MedWorm: AIDS Vaccine

Nigeria: HIV Treatment Vaccine Expected in Five Years - Institute

AllAfrica News: Health and Medicine — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:12:03 +0100

[Daily Trust] The Institute of Human Virology, Nigeria (IHVN), says vaccine for treatment of Human Immuno-deficiency Virus that causes AIDS, may be available in the next five years. (Source: AllAfrica News: Health and Medicine)

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NIAID Issues Requests for Applications for HIV/AIDS Clinical Research Networks

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

NIAID has issued five new requests for applications (RFAs) to establish leadership groups for clinical research networks focused on distinct areas of HIV/AIDS research. Specifically, the leadership groups will have overall responsibility for developing, implementing, and adapting clinical research agendas to address NIAID's HIV/AIDS scientific priorities in the following areas: HIV/AIDS and HIV-associated Infections in Pediatric and Maternal Populations Integrated Strategies to Prevent HIV Infection Microbicides to Prevent HIV Infection Therapeutics for HIV/AIDS and HIV-associated Infections in Adults Vaccines to Prevent HIV Infection Applications will be accepted until September 28, 2012. For more information, visit the Restructuring the NIAID Clinical Trials Networks webpage....

NIH-funded HIV clinical research sites to join pediatric tuberculosis vaccine study

National Institutes of Health (NIH) News Releases — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 18:31:00 +0100

Several U.S. government-funded HIV/AIDS clinical research sites in Africa will join other collaborators in an ongoing clinical trial testing an investigational tuberculosis (TB) vaccine in infants at risk for TB infection. "We are pleased to be able to tap into our existing HIV/AIDS clinical research infrastructure to help test promising investigational vaccines against TB," said NIAID Director Anthony S. Fauci, M.D. The sites are funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health. (Source: National Institutes of Health (NIH) News Releases)

NIH to join multi-center clinical trial of new tuberculosis vaccine

EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(Aeras) The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the United States National Institutes of Health, has joined as a partner for a Phase II proof-of-concept clinical trial of a tuberculosis vaccine candidate jointly developed by Aeras and Dutch biopharmaceutical company Crucell. This is thee first time that NIH is leveraging its HIV/AIDS clinical trial networks to advance a tuberculosis vaccine candidate. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)

The challenge of malaria eradication in the twenty-first century: Research linked to operations is the key.

Vaccine — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Breman JG, Brandling-Bennett AD Abstract Interest and support for malaria control, eradication, and research has increased greatly over the past decade. This has resulted from appreciation of the huge medical, social, and economic burden that malaria exacts from endemic populations. Recent breakthroughs in drug development (artemisinin-based combination treatments), preventive interventions (long-lasting, insecticide-treated bed nets), improved diagnosis (rapid diagnostic tests), and community mobilization have resulted in deployment of new antimalarial tools. National programs supported by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, the U.S. President's Malaria Initiative, and other donors have resulted in substantial reductions in malaria morbidity and morta...

Rural Women Were Less Likely to Return for Free HPV Vaccination Follow-Up Doses

Rural publications via the Rural Assistance Center — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:39:33 +0100

Describes a study that contrasted rates of HPV vaccine uptake between young women recruited from two rural locations and one urban location. Found that the recruitment location was a major factor in lack of uptaking the booster doses. -- Rural Center for AIDS/STD Prevention (Source: Rural publications via the Rural Assistance Center)

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The British charity saving lives of African children with a new vaccination programme

Telegraph Health — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 15:02:44 +0100

A British charity with ties to The Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry is introducing a vaccination programme to protect 750,000 African children. (Source: Telegraph Health)

Charity linked to Duke of Cambridge saving lives of African children

Telegraph Health — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 15:02:44 +0100

British charity Absolute Return for Kids, which has ties to The Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry, is introducing a vaccination programme to protect 750,000 African children. (Source: Telegraph Health)

Many U.S. Adults Not Vaccinated for Hepatitis B

The Doctors Lounge - Infections — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Missed opportunities lead to many new infections each year, study found (Source: The Doctors Lounge - Infections)

Whole-genome sequence of Schistosoma haematobium

Nature Genetics — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Neil D Young, Aaron R Jex, Bo Li, Shiping Liu, Linfeng Yang, Zijun Xiong, Yingrui Li, Cinzia Cantacessi, Ross S Hall, Xun Xu, Fangyuan Chen, Xuan Wu, Adhemar Zerlotini, Guilherme Oliveira, Andreas Hofmann, Guojie Zhang, Xiaodong Fang, Yi Kang, Bronwyn E Campbell, Alex Loukas, Shoba Ranganathan, David Rollinson, Gabriel Rinaldi, Paul J Brindley, Huanming Yang, Jun Wang, Jian Wang & Robin B Gasser Schistosomiasis is a neglected tropical disease caused by blood flukes (genus Schistosoma; schistosomes) and affecting 200 million people worldwide. No vaccines are available, and treatment relies on one drug, praziquantel. Schistosoma haematobium has come into the spotlight as a major cause of urogenital disease, as an agent linked to bladder cancer and as a predisposing factor for HI...

Non-Specific Microbicide Product Development: Then and Now.

Current HIV Research — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Romano JW, Robbiani M, Doncel G, Moench T Abstract Despite the identification of HIV-1 as the etiological agent responsible for AIDS nearly 30 years ago, a sterilizing vaccine capable of preventing transmission of the virus remains elusive. In response to struggles on the vaccine development front, significant effort has been devoted to preventing the transmission of HIV with alternative products, technologies, and strategies. One of the early alternative HIV prevention strategies was microbicides, which are topical products that can be used to prevent sexual transmission of HIV either vaginally or rectally. First generation microbicide products were designed to be simple gel formulations comprised of readily available active agents that were inexpensive and broadly active...

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Development of Anti-HIV Agents Based on Chemical Biology.

Yakugaku Zasshi : Journal of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 06:00:04 +0100

Authors: Tamamura H Abstract Recently, highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART), which involves a combinational use of reverse transcriptase inhibitors and HIV protease inhibitors, has brought us a great success in the clinical treatment of AIDS patients. However, HAART has several serious clinical problems. These drawbacks encouraged us to find novel drugs and increase repertoires of anti-HIV agents with various action mechanisms. The recent disclosing of the dynamic supramolecular mechanism in HIV-entry has provided potentials to find a new type of drugs. To date, we have synthesized HIV-entry inhibitors, especially coreceptor CXCR4 antagonists. In addition, CD4 mimics in consideration of synergic effects with other entry inhibitors or neutralizing antibodies have been devel...

Toward interactive, Internet-based decision aid for vaccination decisions: Better information alone is not enough.

Vaccine — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Connolly T, Reb J Abstract Vaccination decisions, as in choosing whether or not to immunize one's small child against specific diseases, are both psychologically and computationally complex. The psychological complexities have been extensively studied, often in the context of shaping convincing or persuasive messages that will encourage parents to vaccinate their children. The computational complexity of the decision has been less noted. However, even if the parent has access to neutral, accurate, credible information on vaccination risks and benefits, he or she can easily be overwhelmed by the task of combining this information into a well-reasoned decision. We argue here that the Internet, in addition to its potential as an information source, could provide useful assist...

Monkey Experiments Boost Hope For Human AIDS Vaccine

NPR Health and Science — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 11:50:00 +0100

The vaccine protected 80 percent of monkeys from infection with SIV, the simian version of HIV. By comparison, an experimental HIV vaccine was 31 percent effective in protecting people against infection in a large-scale study unveiled in 2009.» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us (Source: NPR Health and Science)

Monkey Study Raises Hope Of HIV/AIDS Vaccine

Health News from Medical News Today — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 10:00:00 +0100

Scientists have tested a trial vaccine that protects rhesus monkeys against infection from a potent form of the simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV), a distant relative of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS in humans. Monkeys that received the vaccine were more than 80% less likely to become infected when exposed to SIV than monkeys that received a dummy shot... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Recent News About NIAID-Sponsored Studies

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

The NIH recently announced news about the following two NIAID-sponsored research studies: January 4, 2012: Experimental Vaccine Partially Protects Monkeys from HIV-Like Infection “New vaccine research in monkeys suggests that scientists are homing in on the critical ingredients of a protective HIV vaccine and identifies new HIV vaccine candidates to test in human clinical trials. The research, which appears online in Nature on Jan. 4, was co-funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health.” For more information, read the NIAID press release. December 22, 2011: HIV Study Named 2011 Breakthrough of the Year by Science “The journal Science has chosen the HPTN 052 clinical tri...

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How Can HIV-Type-1-Env Immunogenicity Be Improved to Facilitate Antibody-Based Vaccine Development?

AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 21:44:19 +0100

AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses Jan 2012, Vol. 28, No. 1: 1-15. (Source: AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses)

Search for AIDS Vaccine Advances

WSJ.com: Health — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 23:12:25 +0100

The quest for a vaccine against AIDS is gaining momentum, with research published Wednesday identifying promising new candidates that protected monkeys against a powerful strain of the virus and which soon could be tested in humans. (Source: WSJ.com: Health)

Study in monkeys raises hope for HIV vaccines

Reuters: Health — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 19:54:27 +0100

CHICAGO (Reuters) - An experimental vaccine helped protect monkeys from an especially deadly form of the AIDS virus, raising new hope for an effective vaccine in people, U.S. researchers said on Wednesday. (Source: Reuters: Health)

Human Trials Initiated For New HIV Vaccine

Health News from Medical News Today — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 08:00:00 +0100

In the first clinical trial of an injectable vaccine containing trimeric HIV envelope protein (gp140) relevant to the predominant strain of HIV in Africa, researchers from four UK academic centers (St George's University London, Imperial College, Hull York Medical School (HYMS; University of York) and the Medical Research Council Clinical Trial Unit) and from the Infectious Disease Research Institute (IDRI) have come together to evaluate whether the vaccine is safe for use in human volunteers... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

The Top Nursing News Story of 2011: The Future of Nursing

AJN — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 06:00:00 +0100

Editor's note: Each January AJN examines the major stories affecting nurses and health care during the previous year. This year's top stories aren't too different from those we highlighted last January: the continuing debate over the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and how to fix the floundering economy continue to top our list. And while we hoped that Congress would move past its partisan squabbling to address these incredibly important issues, it didn't happen, even among members of the bipartisan deficit “super committee,” which failed to find a compromise solution to reduce the deficit. For nursing, it was all about whether the Institute of Medicine's Future of Nursing report would create change. Clinical news shows that consumers are still wary of vaccines and confused ...

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The Top Health News Story of 2011: Health Care Reform and a System in Flux

AJN — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 06:00:00 +0100

The Supreme Court's decisions on the ACA won't undo the realization that how we deliver and pay for care must change. Editor's note: Each January AJN examines the major stories affecting nurses and health care during the previous year. This year's top stories aren't too different from those we highlighted last January: the continuing debate over the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and how to fix the floundering economy continue to top our list. And while we hoped that Congress would move past its partisan squabbling to address these incredibly important issues, it didn't happen, even among members of the bipartisan deficit “super committee,” which failed to find a compromise solution to reduce the deficit. For nursing, it was all about whether the Institute of Medicine's Fut...

Clinical News

AJN — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 06:00:00 +0100

Clinical news.

The American Journal of Nursing — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Nelson R, Pfeifer GM, Pfeifer GM Abstract Editor's note: Each January AJN examines the major stories affecting nurses and health care during the previous year. This year's top stories aren't too different from those we highlighted last January: the continuing debate over the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and how to fix the floundering economy continue to top our list. And while we hoped that Congress would move past its partisan squabbling to address these incredibly important issues, it didn't happen, even among members of the bipartisan deficit "super committee," which failed to find a compromise solution to reduce the deficit. For nursing, it was all about whether the Institute of Medicine's Future of Nursing report would create change. Clinical news shows ...

The top nursing news story of 2011: the future of nursing.

The American Journal of Nursing — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

The top nursing news story of 2011: the future of nursing. Am J Nurs. 2012 Jan;112(1):15 Authors: Potera C, Pfeifer GM Abstract Editor's note: Each January AJN examines the major stories affecting nurses and health care during the previous year. This year's top stories aren't too different from those we highlighted last January: the continuing debate over the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and how to fix the floundering economy continue to top our list. And while we hoped that Congress would move past its partisan squabbling to address these incredibly important issues, it didn't happen, even among members of the bipartisan deficit "super committee," which failed to find a compromise solution to reduce the deficit. For nursing, it was all about whether the Insti...

The top health news story of 2011: health care reform and a system in flux.

The American Journal of Nursing — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

The top health news story of 2011: health care reform and a system in flux. Am J Nurs. 2012 Jan;112(1):14-5 Authors: Molyneux J, Pfeifer GM Abstract The Supreme Court's decisions on the ACA won't undo the realization that how we deliver and pay for care must change.Editor's note: Each January AJN examines the major stories affecting nurses and health care during the previous year. This year's top stories aren't too different from those we highlighted last January: the continuing debate over the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and how to fix the floundering economy continue to top our list. And while we hoped that Congress would move past its partisan squabbling to address these incredibly important issues, it didn't happen, even among members of the bipartisan de...

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Antiretroviral Drugs for Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis of HIV Infection.

AIDS Reviews — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Fernández-Montero JV, Barreiro P, Del Romero J, Soriano V Abstract Though a large number of antiretrovirals have been developed for the treatment of HIV infection, new HIV infections continue to occur, especially among certain high-risk groups, such as men who have sex with men. Overall, the current estimated incidence of HIV infection is 2.5-fold higher than the number of individuals that begin antiretroviral therapy every year worldwide. Along with the personal drama caused by the diagnosis of HIV infection, other considerations in society, including economics and interpersonal relationships, make the need for HIV prevention strategies a priority. Though vaccines have shown great efficacy in the combat of other epidemics, currently there is no effective vaccine against ...

Apparent declining efficacy in randomized trials: examples of the Thai RV144 HIV vaccine and South African CAPRISA 004 microbicide trials

AIDS — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 21:19:21 +0100

No abstract available (Source: AIDS)

Models of HIV-1 Persistence in the CD4+ T Cell Compartment: Past, Present and Future.

Current HIV Research — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Tyagi M, Romerio F Abstract The limitations of current anti-retroviral therapies (ART) and the lack of a valid anti-HIV-1 vaccine candidate underscore the need for new therapeutic concepts aiming at the eradication of HIV-1, which represents at the same time an ideal goal and a major challenge for AIDS research. At present, this aim is unattainable due to the existence of cellular and anatomical reservoirs of persistent infection. Memory CD4+ T cells comprise the largest pool of cells harboring silent, stably integrated HIV-1, which remains undetected by the immune system and refractory to conventional anti-retroviral drugs. The eradication of latent HIV-1 reservoirs will require new, potent and specific therapeutic strategies, which in turn must rely upon a deeper underst...

Application of Outer Membrane Vesicle of Neisseria meningitides Serogroup B as a New Adjuvant to Induce Strongly Th1-Oriented Responses Against HIV-1.

Current HIV Research — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Aghasadeghi MR, Salmani AS, Sadat SM, Javadi F, Memarnejadian A, Vahabpour R, Zabihollahi R, Moshiri A, Siadat SD Abstract Despite the worldwide efforts made in the field of HIV vaccine development, an efficient AIDS vaccine strategy is still vague. Virus-like particles (VLPs) are one of the introduced aspects for HIV vaccine development since the non-replicative nature of HIV VLPs, resulted from the lack of viral genomic RNA, makes them suitable for broad applications. We have previously designed and introduced non-infectious VLPs (mzNL4-3) by introduction of a deletion mutation in the reverse transcriptase and integrase coding regions of HV-1. There are evidences suggesting that an effective cellular immune response against HIV-1 is able to control and suppress viremia d...

Immune Response May Render HIV Vaccine IneffectiveImmune Response May Render HIV Vaccine Ineffective

Medscape Today Headlines — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 22:34:54 +0100

Patients' immune response to adenovirus-based vaccine components may explain the lack of benefit observed in some vaccine trials. Medscape Medical News (Source: Medscape Today Headlines)

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Neutralizing Antibodies and Control of HIV: Moves and Countermoves

Current HIV/AIDS Reports — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 17:04:34 +0100

Abstract It is now evident that powerful antibodies directed to conserved regions of HIV-1 envelope protein develop during chronic infection in some individuals and that these antibodies can neutralize a broad array of diverse isolates in vitro, so termed broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs). A great deal of effort is directed internationally at understanding the ontogeny of NAbs during infection as well as in designing and testing immunogens that can elicit bNAbs in animal models and in humans. Given the parrying tactics of Env, multiple approaches, along with high-resolution structural studies, will be needed to reach a degree of understanding sufficient to design an effective vaccine. We discuss and note here some of the most important recent advances in our knowledg...

Rwanda: New Aids Vaccine to Undergo Human Trial Next Month

AllAfrica News: HIV-Aids and STDs — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 08:23:42 +0100

An announcement by Canadian scientists, stating that a breakthrough in the search for a HIV/AIDS vaccine was close at hand, has generated excitement. (Source: AllAfrica News: HIV-Aids and STDs)

The LANL hemorrhagic fever virus database, a new platform for analyzing biothreat viruses

Nucleic Acids Research — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Hemorrhagic fever viruses (HFVs) are a diverse set of over 80 viral species, found in 10 different genera comprising five different families: arena-, bunya-, flavi-, filo- and togaviridae. All these viruses are highly variable and evolve rapidly, making them elusive targets for the immune system and for vaccine and drug design. About 55 000 HFV sequences exist in the public domain today. A central website that provides annotated sequences and analysis tools will be helpful to HFV researchers worldwide. The HFV sequence database collects and stores sequence data and provides a user-friendly search interface and a large number of sequence analysis tools, following the model of the highly regarded and widely used Los Alamos HIV database [Kuiken, C., B. Korber, and R.W. Shafer, HIV sequence da...

AIDSinfo Offers User-Friendly Clinical Trials Search

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Are you interested in participating in an HIV/AIDS-related clinical trial but aren’t sure how to locate one? The AIDSinfo clinical trial search offers easy access to the HIV/AIDS-related clinical trials registered in ClinicalTrials.gov. Visitors to the AIDSinfo and infoSIDA clinical trials search pages have 2-click access to more than 80 predesigned searches for HIV/AIDS-related trials in 10 different categories, including cancer, coinfections, complications/side effects, opportunistic infections, prevention research, specific populations, treatment research, vaccine research, trials by age, and trials by study type. In addition to the predesigned searches, users can also create a completely customized search for trials, including searching by keyword, recruitment status, ...

