Dedra Spears Johnson was working as a social worker in a suburb of the US capital Washington at the height of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the 1990s when she concluded Black women's needs weren't being met by efforts to fight the disease.

Highly effective medications had recently been approved, but the people around her were hitting economic barriers and cultural taboos that prevented access.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hivaids-vaccine-why-dont-we-have-one-after-37-years-when-we-have-several-for-covid-19-after-a-few-months-385776">HIV/AIDS vaccine: Why don’t we have one after 37 years, when we have several for COVID-19 after a few months?</a>

"There's a shame about feeling they have this dirty disease," Spears Johnson,&nbsp;who in 1999 co-founded a nonprofit group called Heart to Hand Inc to broaden access to testing, treatments and education, told AFP.&nbsp;

"In our community, we don't talk about sex."&nbsp;

Forty years after US scientists documented the first cases of what would later be identified as HIV, life-saving medications have brought infection rates crashing down, but racial disparities are now wider than ever.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/argentina-second-person-known-to-be-naturally-cured-of-hiv-raises-hopes-for-millions-370742">Argentina: Second person known to be naturally cured of HIV raises hopes for millions</a>

Black Americans went from making up 29 per cent of new infections in 1981 to 41 per cent in 2019, despite accounting for only 13 per cent of the US population, according to a new government report.

Part of the problem stems from the fragmented nature of the country's health care system.&nbsp;

Tens of millions are either uninsured or underinsured or reliant on government insurance for those with low incomes called Medicaid.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/new-trials-for-potential-hiv-vaccine-show-optimistic-results-375864">New trials for potential HIV vaccine show optimistic results</a>

On a recent visit by AFP, Heart to Hand was inundated with calls.&nbsp;

One of the callers, the receptionist told Spears Johnson, wanted to know whether Medicaid would cover treatment.

Spears Johnson said it wouldn't, but they would find another way.

'Death sentence'

On June 5, 1981, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released its first report describing five young white gay men diagnosed with a rare lung infection.&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hiv-self-test-prices-to-be-slashed-in-half-in-135-countries-381086">HIV self-test prices to be slashed in half in 135 countries</a>

Two were dead by the time of publication and the rest would soon follow, marking the start of the AIDS crisis. Today, there are an estimated 1.2 million Americans living with HIV.&nbsp;

"When I first started seeing patients with HIV, it was largely a death sentence for the infected person," Johns Hopkins University medical professor Charles Flexner, who was a medical student at the time, told AFP.

The epidemic peaked in the mid-1980s, but in 1987 the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first antiretroviral drug azidothymidine (AZT), offering a ray of hope.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-in-tell-all-interview-billy-porter-reveals-hes-had-hiv-since-14-years-386150">In tell-all interview, Billy Porter reveals he's had HIV since 14 years</a>

Its toxicity and propensity to cause anaemia however proved too much for some patients, particularly those already weakened by the disease.&nbsp;

More effective treatments called tri-therapies came along in 1995 and 1996, but a patient had to take 12-16 pills a day, which often made them sick.&nbsp;

"Ann," a Black woman who was infected in 1997 by an ex-husband who later died from AIDS, said the pills were also difficult to hide.&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/how-can-she-have-hiv-pakistan-town-struggles-with-surge-in-infections-223487">'How can she have HIV?': Pakistan town struggles with surge in infections</a>

"Some had to be refrigerated," said Ann, who declined to give her real name, fearing rejection from family and friends she loves to cook for.&nbsp;

"But I didn't want anyone to see it in my fridge. So I would keep it in a cool drawer."

Turning point&nbsp;

The emotional and physical tolls endured by patients would pay off when in 1996, AIDS-related deaths declined for the first time in the United States.&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/surge-in-deaths-due-to-hiv-tuberculosis-and-malaria-amid-coronavirus-pandemic-study-313145">Surge in deaths due to HIV, tuberculosis and malaria amid coronavirus pandemic: Study</a>

The FDA's approval in 2012 of a pill called PrEP, or pre-exposure prophylaxis, led to further dramatic reductions.&nbsp;

This medicine, taken once a day, reduces the risk of getting HIV by about 99 per cent.

But again, racial disparities are glaring.&nbsp;

Only 23 per cent of people who could benefit from it were using it in 2019. This included 63 per cent of white people, but only 14 per cent of Hispanics and eight per cent of Black people.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/the-berlin-patient-first-person-to-be-cured-of-hiv-dies-due-to-cancer-331454">'The Berlin patient' - First person to be cured of HIV dies due to cancer</a>

One of the most at-risk groups is gay Black men, and studies have shown this is not because they engage in more risk-associated behaviours but rather that HIV is already much more prevalent in the demographic.

Beyond this, a "lack of resources and historic underfunding has plagued Black gay communities," said a 2015 report by amFAR, the Foundation for AIDS Research.&nbsp;

David Wilson, a 33-year-old Black gay man who is HIV-negative, told AFP he decided to start PrEP after finding out his partner "stepped out", had sex with someone else,&nbsp;and became infected.&nbsp;

"I'm completely realistic with my sexual practices and the things I like to do," Wilson said. "That's why I decided to get on PrEP."

'We don't give up on anybody'&nbsp;

Wilson is being treated at Whitman-Walker, a sexual health clinic in downtown Washington started by gay men in the 1970s, which found itself poised to recognize the beginnings of the HIV epidemic in the 1980s.

Former Whitman-Walker board director SaVanna Wanzer, a Black transgender woman activist, became one of the infected in 1985.&nbsp;

"AIDS was classified as a gay man's disease, and they treated you like you were the lowest specimen in the world," Wanzer said.&nbsp;

Few knew how the disease was transmitted at the time, and Wanzer described patients being left alone in isolated rooms to die with "all their lunch trays stacked up in front of the door."

Back then, one of Whitman-Walker's goals was to help patients to die with dignity.&nbsp;

Today, they offer a streamlined system for affordable access to HIV prevention and care. Uninsured patients are connected to "Insurance Navigators" with the goal of getting a same-day prescription.

Sometimes, helping people get the care they need can be straightforward as providing assistance like child care or transportation, explained Spears Johnson.

"We look at structural barriers to health care," she said. "And we don't give up on anybody."

Dedra Spears Johnson was working as a social worker in a suburb of the US capital Washington at the height of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the 1990s when she concluded Black women's needs weren't being met by efforts to fight the disease.

