Note: This web page has links to many articles, fact sheets, and other materials arising from the 2014 Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) which was held on March 3 through 6 in Boston, Massachusetts.
The materials have been grouped into topic areas to help you find and quickly access materials of particular interest to you. The topic areas appear in the order listed below. Please note that some articles appear in more than one topic category:
- Conference Overview and Highlights
- Affected Population Groups and Health Disparities
- HIV Prevention, Transmission, and Testing
- HIV Treatment
- Research Toward an HIV Cure
- Living with HIV
- Hepatitis C
- The Global Epidemic
Conference Overview and Highlights
Really Rapid Review — CROI 2014, Boston. (NEJM Journal Watch)
Blog.AIDS.gov: Highlights and Conversations from CROI 2014
- Highlights: March 4
- Highlights: March 5
- Final Conference Highlights
- Hepatitis C
- HIV Continuum of Care
- HIV in Remission in HIV+ Babies
- PrEP [Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis] Topics
HIV Prevention at CROI 2014. (NATAP)
Jetsons-Era HIV Care and Prevention. (Poz)
IFARA Health and Treatment Update – This site published a series of video interviews with researchers and policymakers about some key topics discussed at CROI.
Affected Population Groups and Health Disparities
Gay, Bisexual, and Other Men Who Have Sex with Men:
- HIV incidence at record high in young gay Black men in southern USA. (AIDSmap)
- Young Black Gays in Atlanta Getting HIV at Breakneck Pace. (Poz)
- HIV Transmission Bottleneck Offers Clue to HCV Epidemic in HIV+ MSM. (NATAP)
- Massive Scale-Up of HIV Testing, Plus HIV Treatment on Diagnosis, Needed to Curtail UK Gay Epidemic. (AIDSmap)
- More MSM Get Tested for HIV, and More of Them Take Meds. (Poz)
- No-one with an undetectable viral load, gay or heterosexual, transmits HIV in first two years of PARTNER study. (AIDSmap)
- Only having sex with same-status partners is an HIV prevention strategy for 40% of gay men. (AIDSmap)
- U.S. HIV Transmission Network Study Holds Some Surprises About Women and MSM. (NATAP)
- Transmitted HIV Resistance Rate Close to 20% in Large Study of U.S. MSM. (NATAP)
Women:
- HIV Independently Predicts Cardiovascular Disease in U.S. Women. (NATAP)
- South African Women Gain More From HIV Tx. (MedPage)
- U.S. HIV Transmission Network Study Holds Some Surprises About Women and MSM. (NATAP)
- Younger women not at higher risk of HIV from relationships with older men, South African study finds. (AIDSmap)
Other Population Groups:
HIV Prevention, Transmission, and Testing
HIV Treatment as Prevention:
- Zero HIV Infections Seen Through Condomless Sex When HIV-Positive Partner Is on Effective Treatment. (TheBodyPro)
- Zero HIV Transmissions in Mixed-Status Couples Having Condomless Sex. (BETA.blog)
- No-one with an undetectable viral load, gay or heterosexual, transmits HIV in first two years of PARTNER study. (AIDSmap)
- Nearly Nil HIV Transmission Risk Without Condoms and with HIV+ Partner on Suppressive ART. (NATAP)
- Viral Suppression May Bring HIV Transmission Risk Close to Zero. (Poz)
- HIV Tx Tied to Low Infection From Sex. (MedPage)
- Drops in AIDS Deaths, Some Non-AIDS Deaths Parallel ART Expansion in British Columbia. (NATAP)
Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP):
- PrEP Adherence Issues Kick Off CROI 2014. (BETA.blog)
- Women and PrEP: A Q&A with Dr. Judy Auerbach. (BETA.blog)
- Lopinavir/ritonavir or 3TC PrEP equally protective against infant HIV infection during breastfeeding. (AIDSmap)
- Long-Acting HIV Drugs for Maintenance and PrEP. (BETA.blog)
- Monthly GSK744 Injections as PrEP Create Barrier to Vaginal SHIV Exposure. (TheBodyPro)
- Monkey studies confirm viability of injectable PrEP drug. (AIDSmap)
- Monthly PrEP Injections Show Promise in Female Monkeys. (Poz)
- Early Trial Raises Hopes of Quarterly PrEP Injections. (Poz)
- PrEP: Is One Drug As Good As Two? (BETA.blog)
Microbicides:
HIV Transmission:
- HIV incidence at record high in young gay Black men in southern USA. (AIDSmap)
- Young Black Gays in Atlanta Getting HIV at Breakneck Pace. (Poz)
- HIV Transmission Bottleneck Offers Clue to HCV Epidemic in HIV+ MSM. (NATAP)
- Transmitted HIV Resistance Rate Close to 20% in Large Study of U.S. MSM. (NATAP)
- Only having sex with same-status partners is an HIV prevention strategy for 40% of gay men. (AIDSmap)
- U.S. HIV Transmission Network Study Holds Some Surprises About Women and MSM. (NATAP)
- Nipping HIV in the bud: could we use genotyping to interrupt transmission? (AIDSmap)
- Younger women not at higher risk of HIV from relationships with older men, South African study finds. (AIDSmap)
- Maternal deaths due to HIV not declining despite PMTCT [prevention of mother-to-child transmission] successes in South Africa. (AIDSmap)
- Novel Network Score Tied to HIV Transmission Risk and Outcomes. (NATAP)
- Race, Age, and Transmission Risk Affect Viral Suppression Chances in D.C. Cohort. (NATAP)
- Sexually Transmitted Infections Greatly Increase the Risk of HIV Infection in Pregnancy. (AIDSmap)
HIV Testing:
- Massive Scale-Up of HIV Testing, Plus HIV Treatment on Diagnosis, Needed to Curtail UK Gay Epidemic. (AIDSmap)
- More MSM Get Tested for HIV, and More of Them Take Meds. (Poz)
- Self-testing encourages very high uptake of HIV testing in Malawi study. (AIDSmap)
HIV Treatment
Note: For articles about HIV treatment as prevention, please see the “HIV Prevention, Transmission, and Testing” section above.
