INTRODUCTION Antiretroviral (ARV) treatment available in low-middle income countries differs as suggested in international HIV-treatment guidelines. Thus, we compared ARV regimens introduced as a first-line therapy, time of initiation, frequency of making combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) switches, frequency of viral and immunological monitoring and treatment outcome in south east Europ...

BACKGROUND Increasing rates of non-AIDS defining illnesses, and in particular liver diseases, have been found after the initiation of highly active antiretroviral therapy. However, there is little evidence concerning the risk factors for and clinical characteristics of liver disease in antiretroviral (ARV)-treated HIV infection, in the absence of hepatitis B or C viral co-infection. METHODS A...

Background With the large international mobilization of resources against HIV/AIDS and the great improvement of ARV drug access within the last 7 years in resource-limited countries, more HIV-infected people are expected to access antiretroviral therapy (ART) including pregnant women. However, coverage of PMTCT services in many Sub-Saharan countries is still low. The aim of the study was to cha...

We previously reported nonaqueous silicone elastomer gels (SEGs) for sustained vaginal administration of the CCR5-targeted entry inhibitor maraviroc (MVC). Here, we describe chemically modified SEGs (h-SEGs) in which the hydrophobic cyclomethicone component was partially replaced with relatively hydrophilic silanol-terminated polydimethylsiloxanes (st-PDMS). MVC and emtricitabine (a nucleoside ...

The Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) was established in 2010 to ensure timely access to low-cost generic versions of patented antiretroviral (ARV) medicines in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) through the negotiation of voluntary licences with patent holders. While robust data on the savings generated by MPP and other major global public health initiatives is important, it is also difficult ...

BACKGROUND The genotoxicity of zidovudine has been established in experimental models. The objective of the study was to identify genotoxicity markers in cord blood cells from newborns exposed in utero to antiretroviral (ARV) combinations containing zidovudine. METHODS Cells were investigated by karyotyping and gene expression analysis of the CD34(+) hematopoietic stem/progenitor cell (HPC) c...

OBJECTIVE Universal access to antiretroviral (ARV) therapy starting from 1996 has changed HIV/AIDS epidemic profile in Brazil. The objective of this study was to review the epidemiology of HIV/AIDS epidemic in Brazil. METHODS Indicators of temporal trends were developed for Brazilian regions from 1990 to 2003 using the Ministry of Health's databases. Exponential regression models adjusted to ...

This paper examines older persons' positions as heads of households in the Agincourt sub-district of Mpumalanga Province, South Africa. Older person's access to non-contributory pensions in a context of AIDS-related chronic illness and premature death, might increase their household responsibilities which, in turn, may be manifested in higher rates of household headship. We use descriptive anal...

REMARKABLE ADVANCES IN THE TREATMENT OF HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS (HIV) DISEASE HAVE BEEN BLUNTED BY WIDESPREAD SUBOPTIMAL ADHERENCE (IE, NONADHERENCE), WHICH HAS EMERGED AS A MAJOR BARRIER TO ACHIEVING THE PRIMARY GOAL OF ANTIRETROVIRAL (ARV) THERAPY: suppression of HIV viral load. Nonsuppressed HIV viral load is associated with drug resistance, increased morbidity and mortality, and a high...

intRoDuction The development of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs has transformed HIV/AIDS to that of a chronic manageable disease. Studies have reported improved quality of life of PLWHA on ARV therapy (ART), reduced progression of the disease and declining mortality from the pandemic.1,2 However, strict adherence is required to achieve therapeutic success in HIV management. Paterson et al. suggest t...