Dedra Spears Johnson was working as a social worker in a suburb of the US capital Washington at the height of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the 1990s when she concluded Black women's needs weren't being met by efforts to fight the disease. Highly effective medications had recently been approved, but the people around her were hitting economic barriers and cultural taboos that prevented access. Also Read | HIV/AIDS vaccine: Why don’t we have one after 37 years, when we have several for COVID-19 after a few months? "There's a shame about feeling they have this dirty disease," Spears Johnson, who in 1999 co-founded a nonprofit group called Heart to Hand Inc to broaden access to testing, treatments and education, told AFP. "In our community, we don't talk about sex." Forty years after US scientists documented the first cases of what would later be identified as HIV, life-saving medications have brought infection rates crashing down, but racial disparities are now wider than ever. Also Read | Argentina: Second person known to be naturally cured of HIV raises hopes for millions Black Americans went from making up 29 per cent of new infections in 1981 to 41 per cent in 2019, despite accounting for only 13 per cent of the US population, according to a new government report. Part of the problem stems from the fragmented nature of the country's health care system. Tens of millions are either uninsured or underinsured or reliant on government insurance for those with low incomes called Medicaid. Also Read | New trials for potential HIV vaccine show optimistic results On a recent visit by AFP, Heart to Hand was inundated with calls. One of the callers, the receptionist told Spears Johnson, wanted to know whether Medicaid would cover treatment. Spears Johnson said it wouldn't, but they would find another way. 'Death sentence' On June 5, 1981, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released its first report describing five young white gay men diagnosed with a rare lung infection. Also Read | HIV self-test prices to be slashed in half in 135 countries Two were dead by the time of publication and the rest would soon follow, marking the start of the AIDS crisis. Today, there are an estimated 1.2 million Americans living with HIV. "When I first started seeing patients with HIV, it was largely a death sentence for the infected person," Johns Hopkins University medical professor Charles Flexner, who was a medical student at the time, told AFP. The epidemic peaked in the mid-1980s, but in 1987 the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first antiretroviral drug azidothymidine (AZT), offering a ray of hope. Also Read | In tell-all interview, Billy Porter reveals he's had HIV since 14 years Its toxicity and propensity to cause anaemia however proved too much for some patients, particularly those already weakened by the disease. More effective treatments called tri-therapies came along in 1995 and 1996, but a patient had to take 12-16 pills a day, which often made them sick. "Ann," a Black woman who was infected in 1997 by an ex-husband who later died from AIDS, said the pills were also difficult to hide. Also Read | 'How can she have HIV?': Pakistan town struggles with surge in infections "Some had to be refrigerated," said Ann, who declined to give her real name, fearing rejection from family and friends she loves to cook for. "But I didn't want anyone to see it in my fridge. So I would keep it in a cool drawer." Turning point The emotional and physical tolls endured by patients would pay off when in 1996, AIDS-related deaths declined for the first time in the United States. Also Read | Surge in deaths due to HIV, tuberculosis and malaria amid coronavirus pandemic: Study The FDA's approval in 2012 of a pill called PrEP, or pre-exposure prophylaxis, led to further dramatic reductions. This medicine, taken once a day, reduces the risk of getting HIV by about 99 per cent. But again, racial disparities are glaring. Only 23 per cent of people who could benefit from it were using it in 2019. This included 63 per cent of white people, but only 14 per cent of Hispanics and eight per cent of Black people. Also Read | 'The Berlin patient' - First person to be cured of HIV dies due to cancer One of the most at-risk groups is gay Black men, and studies have shown this is not because they engage in more risk-associated behaviours but rather that HIV is already much more prevalent in the demographic. Beyond this, a "lack of resources and historic underfunding has plagued Black gay communities," said a 2015 report by amFAR, the Foundation for AIDS Research. David Wilson, a 33-year-old Black gay man who is HIV-negative, told AFP he decided to start PrEP after finding out his partner "stepped out", had sex with someone else, and became infected. "I'm completely realistic with my sexual practices and the things I like to do," Wilson said. "That's why I decided to get on PrEP." 'We don't give up on anybody' Wilson is being treated at Whitman-Walker, a sexual health clinic in downtown Washington started by gay men in the 1970s, which found itself poised to recognize the beginnings of the HIV epidemic in the 1980s. Former Whitman-Walker board director SaVanna Wanzer, a Black transgender woman activist, became one of the infected in 1985. "AIDS was classified as a gay man's disease, and they treated you like you were the lowest specimen in the world," Wanzer said. Few knew how the disease was transmitted at the time, and Wanzer described patients being left alone in isolated rooms to die with "all their lunch trays stacked up in front of the door." Back then, one of Whitman-Walker's goals was to help patients to die with dignity. Today, they offer a streamlined system for affordable access to HIV prevention and care. Uninsured patients are connected to "Insurance Navigators" with the goal of getting a same-day prescription. Sometimes, helping people get the care they need can be straightforward as providing assistance like child care or transportation, explained Spears Johnson. "We look at structural barriers to health care," she said. "And we don't give up on anybody."

Forty years on, Black Americans disproportionately hit by HIV

Poorer countries are set to see their access to HIV self-tests increase dramatically following a deal to slash prices in half and boost production, Unitaid said Wednesday.

The international health agency said it had closed a deal with US-based global healthcare company Viatris that will see blood-based HIV self-tests made available for under $2 across 135 low and middle-income countries.

HIV self-tests are seen as vital tools to help people more easily discover their status and move towards the treatment they need, and thus also to reducing the HIV burden globally.

This is particularly relevant in poorer countries, where concerns around stigma and difficulties accessing healthcare can create significant barriers, said Unitaid, which works on innovations on major diseases.

"Access to self-tests has been recognised as a key factor in meeting the global goal of 90 per cent of people knowing their HIV status," Unitaid spokesman Herve Verhoosel said in a statement.

In just the past six years, that rate has nearly doubled, from 45 to 81 per cent, he said.

But achieving broader testing has been hampered by the fact that the market for HIV self-tests in low- and middle-income countries has been dominated by a single affordable oral HIV test, the OraSure.

That test is sold at cost in a limited number of poorer countries for $2, but elsewhere the price is higher, and other options have cost significantly more.

Eight million unaware of status

To try to fix that problem, Unitaid and US non-profit Population Services International (PSI) launched a call for proposals last July on ways to drive forward access to the tests.

The result was the Viatris deal, which Unitaid said should significantly expand the market and give countries more choice when it comes to self-tests.

This, Verhoosel said, would make "it easier to acquire the products and embed them in health systems, with the ultimate aim of helping the eight million people estimated to be unaware of their HIV status know they are infected and get treatment."

Meg Doherty, who heads the World Health Organization's global HIV, hepatitis and STI programmes, hailed "the wider availability of affordable HIV self-testing kits to increase access to testing."

She said Wednesday's announcement was timely at a time when the Covid-19 pandemic had in many places complicated access to a range of HIV services.

Self-testing allows "people to test when other options are difficult to access or restricted," she said.

In addition to Viatris, Unitaid said another recently developed blood-based HIV self-test from US-based health care company Abbott Laboratories, which is currently undergoing regulatory review, would also be part of the expanded Unitaid programme, which would see around one million tests distributed "to stimulate in-country demand".

Poorer countries are set to see their access to HIV self-tests increase dramatically following a deal to slash prices in half and boost production, Unitaid said Wednesday.

Poorer countries are set to see their access to HIV self-tests increase dramatically following a deal to slash prices in half and boost production, Unitaid said Wednesday. The international health agency said it had closed a deal with US-based global healthcare company Viatris that will see blood-based HIV self-tests made available for under $2 across 135 low and middle-income countries. HIV self-tests are seen as vital tools to help people more easily discover their status and move towards the treatment they need, and thus also to reducing the HIV burden globally. This is particularly relevant in poorer countries, where concerns around stigma and difficulties accessing healthcare can create significant barriers, said Unitaid, which works on innovations on major diseases. "Access to self-tests has been recognised as a key factor in meeting the global goal of 90 per cent of people knowing their HIV status," Unitaid spokesman Herve Verhoosel said in a statement. In just the past six years, that rate has nearly doubled, from 45 to 81 per cent, he said. But achieving broader testing has been hampered by the fact that the market for HIV self-tests in low- and middle-income countries has been dominated by a single affordable oral HIV test, the OraSure. That test is sold at cost in a limited number of poorer countries for $2, but elsewhere the price is higher, and other options have cost significantly more. Eight million unaware of status To try to fix that problem, Unitaid and US non-profit Population Services International (PSI) launched a call for proposals last July on ways to drive forward access to the tests. The result was the Viatris deal, which Unitaid said should significantly expand the market and give countries more choice when it comes to self-tests. This, Verhoosel said, would make "it easier to acquire the products and embed them in health systems, with the ultimate aim of helping the eight million people estimated to be unaware of their HIV status know they are infected and get treatment." Meg Doherty, who heads the World Health Organization's global HIV, hepatitis and STI programmes, hailed "the wider availability of affordable HIV self-testing kits to increase access to testing." She said Wednesday's announcement was timely at a time when the Covid-19 pandemic had in many places complicated access to a range of HIV services. Self-testing allows "people to test when other options are difficult to access or restricted," she said. In addition to Viatris, Unitaid said another recently developed blood-based HIV self-test from US-based health care company Abbott Laboratories, which is currently undergoing regulatory review, would also be part of the expanded Unitaid programme, which would see around one million tests distributed "to stimulate in-country demand".

