatty liver disease in HIV-infected patients independently of metabolic factors, according to a study in HIV Medicine.

After adjustment for sex, years of HIV experience, and patient caseload, providing primary care to HIV-infected patients remained associated with delivering comprehensive reproductive health counseling, according to a study in AIDS Care.

A recent study found that treatment dose nevirapine-based combination antiretroviral therapy was generally well tolerated by HIV-infected neonates, and associated with normalization of trough levels over time in most cases without dose adjustment.

Immune function may be impacted by various forms of psychological stress in HIV-positive women, a study found, and investigators said interventions that target stress reduction may be useful in improving immune parameters and quality of life.

Annual HIV incidence among men who have sex with men attending STI clinics in England is high, a study in HIV Medicine revealed, and previous STIs were predictors of HIV acquisition but accounted only for one in five infections.

A study in Public Health Reports found that the prevalence of HIV testing provision at organizations serving young people in Baltimore was low, and few organizations offered linkages to HIV testing.

A study in Hepatology found that eradication of hepatitis C virus infection in HIV/HCV coinfected patients is associated not only with a reduction in the frequency of death, HIV progression, and liver-related events, but also with a reduced hazard of diabetes mellitus and possibly of chronic renal failure.

A recent study found modest but significant improvements in self-assessed quality of life among HIV patients initiating antiretroviral therapy immediately compared to deferring treatment, supporting patient-perceived health benefits of initiating ART as soon as possible after an HIV diagnosis.

Distinct mechanisms may underlie cortical and subcortical injury in people with HIV, a study in JAIDS found, suggesting the potential importance of early initiation of HAART to protect long-term brain health.

A three-hospital study found that an EMR prompt for hospitalized patients was associated with a large increase in HIV testing, a diversification of patients tested, and an increase in diagnoses made by screening.

rpizzi@frontlinemedcom.com

On Twitter @richpizzi

 

A great volume of HIV and AIDS research enters the medical literature every month. It’s difficult to monitor everything, so here’s a quick look at some notable news items and journal articles published over the past few weeks.

Researchers demonstrated the safety and activity of the HIV-neutralizing monoclonal antibody 10-1074 in humans and said their study supports the idea that antibodies targeting the V3 glycan supersite might be useful for the treatment and prevention of HIV-1 infection.

Efforts to support HIV disclosure (such as counseling) may be needed for TB-HIV coinfected patients, particularly for women and those unaware of their partners’ status, a study found.

copyright alexskopje/Thinkstock

Mortality among HIV-positive patients who started antiretroviral therapy in sub-Saharan Africa, were lost to programs and successfully traced, has declined substantially during the scale-up of ART, a recent study discovered.

Elevated levels of procoagulants may exert a particularly detrimental effect on neurocognitive functioning among older HIV-infected persons, according to a study in the journal AIDS.

A recent study found that a combination of the anti-HIV drugs tenofovir, lopinavir, and ritonavir in a lipid-stabilized nanosuspension enhanced and sustained intracellular drug levels and exposures in lymph node and blood cells above those in plasma.

Hepatitis B virus infection continues to be acquired in adulthood among HIV-positive Ugandans, but HBV incidence is dramatically reduced with HBV-active antiretroviral therapy, a study found.

In antiretroviral therapy-naive Ugandan children, insulin resistance changed significantly after 48 weeks of ART and correlated with monocyte activation, according to a study in the Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal.

Oxidative stress is associated with a higher risk of serious non-AIDS events in HIV patients, including non-AIDS deaths, according to a study in JAIDS. The authors said the effect is independent and additive to biomarkers of inflammation, monocyte activation and coagulation.

A study at a California teaching hospital found the yield of opt-out HIV rapid antibody screening in inpatients was comparable to the national HIV prevalence average. However, uptake of screening was markedly limited where opt-out screening was delivered by physicians during routine care, with limited time resources being the major barrier.

Variations within fat mass and the obesity-associated (FTO) gene may be predictors of fatty liver disease in HIV-infected patients independently of metabolic factors, according to a study in HIV Medicine.

After adjustment for sex, years of HIV experience, and patient caseload, providing primary care to HIV-infected patients remained associated with delivering comprehensive reproductive health counseling, according to a study in AIDS Care.

A recent study found that treatment dose nevirapine-based combination antiretroviral therapy was generally well tolerated by HIV-infected neonates, and associated with normalization of trough levels over time in most cases without dose adjustment.

Immune function may be impacted by various forms of psychological stress in HIV-positive women, a study found, and investigators said interventions that target stress reduction may be useful in improving immune parameters and quality of life.

Annual HIV incidence among men who have sex with men attending STI clinics in England is high, a study in HIV Medicine revealed, and previous STIs were predictors of HIV acquisition but accounted only for one in five infections.

A study in Public Health Reports found that the prevalence of HIV testing provision at organizations serving young people in Baltimore was low, and few organizations offered linkages to HIV testing.

A study in Hepatology found that eradication of hepatitis C virus infection in HIV/HCV coinfected patients is associated not only with a reduction in the frequency of death, HIV progression, and liver-related events, but also with a reduced hazard of diabetes mellitus and possibly of chronic renal failure.

A recent study found modest but significant improvements in self-assessed quality of life among HIV patients initiating antiretroviral therapy immediately compared to deferring treatment, supporting patient-perceived health benefits of initiating ART as soon as possible after an HIV diagnosis.

