AIDS - A Cause of Unprotected Sex

Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome is known as AIDS in the short form. AIDS is in fact the collection of certain symptoms and infections in the human organism which permanently leads to the damage of the human immune system. AIDS is in other ways considered as the body's defense system which hampers the normal functioning of the body organs to a great extent. The basic cause of AIDS is the two types of viruses, namely the HIV 1 and the HIV 2. Basically these two types of viruses are thus responsible in the performance of the defense mechanism system of the body.

The most common cause of AIDS is considered to be the unprotected sex. Sex without taking proper precaution like condom is very much responsible for AIDS. AIDS is generally transmitted through the semen. It is estimated that more than three million people round the globe had died through AIDS. During the prenatal stage also it is found that the mother will transmit the disease to the fetus before it is born. AIDS is transferred to the blood through the means of transfusion of blood into another's body cell. Besides these, AIDS can also be caused through the use of injections which are not properly sterilized in the process of taking drugs or blood into the veins.

Symptoms of AIDS are not visible at the early stage. But at least after a period of 3 to 6 weeks the symptoms of AIDS can be noticed through certain flu like sickness. Besides these, symptoms like headache, nausea, fever, fatigue, diarrhea, etc. are also considered as other AIDS symptoms. But it can be mentioned out here though these symptoms occur in an AIDS patient; it lasts for only a temporary period of time after which it disappears. Sometimes acute AIDS symptoms also cannot be considered as the symptoms of AIDS, as they may also be found to be very much common to other forms of diseases. Thus symptoms either mild or severe cannot be considered as solely the symptoms of AIDS as other forms of sickness or diseases also witness the similar symptoms. But however, when the disease reaches its critical stage, the symptoms become very much acute thus leading to loss of weight, recurrent fever and also occurrence of certain fatal diseases. AIDS thus totally destroys the immune system of the body totally. AIDS is thus a deadly disease which is the result of unprotected sex, hence to prevent it is to avoid unprotected sex.

Symptoms of HIV:

The first stage of the infection is called the 'primary HIV infection'. The persons infected by this virus, about more than half of the people develop the symptoms, generally in about 15 to 45 days of the infection. The symptoms would comprise of pain in the joints, fever, muscle pain, sore throat, and swelling in the glands, getting tired out faster than usual and appearance of a spotty rash on the chest.

Generally the symptoms are quite mild and you would tend to link them to some other problem like fever or cold. These symptoms do not show any increment for a long period. This is called 'Asymptomatic HIV infection'.

This virus is internally growing and even damaging the immune system. If the virus is left and not treated, it in turn will bring down the number of the CD4 cells in the body to a very low level and this would cause the immune system to stop functioning. This damage caused to the immune system generally happening in over a period of ten years. This in turn would inexorably result in growing into a severe infection.

The symptoms of a severe infection would be, night sweats, dry cough, inexplicable loss of weight, high fever which would be enduringly long, vision would start getting blur, the mouth or the tongue would develop white spots, shortness in breath, constant diarrhea or even glands tend to swell up and this condition would continue for three or more months.

Treatment of HIV:
The first step would be getting referred to a HIV clinic and getting counseled. Then blood tests would be done regularly, these tests would be to keep a check on the viral load and the CD4 cell count. There is no vaccine or medication available which can cure HIV completely. But there are medications like HEART available in order to slow down the speed of the virus and also giving you a longer life span.

Presentation Aids

In my keep on article I covered the basics of what a question presentation is and how to go about giving an able one. I mentioned that I would be elaborating on the bizarre types of presentation aids that be and this is basically the range of this article.

What are performance aids? Anything that helps you correct your presentation more functional is an aid. In the old days we used to travail with audio cassettes, and record recorders, not to mention VCRs and video tapes. Today the biggest aid you induce is the computer. It takes take charge of of audio, visual and reckoning needs. An all in one package handle.

It is helpful indeed to use Power Malaprop's to compile your presentations. Put all the germane data onto digital slides. Hum them along in the non-sequential that you want to indicate as it were about them. Hibernate slides you don't want to use for shorter presentations. There is a lot that you can do with the laptop at your disposal. Yet, the continued slide show is not the just feature that you can use in a spectacle.

Videos and pictures put together great presentation aids. Let's face it, not all of us are born orators. Most of us are hiding behind our scripts and wishing the proffering was over. So it makes sense to show relevant videos that liking explain your point just as well as you talking. It is also less routine and more engaging for the audience if you mix your speech with videos.

Charts and Graphs are better than mouthing figures. Pictures make a far greater impact on the human brain than numbers. The visual impact of bar charts, pie charts, line graphs, and organometallic is far better than the oral impact. Have them in color and use the 3D effect. It will be all the more interesting to peruse the statistics in the case.

Control Aggressive Behavior With Dog Training Aids

It has been observed that dogs from larger raise are more aggressive than the smaller ones. But in some cases dogs from smaller cause also exhibit assertive behavior like persevering barking and nipping. The larger breeds may flush become dangerous when forceful, therefore use of training aids like the muzzles and dispensing bark collars would be apt for them. But it is only humane not to use the bombshell version of bark collar as it does more hurt than good and every so often may trigger excessive bellicose behavior which may evolve into harmful for the dog owner. Placid with the collar in advance, it is advised that he should be treated for showing ample behavior and this resolution eventually reduce the several instances of spray collar use and finally the dog will get trained to sidestep demonstration of aggressiveness.

