Tag: HIV/AIDS

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Researchers successfully eliminate HIV virus from human cells

The Temple University School of Medicine research team’s approach looks promising as they work towards a permanent cure and potential for protection against HIV.

“This is one important step on the path toward a permanent cure for AIDS,” says Kamel Khalili, PhD, Professor and Chair of the Department of Neuroscience at Temple.

Via press release:

When deployed, a combination of a DNA-snipping enzyme called a nuclease and a targeting strand of RNA called a guide RNA (gRNA) hunt down the viral genome and excise the HIV-1 DNA.

From there, the cell’s gene repair machinery takes over, soldering the loose ends of the genome back together – resulting in virus-free cells.

One of the many difficulties involved, even with this good news, is the fact that HIV virus is prone to mutation, complicating any cure’s potential effectiveness.

This news comes on the heels of a report published at the 20th International AIDS Conference announcing HIV infection rates in general have dropped here in the U.S.

(via Towleroad)

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World Health Organization recommends all gay men take retroviral medications

Time.com reports:

The World Health Organization has suggested for the first time that all men who have sex with men should take antiretroviral medicine, warning that HIV infection rates among gay men are exploding around the world.

In guidelines published Friday, it said that it “strongly recommends men who have sex with men consider taking antiretroviral medicines as an additional method of preventing HIV infection.”

Similar guidelines were issued by the U.S. in May.

UPDATE: WHO clarified it’s guidance today saying that PrEP should be considered as an additional choice for preventing HIV infection alongside and together with the use of condoms and other prevention options,” WHO said in a statement explaining the recommendation.

“Essentially, this is about choice — in the same way that WHO recommends different contraception options for women WHO wants to support offering gay men the full range of prevention options to suit their circumstances and not exclude any options that are evidenced based.”

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New York: Gov. Cuomo announces plan to end AIDS epidemic by 2020

At this year’s NYC Gay Pride event, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced an aggressive new plan to target and end the AIDS epidemic in New York State:

‘Thirty years ago, New York was the epicenter of the AIDS crisis — today I am proud to announce that we are in a position to be the first state in the nation committed to ending this epidemic,’ the governor said in a statement.

‘New York State has reached an important milestone in controlling the AIDS epidemic, and through this comprehensive strategy, we are decreasing new HIV infections to the point where by 2020, the number of persons living with HIV in New York State will be reduced for the first time,’ Cuomo continued.

The proposition has three parts: 1) identifying those with HIV who are still undiagnosed and connecting them with healthcare, 2) making certain those who are diagnosed have access to anti-HIV therapy, and 3) ‘providing access to Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) for high-risk persons to keep them HIV negative.’

(via Gay Star News)

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Las Vegas: 28th Ribbon of Life fundraising gala today

Golden Rainbow presents its 28th annual “Ribbon of Life” fundraising spectacular at The Penn & Teller Theater inside Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino today – Sunday, June 22 at 1 p.m.

TV personality Chris Saldaña and Edie of Cirque du Soleil’s Zumanity will return to host this year’s production, “Under the Big Top.”

The show will feature exhilarating circus-inspired acts with performances by entertainers Clint Holmes, Josh Strickland and Reva Rice; cast members from Dancing Queen, Frank Marino’s Divas Las Vegas, JERSEY BOYS, Jubilee, MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET, RagTag Entertainment, ROCK OF AGES, Zombie Burlesque and Cirque du Soleil’s The Beatles LOVE, Michael Jackson ONETM, Mystère and Zumanity; vocal groups Sin City Opera and The Sound Collage; and many more.

Supporters of Golden Rainbow can also give back during the “Ribbon of Life” silent auction by bidding on-site on the day of the event or online now. Prizes include various art, entertainment and vacation packages.

All proceeds from the event and silent auction will benefit the nonprofit’s efforts in providing housing and direct financial assistance to men, women and children living with HIV/AIDS.

For more info, go to goldenrainbow.org

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Iowa state court overturns conviction of HIV criminalization case

Good news for HIV+ folks in Iowa.