2010 NIAID Year in Review Includes Summary of HIV/AIDS Research Accomplishments

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) recently posted the 2010 NIAID Year in Review on the NIAID Web site. The review describes the Institute’s scientific and programmatic accomplishments in FY 2010 and provides information on the budget for NIAID-supported initiatives and programs. NIAID HIV/AIDS research activities detailed in the review include the following: New Directions in HIV Prevention: Description of NIAID-sponsored research aimed at preventing HIV infection, including approaches such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), vaccines, and microbicides. Recent Successes in Developing an HIV Vaccine: Summaries of scientific findings resulting from NIAID-supported research into the development of an HIV vaccine. Reducing the Impact of HIV: In...

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Recent News About NIH Research Studies

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

The NIH recently announced news about the following three NIH-sponsored research studies: November 25, 2011: NIH Discontinues Tenofovir Vaginal Gel in 'VOICE' HIV Prevention Study “A large-scale clinical trial evaluating whether daily use of an antiretroviral-containing oral tablet or vaginal gel can prevent HIV infection in women is being modified because an interim review found that the gel, an investigational microbicide, was not effective among study participants.” For more information, read the NIH press release. November 23, 2011: Scientists Determine How Antibody Recognizes Key Sugars on HIV Surface “HIV is coated in sugars that usually hide the virus from the immune system. Newly published research reveals how one broadly neutralizing...

MSF releases 10 stories that mattered in 2011

MSF News — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 20:31:00 +0100

A list of 10 Stories that Mattered in Access to Medicines in 2011 was released this week by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). The list looks at developments in 2011 that had an impact – whether positive or negative – on people’s ability to access needed drugs, diagnostics and vaccines in developing countries. “For the diseases our medical teams encounter every day in places where we work, 2011 was a year of both critical progress and dangerous backsliding,” said Tido von Schoen-Angerer, a physician and executive director of MSF’s Campaign for Access to Essential Medicines. “At a time of so much promise, it is crucial to continue pushing forward, and refuse to accept a double standard in care between rich and poor countries.” The list covers key developments regarding ...

MSF Releases 'Ten Stories That Mattered in Access to Medicines in 2011'

MSF News — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 17:14:00 +0100

Geneva/New York, December 20, 2011—A list of "Ten Stories that Mattered in Access to Medicines in 2011" was released today by the international medical humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). The list looks at developments in 2011 that had an impact—whether positive or negative—on people’s ability to access needed drugs, diagnostics, and vaccines in developing countries. Access to Essential Medicines: Ten Stories That Mattered in 2011 Download full report [1989 KB] For the diseases our medical teams encounter every day in places where we work, 2011 was a year of both critical progress and dangerous backsliding,” said Dr. Tido von Schoen-Angerer, executive director of MSF’s...

NIH Suspends New Chimp Research

Public Policy Reports — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 07:27:32 +0100

On 15 December, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced that it temporarily suspended funding for new biomedical and behavioral research on chimpanzees. The announcement was a response to a report released the same day by the Institute of Medicine (IOM). The IOM report concluded that most current medical research on chimpanzees is not necessary. The report does not endorse a ban on chimp research; rather it recommends a set of uniform criteria for determining when use of chimpanzees in research is necessary. The IOM report was produced at the request of the NIH. In biomedical research, the use of chimpanzees could be warranted if not conducting the research would “significantly slow or prevent important advancement to prevent, control and/or treat life-threatening or debil...

HIV/AIDS vaccine developed at Western proceeding to human clinical trials

EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

(University of Western Ontario) The first and only preventative HIV vaccine based on a genetically modified killed whole virus has received approval by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to start human clinical trials.Developed by Dr. Chil-Yong Kang and his team at the University of Western Ontario, with the support of Sumagen Canada, the vaccine (SAV001) has already proven to stimulate strong immune responses in preliminary toxicology tests with no adverse effects or safety risks. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)

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AIDSinfo Offers User-Friendly Clinical Trials Search

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

A Lab to Support HIV/AIDS Vaccine and Intervention TrialsA Lab to Support HIV/AIDS Vaccine and Intervention Trials

Medscape Today Headlines — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 04:00:00 +0100

This article describes the challenges of creating a sustainable cell processing lab for HIV and AIDS-related clinical trials at a rural field site in Africa. Laboratory Medicine (Source: Medscape Today Headlines)

2010 NIAID Year in Review Includes Summary of HIV/AIDS Research Accomplishments

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Sexual Behavior Before and After Pregnancy Detection in Four Microbicide Trials

AIDS and Behavior — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 17:36:07 +0100

Abstract Vaginal microbicide gel trials for HIV prevention may require withdrawal of study product when a woman becomes pregnant. We assessed the potential impact of withdrawals in four trials by comparing self-reported sexual behavior pre- and post-pregnancy detection: (1) behavior in the month prior to positive pregnancy test versus behavior reported at the subsequent monthly visit; (2) behavior changes according to pregnancy status at the subsequent visit (continuing pregnancy versus not); (3) average sexual behaviors reported for all months prior to pregnancy detection versus all months after pregnancy was no longer detected; and (4) behavior changes among participants never testing positive for pregnancy. Pregnancy detection was associated with immediate reductions in...

H1N1 Vaccination and Endothelial Function in HIV PatientsH1N1 Vaccination and Endothelial Function in HIV Patients

Medscape Today Headlines — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 04:00:00 +0100

Does the H1N1 vaccine put HIV patients at risk for deterioration of endothelial function? HIV Medicine (Source: Medscape Today Headlines)

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Cures for killer diseases at risk from cuts

Guardian Unlimited Science — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 23:09:31 +0100

As budgets are slashed, academics are warning that crucial breakthroughs will be jeopardisedScientific breakthroughs with the potential to cure Parkinson's disease, provide vaccines for global killers such as HIV/Aids and malaria, and deliver solutions to curtail the environmental costs of building homes could be delayed by "ruinous" cuts to the development of research facilities at the country's leading universities, according to academics.They warn that the development of world-beating laboratories, manufacturing workshops and even the country's leading position in the field of computer technology are at risk from the government's cuts to spending on building projects and facilities maintenance at the universities of Oxford, Cambridge, and Manchester, and Imperial College and University ...

Recent News About NIH Research Studies

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

We can win the AIDS war with drugs and vaccines

New Scientist - Health — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 10:50:38 +0100

If we can bail out the banks, surely we can keep up the pressure on HIV (Source: New Scientist - Health)

Gene Therapy Protects Mice Against HIV

Health News from Medical News Today — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 10:00:00 +0100

December 1st, World AIDS Day, and we find ourselves reflecting on how nearly 30 years after it first reared its ugly head, HIV is still newly infecting some two million adults a year, and despite millions of dollars and hours of research, the virus has proved elusive and slippery to vaccine developers. But an alternative path is starting to open up: gene therapy... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Novel Approach To HIV Prevention

Health News from Medical News Today — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 09:00:00 +0100

Over the past year, researchers at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), and around the world, have been studying a group of potent antibodies that have the ability to neutralize HIV in the lab; their hope is that they may learn how to create a vaccine that makes antibodies with similar properties... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

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Lessons from Chimpanzee-based Research on Human Disease: The Implications of Genetic Differences.

Alternatives to Laboratory Animals : ATLA — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Bailey J Abstract Assertions that the use of chimpanzees to investigate human diseases is valid scientifically are frequently based on a reported 98-99% genetic similarity between the species. Critical analyses of the relevance of chimpanzee studies to human biology, however, indicate that this genetic similarity does not result in sufficient physiological similarity for the chimpanzee to constitute a good model for research, and furthermore, that chimpanzee data do not translate well to progress in clinical practice for humans. Leading examples include the minimal citations of chimpanzee research that is relevant to human medicine, the highly different pathology of HIV/AIDS and hepatitis C virus infection in the two species, the lack of correlation in the efficacy of vacc...

Hope for new AIDS protection seen in mouse study

USATODAY.com Health — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 20:55:20 +0100

As scientists struggle to find a vaccine to prevent infection with the AIDS virus, a study in mice suggests hope for a new approach one that ... (Source: USATODAY.com Health)

HIV vaccine study success points scientists to human trials

CTV Health — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 19:56:43 +0100

As scientists struggle to find a vaccine to prevent infection with the AIDS virus, a study in mice suggests hope for a new approach -- one that scientists now want to test in people. (Source: CTV Health)

'HIV tests for all' proposed

NHS News Feed — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:53:00 +0100

“UK experts call for universal HIV testing in a bid to reduce infections,” BBC News has said. This widely reported news is based on recommendations in the Health Protection Agency’s (HPA) annual report on HIV in the UK. The HPA says that the number of people living with HIV has reached an estimated 91,500, but more than 21,000 of these people may not know that they have the infection. It wants everyone who attends a sexual health clinic to be tested to reduce the number of people who are unaware that they have HIV. In areas where rates of HIV infection are high, the HPA also wants tests for everyone who registers with a new GP or is admitted to hospital. The HPA recommends that people most at risk of HIV infection (such as men who have sex with men, black Africans and people who in...

Vaccine: Broad approach needed to counter HIV's variability

FT.com - Drugs and Healthcare — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 16:41:53 +0100

The International Aids Vaccine Initiative is sponsoring a global search for 'broadly neutralising antibodies', writes Clive Cookson (Source: FT.com - Drugs and Healthcare)

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Copy Number Variation of KIR Genes Influences HIV-1 Control

PLoS Biology: Archived Table of Contents — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0100

by Kimberly Pelak, Anna C. Need, Jacques Fellay, Kevin V. Shianna, Sheng Feng, Thomas J. Urban, Dongliang Ge, Andrea De Luca, Javier Martinez-Picado, Steven M. Wolinsky, Jeremy J. Martinson, Beth D. Jamieson, Jay H. Bream, Maureen P. Martin, Persephone Borrow, Norman L. Letvin, Andrew J. McMichael, Barton F. Haynes, Amalio Telenti, Mary Carrington, David B. Goldstein, Galit Alter, on behalf of NIAID Center for HIV/AIDS Vaccine Immunology (CHAVI) A genome-wide screen for large structural variants showed that a copy number variant (CNV) in the region encoding killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIR) associates with HIV-1 control as measured by plasma viral load at set point in individuals of European ancestry. This CNV encompasses the KIR3DL1-KIR3DS1 locus, encoding receptors tha...