Other dog training aids can also be admissible for teaching good behavior in a realistic way. Such as treat dispensers. These purloin dogs to learn that agreeable behavior can earn them a take out quickly, rather than a unsympathetic action against bad behavior. In dispute of a smaller breed hostile behavior should purely be corrected with apposite training. Dogs less 10 lbs cannot survive the Citronella the spray from a sprig bark collar. It is foremost to avoid its use and proper training is main. It is important to have knowledge of that aggressive behavior is a organic thing for a dog and is often triggered by our own actions. This happens when he feels that his living, possessions or his position in the establishment is being threatened by someone. It can be a new company or a child in the house. The unexcelled is to make your pet as community as possible and make him make a reality and learn his place in the bordello. This will entrust him sense of security and bust aggressive behavior.

Cold Temperature Exposure

It's easy to get cold quickly if you are outside in wet, windy, or cold weather. Cold temperature exposure can also happen if you spend time in a dwelling or other building that is not well-heated during cold weather.

Injuries from cold exposure:

* "Frost nip" usually affects skin on the face, ears, or fingertips. Frost nip may cause numbness or blue-white skin color for a short time, but normal feeling and color return quickly when you get warm. No permanent tissue damage occurs.
* Frostbite is freezing of the skin and the tissues under the skin because of temperatures below freezing. Frostbitten skin looks pale or blue and feels cold, numb, and stiff or rubbery to the touch.
* Cold injuries, such as trench foot or chilblains, may cause pale and blistered skin like frostbite after the skin has warmed. These injuries occur from spending too much time in cold, but not freezing, temperatures. The skin does not actually freeze.
* An abnormally low body temperature (hypothermia) occurs when the body loses heat faster than it can make heat. Early symptoms of hypothermia include shivering in adults and older children, clumsy movements, apathy (lack of concern), poor judgment, and cold, pale, or blue-gray skin. Hypothermia is an emergency condition—it can quickly lead to unconsciousness and death if the heat loss is not stopped.

Risk factors for cold exposure injury:

There are many factors that increase your risk of injury from exposure to cold temperatures.

* Being a baby
* Being an older adult
* Drinking alcohol
* Being in outdoor conditions, such as high altitudes or windy, wet weather, or being immersed in cold water
* Not being dressed properly, having wet skin, or wearing wet clothing
* Being tired or dehydrated
* Being exposed to cold temperatures in your workplace, such as working in cold-storage units
* Having certain health risks

Many people get cold hands or feet, which often are bothersome but not a serious health problem.

You are more likely to feel cold easily if you:

* Do not have much body fat. Fat under the skin helps keep you warm. People who have low body fat may be more likely to get hypothermia. Babies, older or ill adults, or malnourished people have low body fat.
* Smoke cigarettes or drink caffeine. Nicotine (from tobacco) and caffeine cause narrowing of the blood vessels in the hands and feet. When blood vessels are narrowed, less blood flows to these areas, causing the hands and feet to feel cold.
* Are under a lot of stress or feel tired. Chronic stress or anxiety can cause your nervous system to release adrenaline, which acts to narrow the blood vessels that supply blood to the hands and feet.
* Have a medical condition, such as hypothyroidism or Raynard's phenomenon, that makes you feel or react more strongly to cold temperatures.

Infection - What Happens

There are two types of HIV:

* HIV-1, which causes almost all the cases of AIDS worldwide
* HIV-2, which causes an AIDS-like illness. HIV-2 infection is uncommon in the United States.

How the disease is spread:

HIV is spread when blood, semen, or vaginal fluids from an infected person enter another person's body, usually through:

* Sexual contact. The virus may enter the body through a tear in the lining of the rectum, vagina, urethra, or mouth. Between 75% and 80% of all cases of HIV are transmitted by sexual contact.
* Infected blood. HIV can be spread when a person:
o Shares needles, syringes, cookers, cotton, cocaine spoons, or eyedroppers used for injecting drugs or steroids.
o Is accidentally stuck with a needle or other sharp item that is contaminated with HIV.

It is now extremely rare in the United States for HIV to be transmitted by blood transfusions or organ transplants. Blood and organ donors are screened for risk factors. All donated blood and organs are screened for HIV.

Health care workers are no longer considered to be at high risk of exposure to HIV. Policies are in place in health facilities that require protection from accidental exposure. Workers must properly dispose of sharp objects and wear protective gloves, gowns, and eye and face protection. These measures have been effective in protecting health care workers from HIV.

Spread of HIV to babies:

A woman who is infected with HIV can spread the virus to her baby during pregnancy, delivery, or breast-feeding.

* Most children younger than 13 years who have HIV were infected with the virus by their mothers.
* The risk of a woman spreading HIV to her baby can be greatly reduced if she is on medicine that reduces her viral load (HIV RNA) to undetectable levels during pregnancy, if she receives AZT (ZDV) before the baby is born, and if she does not breast-feed her baby. The baby should also receive treatment after it is born.

Ways HIV cannot be spread:

HIV does not survive well outside the body. Therefore, HIV cannot be spread through casual contact—such as sharing drinking glasses or by casual kissing—with an infected person. HIV is not transmitted through contact with an infected person's saliva, sweat, tears, urine, or feces, or through insect bites.

Contagious and incubation period:

The incubation period—the time between when a person is first infected with HIV and when early symptoms develop—may be a few days to several weeks.

It can take as little as 2 weeks or as long as 6 months from the time you become infected with HIV for the antibodies to be detected in your blood. This is commonly called the "window period," or seroconversion period. During the window period, you are contagious and can spread the virus to others. If you think you have been infected with HIV but you test negative for it, you should be tested again 6 months later.

After you become infected with HIV, your blood, semen, or vaginal fluids are always infectious, even if you receive treatment for the HIV infection.

