The AIDS Beacon™

A study of men who have sex with men, published last month in PLoS Pathogens, found that they are almost twice as likely as heterosexuals to contract multiple variants of HIV after a single exposure to the virus.

People who contract multiple variants of the HIV virus at infection can experience a more severe disease progression.

The factors affecting multivariant transmission are still uncertain, though the authors of the study propose that the biology of sexual organs may play a role in HIV transmission. Prior research has also indicated that…

A recent study published in the journal PLoS Pathogens finds that HIV can damage the mucous membranes of genital and intestinal cells, allowing HIV and bacteria to enter the body.

Cells in the intestines and the genitals (such as inside the vagina) are normally surrounded by a protective layer of mucous membranes. It was previously thought that HIV entered the bloodstream through small tears in this membrane that can occur during sexual intercourse.

Although this is still a possible mechanism of transmission, this study indicates that tears might not be…

Scientists and researchers from around the globe met last week for the 17th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI), a four-day conference presenting the latest research about prevention, treatment, and insight into HIV/AIDS and its complications.

Topics ran the gamut from novel therapies to public health strategies aimed at the global pandemic.

What follows are a few of the developments from the conference.

The View From NIAID

On the first day of the conference, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), addressed…

A recent study published in Sexually Transmitted Diseases finds that the practice of serosorting has become increasingly common among men who have sex with men and leads to increased risk of HIV transmission.

Serosorting is the practice of choosing to participate in unprotected sexual intercourse with partners of the same HIV status. The purpose of the study was to determine the relative risk of HIV acquisition due to serosorting in comparison with non-serosorting.

Results showed that serosorting is not likely to be beneficial to men who have sex with men…

A study accepted by the Journal of Experimental Medicine on September 28 shows that sperm are responsible for the transmission of HIV viruses during sexual intercourse. The results suggest that sperm play a central role in the sexual transmission of HIV, the most common mode of spreading infection.

Sperm’s role in viral transmission has been a matter of debate. HIV is known to infect the semen, but it is also present as a free-floating virus and as infected white blood cells. This study suggests that the actual sperm, and not…

In Bangkok earlier today, U.S. Army researchers announced the outcome of their recent Phase 3 HIV vaccine trial, the largest yet in history. The results of the trial, known as RV144, were promising – infection was reduced by 31.2 percent among more than 16,000 Thai volunteers.

Although the vaccine does not guarantee complete immunity, “these new findings represent an important step forward in HIV vaccine research,” said Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in a press release.

A vaccine that is only…

A new Phase 2b clinical trial will study the effectiveness of antiretroviral vaginal gels and oral tablets in preventing HIV infection in women.

The Vaginal and Oral Interventions to Control the Epidemic (VOICE) study will test the safety and efficacy of two different HIV prevention methods. The gel contains Viread (tenofovir), and the oral tablets contain Viread or Truvada (emtricitabine/tenofovir).

For the first time, participants will be able to apply the gel at any time throughout the day. This makes the gel easier to use and offers greater privacy than…

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), a division of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is conducting a Phase 2 clinical trial called HVTN 505. The study examines whether a particular two-part vaccine treatment can decrease the amount of virus in the body (viral load) in participants who later contract HIV. HIV-infected individuals with a lower viral load are more likely to remain healthier longer and less likely to spread the virus to other individuals.

The purpose of the study is to answer scientific questions that could…

According to recent updates by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 75 percent of all adolescents and adults diagnosed with HIV/AIDS in 2007 were male. The largest category of people infected with HIV and AIDS were men who have sex with men (MSM). This group accounted for 53 percent of the total HIV/AIDS diagnoses and 71 percent of the diagnoses made amongst men.

The statistics have been released while the CDC debates its support of male circumcision as a measure to prevent the spread of HIV and…

In a new study reported in the journal Advanced Functional Materials, University of Utah scientists developed a gel-type of “molecular condom” to protect women from AIDS.

Women apply the gel prior to sexual intercourse. The gel turns semisolid in the presence of semen and is able to trap AIDS virus particles before they infect vaginal cells.

This new technology was designed particularly for women living in impoverished areas such as sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, who will now be able to protect themselves from HIV without needing the approval of…