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AIDS Walk New York 2024
On May 19, 2024, the 39th annual AIDS Walk New York brought together 10,000 people in Central Park to raise money for primary beneficiary GMHC (formerly Gay Men’s Health Crisis) as well as other HIV and AIDS service organizations in the New York, New Jersey and Connecticut tristate area. Presented by sponsor ViiV Healthcare and featuring premier sponsor Gilead Sciences, the event featured a four-mile run as well as a walk, performances and rousing speeches. The walk’s theme this year was “Stride Against Stigma.”
Cosmetic Injection Transmits HIV
A cluster of HIV cases from 2018 has been linked to vampire facials, a type of microneedling procedure, at a now-shuttered medical spa in Albuquerque. At least three women contracted HIV in what federal health researchers say is the first documented instance of HIV transmission through cosmetic injection, according to findings in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), a publication of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Cure: CRISPR Disappoints
A CRISPR-based gene therapy was safe and well tolerated in a Phase I study, but it did not prevent viral rebound after stopping antiretroviral therapy (ART). Antiretrovirals can keep HIV suppressed, but the virus inserts its genetic blueprints into human cells and establishes a long-lasting reservoir that makes a cure nearly impossible. EBT-101, from Excision BioTherapeutics, acts as “molecular scissors” to cut viral DNA out of cells. The study enrolled people on ART with an undetectable viral load. They received a single infusion of EBT-101. Three people who maintained viral suppression 12 weeks later started an analytic treatment interruption. Unfortunately, all three experienced viral rebound. This likely occurred because the gene therapy did not reach all cells harboring latent HIV. However, one recipient was able to maintain viral suppression for four months, longer than it typically takes for the virus to rebound after stopping antiretrovirals. This suggests that CRISPR-based therapies like EBT-101 might play a role in a combination functional cure strategy.
Concerns: Inadequate Sleep
Inadequate sleep can contribute to increased inflammation in people living with HIV. Researchers looked at the effects of short-term sleep deprivation on immune activation and inflammation and assessed the function of the adenosine pathway, a compensatory mechanism that reduces inflammation and increases the urge to sleep. Twenty people on stable antiretroviral therapy with viral suppression first had one week of regulated sleep and then stayed awake for 24 hours. Blood samples were collected to measure biomarkers of immune activation, inflammation, cell cycling and adenosine pathway activity. CD8 killer T-cell activation increased after sleep deprivation, and there was a trend toward greater monocyte and macrophage activation, but no differences in levels of IL-6, TNF-alpha or soluble CD14. Plasma adenosine levels were similar before and after sleep deprivation, indicating that the compensatory pathway did not kick in. These findings suggest that getting enough sleep may be particularly important for people living with HIV.
POZ July/August 2024
Cover: Alicia Diggs, MPH is driven by a desire to improve the health care system for women and people of color—starting with clinical trials. Inside: A guide to clinical trials for people living with HIV; catching up with Paul Edmonds, one of a handful of people cured of HIV and cancer after a stem cell transplant. Plus: The 2024 POZ HIV Drug Chart.
Older People With HIV Have Unmet Needs
Nearly 40% of older people with HIV have at least one unmet need, according to a recent study. Today, more than half of HIV-positive people in the United States are ages 50 or older. Like the general population, people with HIV are more prone to comorbidities as they age, and they may face challenges such as reduced mobility, cognitive decline and financial instability.
Treatment: Delayed Treatment
People who delay antiretroviral therapy continue to be at higher risk for complications and death years later, apparently due to greater inflammation. The START trial randomly assigned newly diagnosed individuals to begin treatment either immediately or when their CD4 count fell below 350 or they developed AIDS symptoms. People who started immediately had a 57% lower risk of AIDS-related events, serious non-AIDS events or death. The randomized portion of the trial was halted in 2015, but follow-up continued. A START sub-study measured biomarkers of inflammation and blood coagulation. During the randomized study period, the delayed treatment group had higher levels of IL-6 and D-dimer. During 2016–2021, the delayed group had about a 30% higher risk of complications or death despite starting treatment. What’s more, participants with the highest IL-6 and D-dimer levels in both the immediate and delayed groups had about double the risk. These findings emphasize the importance of prompt diagnosis and early treatment.