Stages of HIV:

Most people go through the following stages after being infected with HIV if the infection is not treated:

* Acute retro viral syndrome, which has symptoms similar to mononucleosis. This often develops within a few days of infection, but may occur several weeks after the person is infected.
* HIV without symptoms (asymptomatic). It may take years for HIV symptoms to develop. But even though no symptoms are present, the virus is multiplying (or making copies of itself) in the body during this time. HIV multiplies so quickly that the immune system cannot destroy the virus. After years of fighting HIV, the immune system starts to weaken.
* HIV with symptoms (symptomatic). After your immune system starts to weaken, you are more likely to develop certain infections or illnesses, such as some types of pneumonia or cancer that are more common in people who have a weakened immune system.
* AIDS, which occurs during the last stage of infection with HIV. If HIV goes untreated, AIDS develops in most people within 12 to 13 years after the initial infection. With treatment for HIV, the progression to AIDS may be delayed or prevented.

A small number of people who are infected with HIV are rapid progressors. They develop AIDS within a few years if they do not receive treatment. It is not known why the infection progresses faster in these people.

Nonprogrammable and HIV-resistant:

A few people have HIV that does not progress to more severe symptoms or disease. They are referred to as nonprogrammer.

A small number of people never become infected with HIV despite years of exposure to the virus. For example, they may have repeated, unprotected sex with an infected person. These people are said to be HIV-resistant.

Heat-Related Illnesses

A healthy body temperature is maintained by the nervous system. As the body temperature increases, the body tries to maintain its normal temperature by transferring heat. Sweating and blood flow to the skin (thermo regulation) help us keep our bodies cool. A heat-related illness occurs when our bodies can no longer transfer enough heat to keep us cool.

A high body temperature (hypothermia) can develop rapidly in extremely hot environments, such as when a child is left in a car in the summer heat. Hot temperatures can also build up in small spaces where the ventilation is poor, such as attics or boiler rooms. People working in these environments may quickly develop hypothermia.

High temperature caused by a fever is different from a high body temperature caused by a heat-related illness. A fever is the body's normal reaction to infection and other conditions, both minor and serious. Heat-related illnesses produce a high body temperature because the body cannot transfer heat effectively or because external heat gain is excessive.

Heat-related illnesses include:

* Heat rash (prickly heat), which occurs when the sweat ducts to the skin become blocked or swell, and cause discomfort and itching.
* Heat cramps, which occur in muscles after exercise because sweating causes the body to lose water, salt, and minerals (electrolytes).
* Heat edema (swelling) in the legs and hands, which can occur when you sit or stand for a long time in a hot environment.
* Heat tetanus (hyperventilation and heat stress), which is usually caused by short periods of stress in a hot environment.
* Heat syncope (fainting), which occurs from low blood pressure when heat causes the blood vessels to expand (dilate) and body fluids move into the legs because of gravity.
* Heat exhaustion (heat prostration), which generally develops when a person is working or exercising in hot weather and does not drink enough liquids to replace those lost liquids.
* Heatstroke (sunstroke), which occurs when the body fails to regulate its own temperature and body temperature continues to rise, often to 105°F (40.6°C) or higher. Heatstroke is a medical emergency. Even with immediate treatment, it can be life-threatening or cause serious long-term problems.

Often, environmental and physical conditions can make it difficult to stay cool. Heat-related illness is often caused or made worse by dehydration and fatigue. Exercising during hot weather, working outdoors, and overdressing for the environment increase your risk. Caffeine or alcohol also increase your risk for dehydration.

Many medicines increase your risk of a heat-related illness. Some medicines decrease the amount of blood pumped by the heart (cardiac output) and limit blood flow to the skin, so your body is less able to cool itself by sweating. Other medicines can alter your sense of thirst or increase your body's production of heat. If you take medicines regularly, ask your doctor for advice about hot-weather activity and your risk of getting a heat-related illness.

Other things that may increase your risk of a heat-related illness include:

* Age. Babies do not lose heat quickly and they do not sweat effectively. Older adults do not sweat easily and usually have other health conditions that affect their ability to lose heat.
* Obesity. People who are overweight have decreased blood flow to the skin, hold heat in because of the insulating layer of fat tissue, and have a greater body mass to cool.
* Summer heat waves. People who live in cities are especially vulnerable to illness during a summer heat wave because heat is trapped by tall buildings and air pollutants, especially if there is a high level of humidity.
* Chronic diseases, such as diabetes, heart failure, and cancer. These conditions change the way the body gets rid of heat.
* Travel to wilderness areas or foreign countries with high outdoor temperatures and humidity. When you go to a different climate, your body must get used to the differences (acclimate) to keep your body temperature in a normal range.

Most heat-related illnesses can be prevented by keeping the body cool and by avoiding dehydration in hot environments. Home treatment is usually all that is needed to treat mild heat-related illnesses. Heat exhaustion and heatstroke need immediate medical treatment.

The spectrum of kidney disease in patients with AIDS in the era of antiretroviral therapy

With prolonged survival and aging of the HIV-infected population in the era of antiretroviral therapy, biopsy series have found a broad spectrum of HIV-related and co-morbid kidney disease in these patients. Our study describes the variety of renal pathology found in a prospective cohort of antiretroviral-experienced patients (the Manhattan HIV Brain Bank) who had consented to postmortem organ donation.

Nearly one-third of 89 kidney tissue donors had chronic kidney disease, and evidence of some renal pathology was found in 75. The most common diagnoses were arterionephrosclerosis, HIV-associated nephropathy and glomerulonephritis. Other diagnoses included pyelonephritis, interstitial nephritis, diabetic nephropathy, fungal infection and amyloidosis.

Excluding 2 instances of acute tubular necrosis, slightly over one-third of the cases would have been predicted using current diagnostic criteria for chronic kidney disease. Based on semi-quantitative analysis of stored specimens, pre-mortem microalbuminuria testing could have identified an additional 12 cases.