World Aids Day 2011: What we now know

Telegraph Health — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 15:09:09 +0100

Our understanding of the disease and how it can be managed is extensive, but a desperately needed vaccine remains out of reach. (Source: Telegraph Health)

Study Advances HIV Vaccine Research: Antibody Recognizes Key Sugars On HIV Surface

Health News from Medical News Today — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 08:00:00 +0100

HIV is coated in sugars that usually hide the virus from the immune system. Newly published research reveals how one broadly neutralizing HIV antibody actually uses part of the sugary cloak to help bind to the virus. The antibody binding site, called the V1/V2 region, represents a suitable HIV vaccine target, according to the scientists who conducted the study. In addition, their research reveals the detailed structure of the V1/V2 region, the last part of the virus surface to be visualized at the atomic level. The study was led by Peter D. Kwong, Ph.D... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Genital warts vaccination to be offered to schoolgirls

Guardian Unlimited Science — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 20:38:30 +0100

Doctors welcome news and predict that genital warts could be eradicated among heterosexuals within 20 yearsSchoolgirls across the UK will be offered immunisation against genital warts, one of the most common sexually transmitted infections, in a move welcomed by doctors.It will expand the existing vaccination against cervical cancer for 12- and 13-year-olds.The change will take place at the start of the next school year in August and September 2012. All 12- and 13-year-old schoolgirls will be offered a vaccine called Gardasil, which protects against the two strains of the human papilloma virus (HPV) that cause 70% of cervical cancers and also two other strains that produce 90% of genital warts.It will replace Cervarix, which has been used since immunisation began in 2008 but only offers pr...

Condition still critical

MSF News — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 23:33:00 +0100

Decades of conflict and a lack of government investment have made it hard for people in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to access basic healthcare. Epidemics have spread unchecked and treatment of deadly diseases has been neglected. Eastern DRC is still volatile, marked by shifting alliances between armed groups, ongoing military operations, instability, insecurity, banditry and violence. Attacks against civilians and aid organizations are rising, making both the population and humanitarian aid workers increasingly vulnerable. Rape, murder, kidnapping and random acts of violence are daily occurrences for millions of people. The instability continues to push people from their homes and at times limits MSF’s ability to provide free, lifesaving healthcare. Lack of investment in th...

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Global drop in new HIV infections

NHS News Feed — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 17:20:00 +0100

Global rates of HIV infection and AIDS-related death have both fallen dramatically, the UN has today announced. According to the widely reported figures from the UN’s UNAIDS division, both have fallen by 21% since their peaks at the turn of the millennium. Measures such as improved medical treatment were estimated to have prevented 700,000 AIDS-related deaths in 2010 alone. The global statistics have been published ahead of World AIDS day on December 1, and to mark a decade since a groundbreaking summit that led to a global strategy for tackling HIV. The report investigated the rates of new HIV infections, people living with HIV worldwide and AIDS-related deaths, to see how far we are currently from the UNAIDS’ ambitious vision: zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AI...

Highlights from this issue

Sexually Transmitted Infections — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0100

The British Medical Journal has for many years run a Christmas special, in which doctors and researchers vie to publish content from the bizarre to the seasonal. This year, we are emulating our ‘big sister’ with the inaugural edition of a Winter Special to coincide with the astrological sign of Capricorn. Our first theme is the history of the specialty, seen through the eyes of a young historian reading our journal for the first time. As you may know, our archive runs back to 1925 when we began as the British Journal of Venereology. Early editions advertised the names and addresses of venereal disease attendants, healthcare assistants of the distant past and displaced from their profession by the cessation of hostilities, now seeking new posts. We asked Huw du Boulay to explore...

Prevalence and factors associated with HSV-2 and hepatitis B infections among truck drivers crossing the southern Brazilian border

Sexually Transmitted Infections — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusions In this sample of truck drivers in southern Brazil, HIV prevalence was lower than national population estimates; exposure to HBV was higher than population estimates, while per cent positive for HSV-2 was similar to population estimates. The low prevalence of HIV in truck drivers indicates prevention successes; however, future HIV prevention programming should incorporate HBV vaccination and sexually transmitted infection prevention. (Source: Sexually Transmitted Infections)

HIV Antigen-Specific Reactivation of HIV Infection from Cellular Reservoirs: Implications in the Settings of Therapeutic Vaccinations

AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 04:02:17 +0100

AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses , Vol. 0, No. 0. (Source: AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses)

Willingness to Participate in Future HIV Prevention Studies Among Gay and Bisexual Men in Scotland, UK: A Challenge for Intervention Trials

AIDS and Behavior — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 17:33:28 +0100

This article examines willingness to participate in future HIV prevention research among gay and bisexual men in Scotland, UK. Anonymous, self-complete questionnaires and Orasure™ oral fluid samples were collected in commercial gay venues. 1,320 men were eligible for inclusion. 78.2% reported willingness to participate in future HIV prevention research; 64.6% for an HIV vaccine, 57.4% for a behaviour change study, and 53.0% for a rectal microbicide. In multivariate analysis, for HIV vaccine research, greater age, minority ethnicity, and not providing an oral fluid sample were associated with lower willingness; heterosexual orientation and not providing an oral fluid sample were for microbicides; higher education and greater HIV treatment optimism were for behaviour change. STI testi...

Acute hepatitis B: the limits of maintaining patient confidentiality

International Journal of STD and AIDS — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0100

We present a case of intrafamilial transmission of acute hepatitis B virus (HBV) following failure to self-disclose status to family members. Complex confidentiality issues can arise following a diagnosis of HBV infection. (Source: International Journal of STD and AIDS)

Top 10 Myths About HIV Vaccine Research

Health News from Medical News Today — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 11:00:00 +0100

Dec. 1 is World AIDS Day, and in commemoration of the occasion, the HIV Vaccine Trials Network, headquartered at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, debunks the top 10 myths about HIV vaccine research. Myth No. 1: HIV vaccines can give people HIV. HIV vaccines do not contain HIV and therefore a person cannot get HIV from the HIV vaccine. Some vaccines, like those for typhoid or polio, may contain a weak form of the virus they are protecting against, but this is not the case for HIV vaccines... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Participation Rates In HIV Vaccine Trials Possibly Affected By Misconceptions

Health News from Medical News Today — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 07:00:00 +0100

On December 1st, World AIDS Day 2011 will be observed in many countries around the globe. The theme of this year's World AIDS Day is "Getting to Zero" specifically, zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. A key tool in achieving such goals is the conducting of vaccine trials. Yet researchers who work on HIV vaccines face a major challenge: convincing members of at-risk communities to volunteer for these trials... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Motivators of enrolment in HIV vaccine trials: a review of HIV vaccine preparedness studies

AIDS Care — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 00:53:37 +0100

(Source: AIDS Care)

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[Newsdesk] Correlates of protection and HIV vaccine development

The Lancet Infectious Diseases — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 04:00:00 +0100

When used consistently, condoms can prevent almost 100% of HIV infections, but the many challenges associated with condom use mean they cannot be relied on for 100% prevention. For HIV prevention, an effective vaccine remains the “holy grail”, according to Barton Haynes (Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Durham, NC, USA) as he addressed the AIDS Vaccine Conference, Bangkok, Thailand, Sept 12–15, 2011. (Source: The Lancet Infectious Diseases)

Recent publications in medical microbiology and immunology: a retrospective

Medical Microbiology and Immunology — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 05:49:41 +0100

Abstract A look back is done to some clinical and basic research activities recently published in medical microbiology and immunology. The review covers clinical experiences and in vitro experiments to understand the emergency, pathogenicity, epidemic spread, and vaccine-based prevention of avian and swine-origin flu. Some new developments and concepts in diagnosis, (molecular) epidemiology, and therapy of AIDS, viral hepatitis C, and herpesvirus-associated diseases are outlined. Regulation of immune system has been discussed in a special issue 2010 including some aspects of CNS affections (measles). Mycobacterial infection and its prevention by modern recombinant vaccines have reached new interest, as well as new concepts of vaccination and prophylaxis against several oth...

HIV Risk, Prevention, and Testing Behaviors Among Men Who Have Sex With Men --- National HIV Behavioral Surveillance System, 21 U.S. Cities, United States, 2008.

MMWR Surveill Summ — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100

This report summarizes data gathered from 8,175 MSM during the second data collection cycle of NHBS. In addition to having at least one male sex partner, 14% of participants had at least one female sex partner during the past 12 months. Unprotected anal intercourse with a male partner was reported by 54% of the participants; 37% reported having unprotected anal sex with a main male partner (someone with whom the participant had sex and to whom he felt most committed, such as a boyfriend, spouse, significant other, or life partner), and 25% reported having unprotected anal sex with a casual male partner (someone with whom the participant had sex but with whom he did not feel committed, did not know very well, or had sex with in exchange for something such as money or drugs). Noninjection dr...