Distinct mechanisms may underlie cortical and subcortical injury in people with HIV, a study in JAIDS found, suggesting the potential importance of early initiation of HAART to protect long-term brain health.

A three-hospital study found that an EMR prompt for hospitalized patients was associated with a large increase in HIV testing, a diversification of patients tested, and an increase in diagnoses made by screening.

rpizzi@frontlinemedcom.com

On Twitter @richpizzi

 

A great volume of HIV and AIDS research enters the medical literature every month. It’s difficult to monitor everything, so here’s a quick look at some notable news items and journal articles published over the past few weeks.

Immediate antiretroviral therapy reduces the risk of several severe bacterial infections in HIV-positive people with high CD4 cell count, according to a study in The Lancet HIV. The authors said this is partly explained by ART-induced increases in CD4 cell count, but not by increases in neutrophil count.

Postmenopausal status was not associated with a greater risk of unprotected sex in a population of high-risk HIV-positive Kenyan women, a recent study showed.

copyright alexskopje/Thinkstock

HIV-infected individuals in South Africa who reported perceived barriers to medical care at diagnosis were more likely to die within 1 year, according to a study in JAIDS.

A study of HIV care among postpartum women in South Africa found evidence of continued care after patients were lost to follow-up, and also identified local and national clinic mobility among women. Researchers said a national health database linked to a unique identifier is necessary to improve reporting and patient care among highly mobile populations.

HBV/HIV coinfection had no adverse influence on main pregnancy outcomes or on HIV viral load suppression in late pregnancy, according to a recent study, but was associated with a significantly reduced CD4 response in pregnancy.

Switching from atazanavir/ritonavir to unboosted atazanavir appears to be safe and effective in selected virologically suppressed HIV-positive patients receiving regimens containing tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF), and may have favorable effects on bilirubin and renal function.

The level of pain is a negative impact on the quality of life of people with HIV/AIDS, according to a study in AIDS Care.

A recent study found children face significant barriers to accessing HIV services in Central Africa, and the HIV epidemic among surviving children in the region has not been adequately evaluated nor addressed.

Less than a quarter of newly HIV-diagnosed patients in Uganda completed antiretroviral therapy assessment, according to a study in HIV Medicine, considerably lower than in other reports from sub-Saharan Africa.

In a study published in Sexually Transmitted Diseases, researchers concluded that current CDC PrEP guidelines should be expanded to incorporate substance use, partner-level, and other syndemic variables that have been shown to contribute to HIV acquisition.

According to a recent review of the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients, there was a slight reduction in anti-HBV core antibody positive donor organs from 2005 to 2014, and stable reporting of HCV positive donor organs and HIV positive recipients.

The transmitted drug resistance prevalence in recent HIV infections among notified newly diagnosed HIV patients in Germany was still high (greater than 10%) in 2013 and 2014 and was within the range of other European countries, according to a report in Eurosurveillance.

Higher levels of HIV+ patient engagement in-care are associated with reduced mortality at all stages of infection, including in those who initiate antiretroviral therapy, according to a British study.

A study in the journal AIDS found that HIV/HCV coinfection is associated with the greater homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), even after researchers controlled for demographic, lifestyle, and metabolic factors.

The Malawi Adult Meningitis Score (MAMS) provides a novel tool for predicting prognosis and improving interpretation of acute bacterial meningitis clinical trials by risk stratification in resource-poor settings, a recent study showed.

rpizzi@frontlinemedcom.com

On Twitter @richpizzi

 

A great volume of HIV and AIDS research enters the medical literature every month. It’s difficult to monitor everything, so here’s a quick look at some notable news items and journal articles published over the past few weeks.

Immediate antiretroviral therapy reduces the risk of several severe bacterial infections in HIV-positive people with high CD4 cell count, according to a study in The Lancet HIV. The authors said this is partly explained by ART-induced increases in CD4 cell count, but not by increases in neutrophil count.

Postmenopausal status was not associated with a greater risk of unprotected sex in a population of high-risk HIV-positive Kenyan women, a recent study showed.

copyright alexskopje/Thinkstock

HIV-infected individuals in South Africa who reported perceived barriers to medical care at diagnosis were more likely to die within 1 year, according to a study in JAIDS.

A study of HIV care among postpartum women in South Africa found evidence of continued care after patients were lost to follow-up, and also identified local and national clinic mobility among women. Researchers said a national health database linked to a unique identifier is necessary to improve reporting and patient care among highly mobile populations.

HBV/HIV coinfection had no adverse influence on main pregnancy outcomes or on HIV viral load suppression in late pregnancy, according to a recent study, but was associated with a significantly reduced CD4 response in pregnancy.

Switching from atazanavir/ritonavir to unboosted atazanavir appears to be safe and effective in selected virologically suppressed HIV-positive patients receiving regimens containing tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF), and may have favorable effects on bilirubin and renal function.

The level of pain is a negative impact on the quality of life of people with HIV/AIDS, according to a study in AIDS Care.

A recent study found children face significant barriers to accessing HIV services in Central Africa, and the HIV epidemic among surviving children in the region has not been adequately evaluated nor addressed.

Less than a quarter of newly HIV-diagnosed patients in Uganda completed antiretroviral therapy assessment, according to a study in HIV Medicine, considerably lower than in other reports from sub-Saharan Africa.

In a study published in Sexually Transmitted Diseases, researchers concluded that current CDC PrEP guidelines should be expanded to incorporate substance use, partner-level, and other syndemic variables that have been shown to contribute to HIV acquisition.