Future studies are needed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of more sensitive methods for defining chronic kidney disease, in order to identify HIV-infected patients with early kidney disease who may benefit from antiretroviral therapy and other interventions known to delay disease progression and prevent complications.

Heterosexual risk of HIV-1 infection per sexual act

Thelancet did a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies of the risk of HIV-1 transmission per heterosexual contact.

43 publications comprising 25 different study populations were identified. Pooled female-to-male (0·04% per act [95% CI 0·01—0·14]) and male-to-female (0·08% per act [95% CI 0·06—0·11]) transmission estimates in high-income countries indicated a low risk of infection in the absence of antiretrovirals.

Low-income country female-to-male (0·38% per act [95% CI 0·13—1·10]) and male-to-female (0·30% per act [95% CI 0·14—0·63]) estimates in the absence of commercial sex exposure (CSE) were higher. In meta-regression analysis, the infectivity across estimates in the absence of CSE was significantly associated with sex, setting, the interaction between setting and sex, and antenatal HIV prevalence.

The pooled receptive anal intercourse estimate was much higher (1·7% per act [95% CI 0·3—8·9]). Estimates for the early and late phases of HIV infection were 9·2 (95% CI 4·5—18·8) and 7·3 (95% CI 4·5—11·9) times larger, respectively, than for the asymptomatic phase. After adjusting for CSE, presence or history of genital ulcers in either couple member increased per-act infectivity 5·3 (95% CI 1·4—19·5) times versus no sexually transmitted infection. Study estimates among non-circumcised men were at least twice those among circumcised men. Low-income country estimates were more heterogeneous than high-income country estimates, which indicates poorer study quality, greater heterogeneity of risk factors, or under-reporting of high-risk behaviour.

Efforts are needed to better understand these differences and to quantify infectivity in low-income countries.

Use of Saliva as a Lubricant in Anal Sexual Practices Among Homosexual Men

Objectives: Compared with other sexually active adults, men who have sex with men (MSM) are more frequently infected with several pathogens including cytomegalovirus, hepatitis B virus, and Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus. Because one common element between these organisms is their presence in saliva, we evaluated saliva exposure among MSM in a heretofore relatively unrecognized route-via use of saliva as a lubricant in anal sex.

Methods: MSM in a San Francisco population-based cohort were interviewed regarding use of saliva by the insertive partner as a lubricant in various anal sexual practices.

Results: Among 283 MSM, 87% used saliva as a lubricant in insertive or receptive penile-anal intercourse or fingering/fisting at some point during their lifetime; 31%-47% did so, depending upon the act, in the prior 6 months. Saliva use as a lubricant was more common among younger men and among HIV-infected men when with HIV-infected partners. Even among MSM following safe sex guidelines by avoiding unprotected penile-anal intercourse, 26% had anal exposure to saliva via use as a lubricant.

Conclusions: Among MSM, use of saliva as a lubricant is a common, but not ubiquitous, practice in anal sex. The findings provide the rationale for formal investigation of whether saliva use in this way contributes to transmission of saliva-borne pathogens in MSM.

Short-Term and Long-Term Effects of Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy on the Incidence of Herpes Zoster in HIV-Infected Children

Levin, Myron J MD*; Anderson, Jeffrey P MPH†‡; Seage, George R III ScD†‡; Williams, Paige L PhD†§; for the PACTG/IMPAACT 219C Team

From the *Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado at Denver Health Sciences Center, Aurora, CO; †Center for Biostatistics in AIDS Research; ‡Department of Epidemiology; and §Department of Biostatistics, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA.

Received for publication July 1, 2008; accepted November 14, 2008.

Supported by funding from the Statistical and Data Analysis Center at Harvard School of Public Health, under the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases cooperative agreement #5 U01 AI41110 with the Pediatric AIDS Clinical Trials Group and #1 U01 AI068616 with the International Maternal Pediatric Adolescent AIDS Clinical Trials Group. Overall support for International Maternal Pediatric Adolescent AIDS Clinical Trials was provided by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases [U01 AI068632] and the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

A portion of this analysis was presented at the 13th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections, February 5-8, 2006, Denver, CO.

All of the authors made substantial contributions to the conception, design, acquisition of data, and analysis and interpretation of data for this article; contributed substantially to the drafting and revision of this article; and have given final approval for submission of this article.

The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases or the National Institutes of Health.

Background: Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has reduced herpes zoster (HZ) incidence in HIV-infected children, yet it remains common.

Methods: We evaluated perinatally HIV-infected youth with varicella infection enrolled between 1993 and 2006 in a prospective cohort study. Incidence rates (IRs) and 95% confidence intervals of HZ were estimated by calendar year, age group, and HAART use. The effect of initiating HAART was also evaluated by fitting Cox survival models adjusted for potential confounders.

Results: Among 536 perinatally infected children with documented prior varicella (median follow-up = 6.8 years), 116 (22%) developed HZ (IR = 3.2 events/100 person-years, confidence interval: 2.6 to 3.8). IRs increased from 1993 to 1996 and then declined significantly through 2006 (P <>

Conclusions: Although HAART has markedly reduced the IR of HZ, it remains a frequent complication in HIV-infected children. The risk of HZ is similar in the 90 days before and after initiating HAART.

Monitoring AIDS Treatment By Physical Symptoms Is Effective

When millions of HIV-infected people in poor countries began receiving advanced drug therapies, critics worried that patient care would suffer because few high-tech laboratories were available to guide treatments.

But according to a study being published in The Lancet, these concerns are as yet unfounded.
In fact, the study indicates that when clinicians use simple physical signs of deteriorating health - such as weight loss or fever - these doctors can provide therapies almost as effective as those relying on the most advanced laboratory analysis.