New HIV Drugs and Drug Formulations:
- HIV attachment inhibitor BMS-663068 shows good safety and efficacy in phase 2b study. (AIDSmap)
- Novel two-drug maintenance combination works at least as well as triple therapy: stage set for long-lasting injectable formulation. (AIDSmap)
- Trial Bodes Well for Long-Acting HIV Drugs. (MedPage)
Studies Comparing Different HIV Treatment Regimens:
- In Battle of First-Line HIV Drugs, Raltegravir Beats Two Protease Inhibitors. (TheBodyPro)
- Efficacy and Tolerability of Atazanavir, Raltegravir, or Darunavir With FTC/TDF: ACTG A5257. (NATAP)
- Raltegravir has the edge over two protease inhibitors in three-drug comparison study. (AIDSmap)
- Raltegravir plus boosted darunavir shown to be safe and effective for first-line ART. (AIDSmap)
- 3 Regimens Hold HIV in Check Without Efavirenz. (MedPage)
- Efavirenz Tops Lopinavir in Pregnancy. (MedPage)
- Efavirenz-Based ART Matches Lopinavir/Ritonavir for Perinatal HIV Treatment. (AIDSmap)
Research Toward an HIV Cure
Overview of Current Cure Research:
- CROI 2014: The Latest on HIV Cure Research. (TheBodyPro.com)
Possible HIV Cure in Babies Receiving Very Early Treatment:
- CROI Is Over — and a Baby Once Again Takes Center Stage. (NEJM Journal Watch)
- A Second Baby Born With HIV Is Now Apparently HIV Negative. (Poz)
- Update on Mississippi Child Cured of HIV, Plus Second Child Shows Signs of HIV Remission. (TheBodyPro)
- Two Children Diagnosed at Birth Test HIV Negative After Very Early Treatment. (BETA.blog)
- Another Miracle Baby, a Still-Broken System. (HIV Prevention Justice Alliance)
Stem Cell Transplants:
- HIV Rebounds Detailed in Two Boston Stem Cell Transplant Patients. (NATAP)
- The ‘Boston patients’ experience HIV rebound after stem cell transplants. (AIDSmap)
- Culture Shock: The Boston HIV Mystery. (MedPage)
Gene Therapy and Therapeutic Vaccines:
- Protected T-cells persist and proliferate in HIV gene therapy study. (AIDSmap)
- Genetic HIV Therapy Aided by Drug to Boost CD4 Infusion. (Poz)
- Genetically Modifying Cells to Resist HIV Shows Promise. (Poz)
- Quadrivalent HPV Vaccine Induces Immune Memory in U.S. Men with HIV. (NATAP)
Living with HIV
Note: For articles about hepatitis C infection and HIV, please see the “Hepatitis C” section below.
