Top in ID: Breakthrough in HIV prevention; rapid test detects malaria-spreading mosquitoes

Researchers found that lenacapavir, an investigational long-acting antiretroviral drug, prevented 100% of new HIV infections among cisgender women in Africa who received injections every 26 weeks.

“It is very exciting that we could soon have an HIV prevention option that is safe, highly effective and can be given just twice a year,” International AIDS Society President Sharon Lewin, PhD, told reporters at the International AIDS Conference in Munich.

The study population of the phase 3 trial was unique for its inclusion of cisgender women, pregnant women and adolescents — subpopulations that are often left out of HIV research, according to Gilead Sciences.

It was the top story in infectious disease last week.

In another top story, Healio spoke with molecular biologist Cristina Rafferty about a new low-cost test that can rapidly detect Anopheles stephensi mosquitoes, an invasive species of malaria-spreading mosquito.

Read these and more top stories in infectious disease below:

Full results confirm potential breakthrough in HIV prevention

In June, Gilead Sciences announced that its investigational long-acting antiretroviral drug lenacapavir prevented 100% of new HIV infections during a phase 3 trial conducted among cisgender women in Africa. Paul A. Volberding, MD, Chief Medical Editor of Healio | Infectious Disease News, weighed in with a perspective. Read more.

Q&A: Test quickly detects invasive malaria-spreading mosquito

Researchers developed a low-cost rapid test to detect an invasive species of mosquito that has adapted to live near humans in urban environments, which they hope can be used in areas far from medical labs. Read more.

Three-quarters of people with HIV globally are on ART, UNAIDS reports

Three-quarters of people globally living with HIV are on ART, a roughly 30% increase during the last nine years, and fewer people acquired HIV in 2023 than at any point since the late 1980s, UNAIDS reported. Read more.

Study: Funding pullbacks threaten progress on UN goal to end HIV/AIDS

Despite global progress toward eliminating HIV — including a growing number of nations that have hit goals to diagnose and successfully treat patients — funding pullbacks threaten to add decades to the battle, according to a study. Read more.

Study supports testing HIV PrEP users for STIs at 6 months instead of 3

Testing HIV PrEP users for STIs every 6 months did not increase the risk for STIs compared with testing them every 3 months and could reduce the cost of PrEP programs, according to a study. Read more.