HIV self-test prices to be slashed in half in 135 countries

April 23 in history: Launch of Soyuz 1, discovery of HIV virus and more

New early stage data from a clinical trial suggests progress for a vaccine to fight against HIV.

The trials, conducted by the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative and the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California may bring respite after 30 years of vaccine attempts against HIV, which is the virus responsible for causing AIDS if not treated.

To ascertain the true efficacy of any vaccine, larger studies will need to be undertaken. But experts are hopeful this vaccine will work.

When HIV was discovered as the cause of AIDS in 1980s, scientists thought they would be able to develop a vaccine rapidly. But that did not happen, for the virus mutates rapidly. In addition, the virus has multiple subtypes, implying that a vaccine developed for one subtype may not offer protection against the other.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/new-study-claims-1-in-3-covid-19-survivors-develop-mental-neurological-issues-375830" hreflang="en">New study claims 1 in 3 COVID-19 survivors develop mental, neurological issues</a>

ABC cited the new research as attempting to bridge this gap by creating a vaccine capable of “broadly neutralising antibodies” by triggering the immune system of a person to develop protection against multiple variants.

The first trial is currently underway and involves 48 healthy adults who have received two doses of the vaccine or the placebo, with a gap of two months in between doses.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/transmission-of-covid-19-from-surfaces-constitutes-low-risk-cdc-says-375644" hreflang="en">Transmission of COVID-19 from surfaces constitutes low risk, CDC says</a>

Initial data paints an optimistic picture, for 97 per cent subjects showed promise for the immune system to create broad antibodies.

The new mRNA technology which was used by scientists to develop COVID-19 vaccines for companies like Moderna and Pfizer accelerated the development of a COVID-19 vaccine, and may also be used to create an HIV vaccine.

New early stage data from a clinical trial suggests progress for a vaccine to fight against HIV. The trials, conducted by the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative and the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California may bring respite after 30 years of vaccine attempts against HIV, which is the virus responsible for causing AIDS if not treated.

New early stage data from a clinical trial suggests progress for a vaccine to fight against HIV. The trials, conducted by the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative and the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California may bring respite after 30 years of vaccine attempts against HIV, which is the virus responsible for causing AIDS if not treated. To ascertain the true efficacy of any vaccine, larger studies will need to be undertaken. But experts are hopeful this vaccine will work. When HIV was discovered as the cause of AIDS in 1980s, scientists thought they would be able to develop a vaccine rapidly. But that did not happen, for the virus mutates rapidly. In addition, the virus has multiple subtypes, implying that a vaccine developed for one subtype may not offer protection against the other. Also read: New study claims 1 in 3 COVID-19 survivors develop mental, neurological issues ABC cited the new research as attempting to bridge this gap by creating a vaccine capable of “broadly neutralising antibodies” by triggering the immune system of a person to develop protection against multiple variants. The first trial is currently underway and involves 48 healthy adults who have received two doses of the vaccine or the placebo, with a gap of two months in between doses. Also read: Transmission of COVID-19 from surfaces constitutes low risk, CDC says Initial data paints an optimistic picture, for 97 per cent subjects showed promise for the immune system to create broad antibodies. The new mRNA technology which was used by scientists to develop COVID-19 vaccines for companies like Moderna and Pfizer accelerated the development of a COVID-19 vaccine, and may also be used to create an HIV vaccine.

New trials for potential HIV vaccine show optimistic results

The second person ever to naturally cure their HIV has been identified in Argentina, raising hopes for a future cure.

The discovery was announced by a group of Harvard-based scientists at an international meeting for HIV experts.

The Argentinian woman, who comes from the city of Esperanza, was found to have zero-disease causing or so-called intact virus.

Loreen Willenburg, 67, San Francisco, was the first person to have 'intact'&nbsp;virus.

Usually, when a person gets HIV, the virus attaches itself to their immune cell's DNA and&nbsp;it reproduces from there. But in this case, the virus seems to have settled into a "gene desert." It cannot&nbsp;replicate within the body or&nbsp;cause any harm.

Currently, anti-viral drugs ensure that the immune systems of HIV-positive patients are healthy to reduce the risk of the disease that is advancing but they are expensive.

The researchers can&nbsp;benefit from additional&nbsp;funding to find cheaper cures.

While countries around the world have spent billions fighting the pandemic, it&nbsp;has fuelled several medical innovations including genetic vaccines.

Earlier, shots used a weakened or a deadly virus to develop immunity but these vaccines&nbsp;take a small part of the genetic information of the virus and use the cells of the body&nbsp;to spark an immune response.

Due to this,&nbsp;scientists can&nbsp;design a cure within days instead of months of years.

Experts believe this breakthrough could be replicated to eliminate chronic infectious or cancerous cells.

The pandemic also&nbsp;led to the rise of devices that can measure a person's temperature, heart rate and oxygen levels.

Experts are of the view&nbsp;that the same technology can be used to not just detect symptoms of the COVID-19 but also&nbsp;poisoning outbreaks and&nbsp;seasonal flu episodes.

Last year, scientists&nbsp;raised the benefits of bio-printing, that is, printing human tissues to test potential treatments for coronavirus.

A team in America printed miniature lungs and colons to test drugs. The same technology can potentially be used to test treatments for cancer and other diseases.

The pandemic has taught the world the value of good health. Perhaps,&nbsp;if medical science gets more financial assistance, the scientists of the world may end up defeating more than one disease.

&nbsp;

The second person ever to naturally cure their HIV has been identified in Argentina, raising hopes for a future cure. The discovery was announced by a group of Harvard-based scientists at an international meeting for HIV experts.

The second person ever to naturally cure their HIV has been identified in Argentina, raising hopes for a future cure. The discovery was announced by a group of Harvard-based scientists at an international meeting for HIV experts. The Argentinian woman, who comes from the city of Esperanza, was found to have zero-disease causing or so-called intact virus. Loreen Willenburg, 67, San Francisco, was the first person to have 'intact' virus. Usually, when a person gets HIV, the virus attaches itself to their immune cell's DNA and it reproduces from there. But in this case, the virus seems to have settled into a "gene desert." It cannot replicate within the body or cause any harm. Currently, anti-viral drugs ensure that the immune systems of HIV-positive patients are healthy to reduce the risk of the disease that is advancing but they are expensive. The researchers can benefit from additional funding to find cheaper cures. While countries around the world have spent billions fighting the pandemic, it has fuelled several medical innovations including genetic vaccines. Earlier, shots used a weakened or a deadly virus to develop immunity but these vaccines take a small part of the genetic information of the virus and use the cells of the body to spark an immune response. Due to this, scientists can design a cure within days instead of months of years. Experts believe this breakthrough could be replicated to eliminate chronic infectious or cancerous cells. The pandemic also led to the rise of devices that can measure a person's temperature, heart rate and oxygen levels. Experts are of the view that the same technology can be used to not just detect symptoms of the COVID-19 but also poisoning outbreaks and seasonal flu episodes. Last year, scientists raised the benefits of bio-printing, that is, printing human tissues to test potential treatments for coronavirus. A team in America printed miniature lungs and colons to test drugs. The same technology can potentially be used to test treatments for cancer and other diseases. The pandemic has taught the world the value of good health. Perhaps, if medical science gets more financial assistance, the scientists of the world may end up defeating more than one disease.