"The results of this study should reassure clinicians in Africa and Asia, who are treating literally millions of people without these laboratory tests, that they are not compromising patient safety," said a coauthor of the paper, Dr Charles Gilks, who is the Coordinator of Antiretroviral Treatment (ART) and HIV Care at WHO in Geneva. "In fact, the outcome of their treatment is almost as good as of those patients in the USA and Europe where laboratory-guided treatment is the norm."

The aim of the study was to look at the medium and long-term consequences of different approaches to monitoring antiretroviral therapy in a resource-limited setting: using clinical signs and symptoms alone as recommended in WHO guidelines; or more sophisticated and costly but far less accessible immunological and virological load tests. The scientists used a model that had been tried and tested in London, and shown accurately to predict the course of the epidemic in the UK over 20 years, but with various changes to reflect realities on the ground.

According to the study authors, survival rates for individuals assessed for clinical symptoms alone were almost identical to survival rates for those who underwent laboratory monitoring. The 5-year survival rate was 83% for individuals monitored for viral load, 82% for CD4 (a critical immune component) monitoring, and 82% for clinical monitoring alone. Corresponding values over a 24-year period were 67%, 64% and 64% respectively.

Although the survival rate was slightly higher with viral load monitoring, study authors pointed out it was not the most cost-effective strategy in the poorest countries. The study also examined whether clinical observation alone was effective in determining when to switch patients from WHO-recommended first-line treatments to more costly second-line medicines. Again, diagnosis based on an assessment of clinical symptoms was almost as effective as those relying on expensive laboratory tests.

Study authors concluded that for patients on the WHO first-line regimen of stavudine, lamivudine and nevirapine, the benefits of CD4 count or viral load monitoring were only modest at best.

The study, conducted by a prominent group in the United Kingdom working with WHO scientists, employed mathematical models which were designed to identify emerging problems and problems that might appear after long-term use of ART. But more work must be done. The study is based on mathematical projections and not on real-world patients. While there is little real-world data yet available because these drugs have been used for such a short time in these countries, the little existing information does support the findings. Other studies are ongoing and more results should be available soon.

Monkeys Able To Fend Off AIDS Like Symptoms With Enhanced HIV Vaccine

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have discovered that using an immune system gene to enhance a vaccine used to study HIV in macaque monkeys provides the animals with greater protection against simian HIV (SHIV) than an unmodified vaccine. This multi-year study found that the addition of a molecule called Interleukin-15 effectively boosts the effects of a vaccine derived from the DNA of simian HIV. The study illustrates that DNA vaccine effectiveness can be improved by the inclusion of specific immune adjuvants, or helpers.

The findings are published in last week's online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

"DNA vaccine technology has great promise for the development of vaccines and immune therapeutics for a variety of infectious diseases and cancers," says senior author David B. Weiner, PhD, Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at Penn. While previous studies have established that the technology can induce immune responses safely, "improving the immune potency of this platform is critical for further development in humans."

The research builds on previous work aimed at engineering a more potent immune response to SHIV DNA vaccine technology. Mouse model studies previously showed that the cytokine IL-15 -- a substance that can improve the body's natural response to infection and disease -- helps better immune responses and protection, while this study mirrors those findings in a larger, non-human primate species.

In this study, the group of macaques that was injected with the vaccine containing a loop of DNA enabling them to make IL-15 developed no signs of AIDS-like symptoms when exposed to live SHIV, compared to four animals in the control group that received only the DNA vaccine. The modified vaccine appeared to help suppress viral replication among the IL-15 group.

Next, Weiner's team will study the protected macaques to determine the actual mechanism of their protection, and seek out any pockets of the virus that may be hiding in specific immune compartments. The approach will also be tested for safety and immunogenicity in humans through the HIV Vaccine Trials Network.

The lead author of the study is Dr. Jean Boyer, of the University of Pennsylvania. Co-authors include researchers from the National Cancer Institute, the Southern Research Institute in Frederick, MD, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in Bethesda, MD, Genomix (San Diego, CA) and Wyeth (Pearl River, N.Y.). The research was supported by the National Institutes of Health and the Intramural Research Program of the NIH.

PENN Medicine is a $3.5 billion enterprise dedicated to the related missions of medical education, biomedical research, and excellence in patient care. PENN Medicine consists of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine (founded in 1765 as the nation's first medical school) and the University of Pennsylvania Health System.

Penn's School of Medicine is currently ranked #3 in the nation in U.S.News & World Report's survey of top research-oriented medical schools; and, according to most recent data from the National Institutes of Health, received over $379 million in NIH research funds in the 2006 fiscal year. Supporting 1,400 fulltime faculty and 700 students, the School of Medicine is recognized worldwide for its superior education and training of the next generation of physician-scientists and leaders of academic medicine.

The University of Pennsylvania Health System includes three hospitals its flagship hospital, the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, rated one of the nation's "Honor Roll" hospitals by U.S.News & World Report; Pennsylvania Hospital, the nation's first hospital; and Penn Presbyterian Medical Center a faculty practice plan; a primary-care provider network; two multispecialty satellite facilities; and home care and hospice.

HIV/AIDS Advocates Protest Novartis' Case Challenge India Patent Law

Some HIV/AIDS advocacy groups are calling on pharmaceutical company Novartis to drop its legal challenge to the Indian government's patent laws, saying that if the company wins the case it could restrict access to anti retroviral drugs for millions of people worldwide, South Africa's Business Day reports.

