HIV/AIDS News

Malawi’s expansion of its antiretroviral therapy public health initiative to include a test-and-treat program for all HIV-positive pregnant or breast-feeding women regardless of their CD4 count and clinical status — referred to as “Option B+” — rapidly increased access to efficacious antiretroviral therapy treatments, researchers reported here.

ATLANTA — Antiretroviral therapy in utero is associated with birth defects, according to findings in a paper presented at the 2013 Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunity Infections.

ATLANTA — HIV infection was significantly lower at age 6 months among infants randomly assigned at 6 weeks to receive daily nevirapine vs. placebo prophylaxis, according to data presented here at the 2013 Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections.

ATLANTA — A significant number of children with HIV who live in resource-limited settings begin antiretroviral therapy with severe immunodeficiency, especially among children aged younger than 12 months, according to findings presented here during the 2013 Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections.

ATLANTA — Elimination of new perinatal infections in the next 2 years is feasible, but will require radical change in overall health care and infrastructure, in addition to antiretroviral drugs, according to Lynne M. Mofenson, MD, who delivered the 18th Bernard Fields Lecture and 7th N’Galy-Mann Lecture at the 20th Annual CROI meeting here.

Early application of antiretroviral therapy may prevent establishment of a latent reservoir and achieve cure in HIV-positive children, according to results of a case report presented at the 2013 Annual CROI Meeting in Atlanta.

Vitamin D supplementation may be warranted in children who have HIV, according to study results published online.

Children with HIV are at an increased risk for lipid abnormalities and insulin resistance, and vigilant monitoring of these abnormalities is necessary to provide treatment, according to findings published online recently.

A policy statement issued today by the AAP’s Committee on Pediatric AIDS recommends that American mothers who are infected with HIV should not breast-feed their infants, regardless of whether they are on antiretroviral therapy.

Community-based accompaniment improved retention when added to a clinic-based program for treating patients with HIV in Rwanda, data from a recent study suggest.