Argentina: Second person known to be naturally cured of HIV raises hopes for millions

Deaths from HIV,&nbsp;tuberculosis&nbsp;and malaria could surge in poor and middle-income countries as already weak health systems grapple with severe disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a predictive study published on Monday.

Over the next five years, deaths from the three diseases could rise by as much as 10 per cent, 20 per cent&nbsp;and 36 per cent&nbsp;respectively, putting the mortality impact on a scale similar to the direct impact of the coronavirus pandemic itself, the modelling study found.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/over-63-million-predicted-to-develop-tuberculosis-by-2025-297360/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"In countries with a high malaria burden and large HIV and TB epidemics, even short-term disruptions could have devastating consequences for the millions of people who depend on programmes to control and treat these diseases," said Timothy Hallett, a professor at Imperial College London who co-led the work.

Also read| <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/countries-using-tuberculosis-vaccine-may-be-reducing-coronavirus-deaths-us-study-312304">Countries using tuberculosis vaccine may be reducing coronavirus deaths: US study</a>

He said the knock-on impact of COVID-19 could undo some of the significant progress against these diseases made over the past two decades, "compounding the burden caused by the pandemic directly". But the risks could be mitigated, Hallett said, if countries strive to maintain core health services and deploy preventative measures against infections.

Published in the Lancet Global Health journal, the study - which used disease-modelling projections to map out possible COVID-19 pandemic scenarios - found that the greatest impact on HIV would be from interruption to supplies of the antiretroviral AIDS drugs taken by many patients to keep the disease in check.

The United Nations AIDS agency and the World Health Organization warned last week of such stock shortages, with more than a third of the world's countries already saying they are at risk of running out of antiretrovirals.

With malaria, the study found the largest impact would be due to disrupted distribution of insecticide-treated bed nets, which protect millions of people from becoming infected by malaria-carrying mosquitoes.

Deaths from HIV, tuberculosis and malaria could surge in poor and middle-income countries as already weak health systems grapple with severe disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a predictive study published on Monday.

Deaths from HIV, tuberculosis and malaria could surge in poor and middle-income countries as already weak health systems grapple with severe disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a predictive study published on Monday. Over the next five years, deaths from the three diseases could rise by as much as 10 per cent, 20 per cent and 36 per cent respectively, putting the mortality impact on a scale similar to the direct impact of the coronavirus pandemic itself, the modelling study found. "In countries with a high malaria burden and large HIV and TB epidemics, even short-term disruptions could have devastating consequences for the millions of people who depend on programmes to control and treat these diseases," said Timothy Hallett, a professor at Imperial College London who co-led the work. Also read| Countries using tuberculosis vaccine may be reducing coronavirus deaths: US study He said the knock-on impact of COVID-19 could undo some of the significant progress against these diseases made over the past two decades, "compounding the burden caused by the pandemic directly". But the risks could be mitigated, Hallett said, if countries strive to maintain core health services and deploy preventative measures against infections. Published in the Lancet Global Health journal, the study - which used disease-modelling projections to map out possible COVID-19 pandemic scenarios - found that the greatest impact on HIV would be from interruption to supplies of the antiretroviral AIDS drugs taken by many patients to keep the disease in check. The United Nations AIDS agency and the World Health Organization warned last week of such stock shortages, with more than a third of the world's countries already saying they are at risk of running out of antiretrovirals. With malaria, the study found the largest impact would be due to disrupted distribution of insecticide-treated bed nets, which protect millions of people from becoming infected by malaria-carrying mosquitoes.

Surge in deaths due to HIV, tuberculosis and malaria amid coronavirus pandemic: Study

Another patient in London, UK, is now cured of HIV, doctors have claimed. He has become only the second person in the world to have got rid of the disease.

Adam Castillejo — the now 40-year-old "London Patient" — was first diagnosed with HIV in 2003, according to The New York Times. He had stopped undergoing anti-retroviral therapy more than 30 months ago and revealed his identity on Monday (March 9).

According to the Lancet HIV journal, Castillejo was not cured by HIV drugs; but by a stem-cell treatment, he received for cancer he also had.

Timothy Brown referred to as the "Berlin Patient", was the first person reported to be cured of HIV in 2011 — three and half years after undergoing similar treatment. He received a similar bone-marrow transplant in 2007 and has been HIV-free for more than a decade now.

"We propose that these results represent the second ever case of a patient to be cured of HIV," lead researcher Prof Ravindra Kumar Gupta, from the University of Cambridge, said in a statement, adding, "the new test results were even more remarkable and likely demonstrated the patient was cured."

In both cases, stem cells used for their transplants came from a donor who had a relatively rare genetic mutation that resists HIV infection. The aggressive therapy was primarily used to treat the patients' cancers, not their HIV.

The cure, however, is not permanent as tests suggest Castillejo still has remnants of the virus in his body, as does Brown -- adding 99 per cent of their immune cells have been replaced by donor ones.

Researchers have also cautioned that the breakthrough did not constitute a generalised cure for HIV. Castillejo's treatment was a "last resort" as he also suffered blood cancer which would likely have killed him without intervention.

Another patient in London, UK, is now cured of HIV, doctors have claimed. He has become only the second person in the world to have got rid of the disease. Adam Castillejo — the now 40-year-old "London Patient" — was first diagnosed with HIV in 2003, according to The New York Times.

Another patient in London, UK, is now cured of HIV, doctors have claimed. He has become only the second person in the world to have got rid of the disease. Adam Castillejo — the now 40-year-old "London Patient" — was first diagnosed with HIV in 2003, according to The New York Times. He had stopped undergoing anti-retroviral therapy more than 30 months ago and revealed his identity on Monday (March 9). According to the Lancet HIV journal, Castillejo was not cured by HIV drugs; but by a stem-cell treatment, he received for cancer he also had. Timothy Brown referred to as the "Berlin Patient", was the first person reported to be cured of HIV in 2011 — three and half years after undergoing similar treatment. He received a similar bone-marrow transplant in 2007 and has been HIV-free for more than a decade now. "We propose that these results represent the second ever case of a patient to be cured of HIV," lead researcher Prof Ravindra Kumar Gupta, from the University of Cambridge, said in a statement, adding, "the new test results were even more remarkable and likely demonstrated the patient was cured." In both cases, stem cells used for their transplants came from a donor who had a relatively rare genetic mutation that resists HIV infection. The aggressive therapy was primarily used to treat the patients' cancers, not their HIV. The cure, however, is not permanent as tests suggest Castillejo still has remnants of the virus in his body, as does Brown -- adding 99 per cent of their immune cells have been replaced by donor ones. Researchers have also cautioned that the breakthrough did not constitute a generalised cure for HIV. Castillejo's treatment was a "last resort" as he also suffered blood cancer which would likely have killed him without intervention.

Second person declared cured of HIV, with no trace of infection in 30 months

A second patient has been cured of HIV after undergoing stem cell transplant treatment, doctors said Tuesday, after finding no trace of infection 30 months after he stopped traditional treatment.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/latest-world-news-hiv-vaccine-trial-halted-after-it-fails-to-yield-expected-result-278462">Also Read: HIV vaccine trial halted after 'disappointing' results</a>

The so-called "London Patient", a cancer sufferer originally from Venezuela, made headlines last year when researchers at the University of Cambridge reported they had found no trace of the AIDS-causing virus in his blood for 18 months.