In 2009, Nick Rhoades was sentenced to 25 years in prison and was to be required to register as a sex offender for life,  after having a one-time sexual encounter using a condom at a time when his viral load was undetectable,

The Iowa Supreme Court has reversed that ruling.

Via press release from Lambda Legal:

In reversing the conviction, the Court recognized that HIV-positive individuals who have a reduced viral load as a result of effective treatment pose little risk of transmitting HIV.

“We applaud the Court for applying the law in light of current medical understanding of how HIV is and is not transmitted,” said Christopher Clark, Counsel for Lambda Legal. “An individual who takes precautions to prevent transmission should not be considered a criminal for choosing to be sexually active, and we are very pleased that the Court agrees.”

Justice Wiggins wrote for the majority opinion: “Based on the state of medicine both now and at the time of the plea in 2009, we are unable to take judicial notice that an infected individual can transmit HIV, regardless of an infected individual’s viral load, when that individual engages in protected anal or unprotected oral sex with an uninfected person.”

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News Round-up – May 29, 2014

JLo’s boy Casper Smart

• JLo’s boy toy Casper Smart may have traded naked selfies with transgender bikini model Sofia Vissa, and she’s looking for her 15 minutes of fame

• Naval Admiral William H. McRaven returned to his alma mater to deliver this amazing Commencement Address at University of Texas at Austin 2014

• George Michael hospitalized in London

• The 25 US cities with the highest HIV/AIDS rates – you might be surprised

• Republican congressman Charlie Dent of Pennsylvania supports marriage equality

• New Gallup poll shows Americans are still split over whether gays are “born that way” or if environment makes the gay

• Mayor Bill Peduto will officiate up to 20 same-sex marriages at this years PrideFest in Pittsburgh

• Jennifer Hudson on performing at both LA and NYC Pride this year: It was the gays who loved me first

Another shirtless pic of Casper Smart, just because…

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Centers for Disease Control issue new guidelines recommending PrEP to avoid HIV infection

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have issued a new set of guidelines for the use of PrEP as an HIV preventative after having determined that PrEP is up to 90% effective for HIV prevention.

Said Jonathan Mermin, M.D., M.P.H., director of CDC’s National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention:

While a vaccine or cure may one day end the HIV epidemic, PrEP is a powerful tool that has the potential to alter the course of the U.S. HIV epidemic today. These guidelines represent an important step toward fully realizing the promise of PrEP. We should add to this momentum, working to ensure that PrEP is used by the right people, in the right way, in the right circumstances.

The CDC recommends PrEP along with condom use for the most effective preventative from infection.

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Macklemore’s Ryan Lewis shares his mother’s HIV+ status of 30 years

Macklemore’s Ryan Lewis shares his mother’s HIV+ status, and in doing so launches The 30/30 Project:

A huge part of what’s made me who I am, is something I haven’t talked about in interviews. If I could just take a few moments of your time, I’d love to tell you about the strongest woman that I know, my mom, Julie Lewis.

In 1984, my mom gave birth to my older sister, Teresa. Due to a complicated delivery, she needed a blood transfusion and at that moment, my mom had HIV+ blood put into her body. When she was finally diagnosed, she was given only a few years to live.

By that time, she had already given birth to my sister Laura and me. We each had a 25% chance of being born HIV+, but we were extremely fortunate (today, the risk of a mother passing HIV to her baby is 2% or less if she is taking medication).

Thanks to advanced medicine and healthcare available here in the U.S., my mom has lived despite her odds. To honor the thirty years my mom has been a survivor, our family is raising funds to build health centers worldwide that will stand strong for at least thirty years. We’re calling it the 30/30 Project.

We are partnering with Construction for Change, a Seattle-based nonprofit, to carry out construction. And we have local partners on the ground, such as Partners in Health, to run and operate the health facilities long-term. We want to give hope to women and families in other parts of the world who lack access to quality, affordable healthcare.

Lewis talks with CBS News about his mother here.

Check out the IndieGoGo campaign by clicking here.

(via JoeMyGod)