According to a recent review of the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients, there was a slight reduction in anti-HBV core antibody positive donor organs from 2005 to 2014, and stable reporting of HCV positive donor organs and HIV positive recipients.

The transmitted drug resistance prevalence in recent HIV infections among notified newly diagnosed HIV patients in Germany was still high (greater than 10%) in 2013 and 2014 and was within the range of other European countries, according to a report in Eurosurveillance.

Higher levels of HIV+ patient engagement in-care are associated with reduced mortality at all stages of infection, including in those who initiate antiretroviral therapy, according to a British study.

A study in the journal AIDS found that HIV/HCV coinfection is associated with the greater homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), even after researchers controlled for demographic, lifestyle, and metabolic factors.

The Malawi Adult Meningitis Score (MAMS) provides a novel tool for predicting prognosis and improving interpretation of acute bacterial meningitis clinical trials by risk stratification in resource-poor settings, a recent study showed.

rpizzi@frontlinemedcom.com

On Twitter @richpizzi

 

A great volume of HIV and AIDS research enters the medical literature every month. It’s difficult to monitor everything, so here’s a quick look at some notable news items and journal articles published over the past few weeks.

Immediate antiretroviral therapy reduces the risk of several severe bacterial infections in HIV-positive people with high CD4 cell count, according to a study in The Lancet HIV. The authors said this is partly explained by ART-induced increases in CD4 cell count, but not by increases in neutrophil count.

Postmenopausal status was not associated with a greater risk of unprotected sex in a population of high-risk HIV-positive Kenyan women, a recent study showed.

copyright alexskopje/Thinkstock

HIV-infected individuals in South Africa who reported perceived barriers to medical care at diagnosis were more likely to die within 1 year, according to a study in JAIDS.

A study of HIV care among postpartum women in South Africa found evidence of continued care after patients were lost to follow-up, and also identified local and national clinic mobility among women. Researchers said a national health database linked to a unique identifier is necessary to improve reporting and patient care among highly mobile populations.

HBV/HIV coinfection had no adverse influence on main pregnancy outcomes or on HIV viral load suppression in late pregnancy, according to a recent study, but was associated with a significantly reduced CD4 response in pregnancy.

Switching from atazanavir/ritonavir to unboosted atazanavir appears to be safe and effective in selected virologically suppressed HIV-positive patients receiving regimens containing tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF), and may have favorable effects on bilirubin and renal function.

The level of pain is a negative impact on the quality of life of people with HIV/AIDS, according to a study in AIDS Care.

A recent study found children face significant barriers to accessing HIV services in Central Africa, and the HIV epidemic among surviving children in the region has not been adequately evaluated nor addressed.

Less than a quarter of newly HIV-diagnosed patients in Uganda completed antiretroviral therapy assessment, according to a study in HIV Medicine, considerably lower than in other reports from sub-Saharan Africa.

In a study published in Sexually Transmitted Diseases, researchers concluded that current CDC PrEP guidelines should be expanded to incorporate substance use, partner-level, and other syndemic variables that have been shown to contribute to HIV acquisition.

According to a recent review of the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients, there was a slight reduction in anti-HBV core antibody positive donor organs from 2005 to 2014, and stable reporting of HCV positive donor organs and HIV positive recipients.

The transmitted drug resistance prevalence in recent HIV infections among notified newly diagnosed HIV patients in Germany was still high (greater than 10%) in 2013 and 2014 and was within the range of other European countries, according to a report in Eurosurveillance.

Higher levels of HIV+ patient engagement in-care are associated with reduced mortality at all stages of infection, including in those who initiate antiretroviral therapy, according to a British study.

A study in the journal AIDS found that HIV/HCV coinfection is associated with the greater homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), even after researchers controlled for demographic, lifestyle, and metabolic factors.

The Malawi Adult Meningitis Score (MAMS) provides a novel tool for predicting prognosis and improving interpretation of acute bacterial meningitis clinical trials by risk stratification in resource-poor settings, a recent study showed.

rpizzi@frontlinemedcom.com

On Twitter @richpizzi

 

The struggle to defeat Ebola virus disease continues globally, although it may not always make the headlines. To catch up on what you may have missed, here are some notable news items and journal articles published over the past few weeks that are worth a second look.

The rVSV-ZEBOV recombinant vaccine offers substantial protection against Ebola virus disease, according to the results of a vaccine trial in Guinea, with no cases among vaccinated individuals from day 10 after vaccination in both randomized and nonrandomized clusters.

CDC/Daniel J. DeNoon

A retrospective review of seven Ebola virus vaccine candidates found the recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus–based vaccine (rVSV-EBOV) to be the most promising candidate. Still, investigators expressed concerns about all vaccine candidates, including the safety profile in some particular populations, the immunization schedule for emergency vaccination, and the persistence of the protection.

A new spatiotemporal analysis method may help to effectively control emerging infections like Ebola by exploiting available longitudinal incidence data at different geographical locations to monitor local epidemics, determine the extent of spatial spread, reveal the contribution of local and imported cases, and identify sources of introductions in uninfected areas.

A study in Guinea found that time to clearance of Ebola virus RNA from seminal fluid varies greatly between individuals and could be more than 13 months.

The results of a case study of a 9-month-old infant who died of Ebola virus disease with unknown epidemiologic link strongly suggest Ebola virus transmission to the child through breastfeeding.

