ADMIN
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Posts by ADMIN
HIV Treatment Reduces Hunger Concerns
12 years ago
by ADMIN
in HIV Therapy
A study done in Uganda shows that undergoing treatments for HIV reduces the feeling of fear of going hungry in patients. While the medication itself did not put food in the patient’s bellies, and it did not completely remove all concerns, it still begs the question: Why is this the case?
The study revealed a possible cause. Because the antiretroviral drugs improve the body’s efficiency, the patient does not feel the panic that usually sets in when the body is afraid it will not be receiving enough food. Better emotional health and ability to engage in work seems to have this effect on a patient’s overall demeanor.
Over 600 patients at two locations were a part of the study. Receiving treatment caused a high percentage of the patients interviewed to no longer feel as great a concern over difficulties acquiring sufficient food. While the treatment improved the health of the participants, it does not seem that this is what had an effect on the emotional well being of the patients. The most direct effect was a lessening of mental health issues, particularly depression. The end result was less of a concern about how to obtain food.
Was part of this reduction of stress due to the patients receiving food from the clinic as part of the study? No. There was no provision made to give food supplies to the patients. It is believed that the biggest change was due to the fact that increased health meant a greater ability for patients to work. Once they had a steady income—albeit a small one—the HIV patients were much more likely to not stress over finding nourishment.
What this study has shown is a direct correlation between the support given to HIV sufferers in poorer areas and their lessened concerns over going hungry. Getting proper medical attention leads to more productivity, and that puts food on the table, even if it isn’t really enough.
Kids With HIV Also at Risk for Atherosclerosis
12 years ago
by ADMIN
in HIV Science
A recent study has shown that kids who are HIV positive are 250 percent more likely to contract atherosclerosis. This can result in heart attacks and premature death. Due to the seriousness of the matter, a healthy routine of food and exercise, as well as certain medications, is vital to survival.
While medications now make it possible for those with HIV to live much longer without the progression of the disease, it doesn’t mean they no longer have the disease at all. Complications still arise than can result in death, and this is one of those complications. With the immune system constantly locked in conflict with HIV, the person is far more likely to contract other life threatening illnesses and to develop various medical conditions like heart problems.
Elevated LDL levels are another side effect of the HIV virus that can cause serious health complications. HIV treatment does seem to help lower these levels. There is presently about a 10-year difference in life expectancy for those with HIV.
The study was performed with 300 children in total. Half of the kids were those infected with HIV. The other half were a control group that did not have the disease. One factor that was considered in the study, because it does have an effect on the heart, is the number of smokers in the group. There were more smokers in the HIV positive group than in the control group (6 percent more), and it is believed the reason for this is that those in the HIV positive group had a poorer economic status and difficult family histories. All of this was taken into consideration when the study was done, and even with adjusting the numbers to make up for the smoking discrepancy and other factors, there was still a 250 percent increased risk of heart disease for the HIV patients.
The results of this study have shown that physicians treating children who have HIV need to pay close attention to their lifestyle and help them to appreciate the need to take care of their heart from an early age due to the complications of HIV. It also shows the importance of antiretroviral drugs in helping increase the life expectancy of those who suffer from HIV.
New Angle on HIV Vaccine Development
12 years ago
by ADMIN
in HIV Prevention
HIV infection begins in the outer most layer of parts of the body. That is why researchers from the Texas Biomedical Research Institute are a new type of HIV vaccine strategy patented that targets these particular areas.
Like many vaccines, the hope is that this one would only have to be administered once in a person’s lifetime. Then the body would continue to reproduce the antibodies on a continual basis. The trick is to ensure that these cells, which are made to fight the disease, will not eventually be fought off themselves by the body’s immune system. If the research team is successful then the vaccine may have other applications in disease fighting besides just HIV.
The epithelium is the name for the surface layer of cells in the rectum and vagina where HIV is passed into the body during sexual intercourse. This is how a great majority of those infected with the disease first receive it. That is why the vaccine will target this mucosal layer of cells.
Philippe Blancou, Ph.D. and Marie-Claire Gauduin, Ph.D., the co-creators of this vaccine, are hopeful that by attacking the spread at this location, the disease can be halted before it gets a foothold in the body. They recognize that the vaccine must have a permanent effect to be truly efficient.
There is very little time when the HIV enters through the mucosal cells and when it starts rapidly multiplying in the organs and lymphatic system. That is why the genetically modified approach has been tagged with the appropriate structure to stay in the epithelial areas to fight the disease and avoid immune system detection.
Discreet Birth Control and STD Prevention
12 years ago
by ADMIN
in HIV Prevention
At the present time, if a couple wants to avoid a pregnancy and the risk of HIV transmission, but do not wish to be abstinent, the only option is to use a condom during sex. It is the only form of birth control that also protects against disease. But this method is not discreet enough for some. That is why researchers are working on a new method using cloth with little tiny fibers that can release medicine that will be effective and inexpensive. The study findings were just recently published in a medical journal.
To create such tiny fibers, the material must be spun electronically. This is an incredibly effective way to introduce medicine because of the properties of the fibers that are spun in this manner. Antibodies and proteins are difficult to deliver through liquids or tablets, but can be provided by this means.
The FDA has approved the liquid that is being pushed through the electric field to integrate it into the fabric. The resulting cloth has a spandex like quality to it and is capable of stopping sperm from passing through. It can also contain spermicides and other drugs to halt the spread of diseases like HIV.
Researchers also developed a dissolving fabric that can provide several days of protection until it has fully disintegrated. Just like a vaccine may deliver a burst of protection at regular intervals, the same can be done with these fibers to keep the level of medicine high for several days. This material would either be inserted directly into the woman’s body, or it could be used to make other products for application.
While the electronic spinning of fabric is a technology that has existed for quite some time, this is the first time that anyone has tried to use it for this sort of application. It seems to be a way to skirt around the need to purchase, carry, and use condoms. The next step is to see if this is really a viable alternative to condoms.
Personal Lubricants Damage Cells But Don’t Increase Risk of HIV Infection
12 years ago
by ADMIN
in HIV Science
A study has shown that while lubricants may dry out and irritate the vagina or anus, it doesn’t expose a person to greater risk of HIV infection. PLoS ONE is the journal that published the study. Researchers, however, wish to do further study on the effects that personal lubricants have on the human body, particularly the epithelial tissue. This layer of cells is first line of defense that the body has against diseases like HIV.
Hyperosmolar lubricants did the most damage of all of the types included in the study according to Charlene S. Dezzutti, PhD, who was the lead author of the study. Despite this fact, it still seemed to have no ill effects on HIV risk.
The salts, proteins, and carbs are present in high amounts of hyperosmolar lubricants, but in smaller amounts in the vagina and anus, seem to be responsible for the damage to tissue with use. On the other hand, iso-osmolar lubes have a similar balance as epithelial cells.
The study included 14 different lubricant types. Some were over the counter, some were brand name, and others were mail order. The bases for these lubricants were either water, silicone, or lipid. A survey of 6300 individuals showed that the types of lubricants studied were more frequently used for anal intercourse. Water based hyperosmolar lubricants did the most cellular damage. Water based iso-osmolr lubes did the least damage. Even the most damaged vaginal tissue was not more vulnerable to HIV even after exposure to these types of lubes. Further research is being done with rectal cells.
Despite results so far, Dr. Dezzutti is not yet convinced of the safety of these lubricants and says that more testing is needed. NIAID (the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases), the National Institute of Mental Health, and the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development all helped to fund the study.