Biochemistry and Biophysics of HIV-1 gp41 - membrane interactions Implications for HIV-1 Envelope Protein Mediated Viral-Cell Fusion and Fusion Inhibitor Design.

Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100

Authors: Cai L, Gochin M, Liu K Abstract Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), the pathogen of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), causes ~2 millions death every year and still defies an effective vaccine. HIV-1 infects host cells through envelope protein - mediated virus-cell fusion. The transmembrane subunit of envelope protein, gp41, is the molecular machinery which facilitates fusion. Its ectodomain contains several distinguishing functional domains, fusion peptide (FP), N-terminal heptad repeat (NHR), C-terminal heptad repeat (CHR) and membrane proximal extracellular region (MPER). During the fusion process, FP inserts into the host cell membrane, and an extended gp41 prehairpin conformation bridges the viral and cell membranes through MPER and FP respectively. S...

MMWR: HIV Risk, Prevention, and Testing Behaviors Among Men Who Have Sex With Men --- National HIV Behavioral Surveillance System, 21 U.S. Cities, United States, 2008

CDC HIV/AIDS Prevention — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 18:00:00 +0100

MSM in the United States continue to engage in sexual and drug-use behaviors that increase the risk for HIV infection. Although many MSM had been tested for HIV infection, many had not received hepatitis vaccinations or syphilis testing, and only a small proportion had recently participated in a behavioral intervention. (Source: CDC HIV/AIDS Prevention)

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Current status of medication adherence and infant follow up in the prevention of mother to child HIV transmission programme in Addis Ababa: a cohort study

Journal of the International AIDS Society — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: We found a progressive decline in medication adherence across the perinatal period. There is a big gap between mediation initiated during pregnancy and actually ingested by the mother-infant pairs at birth. Follow up for HIV-exposed infants seem not to be organized and is inconsistent. In order to maximize effectiveness of the PMTCT programme, the rate of institutional delivery should be increased, the quality of obstetric services should be improved and missed opportunities to exposed infant follow up should be minimized. (Source: Journal of the International AIDS Society)

Hotez directs multi-pronged attack on world's neglected diseases

Baylor College of Medicine News — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Dr. Peter J. Hotez focuses on the creepy crawly diseases that rarely make headlines but keep a billion of the world's people struggling to survive by sapping their vitality and brainpower. This newest dean at Baylor College of Medicine brings with him the revered name of the Sabin Vaccine Institute, of which he is president, and its vaccine research laboratories that are searching for a way to prevent diseases like hookworm, snail fever, river blindness, Chagas disease and other parasitic infections. These diseases do not have the immediate "star power" of AIDS or malaria, but they have afflicted humanity since Biblical times. Hotez calls them "neglected tropical diseases or NTDs." He is pleased to hear the term on the tongues of politicians and celebrities and hopes it...

Depletion of CD4+ T cells abrogates post-peak decline of viremia in SIV-infected rhesus macaques

Journal of Clinical Investigation — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 17:53:30 +0100

CD4+ T cells play a central role in the immunopathogenesis of HIV/AIDS, and their depletion during chronic HIV infection is a hallmark of disease progression. However, the relative contribution of CD4+ T cells as mediators of antiviral immune responses and targets for virus replication is still unclear. Here, we have generated data in SIV-infected rhesus macaques (RMs) that suggest that CD4+ T cells are essential in establishing control of virus replication during acute infection. To directly assess the role of CD4+ T cells during primary SIV infection, we in vivo depleted these cells from RMs prior to infecting the primates with a pathogenic strain of SIV. Compared with undepleted animals, CD4+ lymphocyte–depleted RMs showed a similar peak of viremia, but did not manifest any post...

Preventing spontaneous genetic rearrangements in the transgene cassettes of adenovirus vectors

Biotechnology and Bioengineering — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100

AbstractFirst‐generation, E1/E3‐deleted adenoviral vectors with diverse transgenes are produced routinely in laboratories worldwide for development of novel prophylactics and therapies for a variety of applications, including candidate vaccines against important infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. Here we show, for two different transgenes (both encoding malarial antigens) inserted at the E1 locus, that rare viruses containing a transgene‐inactivating mutation exhibit a selective growth advantage during propagation in E1‐complementing HEK293 cells, such that they rapidly become the major or sole species in the viral population. For one of these transgenes, we demonstrate that viral yield and cytopathic effect are enhanced by repression of transgene exp...

Malaria vaccine set to save millions of lives, but who will fund it?

Guardian Unlimited Science — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 19:32:51 +0100

As the malaria vaccine continues to prove sceptics wrong, the next obstacle for the World Health Organisation is costMalaria is a mass killer, taking just under 800,000 lives a year. Most of them are babies and children under five. A significant number are pregnant women. It is an entirely preventable disease, caused by a parasite transmitted by mosquito bite, but the millions who live under its curse are too poor and have too few options to be able to avoid it.The malaria vaccine that now appears to be within reach, following successful large-scale trials in seven African countries, is a potential game changer for the rural villagers whose children are the main victims of this ancient disease, which was named "mal'aria" for the bad air medieval Italians thought caused it.Early results fro...

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Nigeria: FG, U.S. Collaborate On New HIV/Aids Vaccine Technology

AllAfrica News: HIV-Aids and STDs — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 10:15:17 +0100

Nigeria and the United States are to collaborate in the provision of a new vaccine for the HIV/AIDS pandemic. (Source: AllAfrica News: HIV-Aids and STDs)

Scripps Research Scientists Reveal Surprising Picture Of How Powerful Antibody Neutralizes HIV

Health News from Medical News Today — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 08:00:00 +0100

Researchers at The Scripps Research Institute have uncovered the surprising details of how a powerful anti-HIV antibody grabs hold of the virus. The findings, published in Science Express on October 13, 2011, highlight a major vulnerability of HIV and suggest a new target for vaccine development... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

International travel among HIV-positive and HIV-negative men who have sex with men, San Francisco, USA

International Journal of STD and AIDS — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100

We measured the prevalence of international travel, the demographic and risk profile of international travellers and risk and preventive behaviours of travellers among HIV-negative and HIV-positive men who have sex with men (MSM), based in San Francisco, CA, USA, through the addition of questions to the local implementation of the National HIV Behavioral Surveillance survey in 2008. Of 270 MSM participating in the survey, slightly more than one-quarter (26.3%) had travelled internationally in the last year. Those with a history of international travel were more likely to be foreign born, of a higher socioeconomic status and HIV uninfected. Of eight HIV-positive MSM who travelled internationally (11.3% of HIV-positive MSM), all were on antiretroviral therapy and only three recalled being va...

Evaluation of a computer algorithm for promoting both annual hepatitis C screening and hepatitis B vaccination among HIV-infected individuals (ORCHESTRA programme)

International Journal of STD and AIDS — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100

(Source: International Journal of STD and AIDS)

AIDSinfo Launches User-Friendly Clinical Trials Search

Fri, 07 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100

Recognizing that people need a quick way to find information about HIV/AIDS-related clinical trials, AIDSinfo has redesigned its Web pages that link to ClinicalTrials.gov. Visitors to AIDSinfo and infoSIDA now have two-click access to more than 80 formatted searches for HIV/AIDS-related trials in 10 different categories. The redesign of the clinical trial search pages on AIDSinfo and infoSIDA was done in direct response to feedback from Web site users. A 2011 usability study revealed a clear need for improvements to the previous navigation, including prominent placement of preconfigured searches. As an example, to access information on more than 100 studies of preventive vaccines for HIV/AIDS from the ClinicalTrials.gov database, visitors to AIDSinfo and infoSIDA need only click “V...

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Vaccine research 'is top HIV/AIDS funding priority'

SciDev.Net — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 16:54:24 +0100

A panel including Nobel laureate economists has said that vaccine research is the biggest HIV/AIDS funding priority. (Source: SciDev.Net)

MSF reluctantly withdraws after 35 years

MSF News — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 13:48:00 +0100

After months of negotiations and discussions with Thai authorities, it has proved impossible to get permission to provide healthcare to the undocumented migrants and vulnerable populations in Thailand that Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) believes are the most in need of medical assistance. MSF has therefore been forced to close its projects in Samut Sakhon and three Pagodas Pass, depriving 55,000 vulnerable people of their only access to healthcare. This September, MSF came to the conclusion that the medical organization had no choice but to close its longest-running mission, which started with the provision of assistance to Cambodian refugees fleeing the Khmer regime in 1976. Thailand © Francesca Di BonitoMSF staff conduct vaccinations at a camp in northern Thailand for Hmong refuge...

Nigeria: Discoverer of HIV Vaccine Visits the Country Oct 12

AllAfrica News: HIV-Aids and STDs — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 09:24:41 +0100

CONTRARY to earlier reports that Nigeria could be one of the first African countries to benefit from the new protective HIV vaccine, Colonel Micheal Nelson, a scientist and one of the discoverers, would only be visiting the country on October 12 to shed light on the development of the vaccine. (Source: AllAfrica News: HIV-Aids and STDs)

Erratum to: Miller–Fisher syndrome following vaccination against influenza virus A/H1N1 in an AIDS patient

Infection — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 05:48:32 +0100

Content Type Journal ArticleCategory ErratumPages 1-1DOI 10.1007/s15010-011-0210-9Authors P. Annunziata, Department of Neurological, Neurosurgical and Behavioral Sciences, University of Siena, Siena, ItalyN. Carnicelli, Infectious Diseases and Hepatology Unit, Siena Hospital, Siena, ItalyP. Galluzzi, Infectious Diseases and Hepatology Unit, Siena Hospital, Siena, ItalyF. Pippi, Infectious Diseases and Hepatology Unit, Siena Hospital, Siena, ItalyP. Almi, Infectious Diseases and Hepatology Unit, Siena Hospital, Siena, ItalyF. Ginanneschi, Department of Neurological, Neurosurgical and Behavioral Sciences, University of Siena, Siena, ItalyP. Gennari, Neuroradiology Unit, Siena Hospital, Siena, Italy Journal InfectionOnline ISSN 1439-0973Print ISSN 0300-8126 (Source: Infection)

Heme arginate potentiates latent HIV-1 reactivation while inhibiting the acute infection.