Novartis is challenging a section of India's Patents Act that aims to restrict certain kinds of patents, according to Business Day. Novartis brought a civil lawsuit against the Indian government after the country in January 2006 rejected the company's attempt to patent a new version of its leukemia drug Gleevec on the basis that the drug is a new formulation of an existing drug (Musgrave, Business Day, 1/25). According to the AP/International Herald Tribune, India's patent law, which went into effect in January 2005, allows patents for products that are new inventions developed after 1995, when India joined the World Trade Organization, or for an updated drug that exhibits improved efficacy. Although some Indian drug companies and groups say that Gleevec is a new formulation of a drug developed before 1995, Novartis says that it is an improved drug (Rabinowitz, AP/International Herald Tribune, 1/29).

Decisions concerning patents on some newer HIV/AIDS drugs in India have not been announced (Business Day, 1/25). If Novartis wins the case, it could potentially set a precedent for other pharmaceutical companies seeking patent protection for drugs, including anti retrovirals, some HIV/AIDS advocates have said (AP/International Herald Tribune, 1/29).

Medecins San Frontieres International Council President Christophe Fournier last month said the organization relies on reduced-cost, quality drugs produced in India to provide treatment to people living with HIV/AIDS worldwide.
According to the group, anti retrovirals produced in India are used to provide treatment to more than 80% of the 80,000 people in more than 30 countries who receive treatment from the organization's projects (Business Day, 1/25). A court in Chennai, India, heard arguments in the case on Monday (AP/International Herald Tribune, 1/29).
According to the New York Times, the court was asked to clarify regulations on patents for new versions of existing drugs whose original patents have expired. Novartis spokesperson John Gilardi said, "We are trying to gain clarity as to what guides India's patent laws. ... This is not about access to medicines.

It is about establishing whether India is going to step up and adopt the minimum international standards required for the protection of intellectual property." Unni Karunakara, medical director of MSF's campaign to broaden access to medicines, said, "Novartis is trying to shut down the pharmacy of the developing world." A decision in the Novartis case is not expected until Feb. 15 (Gentleman, New York Times, 1/30).

Obama, McCain Silent On HIV/AIDS Epidemic Facing The Black Community

The HIV/AIDS "plague has long been the single biggest health issue in poor black communities" in the U.S., which is "all the more reason" for presumptive presidential nominees Sens. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.) to "speak out on the crisis and spell out just what they will do about it," Earl Ofari Hutchinson, author and political analyst, writes in a New America Media opinion piece, adding, "So far they haven't done that." He writes that the candidates "have given countless speeches on the terrorism fight, the Iraq War, the Iran missile threat, immigration, the housing and banking crisis, a tanking economy and affordable health care," which are "crucial problems" facing the U.S. However, "as devastating as these problems are to many families, they do not pile up bodies and wreak catastrophic havoc on entire sectors of the population, mostly poor black communities" like the HIV/AIDS epidemic does, according to Hutchinson.

"HIV/AIDS is not even mentioned as an item in the detailed health care plan on" McCain's official Web site. Obama and his wife publicly took HIV tests last year, and he subsequently offered a pledge to create a national strategy on AIDS. However, he "hasn't publicly addressed the issue since," Hutchinson writes, noting, "In a campaign position paper Obama has said he will push for more funds for AIDS treatment, education and testing. But much of his emphasis has been on African nations." Hutchinson writes that "even if McCain had boned up on the AIDS crisis and laid out a plan to confront the crisis, and Obama had fleshed out more details about confronting the crisis in African-American communities, it's still no substitute for speaking out on the campaign trail about the crisis and pushing government, health agencies and private donors to do more to combat the AIDS plague."

He concludes that both candidates "should break their silence now" (Hutchinson, New America Media, 8/1).

At 23 Sept 2006 Was registered some efforts In The Fight Against AIDS In Ukraine Joined By Clinton Foundation

President Bill Clinton and two Ukrainian foundations, headed by Elena Franchuk and Victor Pinchuk, signed an agreement of cooperation today that will expand the work against HIV/AIDS in Ukraine.

Under the agreement Ukraine will receive access to the best practices to fight epidemics and the latest know-how in the area of HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and care. The Elena Franchuk ANTIAIDS foundation will cooperate with Clinton HIV/AIDS Initiative for the next five years in implementing project aimed at reducing HIV/AIDS escalation, care and support of people living with HIV/AIDS in Ukraine. Elena Franchuk and Victor Pinchuk are contributing US$2.5 million toward the project.

The funds will be used during the next five years to pay for programs aimed at slowing the growth of new HIV/AIDS cases, as well as for treatment and support of people living with HIV/AIDS in Ukraine.

"I'm happy to be working with the Elena Franchuk ANTIAIDS Foundation and the Victor Pinchuk Foundation on expanding access to HIV/AIDS prevention, care and treatment services in Ukraine," President Clinton said. "Through their generous support, we will be able to greatly increase the number of people with access to these services, and I am grateful for the partnership."

"The work of Clinton Foundation made tremendous difference in treatment and care of people living with HIV/AIDS in many countries. I am sure that Ukraine will benefit from President Clinton's expertise," Elena Franchuk said. "For the ANTIAIDS Foundation this partnership means an expansion of our activities, which have been centered for the last three years on media campaigns. Now, to change the AIDS situation in Ukraine, the country needs the best international experience and know-how in combating the epidemics."

Work during the first year of the project will be centered on the Dnepropetrovsk region, in the southeast part of Ukraine, which is home to more than 3 million people. The program's initiatives will be replicated in other regions of Ukraine in following years.

Specifically, the programs will work to increase access to rapid testing, improve laboratory capacity, train and mentor health care workers, introduce HIV treatment/substitution therapy and to improve drug procurement processes. The program will also work nationally in Ukraine to expand HIV testing legislation, develop rapid HIV test guidelines, register methadone for use and improve distribution and drug procurement processes and prices.