Ravindra Gupta, lead author of the study published in The Lancet HIV, said the new test results were "even more remarkable" and likely demonstrated the patient was cured.&nbsp;

"We've tested a sizeable set of sites that HIV likes to hide in and they are all pretty much negative for an active virus," Gupta told AFP.&nbsp;

The patient, who revealed his identity this week as Adam Castillejo, 40, was diagnosed with HIV in 2003 and had been on medication to keep the disease in check since 2012.

Later that year, he was diagnosed with advanced Hodgkin's Lymphoma, a deadly cancer.

In 2016 he underwent a bone marrow transplant to treat blood cancer, receiving stem cells from donors with a genetic mutation present in less than one per cent of Europeans that prevents HIV from taking hold.

He becomes only the second person to be cured of HIV after American Timothy Brown, known as the "Berlin Patient", recovered from HIV in 2011 following similar treatment.

Viral tests of Castillejo's cerebral fluid, intestinal tissue and lymphoid tissue more than two years after stopping antiretroviral treatment showed no active infection.

Gupta said the tests uncovered HIV "fossils" -- fragments of the virus that were now incapable of reproducing&nbsp;and were therefore safe.&nbsp;

"We'd expect that," he said.&nbsp;

"It's quite hard to imagine that all trace of a virus that infects billions of cells was eliminated from the body."

Researchers cautioned that the breakthrough did not constitute a generalised cure for HIV, which leads to nearly one million deaths every year.

Castillejo's treatment was a "last resort" as his blood cancer would likely have killed him without intervention, according to Gupta.

The Cambridge doctor said that there were "several other" patients who had undergone similar treatment but who were less far along in their remission.&nbsp;

"There will probably be more but they will take time," he said.&nbsp;

Researchers are currently weighing up whether or not patients suffering from drug-resistant forms of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/thai-doctors-say-cocktail-of-flu-hiv-drugs-appears-to-help-fight-coronavirus-278168">HIV</a> might be eligible for stem cell transplants in future, something Gupta said would require careful ethical consideration.

"You'd have to weigh up the fact that there's a 10 per cent mortality rate from doing a stem-cell transplant against what the risk of death would be if we did nothing," he said.

Castillejo himself said that the experience had prompted him to come forward and identify himself in order to help spread awareness of HIV.

"This is a unique position to be in, a unique and very humbling position,” he told The New York Times.

Sharon Lewin, an infectious disease expert at the University of Melbourne and member of the International AIDS Society, said Castillejo's case was "exciting".

"But we need to also place it in context -&nbsp;curing people of HIV via a bone marrow transplant is just not a viable option on any kind of scale," she said.&nbsp;

"We need to constantly reiterate the importance of, prevention, early testing and treatment adherence as the pillars of the current global response to HIV/AIDS."

A second patient has been cured of HIV after undergoing stem cell transplant treatment, doctors said Tuesday, after finding no trace of infection 30 months after he stopped traditional treatment.

A second patient has been cured of HIV after undergoing stem cell transplant treatment, doctors said Tuesday, after finding no trace of infection 30 months after he stopped traditional treatment. Also Read: HIV vaccine trial halted after 'disappointing' results The so-called "London Patient", a cancer sufferer originally from Venezuela, made headlines last year when researchers at the University of Cambridge reported they had found no trace of the AIDS-causing virus in his blood for 18 months. Ravindra Gupta, lead author of the study published in The Lancet HIV, said the new test results were "even more remarkable" and likely demonstrated the patient was cured. "We've tested a sizeable set of sites that HIV likes to hide in and they are all pretty much negative for an active virus," Gupta told AFP. The patient, who revealed his identity this week as Adam Castillejo, 40, was diagnosed with HIV in 2003 and had been on medication to keep the disease in check since 2012. Later that year, he was diagnosed with advanced Hodgkin's Lymphoma, a deadly cancer. In 2016 he underwent a bone marrow transplant to treat blood cancer, receiving stem cells from donors with a genetic mutation present in less than one per cent of Europeans that prevents HIV from taking hold. He becomes only the second person to be cured of HIV after American Timothy Brown, known as the "Berlin Patient", recovered from HIV in 2011 following similar treatment. Viral tests of Castillejo's cerebral fluid, intestinal tissue and lymphoid tissue more than two years after stopping antiretroviral treatment showed no active infection. Gupta said the tests uncovered HIV "fossils" -- fragments of the virus that were now incapable of reproducing and were therefore safe. "We'd expect that," he said. "It's quite hard to imagine that all trace of a virus that infects billions of cells was eliminated from the body." Researchers cautioned that the breakthrough did not constitute a generalised cure for HIV, which leads to nearly one million deaths every year. Castillejo's treatment was a "last resort" as his blood cancer would likely have killed him without intervention, according to Gupta. The Cambridge doctor said that there were "several other" patients who had undergone similar treatment but who were less far along in their remission. "There will probably be more but they will take time," he said. Researchers are currently weighing up whether or not patients suffering from drug-resistant forms of HIV might be eligible for stem cell transplants in future, something Gupta said would require careful ethical consideration. "You'd have to weigh up the fact that there's a 10 per cent mortality rate from doing a stem-cell transplant against what the risk of death would be if we did nothing," he said. Castillejo himself said that the experience had prompted him to come forward and identify himself in order to help spread awareness of HIV. "This is a unique position to be in, a unique and very humbling position,” he told The New York Times. Sharon Lewin, an infectious disease expert at the University of Melbourne and member of the International AIDS Society, said Castillejo's case was "exciting". "But we need to also place it in context - curing people of HIV via a bone marrow transplant is just not a viable option on any kind of scale," she said. "We need to constantly reiterate the importance of, prevention, early testing and treatment adherence as the pillars of the current global response to HIV/AIDS."

Another patient cured of HIV after undergoing stem cell transplant, claim doctors

Doctors in a town in Pakistan are struggling to cope with a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/who-begins-probe-in-spread-of-hiv-cases-in-pakistan-223276">surge in patients infected with HIV</a>, the virus that causes AIDS, with nearly 700 cases since April, most of them children.

Health officials suspect the outbreak is linked to reused syringes and needles and improperly screened blood transfusions.

"For me it was impossible to imagine," said Nazeer, recalling the day a doctor said his 16 month-old girl had tested positive for HIV.

"I told him `are you joking with me, how can she have HIV?`," he said in his home in Ratodero, 480 km (298 miles) from Karachi, the capital of the southern province of Sindh.

His daughter is receiving treatment, he said, adding he did not know how she was infected.

Health officials say 681 people have tested positive for HIV in Ratodero, of whom 537 are children, since April 25.

More than 21,00 people have taken an HIV test at Ratodero`s only screening centre in a government hospital. Others have been tested at private clinics. 
"I have identified the tip of the iceberg. This could be in the thousands, not hundreds," said Dr Imran Akbar Arbani, who operates a clinic in the town in Lakarna district.&nbsp;

About 60% of Ratodero patients were infected by reused needles and syringes, or through transfusions of blood that were not screened properly for HIV, said Dr Sikander Memon, head of the AIDS control programme in the province.

Police and doctors conducted an initial investigation and found that 123 HIV patients had been treated by one doctor before they were infected. 
Dr Muzaffar Ghanghro was arrested on April 30 and has been charged with unintentional murder, police said.

"Negligence and carelessness of Dr Muzaffar Ghanghro has been the prime reason behind the spread of HIV at the later stage," the investigation team said in a report.

