Publications by authors named "Andrea G Abrahams"
Article Synopsis
- In sub-Saharan Africa, girls aged 15-19 represent 86% of HIV infections, underscoring the need to understand risk factors affecting them compared to adult women in South Africa.
- A study of 305 adolescent girls and 114 adult women in two South African provinces revealed that while adults reported higher risk sexual behaviors, adolescents had a higher prevalence of STIs (62.8% vs 34.0% in the Western Cape).
- Factors like earlier sexual debut and the use of intravaginal sexual enhancers among adolescents were significant, and behavioral risk factors such as the number of sexual partners and recent sexual activity were linked to STI presence in both age groups.
Article Synopsis
- The HIV Research for Prevention (HIVR4P) conference focuses on sharing knowledge about various HIV prevention methods, including vaccines, antibody treatments, pre-exposure prophylaxis, and microbicides, from scientific details to social factors.
- The virtual conference took place over two weekends in January and February 2021, attracting 1,802 participants from 92 countries amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
- The event featured 113 oral presentations and 266 poster presentations, summarizing key research and findings in HIV prevention, with additional resources available on the conference website.
Female genital tract (FGT) inflammation increases HIV infection susceptibility. Non-optimal cervicovaginal microbiota, characterized by depletion of Lactobacillus species and increased bacterial diversity, is associated with increased FGT cytokine production. Lactobacillus species may protect against HIV partly by reducing FGT inflammation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBacterial vaginosis (BV) causes genital inflammation and increased HIV acquisition risk. The standard-of-care for BV, antibiotic therapy, is associated with high recurrence rates. Probiotics may improve treatment outcomes, although substantial heterogeneity in efficacy has been observed during clinical trials.
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