The overall success in monitoring more than 99% of incoming travelers to the United States during the Ebola virus epidemic resulted, in part, because of the vigilance of state, local, and territorial health departments and the preparedness infrastructure that enabled jurisdictions to fully implement and follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance on monitoring of persons with potential Ebola exposure.

A study in the Journal of Infectious Diseases found the Cepheid Xpert Ebola assay to be accurate and precise for detecting Ebola virus in whole semen.

There is a need for a long-term follow-up of Ebola virus disease survivors in Guinea, according to a report in Tropical Medicine & International Health, and more efforts to support the social, professional, and economic reintegration of survivors, especially in rural areas.

A recent study in Sierra Leone supported the role of Ebola holding units as a safe method for isolation of suspect Ebola virus disease patients and the role of these units in limiting the spread of Ebola virus disease.

The modified Xpert Ebola virus assay for semen samples is optimal for large-scale monitoring of Ebola virus RNA persistence in male survivors, according to an analysis in the Journal of Infectious Diseases.

Researchers at Tufts University studied various hand hygiene techniques in communities facing Ebola virus outbreaks, and concluded that communities should use whichever hand-washing methods are most acceptable, available, and sustainable for community hand washing.

Indian investigators applied the queuing mathematical modeling technique to the Guinea 2014 Ebola virus disease outbreak and found that the use of two quarantine centers to combat the outbreak would have served as an adequate control measure. They said the queuing technique could be used to manage the manpower and material resources in the combat against Ebola virus disease outbreak.

rpizzi@frontlinemedcom.com

On Twitter @richpizzi

 

The struggle to defeat Ebola virus disease continues globally, although it may not always make the headlines. To catch up on what you may have missed, here are some notable news items and journal articles published over the past few weeks that are worth a second look.

The rVSV-ZEBOV recombinant vaccine offers substantial protection against Ebola virus disease, according to the results of a vaccine trial in Guinea, with no cases among vaccinated individuals from day 10 after vaccination in both randomized and nonrandomized clusters.

CDC/Daniel J. DeNoon

A retrospective review of seven Ebola virus vaccine candidates found the recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus–based vaccine (rVSV-EBOV) to be the most promising candidate. Still, investigators expressed concerns about all vaccine candidates, including the safety profile in some particular populations, the immunization schedule for emergency vaccination, and the persistence of the protection.

A new spatiotemporal analysis method may help to effectively control emerging infections like Ebola by exploiting available longitudinal incidence data at different geographical locations to monitor local epidemics, determine the extent of spatial spread, reveal the contribution of local and imported cases, and identify sources of introductions in uninfected areas.

A study in Guinea found that time to clearance of Ebola virus RNA from seminal fluid varies greatly between individuals and could be more than 13 months.

The results of a case study of a 9-month-old infant who died of Ebola virus disease with unknown epidemiologic link strongly suggest Ebola virus transmission to the child through breastfeeding.

The overall success in monitoring more than 99% of incoming travelers to the United States during the Ebola virus epidemic resulted, in part, because of the vigilance of state, local, and territorial health departments and the preparedness infrastructure that enabled jurisdictions to fully implement and follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance on monitoring of persons with potential Ebola exposure.

A study in the Journal of Infectious Diseases found the Cepheid Xpert Ebola assay to be accurate and precise for detecting Ebola virus in whole semen.

There is a need for a long-term follow-up of Ebola virus disease survivors in Guinea, according to a report in Tropical Medicine & International Health, and more efforts to support the social, professional, and economic reintegration of survivors, especially in rural areas.

A recent study in Sierra Leone supported the role of Ebola holding units as a safe method for isolation of suspect Ebola virus disease patients and the role of these units in limiting the spread of Ebola virus disease.

The modified Xpert Ebola virus assay for semen samples is optimal for large-scale monitoring of Ebola virus RNA persistence in male survivors, according to an analysis in the Journal of Infectious Diseases.

Researchers at Tufts University studied various hand hygiene techniques in communities facing Ebola virus outbreaks, and concluded that communities should use whichever hand-washing methods are most acceptable, available, and sustainable for community hand washing.

Indian investigators applied the queuing mathematical modeling technique to the Guinea 2014 Ebola virus disease outbreak and found that the use of two quarantine centers to combat the outbreak would have served as an adequate control measure. They said the queuing technique could be used to manage the manpower and material resources in the combat against Ebola virus disease outbreak.

rpizzi@frontlinemedcom.com

On Twitter @richpizzi

 

The struggle to defeat Ebola virus disease continues globally, although it may not always make the headlines. To catch up on what you may have missed, here are some notable news items and journal articles published over the past few weeks that are worth a second look.

The rVSV-ZEBOV recombinant vaccine offers substantial protection against Ebola virus disease, according to the results of a vaccine trial in Guinea, with no cases among vaccinated individuals from day 10 after vaccination in both randomized and nonrandomized clusters.

CDC/Daniel J. DeNoon

A retrospective review of seven Ebola virus vaccine candidates found the recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus–based vaccine (rVSV-EBOV) to be the most promising candidate. Still, investigators expressed concerns about all vaccine candidates, including the safety profile in some particular populations, the immunization schedule for emergency vaccination, and the persistence of the protection.

A new spatiotemporal analysis method may help to effectively control emerging infections like Ebola by exploiting available longitudinal incidence data at different geographical locations to monitor local epidemics, determine the extent of spatial spread, reveal the contribution of local and imported cases, and identify sources of introductions in uninfected areas.