Reuters was not permitted to contact Ghangro in jail and was not able to contact his lawyer.&nbsp;

Imtiaz, a labourer, said he had taken his three children to Ghangro because there was no paediatrician in town. All three became infected with HIV. 
"He applied the same drip on 50 children without changing the needle," he said.

`SOLD ALL MY VALUABLES`

Pakistan has some 163,000 HIV and AIDS patients, of whom only 25,000 are registered with provincial and federal AIDS control programs, said Zafar Mirza, a health adviser to Prime Minister Imran Khan.

At Pakistan`s request, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have sent a team of experts to the area. They are expected to visit Ratodero on Friday.

"They will carry out a proper investigation into how this outbreak too place," Mirza told reporters. "I hope in the coming few weeks we will know the reasons."

The government has ordered 50,000 HIV screening kits and is setting up three treatment centres. Adult patients are receiving anti-retroviral drugs and medicines have been ordered for children, Mirza said.

The Ratodero cases underscore the dire state of healthcare in Pakistan, a nation of 208 million where almost a third of the population lives on less than $3.20 a day and where many people cannot afford expensive medical tests or drugs.

Few families can afford proper treatment for HIV, which usually involves regular trips to Karachi.

"I have sold all my valuables for treatment. Now I can`t afford to go Karachi for my children`s medicines every month," said Tariq, who lives in a village near Ratodero.

Tariq, his wife and daughter are HIV positive, and a nephew tested positive this month. He does not know how they became infected.

"There are 16 HIV cases in our village alone. No one has come to see our plight," he said.

Doctors in a town in Pakistan are struggling to cope with a surge in patients infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, with nearly 700 cases since April, most of them children.

Doctors in a town in Pakistan are struggling to cope with a surge in patients infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, with nearly 700 cases since April, most of them children. Health officials suspect the outbreak is linked to reused syringes and needles and improperly screened blood transfusions. "For me it was impossible to imagine," said Nazeer, recalling the day a doctor said his 16 month-old girl had tested positive for HIV. "I told him `are you joking with me, how can she have HIV?`," he said in his home in Ratodero, 480 km (298 miles) from Karachi, the capital of the southern province of Sindh. His daughter is receiving treatment, he said, adding he did not know how she was infected. Health officials say 681 people have tested positive for HIV in Ratodero, of whom 537 are children, since April 25. More than 21,00 people have taken an HIV test at Ratodero`s only screening centre in a government hospital. Others have been tested at private clinics. "I have identified the tip of the iceberg. This could be in the thousands, not hundreds," said Dr Imran Akbar Arbani, who operates a clinic in the town in Lakarna district. About 60% of Ratodero patients were infected by reused needles and syringes, or through transfusions of blood that were not screened properly for HIV, said Dr Sikander Memon, head of the AIDS control programme in the province. Police and doctors conducted an initial investigation and found that 123 HIV patients had been treated by one doctor before they were infected. Dr Muzaffar Ghanghro was arrested on April 30 and has been charged with unintentional murder, police said. "Negligence and carelessness of Dr Muzaffar Ghanghro has been the prime reason behind the spread of HIV at the later stage," the investigation team said in a report. Reuters was not permitted to contact Ghangro in jail and was not able to contact his lawyer. Imtiaz, a labourer, said he had taken his three children to Ghangro because there was no paediatrician in town. All three became infected with HIV. "He applied the same drip on 50 children without changing the needle," he said. `SOLD ALL MY VALUABLES` Pakistan has some 163,000 HIV and AIDS patients, of whom only 25,000 are registered with provincial and federal AIDS control programs, said Zafar Mirza, a health adviser to Prime Minister Imran Khan. At Pakistan`s request, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have sent a team of experts to the area. They are expected to visit Ratodero on Friday. "They will carry out a proper investigation into how this outbreak too place," Mirza told reporters. "I hope in the coming few weeks we will know the reasons." The government has ordered 50,000 HIV screening kits and is setting up three treatment centres. Adult patients are receiving anti-retroviral drugs and medicines have been ordered for children, Mirza said. The Ratodero cases underscore the dire state of healthcare in Pakistan, a nation of 208 million where almost a third of the population lives on less than $3.20 a day and where many people cannot afford expensive medical tests or drugs. Few families can afford proper treatment for HIV, which usually involves regular trips to Karachi. "I have sold all my valuables for treatment. Now I can`t afford to go Karachi for my children`s medicines every month," said Tariq, who lives in a village near Ratodero. Tariq, his wife and daughter are HIV positive, and a nephew tested positive this month. He does not know how they became infected. "There are 16 HIV cases in our village alone. No one has come to see our plight," he said.

'How can she have HIV?': Pakistan town struggles with surge in infections

&nbsp;A European study of nearly 1,000 gay male couples who had sex without condoms – where one partner had HIV and was taking antiretroviral drugs to suppress it - has found the treatment can prevent sexual transmission of the virus.

After eight years of follow-up of the so-called serodifferent couples, the study found no cases at all of HIV transmission within couples.&nbsp;

The study proves, the researchers said, that using antiretroviral therapy to suppress the AIDS virus to undetectable levels also means it cannot be passed on via sex, the researchers said.

"Our findings provide conclusive evidence for gay men that the risk of HIV transmission with suppressive ART is zero," said Alison Rodger, a professor at University College London who co-led the research.&nbsp;

She said this "powerful message" could help end the HIV pandemic by preventing the virus` transmission in high-risk populations.

In this study alone, for example, the researchers estimate that the suppressive antiretroviral treatment prevented around 472 HIV transmissions during the eight years.&nbsp;

The study, published in the Lancet medical journal on Thursday, assessed the risk of HIV transmission between serodifferent gay male couples - where one partner is HIV-positive and one is HIV-negative - who do not use condoms.&nbsp;

Its findings add to an earlier phase of the study which looked at HIV transmission risk for serodifferent heterosexual couples in the same circumstances. It also found zero risks.

While 15 of the men among the 972 gay couples in this phase did become infected with HIV during the eight years of follow-up, genetic testing showed their infections were with strains of HIV acquired from another sexual partner.

Since the start of the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s, more than 77 million people have become infected with HIV.

Almost half of the - 35.4 million - have died of AIDS.

Global health experts say the fight against HIV is at a precarious point, with the annual number of AIDS deaths falling and the number of people getting antiretroviral treatment rising, but the number of new infections stubbornly high at around 1.8 million new cases a year worldwide.

A European study of nearly 1,000 gay male couples who had sex without condoms – where one partner had HIV and was taking antiretroviral drugs to suppress it - has found the treatment can prevent sexual transmission of the virus.

A European study of nearly 1,000 gay male couples who had sex without condoms – where one partner had HIV and was taking antiretroviral drugs to suppress it - has found the treatment can prevent sexual transmission of the virus. After eight years of follow-up of the so-called serodifferent couples, the study found no cases at all of HIV transmission within couples. The study proves, the researchers said, that using antiretroviral therapy to suppress the AIDS virus to undetectable levels also means it cannot be passed on via sex, the researchers said. "Our findings provide conclusive evidence for gay men that the risk of HIV transmission with suppressive ART is zero," said Alison Rodger, a professor at University College London who co-led the research. She said this "powerful message" could help end the HIV pandemic by preventing the virus` transmission in high-risk populations. In this study alone, for example, the researchers estimate that the suppressive antiretroviral treatment prevented around 472 HIV transmissions during the eight years. The study, published in the Lancet medical journal on Thursday, assessed the risk of HIV transmission between serodifferent gay male couples - where one partner is HIV-positive and one is HIV-negative - who do not use condoms. Its findings add to an earlier phase of the study which looked at HIV transmission risk for serodifferent heterosexual couples in the same circumstances. It also found zero risks. While 15 of the men among the 972 gay couples in this phase did become infected with HIV during the eight years of follow-up, genetic testing showed their infections were with strains of HIV acquired from another sexual partner. Since the start of the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s, more than 77 million people have become infected with HIV. Almost half of the - 35.4 million - have died of AIDS. Global health experts say the fight against HIV is at a precarious point, with the annual number of AIDS deaths falling and the number of people getting antiretroviral treatment rising, but the number of new infections stubbornly high at around 1.8 million new cases a year worldwide.

