A novel dual gene-editing method increases the chances of eliminating HIV infection
A gene-editing therapy targeting two viruses—HIV-1 and CCR5, the co-receptor that helps the virus enter cells—can effectively eliminate HIV infection. A new study from Temple University’s Lewis Katz School of Medicine and the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC)…
Why is one dose suddenly sufficient for COVID mRNA vaccines?
By John P. Moore, PhD. The FDA and CDC recently announced that previously unvaccinated Americans can now receive a single dose of Moderna's or Pfizer's bivalent mRNA vaccines. To be clear, this does not mean they can choose to take one or two doses and be considered fully vaccinated against either…
What is the future of primary HIV care?
Dr. Paul E. Sax: Here is a figure I made for an upcoming talk entitled "The Future of HIV Care." It summarizes several eras in HIV treatment and ends with the current unprecedentedly successful phase in which most people with HIV take one or two pills a day…
Nine things I wish my doctor had told me after I was diagnosed with HIV
By Juan Michael Porter, IISENIOR EDITOR. Would you like to talk to someone, even if it's not me? How are you feeling right now? What are your plans for the future? Do you have health insurance? Are you hungry or thirsty? Or do you need to use the restroom? It's not your fault. Although you might encounter the stigma of HIV, you are worthy regardless of your status…
The FDA approves the first oral stool-based therapy
Vowst, Approved to Prevent Recurrent C. Difficulty Infections After Antibiotics By Ian Ingram The FDA has approved the first oral fecal microbiota product in a new window to prevent recurrent Clostridioides difficile infections in adults, the agency announced Wednesday. Developed as SER-109 and marketed as Vowst,…
A new dementia treatment? How an HIV drug may help prevent protein buildup in the brain
By Eileen Bailey. When someone has dementia, including Huntington's disease, the brain's ability to clear toxic proteins is impaired. In a study published in the journal Neuron, researchers analyzed the use of maraviro, an antiretroviral treatment approved for HIV, and reported that it could help restore this function in mice, allowing them to…
Fernando Aiuti, the "scientist of love" who changed the perception of HIV with a kiss
In 1991, an Italian immunologist kissed a young woman with HIV in front of the media, debunking the false myth that the virus was transmitted through saliva. Irene González-Higuera. Kissing, caressing, or hugging poses no risk whatsoever for HIV. This statement about the human immunodeficiency virus, which now seems…
A change of season ID/HIV Link-o-Ramaj
Dr. Paul E. Sax: Warm weather takes its time arriving here in Boston, giving us the occasional comfortable day, but frequently returning to cold temperatures and strong winds until mid- or late May at the earliest. The afternoon sunshine may say, "Spring is here!", but the nighttime temperatures in…
Results from a study offer dozens of reasons to reduce sugar consumption
By Lisa O'Mary. Researchers from China and the U.S. compiled 8,601 scientific studies on sugar and combined them to assess its impact on 83 health outcomes. The studies represented decades of research on the topic, dating back to the beginning of the largest electronic databases for scientific articles. The result is a list…
Mpox outbreak in Montreal controlled thanks to a timely response and an unbiased approach
By John Jesitus. Controlling the first major mpox outbreak in North America required early, sustained, and culturally sensitive engagement with affected communities, along with a timely shift to pre-exposure prevention (PrEP) for those at risk, according to a report published today in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Starting with…
New COVID variant on WHO radar that causes itchy eyes in children
By Lisa O'Mary A new variant of COVID-19 recently identified on the World Health Organization's radar may cause previously undescribed symptoms in children, according to a new report. While the variant, called "Arcturus," has not yet been added to the CDC's watch list, a pediatrician in India has…
Study demonstrates effectiveness in primary prevention with statins for people living with HIV
By Megan Brooks An international clinical trial evaluating the use of statins for primary cardiovascular prevention in people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) was stopped early due to strong evidence of efficacy and safety in this population. A planned interim analysis of data from the REPRIEVE study showed…
Infectious disease experts urge a move away from universal mask use.
“The context and conditions of the pandemic have changed dramatically and favorably” By Jennifer Henderson, business and research writer, MedPage Today. The moment for universal masking in the context of COVID in healthcare “has come and gone,” if only for now, argued infectious disease specialists in the Annals of…
The hepatitis C virus is close to being eliminated in people living with HIV
The latest update to the Gesida HIV/HCV coinfection study confirms the downward trend, placing the rate of coinfected patients below 1%. Sonia Moreno, Madrid. The study on the prevalence of HCV coinfection in people with HIV in Spain, conducted by Gesida, the AIDS Study Group of the Spanish Society of Infectious Diseases and…
What makes the Brazilian butt lift so deadly?
Deaths in South Florida Prove Why the BBL Is the “Most Dangerous Cosmetic Procedure Ever Performed” By Sophie Putka, Business & Research Writer, MedPage Today Last updated: April 12, 2023 In surgical circles, the Brazilian butt lift (BBL) is known as the deadliest cosmetic procedure ever…
Artificial Intelligence in Medicine.
By Dr. Andrew L. Beam, Dr. Jeffrey M. Drazen, Dr. Isaac S. Kohane, and Dr. Tze-Yun Leong. Artificial intelligence (AI) has recently gained public prominence with the publication of deep learning models that can generate anything from art to academic papers with minimal human intervention. This advance has reignited the debate about the role…