ADMIN
(0 comments, 229 posts)
This user hasn't shared any profile information
Posts by ADMIN
Lab-Like Testing for HIV – But Mobile
There’s good news for those in isolated areas of the world – HIV testing has just become portable. A new device that can take a simple pinprick from a finger, and provide accurate blood test results, is a big advancement for those who have never had access to a lab facility for testing.
HIV afflicts many of the poorest nations in the world, with over two thirds of the more than 34 million infected living in Africa. Many of these individuals cannot get tested or treated because they cannot get to a facility to do so. These nations are already poor enough without the economic burden caused by unknown and untreated cases of HIV – over 16 million children in Africa have been orphaned by this disease.
The mobile device was developed at a low cost, and can be used even in remote areas – making it perfect for use in the sorts of areas hit hardest by the disease. Test results are ready in just 15 minutes, and it only requires one drop of blood from the finger tip. It performs all the same functions as the expensive, immobile equipment used in labs.
The device can even detect patients who are borderline positive and might otherwise go undiagnosed. Topping off these advantages is the ability to update patient records remotely – again, this is perfect for out of the way areas where Internet access may be limited, but satellite or cell service is still available.
Another advantage is that this can be used to track trends in the spread of the disease, helping medical facilities and organizations to better know where to send medical supplies and help treat the disease. Remote areas that have never had treatment available, because no one knew for sure whether or not HIV was common in those areas, may now receive the help that they need.
Study Sheds Light on How HIV Advances
12 years ago
by ADMIN
in HIV Prevention
In Spain, researchers have used a computation method to determine how a particular protein allows HIV to make its rapid progress to maturity. The technology used involves molecular simulation, which allowed the researchers to observe how particles of the virus go from being inert in their original form, to becoming fully infectious particles that then spread throughout the body and weaken the immune system.
HIV virions (a complete and infectious version of the disease) are formed as the result of a protein called protease, which also allows HIV particles to reach the fully mature form required for them to replicate. Protease cuts through a chain of HIV proteins much the way we would use scissors to cut a piece of paper – the proteins that are cut away can then be the basis of a new HIV virion.
The unusual thing is that the protease is itself part of the chain – this means that before cutting up the other proteins, it has to cut itself away from the chain, making this the absolute first step in the maturation of HIV.
This is therefore the stage of the virus that researchers are targeting as the best place to stop HIV, because if the protease never breaks away, the individual particles will never become infectious and the disease will not spread or harm the body in any way.
The supercomputer that is responsible for the simulation uses accelerated graphics processing units, which allows it to operate at ten times the speed of a computer using a normal central processing unit for rendering the same type of data.
Researchers hope that this discovery will signal a change in the whole process of developing new drugs to fight HIV at the protein level. Even at this time, the study has given researchers greater insight into a disease that is the bane of millions across the globe.
Cost Versus Effectiveness in HIV Treatment
12 years ago
by ADMIN
in HIV Therapy
Until last year, all antiretroviral drugs for HIV treatment were brand named. Generic substitutes are poised to save the United Sates health market about a billion dollars annually, but there’s a different price. The question has arisen as to whether or not these less expensive alternatives will be as effective in warding off the advance of HIV – a study in Massachusetts was conducted to address this very issue.
Basically the question becomes: How much is life worth? We are talking about both the length of a person’s life, and their ability to enjoy it to the full. The generic drugs may not be able to extend the life of an HIV patient quite as long or give all of the same health benefits, so is an astronomical saving, even $1 billion, worth it?
In 2011, HIV medicines cost the US about $9 billion. Most of this was paid for by the government. Now the issue faced by doctors is to determine what to prescribe, the patients who they can afford to treat, and the implications in wider society since most of the meds are being paid for by tax dollars.
Right now, HIV patients need to take a combination of three brand named drugs on a daily basis. Last year already saw a generic version appear on the market for one of these medications – 2013 will add another.
What effects will this have on patients? For one thing, the generic meds need to be taken three times per day instead of once – this makes the daily regimen more complicated and could result in more patients forgetting to take a vital dose. Missing doses can result in the treatment failing and the disease progressing. Furthermore, the use of the generic medicine currently on the market has proven to be slightly less effective in studies.
Using a mathematical model and examining worst case scenario predictions, it appears that while individual patients could save over $42,000 dollars in treatments, they could also lose an average of four and half months off their life span. Would you pay $42,000 for four and a half months longer to live? I think that anyone would take that offer if they could.
HIV Patients in Ethiopia Often Don’t Tell Anyone
12 years ago
by ADMIN
in HIV Science
One major factor in the battle against HIV is disclosure on the part of one who has it. There are over 1 million people in the African country of Ethiopia with the disease. In a study conducted among those undergoing treatment in the country, a rather upsetting trend was identified – that many patients don’t tell anyone when they discover they have HIV.
Only about two thirds can even bring themselves to tell a best friend, while less than one-in-five reveal such information to a sibling and even fewer speak to other relatives. In fact, more than one-in-ten patients did not tell anyone they know about their condition.
It was also revealed that there was a higher rate of nondisclosure among single people, which is especially disturbing as it indicates that such individuals are not disclosing this information to their sexual partner(s), which could result in further unnecessary spread of the disease.
Furthermore, those who are illiterate were also less likely to disclose information about their HIV – many of these are likely to be poorer individuals fearing a higher degree of stigma and discrimination due to their disease.
Researchers came up with the idea of checking disclosure rates when it was noticed that many patients went through added time and expense to get treated some distance from home, rather than going to a local treatment facility – it then became clear that many simply didn’t want to be seen going to the doctor to receive the necessary medication and treatment.
This really seems to be indicative of two things. Firstly, it shows a lack of understanding among HIV patients of how important knowledge about the disease is in preventing its spread. Secondly, it reveals that there is still a terrible stigma associated with HIV in Ethiopia, which people are willing to go to great lengths to avoid – and this is clear to see when they even fear telling loved ones.
Researchers believe that counselors could help remedy the situation by creating a safer environment – one in which HIV patients feel they can speak to those close to them without being concerned about prejudice.
Smoking Kills People With HIV Faster Than the Disease
12 years ago
by ADMIN
in HIV Science
A published study has revealed that HIV patients who are receiving treatment for the disease lose more years off their lives from smoking than they do from HIV. This highlights the necessity to kick the smoking habit immediately if someone is infected with HIV.
The study followed over 3,000 HIV patients in Denmark over the course of 25 years, making it a very thorough study on the effects that smoking cigarettes has on an individual’s life expectancy. When patients were able to get HIV treatment for free, over three fifths of the individuals ended up losing their lives due to complications of smoking. The study compared the life span of individual smokers with HIV who were part of the study against the general population.
A smoker in his mid-thirties had nearly 16 years knocked off of his life expectancy according to the study. HIV patients who smoked had a 200 percent loss of life expectancy versus non smokers. It was a 300 percent difference versus non smokers who did not have HIV. Clearly, smoking is indeed one of the biggest factors in determining how long a person lives, regardless of their health otherwise.
The whole study just helps people to appreciate the need to band together to help friends kick this terrible habit before it is too late. As soon as a smoker gives up cigarettes, it becomes far less likely the he or she will end up with heart disease. It takes several years of being smoke free before the cancer risks begins to decline.
This also displays the importance of having a team of individuals to assist an HIV patient. In this case, there needs to be someone to help the patient make necessary personal changes. It is both important for an HIV patient to quit smoking and to not start after being diagnosed.
