HealthNewsNG.com: HIV/AIDS

Initiative launched to improve access to HIV diagnostics

15:11 AIDS, ASLM, diagnosis, HIV, HIV/AIDS, PEPFAR, UNAIDS, unicef 1 comment

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and the African Society for Laboratory Medicine (ASLM) have joined with global partners to launch the Diagnostics Access Initiative which calls for improving laboratory capacity to ensure that all people living with HIV can be linked to effective, high-quality HIV treatment services.

New plan will make HIV test compulsory before marriage in Nigeria

15:46 control, HIV, HIV/AIDS, Nigeria, prevention No comments

Nigerian government has released a new plan that makes HIV test compulsory for marriage in both Christian and Islam. The new National HIV/AIDS Prevention Plan is in a bid to prevent new infections and curb further spread of HIV/AIDS.

Public health concerns widespread in Africa - report

11:31 Africa, Ghana, HIV/AIDS, immunization, Kenya, Nigeria, Pew Research Center, report, Senegal, South Africa, survey, Uganda No comments

Report of a survey conducted by Pew Research Center has revealed that concerns about public health are widespread in sub-Saharan Africa and there is considerable support in the region for making public health challenges a top national priority.

Nigeria's missing girls at risk of rape, HIV and vesicovaginal fistula

17:11 #BringBackOurGirls, Africa, Boko Haram, HIV/AIDS, kidnap, Nigeria, politics, public health, rape, terrorism No comments

For about two weeks, the whole world had focused on Nigeria as citizens search for answers on the fate of the missing girls - over 200 - who were taken away from their schools by armed unnamed groups suspected to be members of Boko Haram terrorists' group.

Viiv announces new collaborations to improve access to HIV medicine

14:10 AIDS, ART, dolutegravir, drugs, EMA, Europe, FDA, HIV, HIV/AIDS, press release, USA, Viiv Healthcare 4 comments

ViiV Healthcare this week announced new collaborations with the goal of increasing access to its HIV medicine, dolutegravir (marketed under the name Tivicay®), just two months after its approval by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and eight months after approval by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Population Council's e-forum to discuss youth-friendly HIV programs and services in Nigeria

09:44 AIDS, events, forum, HIV, HIV/AIDS, social media, The Population Council, Walking the Talk, youth 1 comment

Photo: More reasons to stay healthy, let's #walkthetalk14
Make your contributions to youth friendly programmes and policies.
Send in your questions and comments

Gabriel Oludrey Banji Odelana Ajani Olumide Faith Franklin Nwagwu Olalekan Paul Paul Adepoju Kikelomo Taiwo Opara Felix Shamaki Dalton Abdullahi Haruspice

Population Council is today (Wednesday) holding a national multi-stakeholder event on Walking the Talk Youth-friendly HIV programs and services in Nigeria. The virtual event will be held on Facebook and Twitter social media platforms.

[CME] Roles of STD detection and treatment in HIV prevention

11:00 CDC, diagnosis, diseases, HIV, HIV/AIDS, infection, prevention, sexually transmitted diseases, STD, treatment 15 comments

Testing and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) can be an effective tool in preventing the spread of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. An understanding of the relationship between STDs and HIV infection can help in the development of effective HIV prevention programs for persons with high-risk sexual behaviors.

What is the link between STDs and HIV infection?

Individuals who are infected with STDs are at least two to five times more likely than uninfected individuals to acquire HIV infection if they are exposed to the virus through sexual contact. In addition, if an HIV-infected individual is also infected with another STD, that person is more likely to transmit HIV through sexual contact than other HIV-infected persons (Wasserheit, 1992).

here is substantial biological evidence demonstrating that the presence of other STDs increases the likelihood of both transmitting and acquiring HIV.

Increased susceptibility. STDs appear to increase susceptibility to HIV infection by two mechanisms. Genital ulcers (e.g., syphilis, herpes, or chancroid) result in breaks in the genital tract lining or skin. These breaks create a portal of entry for HIV. Additionally, inflammation resulting from genital ulcers or non-ulcerative STDs (e.g., chlamydia, gonorrhea, and trichomoniasis) increase the concentration of cells in genital secretions that can serve as targets for HIV (e.g., CD4+ cells).

- Increased infectiousness. STDs also appear to increase the risk of an HIV-infected person transmitting the virus to his or her sex partners. Studies have shown that HIV-infected individuals who are also infected with other STDs are particularly likely to shed HIV in their genital secretions. For example, men who are infected with both gonorrhea and HIV are more than twice as likely to have HIV in their genital secretions than are those who are infected only with HIV. Moreover, the median concentration of HIV in semen is as much as 10 times higher in men who are infected with both gonorrhea and HIV than in men infected only with HIV. The higher the concentration of HIV in semen or genital fluids, the more likely it is that HIV will be transmitted to a sex partner.
How can STD treatment slow the spread of HIV infection?