A study in Guinea found that time to clearance of Ebola virus RNA from seminal fluid varies greatly between individuals and could be more than 13 months.

The results of a case study of a 9-month-old infant who died of Ebola virus disease with unknown epidemiologic link strongly suggest Ebola virus transmission to the child through breastfeeding.

The overall success in monitoring more than 99% of incoming travelers to the United States during the Ebola virus epidemic resulted, in part, because of the vigilance of state, local, and territorial health departments and the preparedness infrastructure that enabled jurisdictions to fully implement and follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance on monitoring of persons with potential Ebola exposure.

A study in the Journal of Infectious Diseases found the Cepheid Xpert Ebola assay to be accurate and precise for detecting Ebola virus in whole semen.

There is a need for a long-term follow-up of Ebola virus disease survivors in Guinea, according to a report in Tropical Medicine & International Health, and more efforts to support the social, professional, and economic reintegration of survivors, especially in rural areas.

A recent study in Sierra Leone supported the role of Ebola holding units as a safe method for isolation of suspect Ebola virus disease patients and the role of these units in limiting the spread of Ebola virus disease.

The modified Xpert Ebola virus assay for semen samples is optimal for large-scale monitoring of Ebola virus RNA persistence in male survivors, according to an analysis in the Journal of Infectious Diseases.

Researchers at Tufts University studied various hand hygiene techniques in communities facing Ebola virus outbreaks, and concluded that communities should use whichever hand-washing methods are most acceptable, available, and sustainable for community hand washing.

Indian investigators applied the queuing mathematical modeling technique to the Guinea 2014 Ebola virus disease outbreak and found that the use of two quarantine centers to combat the outbreak would have served as an adequate control measure. They said the queuing technique could be used to manage the manpower and material resources in the combat against Ebola virus disease outbreak.

rpizzi@frontlinemedcom.com

On Twitter @richpizzi

 

A great volume of HIV and AIDS research enters the medical literature every month. It’s difficult to monitor everything, so here’s a quick look at some notable news items and journal articles published over the past few weeks.

Liver stiffness is very accurate for predicting liver-related events in HIV-infected patients with chronic hepatitis C infection, according to a Spanish study.

copyright alexskopje/Thinkstock

Encouragement of early HIV infant diagnosis inside and outside prevention of mother-to-child transmission programs and linkage to care services for early antiretroviral therapy initiation are needed to reduce mortality and delay treatment failure, according to a recent study.

A study in the journal AIDS found that HIV/HCV coinfection is associated with a greater homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance, even after controlling for demographic, lifestyle, and metabolic factors. The authors said sCD163, a marker of monocyte/macrophage activation which appears independent of intestinal epithelial damage and inflammation, partly explains this association.

Liver stiffness (LS) identifies HIV/HCV-coinfected patients with compensated cirrhosis with a very low risk of portal hypertensive gastrointestinal bleeding, according to a recent study, and as a result upper gastrointestinal endoscopy may be safely spared in patients with LS less than 21 kPa.

A study in HIV Medicine found that MicroRNA-155 levels in the peripheral blood of HIV-1–infected patients are increased and associated with T-cell activation, and therefore miR-155 is a potential biomarker of the immune response following HIV-1 infection.

A study in AIDS Care found no major differences between rural and urban South Carolina residents at the various stages of engagement in HIV care, using the HIV continuum of care model.

Investigators said identification of a cytokine signature specific for the preseroconversion stage of primary HIV infection may help to understand the earliest HIV pathogenic events and identify new potential targets for immunotherapy aimed at modulating the cytokine response to HIV infection.

Intimate partner violence is linked to less HIV testing uptake among high-risk, HIV-negative women in Atlanta, according to researchers at Emory University.

In HIV-positive women with sequential pregnancies, the second pregnancy was characterized by a significant improvement in several outcomes, a recent study found, suggesting that women with HIV infection who desire multiple children may proceed safely and confidently with subsequent pregnancies.

An estimated 29% of HIV care providers had not adopted recommendations to initiate antiretroviral therapy regardless of patient CD4 count, barring contraindications or barriers to treatment, according to a study in JAIDS. The leading reasons for deferring ART included patient refusal and adherence concerns.

Baseline vitamin D deficiency decreased the effectiveness of rosuvastatin in HIV-positive adults, according to a recent study, and researchers said vitamin D supplementation may be warranted for deficient patients initiating statin therapy.

A European study found HIV/HCV–coinfected patients with a favorable virologic response to PEG-interferon + ribavirin treatment had reduced risk of all-cause and liver-related death, while there was no difference in risk of non–liver-related death when comparing responders and nonresponders.

Unlike the prevalences in the general U.S. population, there was no difference in smoking prevalence for female versus male persons living with HIV (both greater than 50%) indicating that HIV infection status was associated with a greater relative increase in smoking for women than men, according to results of a recent study.

rpizzi@frontlinemedcom.com

On Twitter @richpizzi

 

A great volume of HIV and AIDS research enters the medical literature every month. It’s difficult to monitor everything, so here’s a quick look at some notable news items and journal articles published over the past few weeks.

Liver stiffness is very accurate for predicting liver-related events in HIV-infected patients with chronic hepatitis C infection, according to a Spanish study.

copyright alexskopje/Thinkstock

Encouragement of early HIV infant diagnosis inside and outside prevention of mother-to-child transmission programs and linkage to care services for early antiretroviral therapy initiation are needed to reduce mortality and delay treatment failure, according to a recent study.

