Fast And Effective Hep C Testing Is Here
The key to survival for someone who contracts Hepatitis C is early detection. That makes timely testing crucial to helping curb this disease. Well here’s some good news! New research has shown that on site rapid response testing is just as accurate as having blood sent away to the lab. The McGill University Health Centre is where this study was done. What does this mean for Hep C screening?
Now that the study has been published in The Annals of Internal Medicine, medical facilities around the world will likely begin using this just as an effective, far more efficient testing method. The result may be fewer cases of Hepatitis C on a global scale, since individuals will discover they have the disease sooner. This can lead to slowing the spread.
Dr. Nitika Pant Pai, one of the researchers involved in the testing, says that rapid testing done at medical facilities is 97 to 99 percent accurate. Convenience will mean more will get tested, and those who do will get immediate results. The tests involve blood and oral elements.
This will be particularly important in developing countries where lab work is not available to everyone. Usually in these places a person must be high-risk or showing significant symptoms of the disease before testing can be done. Results only take one week, but the results are usually given to the patient during a follow-up visit. which may be months later. In the meantime, the patient may pass the disease on to others without knowing, resulting in potential community outbreaks.
30 minutes is all these new point-of-care tests require. The patient can sit in the waiting room and get results. Even medical facilities in areas without electricity will be able to perform these simple and accurate tests. Because no specialized equipment is needed, it will be accessible to a maximum number of people, even those forced to go to facilities in poorer areas.
People across the globe have been infected with Hepatitis C by means of unsafe blood transfusions as well as dirty needles (whether for illicit drug use of legitimate purposes). The figures now stand at over 170 million people infected with figures continuing to rise especially in Asia and Africa where testing and treatment are more limited. Some are optimistic that this new simple testing procedure along with oral treatments may be able to turn the tide against Hepatitis C.
Several professors at McGill University and McGill Medical School joined forces with several professors from the UK to research and analyze the results of these tests.
Study Shows High-Dose Multivitamins Don’t Benefit HAART Patients
12 years ago
A new study was conducted at Harvard University which shows that HIV patients who are receiving HAART (highly active antiretroviral therapy) don’t get any more benefits from a high-dose multivitamin than they would from a regular dose. It is the first time that a study has been done on such a large scale to see the difference in results of HAART clinical trials when combined with different amounts of vitamin intake.
The Journal of the American Medical Association recorded the study in its October 17, 2012 issue. The reason for the test was to compare results with other studies that showed these high doses slowed disease progression in individuals not being treated with HAART. While HAART is a big step in treating HIV, it still does not completely repair the immune system, and takes a number of months before it becomes effective. Thus, researchers wanted to see if the vitamins could boost the results.
The study was conducted on a group of over 3,400 patients over the course of 2 years. Half of the patients received ultra high doses of vitamins such as B, C, and E, while the others received a regular dose.
There are several ways to measure HIV progression. Among these are BMI, CD4 count, hemoglobin level concentration, and plasma viral load. According to the study, the high dose vitamin takers experienced the same progression of the disease and mortality rate. In fact, there may be detrimental effects as ALT enzyme levels are raised which can possibly result in liver problems and other complications.
While high doses of vitamins are both safe and somewhat effective for HIV patients who are not being treated with HAART, the opposite seems to be true of those receiving this medical treatment. Primarily the test has proven to researchers that more studies must be done.
Micro nutrients help to maintain our body’s immune system and are thus being researched to help those with immune disorders like HIV/AIDS. Future studies will consider that perhaps in this case, less really is more.
Is There a Correlation Between AIDS Progression and Intestinal Viruses?
12 years ago
by ADMIN
in HIV Science
It is well known that gastrointestinal complications are a part of advanced AIDS in both humans and monkeys. These intestinal problems lead to advanced immune deficiency, and ultimately progression of the disease into its final stages. However, researchers have learned for the first time that these intestinal complications are being caused by other separate viruses. What does this mean for HIV patients? Identifying the viruses that affect the intestines may allow scientists to slow the progress of AIDS by fighting this progression trigger.