The agreement is the result of discussions started in 2004, when representatives of The Clinton Foundation visited Ukraine at the invitation of Ms. Franchuk. Following that visit an agreement between the Clinton Foundation and the government of Ukraine was signed, which assisted the government in receiving access to the lowest prices on generic antiretroviral drugs for HIV/AIDS treatment. The agreement allowed more patients in Ukraine to receive access to live-saving therapy as part of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria grant.

The work continued in 2005 during President Clinton's visit to Ukraine, with the signing of a memorandum which identified priority directions of cooperation of Clinton Foundation and the Government of Ukraine in the fight against HIV/AIDS. The five year program resulted from that memorandum. The Elena Franchuk "ANTIAIDS" Foundation and the Victor Pinchuk Foundation expressed their readiness to join efforts in the implementation of this project and committed the US$2.5 million.

Former U.N. Special Envoy For HIV/AIDS In Africa Lewis Calls On Canada To Commit $855M To Global Fund

Stephen Lewis, former United Nations special envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa, on Friday at a press conference called on the Canadian government to commit 900 million Canadian dollars, or about $855 million, during the next three years to the Global Fund To Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, the Toronto Star reports. Lewis also called on Canada's leaders to increase foreign aid contributions as part of the country's membership in the Group of Eight industrialized nations (Black, Toronto Star, 8/11).

Lewis at the press conference said that Canada is decreasing its financial aid commitments aimed at fighting HIV/AIDS in developing countries. Lewis said Canada is "going in reverse" in funding commitments, adding, "It's just delinquency to fall further behind" (CanWest/Calgary Herald, 8/11).

In addition, Lewis at the press conference released the results of a Canadian Coalition for Youth and HIV/AIDS in Africa poll. The poll found that 46% of respondents believe it is "very" important for the government to increase access to treatment for people living with HIV/AIDS in developing countries, while 45% found it "somewhat" important. The coalition - which includes Canadian chapters of CARE, Plan, Save the Children and World Vision - also called on the government to increase funding to fight HIV in developing countries.

According to the poll, nine out of 10 respondents believe HIV/AIDS is a serious problem, and 62% believe it is an international emergency. In addition, 48% of survey participants said the government is spending too little to fight HIV/AIDS in developing countries. Ninety percent of participants said Africa is the most vulnerable area worldwide to HIV/AIDS, and 92% understood that the continent is the hardest hit by the spread of the virus.

The poll also found that 70% of respondents believed they are well-informed about HIV/AIDS, compared with 80% in 2005. The poll was based on a sample of 1,429 adults and has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.6 percentage points, the Star reports (Toronto Star, 8/11).

Thai HIV/AIDS Advocates To Ask Administrative Court For Review Of Ruling That Found Abbott Did Not Violate Trade Laws

HIV/AIDS advocates in Thailand plan to ask the country's Administrative Court to evaluate an Internal Trade Department's decision to not file suit against Abbott Laboratories for allegedly violating trade laws when the company canceled the registration of its anti retro viral Aluvia with the country's Food and Drug Administration, the Bangkok Post reports (Apiradee, Bangkok Post, 1/18).

The Thai government in January 2007 issued a compulsory license to produce a lower-cost version of Abbott's anti re trivial Kaletra. The drug company in May 2007 offered to sell Aluvia, an updated version of Kaletra, at a reduced price in Thailand on the condition that the country agree not to allow generic versions of the drug into the market, Siriwat Thiptaradol, secretary-general of the Thai FDA, said. The Thai Ministry of Public Health in June 2007 confirmed that it would continue with its plan to issue a compulsory license for the drug after Abbott and the health ministry could not reach a price agreement during negotiations. Thailand's FDA in October 2007 completed the registration of a generic version of Aluvia for use under the country's compulsory licensing program. The generic version is manufactured by the Indian generic pharmaceutical company Matrix Laboratories .

According to HIV/AIDS advocates, Abbott canceled registration of Aluvia in Thailand after the government issued a compulsory license for the drug. Advocates have said the move violated section 25 of the country's Trade Competition Act, which stipulates restrictions against a product being dominant in the market.

In addition, the advocates said that the canceled registration violated section 28 of the trade act, which places controls on parent companies' influence on subsidiaries' decisions, the Post reports.

Advocates later petitioned a trade competition panel at the Ministry of Commerce to look into the matter. The panel in late December 2007 ruled that Abbott's withdrawal of Aluvia's registration did not violate trade regulations.
Panel secretary Yanyong Phuangrach said the body determined the market value of Aluvia was too small to dominant the market and thus did not violate trade law.

Saree Ongsomwang - manager of the Foundation for Consumers, which petitioned the ministry panel to examine the issue - said advocates would ask the Administrative Court to review the panel's decision. Nimit Tienudom, chair of the AIDS Access Foundation, petitioned the panel to reveal additional details about its decision. He also proposed that a new panel of neutral academics be convened to examine the issue. Saree said she was "surprised by the panel's decision," adding, "They should have prioritized health problems caused by HIV/AIDS and consider essential lifesaving drugs as a special case rather than protecting the benefits of big pharmaceutical business" (Bangkok Post, 1/18).

GeoVax Reports Progress On Its AIDS Vaccine Technology

GeoVax Labs, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: GOVX), an Atlanta based, publicly traded biopharmaceutical company specializing in the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases, provided an operational update on the company's progress towards entering Phase 2 preventative human clinical trial testing and plans to proceed into therapeutic human trials with its AIDS vaccine.

Five successful human trials evaluating GeoVax AIDS vaccines have previously been reported.