A study in the journal AIDS found that HIV/HCV coinfection is associated with a greater homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance, even after controlling for demographic, lifestyle, and metabolic factors. The authors said sCD163, a marker of monocyte/macrophage activation which appears independent of intestinal epithelial damage and inflammation, partly explains this association.

Liver stiffness (LS) identifies HIV/HCV-coinfected patients with compensated cirrhosis with a very low risk of portal hypertensive gastrointestinal bleeding, according to a recent study, and as a result upper gastrointestinal endoscopy may be safely spared in patients with LS less than 21 kPa.

A study in HIV Medicine found that MicroRNA-155 levels in the peripheral blood of HIV-1–infected patients are increased and associated with T-cell activation, and therefore miR-155 is a potential biomarker of the immune response following HIV-1 infection.

A study in AIDS Care found no major differences between rural and urban South Carolina residents at the various stages of engagement in HIV care, using the HIV continuum of care model.

Investigators said identification of a cytokine signature specific for the preseroconversion stage of primary HIV infection may help to understand the earliest HIV pathogenic events and identify new potential targets for immunotherapy aimed at modulating the cytokine response to HIV infection.

Intimate partner violence is linked to less HIV testing uptake among high-risk, HIV-negative women in Atlanta, according to researchers at Emory University.

In HIV-positive women with sequential pregnancies, the second pregnancy was characterized by a significant improvement in several outcomes, a recent study found, suggesting that women with HIV infection who desire multiple children may proceed safely and confidently with subsequent pregnancies.

An estimated 29% of HIV care providers had not adopted recommendations to initiate antiretroviral therapy regardless of patient CD4 count, barring contraindications or barriers to treatment, according to a study in JAIDS. The leading reasons for deferring ART included patient refusal and adherence concerns.

Baseline vitamin D deficiency decreased the effectiveness of rosuvastatin in HIV-positive adults, according to a recent study, and researchers said vitamin D supplementation may be warranted for deficient patients initiating statin therapy.

A European study found HIV/HCV–coinfected patients with a favorable virologic response to PEG-interferon + ribavirin treatment had reduced risk of all-cause and liver-related death, while there was no difference in risk of non–liver-related death when comparing responders and nonresponders.

Unlike the prevalences in the general U.S. population, there was no difference in smoking prevalence for female versus male persons living with HIV (both greater than 50%) indicating that HIV infection status was associated with a greater relative increase in smoking for women than men, according to results of a recent study.

rpizzi@frontlinemedcom.com

On Twitter @richpizzi

 

A great volume of HIV and AIDS research enters the medical literature every month. It’s difficult to monitor everything, so here’s a quick look at some notable news items and journal articles published over the past few weeks.

Liver stiffness is very accurate for predicting liver-related events in HIV-infected patients with chronic hepatitis C infection, according to a Spanish study.

copyright alexskopje/Thinkstock

Encouragement of early HIV infant diagnosis inside and outside prevention of mother-to-child transmission programs and linkage to care services for early antiretroviral therapy initiation are needed to reduce mortality and delay treatment failure, according to a recent study.

A study in the journal AIDS found that HIV/HCV coinfection is associated with a greater homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance, even after controlling for demographic, lifestyle, and metabolic factors. The authors said sCD163, a marker of monocyte/macrophage activation which appears independent of intestinal epithelial damage and inflammation, partly explains this association.

Liver stiffness (LS) identifies HIV/HCV-coinfected patients with compensated cirrhosis with a very low risk of portal hypertensive gastrointestinal bleeding, according to a recent study, and as a result upper gastrointestinal endoscopy may be safely spared in patients with LS less than 21 kPa.

A study in HIV Medicine found that MicroRNA-155 levels in the peripheral blood of HIV-1–infected patients are increased and associated with T-cell activation, and therefore miR-155 is a potential biomarker of the immune response following HIV-1 infection.

A study in AIDS Care found no major differences between rural and urban South Carolina residents at the various stages of engagement in HIV care, using the HIV continuum of care model.

Investigators said identification of a cytokine signature specific for the preseroconversion stage of primary HIV infection may help to understand the earliest HIV pathogenic events and identify new potential targets for immunotherapy aimed at modulating the cytokine response to HIV infection.

Intimate partner violence is linked to less HIV testing uptake among high-risk, HIV-negative women in Atlanta, according to researchers at Emory University.

In HIV-positive women with sequential pregnancies, the second pregnancy was characterized by a significant improvement in several outcomes, a recent study found, suggesting that women with HIV infection who desire multiple children may proceed safely and confidently with subsequent pregnancies.

An estimated 29% of HIV care providers had not adopted recommendations to initiate antiretroviral therapy regardless of patient CD4 count, barring contraindications or barriers to treatment, according to a study in JAIDS. The leading reasons for deferring ART included patient refusal and adherence concerns.

Baseline vitamin D deficiency decreased the effectiveness of rosuvastatin in HIV-positive adults, according to a recent study, and researchers said vitamin D supplementation may be warranted for deficient patients initiating statin therapy.

A European study found HIV/HCV–coinfected patients with a favorable virologic response to PEG-interferon + ribavirin treatment had reduced risk of all-cause and liver-related death, while there was no difference in risk of non–liver-related death when comparing responders and nonresponders.