Antiviral Research — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100

In conclusion, HA appears to possess a combination of unique properties that could help to decrease the pool of latently infected reservoir cells, while simultaneously inhibiting HIV-1 replication in newly infected cells. Our results thus suggest a new direction to explore in treatment of HIV/AIDS disease. PMID: 22001321 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Antiviral Research)

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Nigeria: Country to Benefit From New HIV/Aids Vaccine

AllAfrica News: Health and Medicine — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 08:27:06 +0100

Nigeria will be the first African country to access the benefit of a new protective vaccine that will stop people from developing the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, AIDS as indication yesterday emerged that Cornell Micheal Nelson, one of the scientists who discovered the vaccine will be in Nigeria next month. (Source: AllAfrica News: Health and Medicine)

Altered HIV Can't Evade Immune System

Health News from Medical News Today — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 07:00:00 +0100

Researchers at Johns Hopkins have modified HIV in a way that makes it no longer able to suppress the immune system. Their work, they say in a report published online September 19 in the journal Blood, could remove a major hurdle in HIV vaccine development and lead to new treatments. "Something about the HIV virus turns down the immune response, rather than triggering it, making it a tough target for vaccine development," says David Graham, Ph.D., assistant professor of molecular and comparative pathobiology and medicine. "We now seem to have a way to sidestep this barrier," he adds... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Prioritizing Maternal and Child Health in Independent South Sudan

Maternal and Child Health Journal — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 06:32:02 +0100

Abstract With its independence secured on 9th July 2011, the Republic of South Sudan faces a daunting task to improve public health and primary care in one of the poorest countries in the world. Very high maternal and child mortality rates must be a major concern for the new national government and for the many international agencies working in the country. Poor maternal health outcomes are primarily due to poor prenatal, delivery and post natal care services in health facilities, coupled with low literacy, widespread poverty, and poor nutrition among the general population. Child mortality is the result of widespread malnutrition, pneumonia, malaria, vaccine preventable diseases and diarrheal diseases. National responses to HIV and AIDS with international assistance have ...

Spanish Vaccine May Turn HIV Into A Minor Herpes-Like Chronic Infection

Health News from Medical News Today — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 03:00:00 +0100

A Phase I human study using a vaccine called MVA-B has achieved an immunological response in 92% of healthy volunteers against HIV, with 85% of them maintaining immunity for at least 12 months. Researchers from the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones CientÃficas (CSIC), Madrid, Gregorio MaraÃ±Ã³n Hospital, Madrid and ClÃnic Hospital, Barcelona, reported the results of the trial in the journals Vaccine and Journal of Virology... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

HIV vaccine passes phase 1 trial

NHS News Feed — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 16:30:00 +0100

Conclusion This phase I trial showed that this HIV vaccine was well-tolerated and did not lead to serious adverse effects in a small group of healthy volunteers. The vaccine was also shown to cause a T-cell immune response in 75% of the 24 participants and to cause antibody responses in 95%. These results are encouraging and will probably mean that the researchers go on to look at safety and immune response to this vaccine in a larger group of people. There are two potential ways in which vaccines could be used to fight HIV. A vaccine may either be used as a prophylactic to stop people being infected with the virus, or therapeutically, to help the body to lower HIV levels once a person has already been infected. The aim of therapeutic use would be to reduce disease symptoms. This study di...

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MVA-B Spanish HIV Vaccine Shows 90 Percent Immune Response In Humans

Health News from Medical News Today — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 09:00:00 +0100

Phase I clinical trials developed by Spanish Superior Scientific Research Council (CSIC) together with Gregorio Maranon Hospital in Madrid and Clinic Hospital in Barcelona, reveals MVA-B preventive vaccine's immune efficiency against Human's immunodeficiency virus (HIV). 90% of the volunteers who went through the tests developed an immunological response against the virus and 85% has kept this response for at least one year. Safety and efficiency of this treatment have been described in articles for Vaccine and Journal of Virology science magazines... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

William Jarrett obituary

Guardian Unlimited Science — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 16:58:40 +0100

Veterinary pathologist behind important advances in medicineWilliam Jarrett, who has died aged 83, was the most distinguished veterinary pathologist of his generation. He is probably best known for his discovery in 1964 of the retrovirus that causes leukaemia and lymphoma in domestic cats, but his research covered a remarkable breadth of subjects, principally viral and parasitic diseases, and his findings led to important advances in human and veterinary medicine.Bill was born in Glasgow but his family moved shortly afterwards to a smallholding near Cumbernauld, North Lanarkshire, where he grew up. He was educated at Lenzie academy and followed his elder brother Tom into the Glasgow Veterinary College, graduating with honours in 1949. His subsequent postgraduate research in&...

Vaccine could reduce HIV to 'minor infection'

Telegraph Health — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 16:40:55 +0100

HIV could be reduced to a "minor chronic infection" akin to herpes, scientists developing a new vaccine have claimed. (Source: Telegraph Health)

The Chemistry and Biology of Trypanosomal trans-Sialidases: Virulence Factors in Chagas Disease and Sleeping Sickness.

Chembiochem — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100

Authors: Schauer R, Kamerling JP Abstract trans-Sialidases constitute a special group of the sialidase family. They occur in some trypanosome species and, in a unique reversible reaction, transfer sialic acids from one glycosidic linkage with galactose (donor) to another galactose (acceptor), to form (α2-3)-sialyl linkages. Trypanosomes cause such devastating human diseases as Chagas disease in South America (Trypanosoma cruzi) or sleeping sickness in Africa (Trypanosoma brucei). The trans-sialidases strongly contribute to the pathogenicity of the trypanosomes by scavenging sialic acids from the host or blood meal to coat the parasite surface; this aids their survival strategy in the insect's intestine, and in the blood circulation or cells of the host, and serves to compromise th...

Utilization of Feline ELISPOT for Mapping Vaccine Epitopes

Springer protocols feed by Immunology — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100

A commercial feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) vaccine consisting of inactivated dual-subtype viruses was released in the USA in 2002 and released subsequently over the next 6 years in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan. Based on the genetic, morphologic, and biochemical similarities between FIV and human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1), FIV infection of domestic cats is being used as a small animal model of HIV/AIDS vaccine. Studies on prototype and commercial FIV vaccines provide new insights to the types of immunity and the vaccine epitopes required for an effective human HIV-1 vaccine. ELISPOT assays to detect cytokines, chemokines, and cytolytic mediators are widely used to measure the magnitude and the types of cellular immunity produced by vaccination. Moreover, such appro...

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ELISPOT Assay as a Tool to Study Oxidative Stress in Lymphocytes

Springer protocols feed by Immunology — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100

Enzyme-linked immuno spot (ELISPOT) assay is widely used for vaccine development, cancer and AIDS research, and autoimmune disease studies. The output of ELISPOT assay is a formation of colored spots which appear at the sites of cells releasing cytokines, with each individual spot representing a single cytokine-releasing cell. We worked out a protocol to study oxidative stress in human peripheral blood lymphocytes by determining their potency to secrete IFN-gamma, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-8, and TNF-alpha in response to acute treatment with hydrogen peroxide. We show that hydrogen peroxide-induced oxidative stress can cause a ∼twofold decrease in the number of lymphocytes secreting the TH1 cytokines IFN-gamma and IL-2, as well as chemokines IL-8 and TNF-alpha. However, the number of cells ...

Evaluating Immune Correlates in HIV Type 1 Vaccine Efficacy Trials: What RV144 May Provide

AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 20:07:18 +0100

AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses , Vol. 0, No. 0. (Source: AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses)

New Way To Inactivate HIV Brings Vaccine Step Closer

Health News from Medical News Today — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 17:00:00 +0100

Removing cholesterol from HIV's membrane stops it damaging the immune system, bringing the idea of a vaccine that uses this way of making an inactive virus a step closer. You can read how scientists at Imperial College London and Johns Hopkins University and colleagues came to these conclusions in the latest issue of the journal Blood which was published online ahead of print last week... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Measurements of Immune Responses for Establishing Correlates of Vaccine Protection Against HIV

AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 16:04:13 +0100

AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses , Vol. 0, No. 0. (Source: AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses)

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A new antigen scanning strategy for monitoring HIV-1 specific T-cell immune responses.

Journal of Immunological Methods — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100

Authors: Malnati MS, Heltai S, Cosma A, Reitmeir P, Allgayer S, Glashoff RH, Liebrich W, Vardas E, Imami N, Westrop S, Nozza S, Tambussi G, Buttò S, Fanales-Belasio E, Ensoli B, Ensoli F, Tripiciano A, Fortis C, Lusso P, Poli G, Erfle V, Holmes H Abstract Delineation of the immune correlates of protection in natural infection or after vaccination is a mandatory step for vaccine development. Although the most recent techniques allow a sensitive and specific detection of the cellular immune response, a consensus on the best strategy to assess their magnitude and breadth is yet to be reached. Within the AIDS Vaccine Integrated Project (AVIP http://www.avip-eu.org) we developed an antigen scanning strategy combining the empirical-based approach of overlapping peptides with a vast arra...