Evidence from intervention studies indicates that detecting and treating STDs may reduce HIV transmission.
- STD treatment reduces an individual's ability to transmit HIV. Studies have shown that treating STDs in HIV-infected individuals decreases both the amount of HIV in genital secretions and how frequently HIV is found in those secretions (Fleming, Wasserheit, 1999).
- Herpes can make people more susceptible to HIV infection, and it can make HIV-infected individuals more infectious. It is critical that all individuals, especially those with herpes, know whether they are infected with HIV and, if uninfected with HIV, take measures to protect themselves from infection with HIV.
- Among individuals with both herpes and HIV, trials are underway studying if treatment of the genital herpes helps prevent HIV transmission to partners.
What are the implications for HIV prevention?

Strong STD prevention, testing, and treatment can play a vital role in comprehensive programs to prevent sexual transmission of HIV. Furthermore, STD trends can offer important insights into where the HIV epidemic may grow, making STD surveillance data helpful in forecasting where HIV rates are likely to increase. Better linkages are needed between HIV and STD prevention efforts nationwide in order to control both epidemics.

In the context of persistently high prevalence of STDs in many parts of the United States and with emerging evidence that the U.S. HIV epidemic increasingly is affecting populations with the highest rates of curable STDs, the CDC/HRSA Advisory Committee on HIV/AIDS and STD Prevention (CHAC) recommended the following:
- Early detection and treatment of curable STDs should become a major, explicit component of comprehensive HIV prevention programs at national, state, and local levels;
- In areas where STDs that facilitate HIV transmission are prevalent, screening and treatment programs should be expanded;
- HIV testing should always be recommended for individuals who are diagnosed with or suspected to have an STD.
- HIV and STD prevention programs in the United States, together with private and public sector partners, should take joint responsibility for implementing these strategies.
CHAC also notes that early detection and treatment of STDs should be only one component of a comprehensive HIV prevention program, which also must include a range of social, behavioral, and biomedical interventions.

Source: CDC

New report prescribes recommendations to US Congress to restore US leadership in global health

07:59 Capitol Hill, Global Health Technologies, HIV/AIDS, malaria, meningitis, tuberculosis, US Congress No comments

The ceasefire in budget battles on Capitol Hill is good news for global health, but is the budget deal made by policymakers enough to handle the surplus of diseases in need of US investments and leadership? That’s one question that will be answered in a new report to be released at a briefing on Capitol Hill.

NACA launches HIV/AIDS photo competition

15:48 AIDS, competition, HIV/AIDS, NACA 2 comments

The National Agency for the Control of AIDS in Nigeria (NACA) has flagged off the first NACA HIV/AIDS photo competition with the theme: "Get tested, know your HIV status"

[Vox Pop] Nigerians speak on new vaginal gel that protects against HIV

10:07 HIV, HIV/AIDS, raltegravir, research, Science Journal, vox pop No comments

Last week, researchers in USA developed a new vaginal gel that could help to protect women from HIV even if applied three hours after sex.

Virus or stigma: what kills faster?

14:34 Chris Alagboso, HIV, HIV/AIDS, infection, opinion, stigmatization, virus No comments

By Chibuike Alagboso

I will never forget the look on her face as she collected her HIV screening result from me. She kept staring at it and I am sure she was very oblivious of my existence at that particular moment or even the existence of any other thing in the world that moment.

US will not stop HIV/AIDS funds to Nigeria over anti-gay law, says ambassador

10:09 HIV, HIV/AIDS, Homosexuality, Nigeria, Shuga, USA 8 comments

The United States Ambassador to Nigeria, James Entwistle has announced that Washington does not plan to withdraw about $500 million new funding for HIV and AIDS programme in Nigeria as a result of the signing into law of a bill criminalising same-sex relationships in Africa's biggest country.

Homosexuals will be severely affected by Nigeria's ani-gay lway - UNAIDS

06:49 Goodluck Jonathan, HIV, HIV/AIDS, Homosexuality, law, Nigeria, Policy, UNAIDS No comments

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria said the controversial anti-gay law that the Nigerian president, Goodluck Jonathan signed into law could affect access to HIV services for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people.

Nigerian government and corporate bodies are not supporting youth leadership in HIV/AIDS initiatives enough

15:07 Akwa-Ibom, exclusive, HIV, HIV/AIDS, interview No comments

Few weeks ago, the Kick Out HIV/AIDS Jamboree was held at the City Centre “Ibom Plaza” Akwa-Ibom state, Nigeria with the goal of offering youths and teenagers unrestricted access to the recreation facility; they also got information and resources on the subject of HIV/AIDS prevention and related health issues.