JOHANNESBURG, March 3 (Reuters) - Scientists in South Africa have mapped the evolution of an antibody that kills different strains of the HIV virus, which might yield a vaccine for the incurable disease, the National Institute of Communicable Diseases said on Monday.
New study reveals exceptionally high HIV prevalence among men who have sex with men in Mpumalanga, indicating an urgent need to improve services.
According to the Mpumalanga Men’s Study, gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (MSM) in Mpumalanga are among the hardest hit by the HIV epidemic. HIV prevalence may be up to 30% among this high-risk group with large numbers of new infections occurring in the last 12 months.
Gonorrhoea, a sexually transmitted infection also referred to as “the drop” or “the clap”, is known to increase the risk of HIV transmission. With growing resistance to antibiotics, effective screening and treatment of gonorrhoea is becoming a priority among high-risk groups like men who have sex with men.
Concern is mounting that resistance is now developing to the antibiotic cefixime recommended by the South African Department of Health for treating gonococcal urethritis.
The AIDS Priorities symposium focusing on MSM will be held in Cape Town on 20 & 21 August 2012 at the Vineyard Hotel and Conference Centre.
The latest milestone in the 30-year battle against HIV, is Monday’s approval of Truvada® by the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the prevention of HIV transmission. Truvada® is the first anti-retroviral (ARV) drug to gain approval as a preventive measure for healthy HIV negative people who are at high risk of acquiring HIV through sexual activity, such as those who have HIV-infected partners.
Health4Men is conducting an online survey on recreational drug use among gay and bisexual men. The organisation has received Dutch funding specifically to develop harm-reduction services for men who use recreational drugs.
South African guidelines for the preventative use of HIV medication by men who have sex with men who are not infected with the virus are to be published in the peer-reviewed academic publication, Southern African Journal of HIV Medicine, this month.
The treatment, pre-exposure prophylaxis (Prep), consists of an antiretroviral (ARV) pill that is taken daily by HIV-negative people to lower their chances of becoming infected with the virus.
While consistent use of condoms remain your best defence against HIV and other sexually transmitted infection (STIs), evidence has emerged that some water-based lubricants may be harmful to your rectum. This applies equally to top-of-the-range, expensive imported brands and locally manufactured lubricants.
These findings emerged when researchers trying to develop rectal microbicides started poking around and asking questions about the effects of sexual lubricants on the mucosal lining of the rectum
WikiQueer, a gay, bi and trans online encyclopaedia has launched publicly this week.
The wiki site began collating content after its soft-launch last year and has now gone live.
Recreational drug use can make people more likely to be infected by HIV. Also, for people taking antiretroviral medications (ARVs) to fight HIV, there can be some serious interactions between drugs and ARVs. These interactions can lead to under- or overdoses of ARVs or recreational drugs. Some of these may be fatal.