Topical microbicides: the time has come.

Microbicides are vaginally or rectally applied drugs that inhibit HIV and other sexually transmitted pathogens. About 30 microbicidal products are being studied in preclinical and clinical trials. Data from in vitro, animal, and in vivo investigations with candidate microbicidal compounds support a proof of concept, although large-scale clinical trials will determine efficacy.

Microbicides to prevent HIV transmission: overcoming obstacles to chemical barrier protection.

Background: Microbicides are topical compounds that could prevent sexually transmitted infections. Several compounds have demonstrated activity both in vitro and in animal models, but none has been approved for use in humans.

Methods: A review of >100 recent publications from MEDLINE (through October 2005) and abstracts presented at recent conferences was undertaken to describe the current status of microbicide research and to delineate why microbicides are not yet available.

A missed opportunity: hepatitis C screening of prisoners.

In 2003, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued recommendations to screen all inmates with a history of injection drug use or other risk factors for hepatitis C. We compared self-reported risk factors for hepatitis C with serostatus from inmates in the Rhode Island Department of Corrections. Of the male inmates who were hepatitis C positive, 66% did not report injection drug use.