Viral Hepatitis Deaths Are Increasing
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) 2024 Global Hepatitis Report, the number of lives lost due to viral hepatitis is increasing. Viral hepatitis is the second leading infectious cause of death globally—with 1.3 million deaths per year, the same as tuberculosis, a top infectious killer. The report, released...
Syndemic Approaches
Let’s delve into a concept that holds profound implications for our lives: syndemics. Often discussed in public health, syndemics refer to the co-occurrence of two or more health or social issues that collectively impact individuals or communities. Simply put, it’s not just one challenge we’re facing but a tangled web of interconnected issues affecting our well-being.
HIV Reservoirs and Viral Rebound
Several studies presented at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) shed light on HIV persistence and strategies for long-term remission. Antiretroviral therapy (ART) keeps HIV replication suppressed, but the virus inserts its genetic blueprints into the DNA of human cells and establishes a long-lasting reservoir that antiretrovirals can’t reach.
Chocolate Tahini Bars
A single serving of these rich, filling little treats will seriously satisfy your sweet tooth while nourishing you. Not only do the toasted sesame seeds in the tahini make the bars deliciously nutty-tasting, but they also add an abundance of nutrients and minerals. Servings: 12 / Ingredients: 6 / Prep:...
HIV and Your Lungs
Healthy lungs are a key to good quality of life. With effective antiretroviral therapy, people who stay on treatment and achieve viral suppression are no longer at high risk for AIDS-defining opportunistic infections (OIs) that affect the lungs, such as Pneumocystis pneumonia. However, people with a low CD4 T-cell count remain susceptible.
Treatment for Fatty Liver Disease
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD)—the new name for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)—and its more severe form, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), are responsible for a growing share of advanced liver disease. Linked to obesity and diabetes, fatty liver disease is increasingly recognized as a metabolic condition. Over...
The Best Medicine
I found out I was HIV positive in February 2017 in my last semester at the University of South Alabama in Mobile. Ironically, I was taking a class on global health and chose HIV/AIDS as my research topic. I chose it before I knew about my own status. Life is funny. The research was good because it forced me to confront some realities and learn my new normal. I think I reached a place of acceptance earlier than I would have otherwise.
AIDS Is Everyday – July/August 2024
1 – GMHC (Gay Men’s Health Crisis) publishes a newsletter to address questions relating to GRID (gay-related immune deficiency). (1982) 13 – Madonna performs a benefit concert at Madison Square Garden in New York City and raises $400,000 for amfAR, the Foundation for AIDS Research. The show, an addition to her Who’s That Girl summer tour, commemorates her friend Martin Burgoyne. (1987)
More PrEP Leads to Fewer HIV Diagnoses
U.S. states with the highest pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) coverage saw the largest declines in new HIV diagnoses, a recent analysis shows. PrEP use has risen steadily since Truvada (tenofovir disoproxil fumarate/emtricitabine) was approved for HIV prevention in 2012. But while PrEP uptake has been high among urban white gay and bisexual men, coverage is lagging for women and Black and Latino gay men.
Giving it a Try: A Guide to Clinical Trials
Most of what we know about HIV prevention, treatment and care comes from clinical trials. There are many types of research studies, and they all add to our knowledge in different ways. Joining a trial can be a good way to gain access to cutting-edge therapies and contribute to science, but it’s important to weigh the pros and cons.
Memory Lane
When I returned to NMAC in April after exactly 30 years, I went down memory lane. April 1994 was a busy time for me. I had turned in my master’s thesis at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and was running the review process for the state health department’s first Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS grant applicants and studying for finals, and my friend Phil from Maryland had died of an AIDS-related illness.
Long COVID Data Easier to Access
Secure data from more than 14,000 adults who participate in National Institutes of Health (NIH) observational research on long COVID are now available to authorized researchers through BioData Catalyst (BDC). BDC is a cloud-based ecosystem developed by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), part of the NIH, to accelerate research on heart, lung, blood and sleep disorders.
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