Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), the worst pandemic to date, continues its deadly course in contributing to the substantial increase in the number of people contracting the infection every year. As per the reports of UNAIDS, The United Nations Joint Program on HIV/AIDS, the year 2008 had approximately 33.4 million people living with HIV. Among these, half of the cases have been reported in women, especially those of childbearing age; thereby proposing an increased risk for mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of the condition. Continue Reading

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved Abbott Laboratories’ fully automated assay, termed Abbott PRISM HIV O Plus test, which detects certain antibodies against the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Continue Reading

Researchers at the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI), in collaboration with The Scripps Research Institute, Theraclone Sciences and Monogram Biosciences based in US, have identified two potent, broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) which can disclose vital epitopes on the HIV. The discovery of these novel antibodies could add further vigor to the effort of designing a vaccine against AIDS. The study findings are reported in the recent issue of the journal Science. Continue Reading

Several studies suggest that transplant recipients possess a high risk of developing cancer; however, the outcomes of de novo cancer in this population of patients have not been clearly defined. Now, researchers from the University of Cincinnati report the adverse outcomes of new cancers arising in transplant recipients compared to that of the general population, in the recent issue of the journal, Transplantation. Continue Reading

The first randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 2 clinical trial study conducted to evaluate the efficacy of gene therapy against HIV has proven to be safe and biological active in affected individuals. The study results, published in the online issue of the journal Nature Medicine also suggests the potential of developing this novel cell-delivered gene transfer technique into a once-only treatment against HIV. Continue Reading

Selenium (Se), an essential trace element, is crucial for the maintenance of normal cellular metabolism. Several epidemiological studies have reported a potential link between selenium deficiency and severity of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), signifying the element’s protective role against HIV infection. Now, a study published in the recent issue of The Journal of Biological Chemistry suggests that increased production of thioredoxin reductase-1 (TR1), a selenoprotein in blood cells, could slow down the replication of HIV up to ten fold. Continue Reading

Acyclovir (ACV), a guanine analog antiviral drug, primarily used to treat herpes virus infections, is also prescribed for HIV patients co-infected with human herpesvirus (HHV), in order to reduce the herpes load. This was an indirect approach in controlling the retroviral infection. Now, a recent research published online in the journal, Cell Host & Microbe, suggests that the drug on modification by the herpes virus can directly suppress HIV-1 replication. The study findings may thereby open up new therapeutic avenues to combat HIV. Continue Reading

HIV-associated distal sensory polyneuropathy (HIV-DSP), the most common neurological complication of HIV infection, is associated with the development of debilitating chronic pain. In a new study, Researcher Simpson DM and colleagues have reported that Capsaicin patches may help in reducing HIV neuropathy. The study has been published in the June 2008 issue of Neurology. Continue Reading

According to global statistics from the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), an estimated 33.2 million people had HIV/AIDS infection, with around 2.5 million newly reported cases in 2007. The fatal disease, which has caused more than 25 million deaths since 1981, is being worked on extensively in the pursuit of developing new and effective treatment modalities. Research in the field of HIV/AIDS has seen various novel methods in attempting to control the retroviral infection. According to a recent study published in the PLoS ONE journal, researchers have found that HIV/AIDS could be prevented by the topical application of estrogen to the human penis. Researchers speculate that estrogen inhibits the virus infection by increasing the thickness of the keratin layer of the foreskin. Continue Reading

Calcium-modulating cyclophilin ligand (CAML), a key cellular protein in humans, restricts the release of HIV particles from infected human cells, thereby blocking the spread of the virus, according to a study published in the recent online issue of Nature. Continue Reading