AIMS To assess the "real life" effectiveness of different antiretroviral therapies (ART). METHODS A retrospective multicentre observational study in 150 HIV-1 vertically infected children on the progression to AIDS (study A), and in 61 HIV-1 infected children on the evolution of the most relevant markers of progression (study B). All children were categorised into four groups: untreated (NT);...

BACKGROUND In Romania, a country with no organized national surveillance program regarding cervical cancer, the early diagnosis of HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) infections is a major requirement, especially in HIV-infected women. The objective of this study was to determine the HPV prevalence and type distribution in young HIV-positive women and to assess the difference in the risk factors for de...

The non-adherence to the highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) is considered one of the most threatening risks for the effectiveness of the treatment of the person with HIV/AIDS on the individual plan and for the resistance-virus dissemination on the collective plan. The objective of this study was to analyze, through a literature review, the predicting factors of non-adherence to the HA...

Histoplasmosis and penicilliosis are fungal infections with similar clinical presentation and laboratory findings that were reported mainly in the era prior to highly active antiretroviral therapy. We conducted a retrospective review at two hospitals in Central Thailand of the medical records of HIV-positive patients with microbiologic evidence of histoplasmosis or penicilliosis between January...

The importance of co-morbidity in older HIV-infected patients We read with interest the recent study by Tumbarello et al. [1]. The authors compared a group of HIV-infected older patients (aged. 50 years) with a group of younger patients (aged 20–35 years). All patients received highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). The older cohort had a lower mean CD4 cell count than the younger cohort...

BACKGROUND Successful treatment reduces morbidity, mortality and transmission of HIV. We evaluated trends in the treatment status of HIV infected individuals enrolled in care in Sweden and Denmark during the years 1995-2010. Our aim was to assess the proportion of HIV-infected individuals who received services along the continuum of care in Denmark in 2010, and to discuss the findings in relati...

BACKGROUND Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) is the most common cancer diagnosed among people with HIV in the United States. Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) is an essential treatment for KS, and recent reports document the emergence of racial disparities in KS incidence and HIV-related mortality in the post-HAART era (1996 to present). The aim of this study was to examine trends in KS survival...

The need for a new surveillance approach to understand the clinical outcomes and behaviors of people in care for HIV evolved from the new challenges for monitoring clinical outcomes in the HAART era, the impact of the epidemic on an increasing number of areas in the US, and the need for representative data to describe the epidemic and related resource utilization and needs. The Institute of Med...

Exclusive and safe formula feeding can eliminate the risk of vertical HIV transmission due to breastfeeding. Therefore, many countries advise all HIV-positive women to avoid breastfeeding their infants. However, little research explores the experiences of women attempting to exclusively formula feed in countries with free and universal access to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Thi...

BACKGROUND Adherence to therapy is a dynamic behavior. However, few studies have identified factors associated with changes in adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) among men and women. METHODS From 1999 through 2004, self-reported adherence to HAART was recorded twice yearly as part of 2 prospective cohort studies. At each study visit, participants were categorized as bei...