AIDS drugs prevent sexual transmission of HIV in gay men

An HIV-positive man in Britain has become the second known adult worldwide to be cleared of the AIDS virus after he received a bone marrow transplant from an HIV resistant donor, his doctors said.

Almost three years after receiving bone marrow stem cells from a donor with a rare genetic mutation that resists HIV infection - and more than 18 months after coming off antiretroviral drugs - highly sensitive tests still show no trace of the man's previous HIV infection.

"There is no virus there that we can measure. We can't detect anything," said Ravindra Gupta, a professor and HIV biologist who co-led a team of doctors treating the man.

The case is proof of the concept that scientists will one day be able to end AIDS, the doctors said but does not mean a cure for HIV has been found.

Gupta described his patient as "functionally cured" and "in remission", but cautioned: "It's too early to say he's cured."

The man is being called "the London patient", in part because his case is similar to the first known case of a functional cure of HIV - in an American man, Timothy Brown, who became known as the Berlin patient when he underwent similar treatment in Germany in 2007 which also cleared his HIV.

Brown, who had been living in Berlin, has since moved to the United States and, according to HIV experts, is still HIV-free.

Some 37 million people worldwide are currently infected with HIV and the AIDS pandemic has killed around 35 million people worldwide since it began in the 1980s. Scientific research into the complex virus has in recent years led to the development of drug combinations that can keep it at bay in most patients.

Gupta, now at Cambridge University, treated the London patient when he was working at University College London. The man had contracted HIV in 2003, Gupta said, and in 2012 was also diagnosed with a type of blood cancer called Hodgkin's Lymphoma.

Last chance

In 2016, when he was very sick with cancer, doctors decided to seek a transplant match for him. "This was really his last chance of survival," Gupta told Reuters in an interview.

The donor - who was unrelated - had a genetic mutation known as 'CCR5 delta 32', which confers resistance to HIV.

The transplant went relatively smoothly, Gupta said, but there were some side effects, including the patient suffering a period of "graft-versus-host" disease - a condition in which donor immune cells attack the recipient's immune cells.

Most experts say it is inconceivable such treatments could be a way of curing all patients. The procedure is expensive, complex and risky. To do this in others, exact match donors would have to be found in the tiny proportion of people - most of them of northern European descent - who have the CCR5 mutation that makes them resistant to the virus.

Specialists said it is also not yet clear whether the CCR5 resistance is the only key - or whether the graft versus host disease may have been just as important. Both the Berlin and London patients had this complication, which may have played a role in the loss of HIV-infected cells, Gupta said.

Sharon Lewin, an expert at Australia's Doherty Institute and co-chair of the International AIDS Society's cure research advisory board, told Reuters the London case points to new avenues for study.

"We haven't cured HIV, but (this) gives us hope that it's going to be feasible one day to eliminate the virus," she said.

Gupta said his team plans to use these findings to explore potential new HIV treatment strategies. "We need to understand if we could knock out this (CCR5) receptor in people with HIV, which may be possible with gene therapy," he said.

The London patient, whose case was set to be reported in the journal Nature and presented at a medical conference in Seattle on Tuesday, has asked his medical team not to reveal his name, age, nationality or other details.

An HIV-positive man in Britain has become the second known adult worldwide to be cleared of the AIDS virus after he received a bone marrow transplant from an HIV resistant donor, his doctors said.

An HIV-positive man in Britain has become the second known adult worldwide to be cleared of the AIDS virus after he received a bone marrow transplant from an HIV resistant donor, his doctors said. Almost three years after receiving bone marrow stem cells from a donor with a rare genetic mutation that resists HIV infection - and more than 18 months after coming off antiretroviral drugs - highly sensitive tests still show no trace of the man's previous HIV infection. "There is no virus there that we can measure. We can't detect anything," said Ravindra Gupta, a professor and HIV biologist who co-led a team of doctors treating the man. The case is proof of the concept that scientists will one day be able to end AIDS, the doctors said but does not mean a cure for HIV has been found. Gupta described his patient as "functionally cured" and "in remission", but cautioned: "It's too early to say he's cured." The man is being called "the London patient", in part because his case is similar to the first known case of a functional cure of HIV - in an American man, Timothy Brown, who became known as the Berlin patient when he underwent similar treatment in Germany in 2007 which also cleared his HIV. Brown, who had been living in Berlin, has since moved to the United States and, according to HIV experts, is still HIV-free. Some 37 million people worldwide are currently infected with HIV and the AIDS pandemic has killed around 35 million people worldwide since it began in the 1980s. Scientific research into the complex virus has in recent years led to the development of drug combinations that can keep it at bay in most patients. Gupta, now at Cambridge University, treated the London patient when he was working at University College London. The man had contracted HIV in 2003, Gupta said, and in 2012 was also diagnosed with a type of blood cancer called Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Last chance In 2016, when he was very sick with cancer, doctors decided to seek a transplant match for him. "This was really his last chance of survival," Gupta told Reuters in an interview. The donor - who was unrelated - had a genetic mutation known as 'CCR5 delta 32', which confers resistance to HIV. The transplant went relatively smoothly, Gupta said, but there were some side effects, including the patient suffering a period of "graft-versus-host" disease - a condition in which donor immune cells attack the recipient's immune cells. Most experts say it is inconceivable such treatments could be a way of curing all patients. The procedure is expensive, complex and risky. To do this in others, exact match donors would have to be found in the tiny proportion of people - most of them of northern European descent - who have the CCR5 mutation that makes them resistant to the virus. Specialists said it is also not yet clear whether the CCR5 resistance is the only key - or whether the graft versus host disease may have been just as important. Both the Berlin and London patients had this complication, which may have played a role in the loss of HIV-infected cells, Gupta said. Sharon Lewin, an expert at Australia's Doherty Institute and co-chair of the International AIDS Society's cure research advisory board, told Reuters the London case points to new avenues for study. "We haven't cured HIV, but (this) gives us hope that it's going to be feasible one day to eliminate the virus," she said. Gupta said his team plans to use these findings to explore potential new HIV treatment strategies. "We need to understand if we could knock out this (CCR5) receptor in people with HIV, which may be possible with gene therapy," he said. The London patient, whose case was set to be reported in the journal Nature and presented at a medical conference in Seattle on Tuesday, has asked his medical team not to reveal his name, age, nationality or other details.

UK man cleared for AIDS after stem cell transplant, becomes second patient to be free of HIV

A London man infected with HIV may be the second person in the world to beat the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/uk-man-cleared-for-aids-after-stem-cell-transplant-becomes-second-patient-to-be-free-of-hiv-201196">virus that causes AIDS</a>, researchers reported Monday, a finding advancing the costly and challenging search for a cure.

The research team was co-led by Indian origin Dr Ravindra Gupta Londoner who is a professor and HIV biologist.&nbsp;

Professor Ravindra Gupta is a virologist at University College London.