Unlike the prevalences in the general U.S. population, there was no difference in smoking prevalence for female versus male persons living with HIV (both greater than 50%) indicating that HIV infection status was associated with a greater relative increase in smoking for women than men, according to results of a recent study.

rpizzi@frontlinemedcom.com

On Twitter @richpizzi

 

The first HIV vaccine efficacy study to launch anywhere in 7 years is testing whether an experimental vaccine safely prevents HIV infection among South African adults.

According to an announcement by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, a cofunder of the trial and part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, the study (called HVTN 702) involves a new version of the only HIV vaccine candidate ever shown to provide some protection against the virus. HVTN 702 intends to enroll 5,400 men and women, which would make it the largest and most advanced HIV vaccine clinical trial to take place in South Africa.

“If deployed alongside our current armory of proven HIV prevention tools, a safe and effective vaccine could be the final nail in the coffin for HIV,” Anthony S. Fauci, MD, director of NIAID, said in a statement. “Even a moderately effective vaccine would significantly decrease the burden of HIV disease over time in countries and populations with high rates of HIV infection, such as South Africa.”

copyright itsmejust/Thinkstock

The experimental vaccine regimen being tested in HVTN 702 is based on one investigated in the RV144 clinical trial in Thailand, led by the U.S. Military HIV Research Program and the Thai Ministry of Health. In 2009, the Thai trial found for the first time that a vaccine could offer modest prevention against HIV infection. NIAID said the new regimen aims to provide “greater and more sustained protection” than the RV144 regimen and has been adapted to the HIV subtype that predominates in southern Africa.

The experimental vaccine regimen tested in the Thai trial was found to be 31.2 % effective at preventing HIV infection over the 3.5-year follow-up after vaccination. In the HVTN 702 study, the design, schedule, and components of the RV144 vaccine regimen have been modified in an attempt to increase the magnitude and duration of vaccine-elicited protective immune responses.

NIAID is responsible for all operational aspects of this phase IIb/III trial, which is enrolling HIV-uninfected, sexually active men and women aged 18-35 years. The NIAID-funded HIV Vaccine Trials Network is conducting the trial at 15 sites across South Africa, and expects results in late 2020. The study volunteers are being randomized to receive either the investigational vaccine regimen or a placebo. All study participants will receive a total of five injections over 1 year.

“If an HIV vaccine were found to work in South Africa, it could dramatically alter the course of the pandemic,” said HVTN 702 protocol chair Glenda Gray, MBBCH, president and CEO of the South African Medical Research Council and research professor of pediatrics at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.

The HVTN 702 study begins just months after interim results were reported for HVTN 100, a predecessor clinical trial that found that the new vaccine regimen was safe for the 252 study participants and induced comparable immune responses to those reported in RV144, according to NIAID.

Both HVTN 100 and HVTN 702 are part of a larger HIV vaccine research endeavor led by the Pox-Protein Public-Private Partnership (P5), which includes NIAID, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the South African Medical Research Council, HVTN, Sanofi Pasteur, GSK, and the U.S. Military HIV Research Program.

NIAID said the HVTN 702 vaccine regimen consists of two experimental vaccines: a canarypox vector–based vaccine called ALVAC-HIV and a two-component gp120 protein subunit vaccine with an adjuvant to enhance the body’s immune response to the vaccine. Both ALVAC-HIV and the protein vaccine have been modified from the versions used in RV144 to be specific to HIV subtype C, the predominant HIV subtype in southern Africa.

In addition, NIAID said the protein subunit vaccine in HVTN 702 is combined with MF59, a different adjuvant than the one used in RV144, in the hope of generating a more robust immune response. The HVTN 702 vaccine regimen includes booster shots at the 1-year mark in an effort to prolong the early protective effect observed in RV144.

rpizzi@frontlinemedcom.com

On Twitter @richpizzi

 

The first HIV vaccine efficacy study to launch anywhere in 7 years is testing whether an experimental vaccine safely prevents HIV infection among South African adults.

According to an announcement by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, a cofunder of the trial and part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, the study (called HVTN 702) involves a new version of the only HIV vaccine candidate ever shown to provide some protection against the virus. HVTN 702 intends to enroll 5,400 men and women, which would make it the largest and most advanced HIV vaccine clinical trial to take place in South Africa.

“If deployed alongside our current armory of proven HIV prevention tools, a safe and effective vaccine could be the final nail in the coffin for HIV,” Anthony S. Fauci, MD, director of NIAID, said in a statement. “Even a moderately effective vaccine would significantly decrease the burden of HIV disease over time in countries and populations with high rates of HIV infection, such as South Africa.”

copyright itsmejust/Thinkstock

The experimental vaccine regimen being tested in HVTN 702 is based on one investigated in the RV144 clinical trial in Thailand, led by the U.S. Military HIV Research Program and the Thai Ministry of Health. In 2009, the Thai trial found for the first time that a vaccine could offer modest prevention against HIV infection. NIAID said the new regimen aims to provide “greater and more sustained protection” than the RV144 regimen and has been adapted to the HIV subtype that predominates in southern Africa.

The experimental vaccine regimen tested in the Thai trial was found to be 31.2 % effective at preventing HIV infection over the 3.5-year follow-up after vaccination. In the HVTN 702 study, the design, schedule, and components of the RV144 vaccine regimen have been modified in an attempt to increase the magnitude and duration of vaccine-elicited protective immune responses.

