Mental health and implications for antiretroviral adherence in a multiethnic Asian cohort.

Objectives: Research suggests a high prevalence of depression and anxiety in people living with HIV, resulting in negative health outcomes and poorer help-seeking behaviours when undetected. Subsequent disease progression and non-adherence to treatment constitute a significant barrier to HIV treatment. This paper aims to identify the risk factors for the development of psychological distress and non-adherence to antiretroviral medication in people living with HIV.

AIDS Related Kaposi's Sarcoma: A 20-Year Experience in a Clinic from the South-East of Romania.

Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) was peculiarly described in the first notified cases of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome as an opportunistic condition. However, the medical progress and the development of active antiretroviral therapy allowed the control of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, although the features of KS have changed throughout the past decades. The purpose of our study is to assess the epidemiological and clinical features of AIDS related KS in Romanian patients.

Optimal treatment strategies to control acute HIV infection.

Various antiretroviral therapies (ART) are administered to symptomatic human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected individuals to improve their health. The treatment effectiveness may depend on suppressing development of drug resistance, reduce evolution of new viral strains, minimize serious side effects and the costs of drugs. This paper deals with some results concerning optimal drug administration scheme successful in improving patients' health especially in poorly resourced settings.

A randomized prospective study to assess health-related quality-of-life outcomes of antiretroviral therapy in human immunodeficiency virus-positive adults.

Introduction: Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive individuals is substantially challenged due to disease, opportunistic infections, lifelong commitment, and tolerability to antiretroviral therapy (ART) and various social, physical, and psychological domains.

Aim: This study was conducted to assess the magnitude of the impact on HRQOL in HIV-positive people from early access to ART.

Settings And Design: This was a randomized, prospective, open-label study, conducted at the ART center attached to the Government Medical College, Amritsar.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sexually transmitted infections services - experience from Bialystok, Poland.

Introduction: COVID-19 pandemic had a big impact on the health services organisation, including that of sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

Aim: To analyse and evaluate the influence of COVID-19 epidemic on the detection of STIs and healthcare services in a group of these patients on the base of the experience of the Department of Dermatology and Venereology and University Outpatient Clinic in Bialystok, Poland.

Material And Methods: Analysis of the number of consultations for suspicion of STIs, number of newly diagnosed cases of syphilis, gonorrhoea, Chlamydia trachomatis infections and genital herpes in two periods: January 2019 - February 2020 (before the epidemic state was introduced) and March 2020 - April 2021 (during pandemic).

Symptomatic human immunodeficiency virus infection is associated with advanced presentation and perioperative mortality in patients undergoing surgery for peripheral arterial disease.

Objective: Prior studies have demonstrated an increased risk of developing cardiovascular and peripheral arterial disease (PAD) in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). However, the effect of chronic HIV infection in patients with preexisting PAD and requiring vascular intervention is unclear. In the present study, we assessed the differences in clinical presentation and perioperative outcomes for patients with PAD who had undergone revascularization or amputation with and without HIV infection.

Gaps in the tuberculosis preventive therapy care cascade in children in contact with TB.

Background: Young children (<5 years) and children living with HIV in contact with an adult with tuberculosis (TB) should receive TB preventive therapy (TPT), but uptake is low.

Aims: To determine gaps in the uptake of and adherence to TPT in child TB contacts under routine primary care clinic conditions.

Methods: A cohort of child TB contacts (age <5 years or living with HIV <15 years) was followed at a primary care clinic in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Antiviral and immunomodulatory interferon-beta in high-risk COVID-19 patients: a structured summary of a study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

Objectives: The primary objective of the study is to demonstrate the efficacy of low-dose IFN-β in reducing the risk of SARS-CoV-2 recently infected elderly patients to progress towards severe COVID-19 versus control group within 28 days. Secondary objectives are: 1) To assess the reduction in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admission in patients treated with IFN-β versus control group within 28 days of randomization 2) To assess the reduction in number of deaths in IFN- β compared to control group (day 28) 3) To evaluate the increase in proportion of participants returning to negative SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR in IFN-β -treated versus control group at Day 14 and Day 28 4) To assess the increase in SARS-CoV-2-specific binding antibody titers in IFN-β compared to control group (day 28) 5) To assess the safety of IFN-β -treated patients versus control group TRIAL DESIGN: Randomized, Open-Label, Controlled, Superiority Phase II Study. Patients, who satisfy all inclusion criteria and no exclusion criteria, will be randomly assigned to one of the two treatment groups in a ratio 2:1 (IFN-treated versus control patients).

Sexual health service adaptations to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in Australia: a nationwide online survey.

Objective: Examine the changes in service delivery Australian public sexual health clinics made to remain open during lockdown.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey designed and delivered on Qualtrics was emailed to 21 directors of public sexual health clinics across Australia from July-August 2020 and asked about a variety of changes to service delivery. Descriptive statistics were calculated.

Menopausal hormone therapy for women living with HIV.