General Health and Life Expectancy:
- Cumulative Viral Load Predicts All-Cause and AIDS Death but Not Non-AIDS Death. (NATAP)
- Drops in AIDS Deaths, Some Non-AIDS Deaths Parallel ART Expansion in British Columbia. (NATAP)
- Maternal deaths due to HIV not declining despite PMTCT successes in South Africa. (AIDSmap)
- Male life expectancy nine years shorter due to lower male uptake of HIV treatment in rural South Africa. (AIDSmap)
- Low CD4/CD8 Ratio Predicts Non-AIDS Illness in Large Italian Cohort. (NATAP)
Bone Problems:
- HIV Drug Linked to Low Bone Density in Babies. (MedPage)
- Newborns Exposed to TDF in Utero Have Lower Bone Mineral Content in U.S. (NATAP)
- Calcium and High-Dose Vitamin D Supplements Cut Bone Loss by Half. (Beta blog)
- Vitamin D/Calcium Supplements Reduce Bone Loss by 50% When Starting EFV/TDF/FTC. (NATAP)
Brain and Nervous System:
- Brain Markers of Inflammation Drop to Normal With Early ART. (NATAP)
- PI Regimens Tied to Cerebral Small Vessel Disease – and CSVD Tied to HAND [HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder]. (NATAP)
Cancer:
- Common Cancers Are More Fatal Among People With HIV. (Poz)
- People with HIV more likely to die after diagnosis of many common cancers in US. (AIDSmap)
- Five Cancers Diagnosed at Later Stage in People with vs. Without HIV. (NATAP)
Heart and Vessel Disease:
- Heavy Popper Use in Gay MACS Cohort Linked to New Heart Disease, Cancer. (NATAP)
- HIV Independently Predicts Cardiovascular Disease in U.S. Women. (NATAP)
- Arterial Inflammation Tied to High-Risk Coronary Plaques in HIV Group. (NATAP)
- Spleen and Bone Marrow May Be Key Players in Arterial Inflammation with HIV. (NATAP)
- Heart attack risk in people with HIV may be falling – but not in women. (AIDSmap)
Substance Use:
Kidney Problems:
Lipodystrophy (Body-Shape Changes) and Changes in Metabolism:
- Tesamorelin Lowers Hepatic Fat in HIV+ with Excess Visceral Fat. (NATAP)
- Testosterone Falls No More with Than Without HIV Over 6 Years in MACS. (NATAP)
Hepatitis C
Hepatitis C Transmission and Health Consequences:
- HIV Transmission Bottleneck Offers Clue to HCV Epidemic in HIV+ MSM. (NATAP)
- Post-Transplant Survival Lower with HIV and HCV-1 Than with HCV-1 Alone. (NATAP)
Hepatitis C Treatment:
- New Treatments for Hepatitis C. (BETA.blog)
- Gilead’s Combo Therapy Cures Hep C in Just Six Weeks. (Poz)
- Six-week oral treatment can cure hard-to-treat hepatitis C patients. (AIDSmap)
- Double or Triple DAA Therapy for HCV-1 Yields 95-100% SVRs in 6 or 12 Weeks (SYNERGY Study). (NATAP)
- HCV Drug Combo Has Near-Perfect Response Rate. (MedPage)
- “3D” Combo Drug Cures 99% of Hepatitis C, Without Interferon and Ribavirin. (TheBodyPro)
- 99% Cure Rates for AbbVie’s Hep C Combo in Genotype 1b. (Poz)
- AbbVie ‘3D’ combination cures 99% of genotype 1b hepatitis C. (AIDSmap)
- Faldaprevir plus interferon and ribavirin cures hepatitis C in most people with HIV/HCV co-infection. (AIDSmap)
- Simeprevir Plus PegIFN/RBV Yields 74% SVR12 in HCV/HIV Patients. (NATAP)
- All-Oral HCV Regimen Works in 9 Out of 10. (MedPage)
- High HCV Cure Rates for BMS Set Stage for Triple Combo Pill. (Poz)
- HIV No Bar to HCV Therapy With New Agents. (MedPage)
- Merck’s Hep C Drugs Show Promise for HIV Coinfection. (Poz)
- Simeprevir cures almost 80% of first-time co-infected hepatitis C patients. (AIDSmap)
- Sofosbuvir & ribavirin cures 75% of genotype 1 HIV/HCV co-infected patients. (AIDSmap)
- Sofosbuvir With Ribavirin in Gt1/2/3 HCV/HIV Coinfected Patients. (NATAP)
- SVR12 72% With Faldaprevir Plus PegIFN/RBV in Naives With HCV/HIV. (NATAP)
- Three-DAA Regimen (Abbvie) Achieves 99% SVR12 Rates in HCV Genotype 1b Naives. (NATAP)
- Triple-DAA Combo (a Possible 3-in-1 Pill) Yields SVRs Over 90% After 12 Weeks. (NATAP)
The Global Epidemic
- Low CD4/CD8 Ratio Predicts Non-AIDS Illness in Large Italian Cohort. (NATAP)
- Male life expectancy nine years shorter due to lower male uptake of HIV treatment in rural South Africa. (AIDSmap)
- Massive Scale-Up of HIV Testing, Plus HIV Treatment on Diagnosis, Needed to Curtail UK Gay Epidemic. (AIDSmap)
- Maternal deaths due to HIV not declining despite PMTCT successes in South Africa. (AIDSmap)
- Self-testing encourages very high uptake of HIV testing in Malawi study. (AIDSmap)
- South African Women Gain More From HIV Tx. (MedPage)