The feces of monkeys with SIV (the primate equivalent of HIV) was tested to genetically sequence the viruses found in the intestines. They actually found a significant number of previously indescribable intestinal viruses. While researchers do not yet understand why SIV positive monkeys have these viruses, the connection may lie in the composition of their immune system.
There were also blood-borne viruses found in the fecal matter of the monkeys that were tested. They not only found DNA viruses but also RNA viruses. Now another connection is being sought between these types of viruses.
There are two sides to this discovery. First of all, the research is hoped to help scientists learn how to slow down the progression of AIDS. The other possibility is that intestinal virus testing may allow individuals to discover the current progression of their disease. This could make tracking the progression of the disease much more feasible in the future via testing for the presence of these other viruses.
Repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” presents opportunities for increased HIV prevention in U.S. Military
12 years ago
by ADMIN
in HIV Prevention
With the repeal of the U.S. military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy comes significant opportunities for improvement upon HIV prevention and treatment programs already in place. DADT repeal provides those enlisted in the military with the opportunity to be honest and open with their health care providers about their sexual habits and orientation, giving the military a much clearer picture of their soldiers’ lives and needs, and how to most effectively approach prevention and treatment of HIV.
A study in the October 1 issue of JAIDS: Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes, led by Shilpa Hakre, DrPH, MPH, of the US Military HIV Research Program, indicates that, out of 64 U.S. Navy and Marines personnel who were identified by the Navy Bloodborne Infection Management Center as having contracted HIV while the DADT policy was in effect, 84% of respondents reported same-sex contact as one of the risk factors that contributed to infection. Of that 84%, most also reported inconsistent condom use (especially during anal sex), contact with “new, casual, or temporary” partners, and alcohol use as contributing factors to their infection. Other common risky behaviors included meeting anonymous partners in bars and clubs, as well as on the internet, and gross underestimation of personal risk of acquiring HIV during unprotected sexual contact due to the fact that those infected knew or trusted their partner and his or her HIV status, which greatly contributed to infrequent use of condoms.
Prior to the repeal of DADT, some members of the U.S. military would seek medical care for HIV and AIDS outside of the military due to their concerns about being stigmatized or discharged for revealing their homosexual orientation, resulting in the impedance of military prevention and treatment efforts, and significant underreporting of new HIV infections.
New studies within the U.S. military reveal a significantly higher rate of male-to-male sexual contact among enlisted servicemen than previously reported, most likely a result of “liberalized responses due to DADT repeal effects”, according to researchers. This increase in transparency helps to clarify the factors that put military personnel at risk of HIV infection. Repeal of DADT also allows for more open and effective targeting of prevention efforts, and brings to light opportunities for these efforts, such as the promotion of proper condom use. Dr. Hakre and co-authors conclude, “DADT repeal may afford opportunities for facilitating necessary primary HIV prevention strategies such as those targeting condom use and newer social outlets such as internet networking.”
HIV Coinfection with Hepatitis C Virus
12 years ago
by McMeeking
in HIV Therapy
Chronic Hepatitis C infection is now the leading cause of death after AIDS-related complications in HIV infected individuals in the United States. HIV coinfection exacerbates Hepatitis C virus disease leading to more rapid progression to cirrhosis, liver cancer and mortality. This is felt to be due to impaired T-cell immune responses to Hepatitis C in HIV positive patients.
Until now, the standard of care led to cure rates in only 20 percent of coinfected patients. However, the approval last year of two new agents called protease inhibitors are showing a great deal of promise in studies currently under way with cure rates possibly reaching 80-90 percent in some studies.
It is now standard of care for all HIV patients to be screened for Hepatitits C coinfection with the hope that therapy will cause a marked improvement in morbidity and mortality.
Going forward, due to the shortage of physicians currently trained to treat hepatitis C, HIV providers will have to be the treaters for their coinfected patients and treat not just their HIV but also their Hepatitis C infection.
