Over a third of childbearing women with HIV would like to breastfeed: A UK survey of women living with HIV.

The World Health Organisation advice for post-partum women living with HIV (WLHs) in low- and middle-income countries is to breastfeed on suppressive antiretroviral treatment and use infant postnatal prophylaxis. In resource-rich settings, where formula feeding is safe, avoidance of breastfeed is advised. A questionnaire was created to survey attitudes to breastfeeding in WLHs in the United Kingdom.

An observational study of initial HIV RNA decay following initiation of combination antiretroviral treatment during pregnancy.

Background: In pregnancy, reduction of HIV plasma viral load (pVL) for the prevention of vertical transmission is time-constrained. The study primary objective is to investigate factors associated with faster initial HIV RNA half-life decay when combination antiretroviral treatment (cART) is initiated in pregnancy.

Methods: This was a multicentre, retrospective, observational study, conducted in south England, United Kingdom, between August 2001 and February 2018.

Association of HIV status with sexual function in women aged 45-60 in England: results from two national surveys.

Increasing numbers of women living with HIV are reaching their midlife. We explore the association of HIV status with sexual function (SF) in women aged 45-60 using two national cross-sectional surveys: the third British National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles ("Natsal-3") and "PRIME", a survey of women living with HIV attending HIV clinics across England. Both studies asked the same questions about SF that take account not only sexual difficulties but also the relationship context and overall level of satisfaction, which collectively allowed an overall SF score to be derived.

Secondary prophylaxis of toxoplasmosis in pregnancy in an HIV-positive woman.

A 39-year-old HIV-positive black African woman with previously treated cerebral toxoplasmosis experienced a foetal intra-uterine death due to congenital toxoplasmosis. This case demonstrates the complexities of screening for maternal toxoplasmosis in the context of pregnancy and HIV infection-related cell-mediated immunosuppression. Additionally, the case highlights the challenges in providing effective preventative and therapeutic drug options for congenital toxoplasmosis.

Lopinavir and atazanavir in pregnancy: comparable infant outcomes, virological efficacies and preterm delivery rates.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to identify differences in infant outcomes, virological efficacy, and preterm delivery (PTD) outcome between women exposed to lopinavir/ritonavir (LPV/r) and those exposed to atazanavir/ritonavir (ATV/r).

Methods: A retrospective case note review was carried out. The case notes of 493 women who conceived while on LPV/r or ATV/r or initiated LPV/r or ATV/r during pregnancy and who delivered between 1 September 2007 and 30 August 2012 were reviewed.

Antenatal atazanavir: a retrospective analysis of pregnancies exposed to atazanavir.

Introduction: There are few data regarding the tolerability, safety, or efficacy of antenatal atazanavir. We report our clinical experience of atazanavir use in pregnancy.

Methods: A retrospective medical records review of atazanavir-exposed pregnancies in 12 London centres between 2004 and 2010.

Introduction of a nurse-led sexual health service for HIV-positive men.

A nurse-led clinic offering screening for sexual infections to men within an existing HIV outpatient service was created. A retrospective case-note review was undertaken of those having a sexual health (SH) screen between May and December 2007. A total of 125 men had an SH screen, 117 identified as men who have sex with men and 84 were asymptomatic.

Partner notification in pregnant women with HIV: findings from three inner-city clinics.

British HIV Association guidelines recommend that all HIV-positive pregnant women should be encouraged to disclose their HIV infection to their partner and that this should be viewed as a process rather than an event. The aim of this study was to describe local practice of partner notification (PN) and patterns of disclosure in a group of HIV-positive women in an antenatal setting. A retrospective case note and local pregnancy database review was undertaken.

The utility of screening for parasitic infections in HIV-1-infected Africans with eosinophilia in London.

The presence of asymptomatic eosinophilia in HIV patients has been demonstrated to have a wide variety of causes. Untreated parasitic infections in immunocompromised individuals can have potentially serious consequences. The utility of screening for parasitic infections in immigrant HIV-positive Africans with eosinophilia was investigated in a UK-based HIV clinic.

Pregnant women with HIV infection can expect healthy survival: three-year follow-up.

Objectives: To document postpartum disease-free survival of HIV-infected women taking antiretroviral therapy (ART) during pregnancy.

Methods: Laboratory and clinical data were collected on all HIV-infected pregnant women delivering from 1998 to 2002 and followed up until September 2004 at 6 hospitals in London. Mothers were grouped according to receipt of zidovudine monotherapy (ZDVm), highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) given during and continued after pregnancy (cHAART), and short-term HAART given during pregnancy and discontinued on delivery (START).

Ethnicity and discordance in plasma HIV-1 RNA viral load and CD4+ lymphocyte count in a cohort of HIV-1-infected individuals.

Background: Guidelines for commencing therapy for HIV infection have been based upon HIV-1 RNA and CD4 lymphocyte thresholds. The influence of confounding factors such as gender, ethnicity and co-infections is unproven.

Objectives: To analyse ethnic discordance in plasma HIV-1 viral load (VL) and CD4+ count and its potential clinical significance in Black and Caucasian groups.

Acute onset lactic acidosis and pancreatitis in the third trimester of pregnancy in HIV-1 positive women taking antiretroviral medication.

We report the case histories of two HIV-1 positive women in the third trimester of pregnancy who presented with acute lactic acidosis and acute pancreatitis, respectively. One case was fatal for mother and baby. Both women had been stable on regimens containing stavudine and didanosine for at least 2 years before their acute presentations.

A close look at therapeutic touch.

Context: Therapeutic Touch (TT) is a widely used nursing practice rooted in mysticism but alleged to have a scientific basis. Practitioners of TT claim to treat many medical conditions by using their hands to manipulate a "human energy field" perceptible above the patient's skin.

Objective: To investigate whether TT practitioners can actually perceive a "human energy field.