NIAID is responsible for all operational aspects of this phase IIb/III trial, which is enrolling HIV-uninfected, sexually active men and women aged 18-35 years. The NIAID-funded HIV Vaccine Trials Network is conducting the trial at 15 sites across South Africa, and expects results in late 2020. The study volunteers are being randomized to receive either the investigational vaccine regimen or a placebo. All study participants will receive a total of five injections over 1 year.

“If an HIV vaccine were found to work in South Africa, it could dramatically alter the course of the pandemic,” said HVTN 702 protocol chair Glenda Gray, MBBCH, president and CEO of the South African Medical Research Council and research professor of pediatrics at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.

The HVTN 702 study begins just months after interim results were reported for HVTN 100, a predecessor clinical trial that found that the new vaccine regimen was safe for the 252 study participants and induced comparable immune responses to those reported in RV144, according to NIAID.

Both HVTN 100 and HVTN 702 are part of a larger HIV vaccine research endeavor led by the Pox-Protein Public-Private Partnership (P5), which includes NIAID, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the South African Medical Research Council, HVTN, Sanofi Pasteur, GSK, and the U.S. Military HIV Research Program.

NIAID said the HVTN 702 vaccine regimen consists of two experimental vaccines: a canarypox vector–based vaccine called ALVAC-HIV and a two-component gp120 protein subunit vaccine with an adjuvant to enhance the body’s immune response to the vaccine. Both ALVAC-HIV and the protein vaccine have been modified from the versions used in RV144 to be specific to HIV subtype C, the predominant HIV subtype in southern Africa.

In addition, NIAID said the protein subunit vaccine in HVTN 702 is combined with MF59, a different adjuvant than the one used in RV144, in the hope of generating a more robust immune response. The HVTN 702 vaccine regimen includes booster shots at the 1-year mark in an effort to prolong the early protective effect observed in RV144.

rpizzi@frontlinemedcom.com

On Twitter @richpizzi

 

The first HIV vaccine efficacy study to launch anywhere in 7 years is testing whether an experimental vaccine safely prevents HIV infection among South African adults.

According to an announcement by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, a cofunder of the trial and part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, the study (called HVTN 702) involves a new version of the only HIV vaccine candidate ever shown to provide some protection against the virus. HVTN 702 intends to enroll 5,400 men and women, which would make it the largest and most advanced HIV vaccine clinical trial to take place in South Africa.

“If deployed alongside our current armory of proven HIV prevention tools, a safe and effective vaccine could be the final nail in the coffin for HIV,” Anthony S. Fauci, MD, director of NIAID, said in a statement. “Even a moderately effective vaccine would significantly decrease the burden of HIV disease over time in countries and populations with high rates of HIV infection, such as South Africa.”

copyright itsmejust/Thinkstock

The experimental vaccine regimen being tested in HVTN 702 is based on one investigated in the RV144 clinical trial in Thailand, led by the U.S. Military HIV Research Program and the Thai Ministry of Health. In 2009, the Thai trial found for the first time that a vaccine could offer modest prevention against HIV infection. NIAID said the new regimen aims to provide “greater and more sustained protection” than the RV144 regimen and has been adapted to the HIV subtype that predominates in southern Africa.

The experimental vaccine regimen tested in the Thai trial was found to be 31.2 % effective at preventing HIV infection over the 3.5-year follow-up after vaccination. In the HVTN 702 study, the design, schedule, and components of the RV144 vaccine regimen have been modified in an attempt to increase the magnitude and duration of vaccine-elicited protective immune responses.

NIAID is responsible for all operational aspects of this phase IIb/III trial, which is enrolling HIV-uninfected, sexually active men and women aged 18-35 years. The NIAID-funded HIV Vaccine Trials Network is conducting the trial at 15 sites across South Africa, and expects results in late 2020. The study volunteers are being randomized to receive either the investigational vaccine regimen or a placebo. All study participants will receive a total of five injections over 1 year.

“If an HIV vaccine were found to work in South Africa, it could dramatically alter the course of the pandemic,” said HVTN 702 protocol chair Glenda Gray, MBBCH, president and CEO of the South African Medical Research Council and research professor of pediatrics at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.

The HVTN 702 study begins just months after interim results were reported for HVTN 100, a predecessor clinical trial that found that the new vaccine regimen was safe for the 252 study participants and induced comparable immune responses to those reported in RV144, according to NIAID.

Both HVTN 100 and HVTN 702 are part of a larger HIV vaccine research endeavor led by the Pox-Protein Public-Private Partnership (P5), which includes NIAID, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the South African Medical Research Council, HVTN, Sanofi Pasteur, GSK, and the U.S. Military HIV Research Program.

NIAID said the HVTN 702 vaccine regimen consists of two experimental vaccines: a canarypox vector–based vaccine called ALVAC-HIV and a two-component gp120 protein subunit vaccine with an adjuvant to enhance the body’s immune response to the vaccine. Both ALVAC-HIV and the protein vaccine have been modified from the versions used in RV144 to be specific to HIV subtype C, the predominant HIV subtype in southern Africa.

In addition, NIAID said the protein subunit vaccine in HVTN 702 is combined with MF59, a different adjuvant than the one used in RV144, in the hope of generating a more robust immune response. The HVTN 702 vaccine regimen includes booster shots at the 1-year mark in an effort to prolong the early protective effect observed in RV144.

rpizzi@frontlinemedcom.com

On Twitter @richpizzi