Development and implementation of an international proficiency testing program for a neutralizing antibody assay for HIV-1 in TZM-bl cells.

Journal of Immunological Methods — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100

Authors: Todd CA, Greene KM, Yu X, Ozaki DA, Gao H, Huang Y, Wang M, Li G, Brown R, Wood B, D'Souza MP, Gilbert P, Montefiori DC, Sarzotti-Kelsoe M Abstract Recent advances in assay technology have led to major improvements in how HIV-1 neutralizing antibodies are measured. A luciferase reporter gene assay performed in TZM-bl (JC53bl-13) cells has been optimized and validated. Because this assay has been adopted by multiple laboratories worldwide, an external proficiency testing program was developed to assure data equivalency across laboratories performing this neutralizing antibody assay for HIV/AIDS vaccine clinical trials. The program was optimized by conducting three independent rounds of testing, with an increased level of stringency from the first to third round. Results fro...

News From The Journals Of The American Society For Microbiology

Health News from Medical News Today — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 08:00:00 +0100

Breast Milk Antibody Fights HIV But Needs Boost Breast milk antibody both neutralizes human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and kills HIV-infected cells, according to a paper in the September 2011 issue of the Journal of Virology. "This finding indicates that enhancement of these responses through vaccination could help reduce HIV transmission via breastfeeding," says corresponding author Sallie Permar of Duke University, Durham, NC. While HIV-specific antibodies have been identified in breast milk, this is the first study to investigate the virus-blocking functions of these antibodies... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Potential To Prevent AIDS With Engineered Fatty Particles

Health News from Medical News Today — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 08:00:00 +0100

Could engineered fatty particles help prevent AIDS? Liposomes block HIV infection in early tests; could be a cost-effective preventive for developing countries HIV vaccines are in their infancy, and effective microbicides to prevent sexual transmission of HIV still don't exist. Protection is especially needed for women, who make up nearly half of all global cases. Researchers at Children's Hospital Boston envision a new way for women to protect themselves before sex: an applicator filled with specially formulated fatty particles called liposomes... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

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Scientists 'Disarm' HIV In Step Towards Vaccine

Health News from Medical News Today — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 07:00:00 +0100

Researchers have found a way to prevent HIV from damaging the immune system, in a new lab-based study published in the journal Blood. The research, led by scientists at Imperial College London and Johns Hopkins University, could have important implications for the development of HIV vaccines. HIV/AIDS is the third biggest cause of death in low income countries, killing around 1.8 million people a year worldwide. An estimated 2.6 million people became infected with HIV in 2009... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Scientists find way to "disarm" AIDS virus

Modern Medicine — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100

LONDON (Reuters) - Scientists have found a way to prevent HIV from damaging the immune system and say their discovery may offer a new approach to developing a vaccine against AIDS. (Source: Modern Medicine)

Clinical Features of Patients With Recurrent Invasive Streptococcus pneumoniae Disease.

The American Journal of the Medical Sciences — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100

CONCLUSIONS:: Recurrent IPD occurred uncommonly. Comorbid conditions including multiple myeloma and immunosuppressive/immunodeficient conditions, chronic alcoholism and splenectomy represented unique risk factors for recurrent IPD but did not predict recurrences. PMID: 21934596 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: The American Journal of the Medical Sciences)

Scientists find way to "disarm" AIDS virus

Reuters: Health — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 21:08:18 +0100

[News & Analysis] AIDS Research: Novel Antibody Response May Explain HIV Vaccine Success

Science: Current Issue — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 20:17:40 +0100

A new analysis of the only AIDS vaccine trial ever to report positive results suggests that a novel antibody response led to the modest level of efficacy seen in the study.Author: Jon Cohen (Source: Science: Current Issue)

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[Perspective] AIDS/HIV: Converging on an HIV Vaccine

Science: Current Issue — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 20:17:40 +0100

Molecular details of broadly neutralizing antibodies to HIV provide insights into the immunological pathways that potentiate their natural generation.Authors: Bette Korber, S. Gnanakaran (Source: Science: Current Issue)

Scientists Find Way to "Disarm" AIDS Virus

MedlinePlus Health News — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 20:08:18 +0100

Scientists have found a way to prevent HIV from damaging the immune system and say their discovery may offer a new approach to developing a vaccine against AIDS. Source: Reuters Health Related MedlinePlus Page: HIV/AIDS (Source: MedlinePlus Health News)

Could engineered fatty particles help prevent AIDS?

EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100

(Children's Hospital Boston) HIV vaccines are in their infancy, and effective microbicides to prevent sexual transmission of HIV still don't exist. Protection is especially needed for women, who make up nearly half of all global cases. Researchers at Children's Hospital Boston envision a new way for women to protect themselves before sex: an applicator filled with specially formulated fatty particles called liposomes. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)

Use of Silver Nanoparticles Increased inhibition of Cell-associated HIV-1 infection by Neutralizing Antibodies Developed Against HIV-1 Envelope Proteins

BioMed Central — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: The addition of AgNPs to NABs has significantly increased the neutralizing potency of NABs in prevention of cell-associated HIV-1 transmission/infection. Further exploration is required to standardize potentiation of NABs by AgNPs. It is also required to evaluate in vivo toxicity of AgNPs before AgNPs could be incorporated in any antiviral vaginal creams. (Source: BioMed Central)

Clues Emerge to Explain First Successful HIV Vaccine Experiment

Scientific American - Official RSS Feed — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 11:00:00 +0100

By Ewen Callaway of Nature magazineAfter decades of dashed hopes, AIDS vaccine developers are allowing themselves some cautious optimism. [More] (Source: Scientific American - Official RSS Feed)

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Abstracts from AIDS Vaccine 2011; Bangkok, Thailand; 12–15 September, 2011

AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 20:45:30 +0100

AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses , Vol. 0, No. 0. (Source: AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses)

Aids Vaccine Critical

AllAfrica News: HIV-Aids and STDs — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 13:14:25 +0100

Humans are not good at changing our sexual behaviour, which is why thousands of people who know they should use condoms are still getting HIV. (Source: AllAfrica News: HIV-Aids and STDs)

Mozambique: Govt to Test Vaccine Against HIV

AllAfrica News: HIV-Aids and STDs — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 21:54:30 +0100

Mozambican Health Minister Alexandre Manguele announced on Wednesday that clinical trials of a vaccine against HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, will begin this month and last for about a year and a half. (Source: AllAfrica News: HIV-Aids and STDs)

Africa: HIV Vaccine Trial - What Happens Next?

AllAfrica News: HIV-Aids and STDs — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 13:18:25 +0100

Scientists could not explain how two infection-fighting proteins in humans affected the rate of HIV infection in participants of the vaccine trial in Thailand known as RV144 - until now. (Source: AllAfrica News: HIV-Aids and STDs)

Africa: Two Clues Revealed About How Thai Vaccine Worked

AllAfrica News: Health and Medicine — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 06:51:05 +0100

Two years ago, an alliance of Thai and US scientists revealed that a huge trial of an AIDS vaccine had for the first time protected some people from HIV - but they didn't know why or how it had worked. (Source: AllAfrica News: Health and Medicine)

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Highlights from this issue

Sexually Transmitted Infections — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100

As England waits with bated breath for the government's decision whether to fund Cervarix (the bivalent vaccine currently used in the national vaccination programme) or quadrivalent Gardasil, we publish two papers exploring the impact of genital warts in England. This is a difficult area to study, since patients with genital warts may present in a variety of settings, and be referred between them. In an unlocked article, Desai et al1 estimate diagnosed incidence in general practice using a large primary care database, and in genitourinary medicine specialist clinics. With an estimated 1.3% of cases requiring hospital care, the authors conclude that morbidity costing £16.8M per year could be largely prevented by a change in vaccine. Readers may be aware that a survey of members of Bri...

Invasive pneumococcal disease

Archives of Disease in Childhood - Education and Practice — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100

Introduction Streptococcus pneumoniae, the pneumococcus, is a Gram-positive diplococcus with more than 90 serotypes determined by the polysaccharide composition of its capsule. It is carried asymptomatically in approximately 50% of people.1 It can cause both non-invasive and invasive disease. Invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) refers to disease in which the bacterium enters a sterile site such as blood, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), pleural fluid, joint fluid or pericardial fluid. Non-invasive disease includes otitis media, sinusitis and bronchitis. Among infectious diseases, IPD is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in children and adults. Vaccination against pneumococcal infection was introduced into the UK routine childhood immunisation programme in 2006 with Prevenar 7 (Pfizer, T...

New Advances Provide Reason For Optimism In Development Of Broadly Protective HIV Vaccines

Health News from Medical News Today — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 08:00:00 +0100

The human body can produce powerful antibodies that shield cells in the laboratory against infection by an array of HIV strains. In people, however, recent research shows that these broadly neutralizing antibodies are not produced in an efficient or timely enough fashion in HIV-infected individuals to effectively block progression of infection, appearing only after a person has been infected with HIV for at least one year - by which time the virus has fully established itself within the body... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

NIAID Researchers Discuss Challenges to Developing Broadly Protective HIV Vaccines

Fri, 09 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100

“The human body can produce powerful antibodies that shield cells in the laboratory against infection by an array of HIV strains. In people, however, recent research shows that these broadly neutralizing antibodies are not produced in an efficient or timely enough fashion in HIV-infected individuals to effectively block progression of infection, appearing only after a person has been infected with HIV for at least one year—by which time the virus has fully established itself within the body. In a Perspective article appearing this week in the New England Journal of Medicine, scientists at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, assert that a key research goal is to develop HIV vaccines that prevent HIV infect...