Dr Gupta has two teams under him working for the cure of HIV in London and in South Africa, at the Africa Health Research Institute.

Gupta's research career is focused on the emergence of global HIV drug resistance. Having completed his specialist medical training in infectious diseases and a Masters in International Public Health, he now works on clinical/epidemiological aspects of drug resistance as well as in vitro investigation of susceptibility to protease inhibitors, a major class of drugs now being widely used to tackle first-line treatment failure globally.

“There is no virus there that we can measure. We can’t detect anything,” Ravindra Gupta, the doctor who co-lead the man’s treatment team, told Reuters.

Gupta said the London patient was “functionally cured” and is in remission, but said it was too early to officially say he is cured.

In 2007, Timothy Ray Brown became the first person to be cured of HIV after receiving a bone marrow stem cell transplant, to treat leukemia, from someone who was naturally immune to the virus.

AIDS virus currently affects some 37 million people globally.

A London man infected with HIV may be the second person in the world to beat the virus that causes AIDS, researchers reported Monday, a finding advancing the costly and challenging search for a cure.

A London man infected with HIV may be the second person in the world to beat the virus that causes AIDS, researchers reported Monday, a finding advancing the costly and challenging search for a cure. The research team was co-led by Indian origin Dr Ravindra Gupta Londoner who is a professor and HIV biologist. Professor Ravindra Gupta is a virologist at University College London. Dr Gupta has two teams under him working for the cure of HIV in London and in South Africa, at the Africa Health Research Institute. Gupta's research career is focused on the emergence of global HIV drug resistance. Having completed his specialist medical training in infectious diseases and a Masters in International Public Health, he now works on clinical/epidemiological aspects of drug resistance as well as in vitro investigation of susceptibility to protease inhibitors, a major class of drugs now being widely used to tackle first-line treatment failure globally. “There is no virus there that we can measure. We can’t detect anything,” Ravindra Gupta, the doctor who co-lead the man’s treatment team, told Reuters. Gupta said the London patient was “functionally cured” and is in remission, but said it was too early to officially say he is cured. In 2007, Timothy Ray Brown became the first person to be cured of HIV after receiving a bone marrow stem cell transplant, to treat leukemia, from someone who was naturally immune to the virus. AIDS virus currently affects some 37 million people globally.

Indian-origin Dr Ravindra Gupta co-led team that helped person beat AIDS

President Donald Trump used his State of the Union address on Tuesday to call for a bipartisan commitment to eradicate AIDS in the United States within a decade.

"Scientific breakthroughs have brought a once-distant dream within reach," Trump said in his annual address to Congress.&nbsp;

"My budget will ask Democrats and Republicans to make the needed commitment to eliminate the HIV epidemic in the United States within 10 years," he said.

"Together, we will defeat AIDS in America and beyond."

Some 38,000 people were infected with HIV in the United States in 2017, according to government statistics.&nbsp;

This number has shrunk over the years, but in some communities, there has been no let-up, especially among gays, blacks and Hispanics.&nbsp;

The Trump administration proposed last year to cut the budget for AIDS prevention, but Congress refused.

"No force in history has done more to advance the human condition than American freedom," Trump said.&nbsp;

"In recent years we have made remarkable progress in the fight against HIV and AIDS." &nbsp;

Trump's mastery of the issue has been called into question, however, most notably by Microsoft founder Bill Gates, who said last year that at two meetings, Trump needed help distinguishing HIV from HPV, another sexually transmitted disease.

"Both times, he wanted to know if there was a difference between HIV and HPV so I was able to explain that those are rarely confused with each other," Gates said.

President Donald Trump used his State of the Union address on Tuesday to call for a bipartisan commitment to eradicate AIDS in the United States within a decade.

President Donald Trump used his State of the Union address on Tuesday to call for a bipartisan commitment to eradicate AIDS in the United States within a decade. "Scientific breakthroughs have brought a once-distant dream within reach," Trump said in his annual address to Congress. "My budget will ask Democrats and Republicans to make the needed commitment to eliminate the HIV epidemic in the United States within 10 years," he said. "Together, we will defeat AIDS in America and beyond." Some 38,000 people were infected with HIV in the United States in 2017, according to government statistics. This number has shrunk over the years, but in some communities, there has been no let-up, especially among gays, blacks and Hispanics. The Trump administration proposed last year to cut the budget for AIDS prevention, but Congress refused. "No force in history has done more to advance the human condition than American freedom," Trump said. "In recent years we have made remarkable progress in the fight against HIV and AIDS." Trump's mastery of the issue has been called into question, however, most notably by Microsoft founder Bill Gates, who said last year that at two meetings, Trump needed help distinguishing HIV from HPV, another sexually transmitted disease. "Both times, he wanted to know if there was a difference between HIV and HPV so I was able to explain that those are rarely confused with each other," Gates said.

We will defeat AIDS in America and beyond: Trump in State of the Union address

Chinese gay dating app Blued is halting new user registration for a week, it said on Sunday, following media reports that underage users caught HIV after going on dates set up via the world`s largest networking app for the LGBT community.

China has a vibrant lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender scene (LGBT), though activists say conservative attitudes among some groups in society have prompted occasional government clampdowns.

On Saturday, citing academic research, financial magazine Caixin said juveniles were heavily involved in the gay dating app, where some teenagers had even hosted live streaming.

It added that many gay teenagers had unprotected sex through the app and contracted HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

In response, Blued vowed to launch a "comprehensive content audit and regulation," and crack down on juvenile users posing as adults and on texts, pictures and groups that involve minors.

"Blued always forbids juveniles from logging on and using the app," it said in a statement on its verified account on China`s Twitter-like Weibo.&nbsp;

The company added that it had enabled artificial intelligence to weed out pornographic content since last year, and vowed to further support AIDS prevention work.

The Beijing-based company did not immediately reply to a request from Reuters for comment on Sunday.

Blued, which was launched in 2010 and now boasts 40 million registered users, is backed by state-run media Beijing News. It is the brainchild of a former policeman who quit his job to play Cupid to millions of gay men in China.

Grindr, a Los Angeles-based gay dating app well-known globally, is also owned by a Chinese company.&nbsp;

Chinese gay dating app Blued is halting new user registration for a week, it said on Sunday, following media reports that underage users caught HIV after going on dates set up via the world`s largest networking app for the LGBT community.

Chinese gay dating app Blued is halting new user registration for a week, it said on Sunday, following media reports that underage users caught HIV after going on dates set up via the world`s largest networking app for the LGBT community. China has a vibrant lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender scene (LGBT), though activists say conservative attitudes among some groups in society have prompted occasional government clampdowns. On Saturday, citing academic research, financial magazine Caixin said juveniles were heavily involved in the gay dating app, where some teenagers had even hosted live streaming. It added that many gay teenagers had unprotected sex through the app and contracted HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. In response, Blued vowed to launch a "comprehensive content audit and regulation," and crack down on juvenile users posing as adults and on texts, pictures and groups that involve minors. "Blued always forbids juveniles from logging on and using the app," it said in a statement on its verified account on China`s Twitter-like Weibo. The company added that it had enabled artificial intelligence to weed out pornographic content since last year, and vowed to further support AIDS prevention work. The Beijing-based company did not immediately reply to a request from Reuters for comment on Sunday. Blued, which was launched in 2010 and now boasts 40 million registered users, is backed by state-run media Beijing News. It is the brainchild of a former policeman who quit his job to play Cupid to millions of gay men in China. Grindr, a Los Angeles-based gay dating app well-known globally, is also owned by a Chinese company.

Chinese gay dating app halts registration after underage HIV report

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