Planned Phase 2 Human Clinical Trial for Prevention of AIDS

The Company's Phase 2 trial, conducted by the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) supported HIV Vaccine Trials Network (HVTN), will involve 225 healthy volunteers from the United States and South America, and will further evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of the GeoVax preventative vaccine (vaccine administered prior to infection with the HIV virus). In Phase 1 trials, both 1/10th dose and full dose of the GeoVax vaccine elicited anti-HIV T-cells, whereas the full dose was required to elicit good frequencies of antibody to the HIV Envelope glycoprotein. The larger Phase 2 human trial will broaden the base of safety and immunogenicity data for the full dose of the GeoVax AIDS vaccine with a view to protecting recipients from developing AIDS should they be exposed to the virus. The planned Phase 2 human clinical trial is currently scheduled to start early this fall, subject to FDA approval.

Preclinical Data for Use of Vaccine Technology as an AIDS Therapeutic Human Clinical Trials in Planning Stages GeoVax also announced summary data from a pilot study on therapeutic vaccination in simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infected non-human primates with the SIV prototype for the GeoVax AIDS vaccine. In this small pilot study, conducted by Dr. Amara at Emory University, two non-human primates were infected with SIV. At 12 weeks post SIV infection, conventional anti-viral drug therapy was given to the primates to reduce the viral RNA infection levels to very low levels creating a non progressor status for the primate. Then the SIV prototype vaccine for the GeoVax AIDS vaccine was administered. Six weeks following the final vaccination, anti-viral drug treatment was stopped and the animals were monitored to determine whether the vaccine could control the SIV infection during the absence of the drugs.

The outstanding results from the study revealed the vaccine controlling the infection in the absence of drugs. In one primate, the reduction in viral levels over pre-drug treatment and vaccination levels was 1000 times. In the other, the reductions in viral levels were 100 times. The excellent control of the virus infection in the absence of drug treatment was associated with the vaccine raising the types of CD4 and CD8 T cells that are found in the rare individuals who spontaneously control their HIV infections.

Based on these excellent results, planning for a therapeutic trial in infected and drug treated humans has been initiated. The intent of therapeutic vaccination is for the vaccine to "control" HIV virus levels in infected individuals to very low levels thus blocking the development of AIDS. Successful therapeutic AIDS vaccination programs with GeoVax vaccines would lead to reduction in the use of costly anti-HIV medications and their often harmful side effects.

Dr. Harriet Robinson, GeoVax Co-founder and Senior V.P. of Research and Development, commented, "I had not anticipated the extent of vaccine control that was achieved in the already infected non-human primates. These are highly promising results that need to be extended into infected humans to see if the vaccine can be used to reduce the need for taking drugs. The results also warrant more extended studies in already infected non-human primates to explore parameters that both limit and enhance the ability for a vaccine to displace the need for drugs."

Dr. Robert McNally, CEO and President of GeoVax Labs, Inc., emphasized, "It is noteworthy to mention that the GeoVax AIDS vaccines being tested in the preclinical therapeutic trial is the same basic vaccine administered in the Company's human trials testing for a preventative use of the vaccine, vaccinating people before infection to prevent the development of AIDS should they become infected. Thus, a "one for two" vaccine could be a breakthrough solution for the company and the world, saving millions of dollars in redundant development costs and years of testing time by utilizing safety data already achieved in Phase 1 preventative human trials. More important, time to market could be significantly reduced, saving lives much sooner than otherwise."

Further, GeoVax's management is pleased to report that the company is currently engaged in negotiations with a NIH sponsored trial network to administer, conduct and co-sponsor GeoVax's Therapeutic human trial program. Management expects to receive approval for undertaking formal protocol development in the near future and will report more detailed plans accordingly.

"From an operational standpoint, we are very pleased with the overall progress of the company," stated Dr. Robert McNally. "Progress with ongoing preventative vaccine trials and now the potential to address therapeutic use of the vaccine gives GeoVax an expanding role in the fight to control AIDS."

About GeoVax Labs, Inc.

GeoVax Labs, Inc. is a biotechnology company, established to develop, manufacture, license and commercialize human vaccines for diseases caused by HIV-1 (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) and other infectious agents. GeoVax's AIDS vaccine technology is the subject of 20 issued or filed patent applications. GeoVax AIDS vaccines are designed for use in uninfected people to prevent Acquired Immunodeficiency Disease (AIDS), caused by the virus known as HIV-1, should the person ever become infected. GeoVax AIDS vaccines also may be effective as therapeutics, treatment of people already infected with AIDS virus.

GeoVax's core AIDS vaccine technologies were developed by Dr. Harriet Robinson, Senior V.P. of Research and Development, through a collaboration of colleagues at Emory University's Vaccine Center, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and GeoVax.

GeoVax AIDS vaccines have moved forward in human clinical trials conducted by the HIV Vaccine Trials Network (HVTN) based in Seattle, Washington. The HVTN, funded through a cooperative agreement with the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is the largest worldwide clinical trials program dedicated to the development and testing of AIDS vaccines. Preclinical work enabling evaluation of GeoVax DNA and MVA vaccines was funded and supported by NIAID, which provided additional support to GeoVax AIDS vaccine development program with a $15 million IPCAVD grant awarded in late 2007.

Safe Harbor Statement: All statements in this news release, not statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements. These statements are based on expectations and assumptions on the date of this press release and are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, whether: GeoVax can develop and manufacture these vaccines with the desired characteristics in a timely manner, GeoVax's vaccines will be safe for human use, GeoVax's vaccines will effectively prevent AIDS in humans, vaccines will receive regulatory approvals necessary to be licensed and marketed, GeoVax raises required capital to complete vaccine development, there is development of competitive products that may be more effective or easier to use than GeoVax's products, and other factors over which GeoVax has no control. GeoVax assumes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements, and does not intend to do so. Certain matters discussed in this news release are forward-looking statements involving certain risks and uncertainties including, without limitation, risks detailed in the Company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings and reports.