People living with HIV are ageing, and a growing number of women living with HIV are entering menopause. Women living with HIV commonly have bothersome vasomotor symptoms and onset of menopause at earlier ages; both factors go on to affect quality of life and systemic health. Vasomotor symptoms and early menopause are both indications for menopausal hormone therapy; however, current evidence suggests that this therapy is seldom offered to women living with HIV.

Self-reported motivators for HIV testing in the treat-all era among HIV positive patients in Johannesburg, South Africa.

To explore associations between self-reported ill-health as a primary motivator for HIV-testing and socio-demographic factors.Four local primary healthcare clinics in Johannesburg, South Africa.A total of 529 newly HIV diagnosed adults (≥18 years) enrolled from October 2017 to August 2018, participated in the survey on the same day of diagnosis.

Rapid implementation of a cohort for the study of post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection/COVID-19.

Background: As the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic continues and millions remain vulnerable to infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), attention has turned to characterizing post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC).

Methods: From April 21 to December 31, 2020, we assembled a cohort of consecutive volunteers who a) had documented history of SARS-CoV-2 RNA-positivity; b) were ≥ 2 weeks past onset of COVID-19 symptoms or, if asymptomatic, first test for SARS-CoV-2; and c) were able to travel to our site in San Francisco. Participants learned about the study by being identified on medical center-based registries and being notified or by responding to advertisements.

Speed and strength of an epidemic intervention.

An epidemic can be characterized by its strength (i.e., the reproductive number [Formula: see text]) and speed (i.

Long-Term SARS-CoV-2-Specific Immune and Inflammatory Responses Across a Clinically Diverse Cohort of Individuals Recovering from COVID-19.

A detailed understanding of long-term SARS-CoV-2-specific T cell responses and their relationship to humoral immunity and markers of inflammation in diverse groups of individuals representing the spectrum of COVID-19 illness and recovery is urgently needed. Data are also lacking as to whether and how adaptive immune and inflammatory responses differ in individuals that experience persistent symptomatic sequelae months following acute infection compared to those with complete, rapid recovery. We measured SARS-CoV-2-specific T cell responses, soluble markers of inflammation, and antibody levels and neutralization capacity longitudinally up to 9 months following infection in a diverse group of 70 individuals with PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Early antiviral treatment in outpatients with COVID-19 (FLARE): a structured summary of a study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

Objectives: The objective of this trial is to assess whether early antiviral therapy in outpatients with COVID-19 with either favipiravir plus lopinavir/ritonavir, lopinavir/ritonavir alone, or favipiravir alone, is associated with a decrease in viral load of SARS-CoV-2 compared with placebo.

Trial Design: FLARE is a phase IIA randomised, double-blind, 2x2 factorial placebo-controlled, interventional trial.

Participants: This trial is being conducted in the United Kingdom, with Royal Free Hospital, London as the lead site.

Single-dose administration and the influence of the timing of the booster dose on immunogenicity and efficacy of ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 (AZD1222) vaccine: a pooled analysis of four randomised trials.

Background: The ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 (AZD1222) vaccine has been approved for emergency use by the UK regulatory authority, Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, with a regimen of two standard doses given with an interval of 4-12 weeks. The planned roll-out in the UK will involve vaccinating people in high-risk categories with their first dose immediately, and delivering the second dose 12 weeks later. Here, we provide both a further prespecified pooled analysis of trials of ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 and exploratory analyses of the impact on immunogenicity and efficacy of extending the interval between priming and booster doses.

Internet of medical things (IoMT)-integrated biosensors for point-of-care testing of infectious diseases.

On global scale, the current situation of pandemic is symptomatic of increased incidences of contagious diseases caused by pathogens. The faster spread of these diseases, in a moderately short timeframe, is threatening the overall population wellbeing and conceivably the economy. The inadequacy of conventional diagnostic tools in terms of time consuming and complex laboratory-based diagnosis process is a major challenge to medical care.

Early symptomatic neurosyphilis and ocular syphilis: A comparative study between HIV-positive and HIV-negative patients.

Objectives: Since the 2000s, there has been an increase in prevalence of neurosyphilis (NS) and ocular syphilis (OS). As data about symptomatic NS/OS is limited, this study aims to assess the characteristics of symptomatic NS/OS, according to HIV status.

Methods: We compared the clinical and biological presentation of early symptomatic NS/OS and its outcome in HIV-positive and HIV-negative patients.

Chest imaging findings of chronic respiratory disease in HIV-infected adolescents on combined anti retro viral therapy.

Early treatment with combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) has improved survival of children perinatally infected with HIV into adolescence. This population is at risk of long term complications related to HIV infection, particularly chronic respiratory disease. Limited data on chest imaging findings in HIV-infected adolescents, suggest that the predominant disease is of small and large airways: predominantly bronchiolitis obliterans or bronchiectasis.

Correlates of diabetic polyneuropathy of the elderly in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Background: Diabetic polyneuropathy is associated with significant physical disability among older adults. However, their frequency and correlates are not well known in the older adults in Sub-Saharan-Africa. The objectives were to evaluate the hospital-based prevalence of diabetic polyneuropathy and identify its correlates in older adults.