Effective Prevention for HIV in Women
11 years ago
by ADMIN
in Experimental Treatment
The sad facts point to a rise in the number of women who are infected with HIV. When compared to men, the percentage is remarkably higher. Even with modern treatment and certain preventative measures and therapies, the number of female victims is climbing. The problem lies in the economic state that many patients find themselves in, and certain cultural differences can also inhibit the use of certain therapies and prevention. Many patients stop or are inconsistent with their treatment as a result.
A recent development could help slow the progress of the virus by preventing spread of infection. With this information in mind, researchers are thrilled with the effectiveness of an intravaginal ring that contains an antiretroviral pharmaceutical. In tests that have been conducted in primates, the success rate was 100% in preventing transmission of the virus.
Besides its success in the lab, there are other advantages that researchers are hoping will prove beneficial. For example, the ring can last up to 30 days. There is a lesser amount of the drug in the ring than would be needed if taken orally in pill form. This helps to reduce cost and hassle, a great benefit to the majority of women needing treatment. The amount of antiretroviral drug that it administers increases, rather than decreases, over that period of time. This is due to the type of polymer used to make the ring. It expands in fluid, thus administering the drug in adequate levels while inside the patient.
Human trials are underway and researchers and physicians are hopeful. In time, adding other drugs, such as those used in the prevention of STDs and even contraceptives is a possibility. This would further widen the ring’s appeal and encourage consistent usage. For now, researchers await the human trials with high expectations.
Cloaking Ability of HIV Could Lead to New Treatment
11 years ago
by ADMIN
in Experimental Treatment
Since the discovery of HIV, just how the virus managed to replicate undetected by the body was somewhat of a mystery—until now. Researchers have recently discovered a mechanism used to protect the whereabouts of the virus and which allows it to multiply undisturbed. How did this come about, and what does it mean for the future of HIV? Here is a brief look at what was uncovered.
A team of scientists has recently identified two molecules that aid HIV by allowing the virus to hide within the host cell. By isolating these molecules, researchers have learned that the virus remains hidden, as it were, from the immune system by using a cloaking ability. Under normal circumstances, when a virus invades a cell, the immune system is tripped and an anti-virus attack ensues. Until recently it was unknown exactly how HIV could sneak past this trigger. With the use of these molecules, HIV disguises itself within a healthy cell. While remaining undetected by the immune system, it begins to multiple and mutate. This has made it both difficult to target and treat. Now, researchers are hopeful that this new information can help bring about a new way to effectively treat and contain the infection.
There are many benefits to this new light. Allowing the body to identify and attack the HIV on its own could be groundbreaking. Also, current treatments can be made more effective. Mutations and resistance to drug therapies may also be reduced. Disabling the cloaking device may make it easier to target the infection before it spreads and could be useful in developing vaccines. Armed with this important information, scientists are now able to push ahead in a positive direction to reducing the devastating effects of HIV.
HIV-Infected Cells Don’t Stand a Chance with New Drug
11 years ago
by ADMIN
in Experimental Treatment
Healthy cells are programmed to self-destruct, in a sense, when they become infected or diseased. Unfortunately HIV manipulates this internal self-destruct mode in the cells it infiltrates. A new pharmaceutical drug, Ciclopirox, shows promise in the advancement of HIV treatment.
This anti-fungal topical treatment came up with effective and hopeful results in recent studies. In HIV-infected cells, the drug attacks the mitochondria. By doing this, it inflicts a death blow to the infected cell, wiping out every trace of the HIV. In effect, it reactivates the cell’s self-destruct mode. Not only that, it prevents the HIV from replicating itself. In these two ways, this generally topical treatment proves very effective when dealing with HIV. Normally, Ciclopirox is administered to patients for treatment of skin and gynecological issues. However, in this new study, when used in a culture, HIV was cleared and did not reemerge once the drug was removed.
This is significant, since current forms of HIV treatment include combination drug therapies that inhibit HIV. While these therapies and treatments can help control HIV, they cannot eradicate the virus. If a patient should stop their treatment, HIV comes back at an astounding rate. With Ciclopirox, it is hoped that a means of prevention and perhaps a cure may finally be on the horizon.
Ciclopirox is already an FDA-approved drug. This means the process for using the cream in prevention of sexually transmitting HIV can be expedited. Other testing is already underway in hopes of further findings. The treatment is well tolerated, as healthy cells are unaffected by the drug.
Another promising treatment option is the drug Deferiprone, which is also showing promising results in the lab. Unlike the topical Ciclopirox, this drug can be taken internally, and as previous studies have already been published, it is hoped that this treatment, too, can become an option in the near future.
Bisexual Men and HIV Risks
11 years ago
by ADMIN
in HIV Research
It has been assumed for a while now that bisexual men pose a large threat to their female partners in the transmission of HIV. The claim was that bisexual men could bridge the gender gap by having relations with men and then transmitting the virus to female partners. While the transmitting of HIV among bisexuals does exist, investigation as to whether they pose a greater threat was the object of a recent study.
In the U.S. there is about an estimated one million bisexual men. Of these, over 100,000 have HIV. This number measures up to the CDC’s estimates. The likelihood of passing on the infection to their partners is not far off from that of other groups. The results of the study then show that the claims previously mentioned have been slightly exaggerated: While it is possible for this group to transmit HIV to their partners, there does not seem to be any greater risk in this group than in homosexual men or with female partners. Risk
The research that has been done thus far clearly shows, however, that protected sex yields the best outcome and greatly reduces the transmission of viral infection. In this matter, bisexual men fared better, as safer practices mean less transmission. Homosexual men show a tendency to be more lax in this regard. Technically, with this in mind, it puts the bisexual man in a better statistical arena.
Still, in light of this research, physicians and experts alike stress the importance of education and safe sex practices. These are essential to helping curb the spread of HIV. Risk factors due to lifestyle should not be ignored just because numbers were not as high as some may have thought. In this case, researchers are looking to further investigate into this group of bisexual men so as to get a clearer picture of how to reduce transmission.
New Protein Could Be Breakthrough in HIV Prevention
11 years ago
The race to eradicate HIV and improve the vaccine has led to an exciting new development. Researchers within the last few weeks have published new findings regarding a protein and sugar molecule that has the potential to not only neutralize HIV, but that can connect to various strains of the virus as well.
The protein that was created mimics the outer layer of the HIV. The part of the layer that can bind to antibodies is the area researchers were targeting. This key part of the cell is where neutralizing the virus takes place. One of the factors that make the creation of this protein so important is that it may help scientists answer some of the most complex issues facing the prevention of HIV. For one thing, an antibody that can target multiple strains of the virus is hard to come by. Another problem is the response of the immune system: At times it is beneficial, but other responses can be negative and unwanted. Researchers are hoping that, with this protein, the immune system will be free to respond in a positive, beneficial way. The protein with the sugar molecule is better able to bond to the outer coat of the virus. It is hoped that broad-spectrum antibodies will be allowed to form. If this happens, the antibodies that can do the most neutralizing will have a better chance to complete their task.
Another benefit to the proteins is the potential to trigger a response from the white blood cells that produce antibodies. Should the antibodies produced by these B cells do what researchers are hoping, results could be disastrous for the virus. This aspect is what scientists are focusing on to develop an effective vaccine. Much more information is needed, as well as testing on animal subjects. This does not, however, negate the importance that this finding will have on the future of the battle against HIV.