Terrence Higgins Trust welcomes the lifting of lifetime ban on gay men donating blood

Terrence Higgins Trust — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 11:12:40 +0100

The Government announced today that the rules on gay men* donating blood will change from a lifetime ban to a 12 month deferral period. This decision follows a review of the current policies around exclusion and deferral from blood donation by the Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs (SaBTO). NAT (National AIDS Trust) called for a proactive, comprehensive and evidence-based review of the lifetime ban on gay men donating blood – in light of improved testing and screening technologies, and anti-discrimination obligations. This review was strongly supported by other HIV and LGBT organisations, including Terrence Higgins Trust who had been working with NHS Blood and Transplant, and GMFA, who joined NAT and THT on the advisory group for the review.Sir Nick Partri...

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HIV Vaccine Trials Surrounded By Misunderstanding: Better Communication Needed With At-Risk Communities

Health News from Medical News Today — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 08:00:00 +0100

Better communication is needed around HIV vaccine trials to ensure those in at-risk communities understand the process and continue to participate, according to a new University of Toronto study. The study - published in the September edition of the American Journal of Public Health - centred around a major international HIV vaccine trial that was called off before completion in 2009. Researchers wanted to know what individuals in high-risk communities understood about the trial and its termination, and how that impacted their willingness to participate in and support future research... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Safety and immunogenicity of a modified pox vector-based HIV/AIDS vaccine candidate expressing Env, Gag, Pol and Nef proteins of HIV-1 subtype B (MVA-B) in healthy HIV-1-uninfected volunteers: A phase I clinical trial (RISVAC02).

Vaccine — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100

CONCLUSIONS: MVA-B was safe, well tolerated and elicited strong and durable T-cell and antibody responses in 75% and 95% of volunteers, respectively. These data support further exploration of MVA-B as an HIV-1 vaccine candidate. Clinical Trials.gov identifier: NCT00679497. PMID: 21907749 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Vaccine)

New HIV Vaccine Approach Targets Desirable Immune Cells

Health News from Medical News Today — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 07:00:00 +0100

Researchers at Duke University Medical Center, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School have demonstrated an approach to HIV vaccine design that uses an altered form of HIV's outer coating or envelope protein. The researchers showed that they could design HIV envelopes that could bind better to immature B cell receptors to create an enhanced immune response in an animal model. Immature B cells are the targets of vaccines, and when strongly targeted, they produce strong vaccine responses... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Molecularly cloned SHIV‐CN97001: a replication‐competent, R5 simian/human immunodeficiency virus containing env of a primary Chinese HIV‐1 clade C isolate

Journal of Medical Primatology — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100

Conclusion These findings establish that the R5‐tropic SHIV‐CN97001/Chinese rhesus macaque model should be very useful for the evaluation of HIV‐1 subtype C vaccines in China. (Source: Journal of Medical Primatology)

New TB vaccine investigated

NHS News Feed — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 11:01:00 +0100

Conclusion This encouraging research shows that a new genetically modified bacterial vaccine could prompt the mouse immune system to attack the usual TB bacteria that cause disease in humans. The researchers have pointed out that further research is needed before this vaccine could be tested in humans. In particular, they say that they need to understand fully how their vaccine stimulates the mouse immune system before knowing whether IKEPLUS could be a candidate vaccine. This research is important as it might allow a new approach to the increasing problem of drug resistant strains of TB. It could also be used as a treatment for infants with HIV who, in areas with high HIV rates, cannot be offered the usual live BCG vaccine. This is promising research, and what is required now is a great d...

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NIAID Funds New Consortia for AIDS Vaccine Research

Thu, 01 Sep 2011 23:00:00 +0100

“The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, has awarded a total of approximately $12 million per year for up to five years to Emory University in Atlanta and the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), part of Harvard University in Boston, to co-lead research designed to understand the events that occur at the earliest stages of mucosal HIV infection and how those events can be blocked or mediated by vaccine-induced immune responses. The new grants were issued through NIAID’s Consortia for AIDS Vaccine Research in Nonhuman Primates program. … “Because rhesus macaques infected with simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV), the monkey equivalent of HIV, have similar clinical outcomes to humans inf...

S. aureus Vaccine Remains Elusive

Rheumatology News — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100

VAIL, COLO. – Don't hold your breath waiting for a working Staphylococcus aureus vaccine. Development of a successful S. aureus vaccine is a high research priority. Mmore people in the United States now die annually of methicillin-resistant S. aureus than of AIDS, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Pharmaceutical giantsiandasmallish biotech companies are in the hunt for an S. aureus vaccine. But S. aureus is proving to be an elusive target. (Source: Rheumatology News)

A Bangkok surprise.

IAVI Rep — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100

Authors: Kresge KJ PMID: 22111192 [PubMed - in process] (Source: IAVI Rep)

Stem cell-like memory T cell identified in humans.

IAVI Rep — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100

Authors: von Bubnoff A PMID: 22121552 [PubMed - in process] (Source: IAVI Rep)

Researchers make immunogen that can bind to precursors of broadly neutralizing antibodies.

IAVI Rep — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100

Authors: von Bubnoff A PMID: 22121551 [PubMed - in process] (Source: IAVI Rep)

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Oral tenofovir arm of VOICE trial discontinued early.

IAVI Rep — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100

Authors: McEnery R PMID: 22121550 [PubMed - in process] (Source: IAVI Rep)

Hormonal contraception raises HIV infection risk, according to new study.

IAVI Rep — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100

Authors: McEnery R PMID: 22121549 [PubMed - in process] (Source: IAVI Rep)

Grants awarded to establish new nonhuman primates consortia.

IAVI Rep — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100

Authors: McEnery R PMID: 22121548 [PubMed - in process] (Source: IAVI Rep)

The human parts of HIV.

IAVI Rep — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100

Authors: von Bubnoff A PMID: 22121547 [PubMed - in process] (Source: IAVI Rep)

The enterprise changes course.

IAVI Rep — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100

Authors: McEnery R PMID: 22121546 [PubMed - in process] (Source: IAVI Rep)

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Miller–Fisher syndrome following vaccination against influenza virus A/H1N1 in an AIDS patient

Infection — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 15:59:46 +0100

Content Type Journal ArticleCategory CorrespondencePages 1-3DOI 10.1007/s15010-011-0184-7Authors P. Annunziata, Department of Neurological, Neurosurgical and Behavioral Sciences, University of Siena, Siena, ItalyN. Carnicelli, Infectious Diseases and Hepathology Unit, Siena Hospital, Siena, ItalyP. Galluzzi, Infectious Diseases and Hepathology Unit, Siena Hospital, Siena, ItalyF. Pippi, Infectious Diseases and Hepathology Unit, Siena Hospital, Siena, ItalyP. Almi, Infectious Diseases and Hepathology Unit, Siena Hospital, Siena, ItalyF. Ginanneschi, Department of Neurological, Neurosurgical and Behavioral Sciences, University of Siena, Siena, ItalyP. Gennari, Neuroradiology Unit, Siena Hospital, Siena, Italy Journal InfectionOnline ISSN 1439-0973Print ISSN 0300-8126 (Source: Infe...

[Personal View] Antiscience and ethical concerns associated with advocacy of Lyme disease

The Lancet Infectious Diseases — Sat, 27 Aug 2011 16:35:10 +0100

SummaryAdvocacy for Lyme disease has become an increasingly important part of an antiscience movement that denies both the viral cause of AIDS and the benefits of vaccines and that supports unproven (sometimes dangerous) alternative medical treatments. Some activists portray Lyme disease, a geographically limited tick-borne infection, as a disease that is insidious, ubiquitous, difficult to diagnose, and almost incurable; they also propose that the disease causes mainly non-specific symptoms that can be treated only with long-term antibiotics and other unorthodox and unvalidated treatments. (Source: The Lancet Infectious Diseases)

HIV vaccine: hopes and hurdles.

Drug Discovery Today — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 04:00:00 +0100

Authors: Chhatbar C, Mishra R, Kumar A, Singh SK Abstract The AIDS vaccine development effort has already been facing various scientific and economic challenges. The fundamental challenge resides at the level of understanding the basic biology of HIV-1 infection and an effective antiviral immune response. There is a need to design immunogens that can elicit cross-clade neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) along with effective T-cell responses against a wide variety of primary HIV isolates. We must exploit the capabilities of the vaccine-elicited cytotoxic T cells and the NAb responses in controlling HIV-1 replication. A coordinated approach is required to understand the intricacies involved in the basic immune responses against HIV infection as well as the cross-clade effectiveness of an...

Updated HHS “Guidance for Non-HIV-Specialized Providers Caring for HIV-Infected Residents Displaced from Disaster Areas” Now Available

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100

AIDSinfo announces an update to the “Guidance for Non-HIV-Specialized Providers Caring for HIV-Infected Residents Displaced from Disaster Areas.” The updated guidance offers health care providers recommendations on providing care to newly displaced HIV-infected adults, children, and pregnant women who have yet to secure care in the areas where they have relocated. The guidance includes information on initial assessment of the displaced HIV-infected patient and on general strategies for medication management of the patient, including specific guidance on antiretroviral therapy, care for HIV-infected pregnant women, on prophylaxis for opportunistic infections (OIs), and on vaccinations in the setting of HIV infection. More information regarding antiretroviral management...