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A new study has found that when a novel intravaginal ring is implanted with anti-retroviral drug tablets or pods, it demonstrates sustained and controlled drug release and safety over 28 days from HIV. Marc Baum, corresponding author said that the ring, designed to prevent transmission of HIV, was tested in pig-tailed macaque monkeys, and is engineered to be inexpensive, which makes it useable in developing countries. One of the two drug combinations tested in the ring had been shown in three clinical trials to prevent HIV some of the time when taken orally, and is the only product approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for HIV prophylaxis. The ring''s topical drug delivery has critical advantages over oral therapy. (Read: Getting tested for HIV all your queries answered)
People often fail to take their medications as prescribed. That probably accounts for some of the wide variation in risk reduction in the three clinical trials, which ranged from 44 to 75 percent, said Baum, of the Oak Crest Institute of Science, Pasadena, CA. He added that the issues such as adherence to a regular dosing schedule are significantly reduced by continuous release of the drugs into the vaginal mucosa independently of coitus and daily dosing. The ring maintains steady state drug levels in the vaginal tissues, the key anatomic compartment for preventing sexual HIV transmission, and eliminates the concentration troughs encountered with oral medications. (Read:12 HIV/AIDS symptoms that you need to watch out for)
This according to Baum, should boost effectiveness and dramatically reduce, or eliminate side effects entirely. The two drug combinations tested include Truvada, which consists of emtricitabine and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate, and Truvada plus maraviroc, which work by blocking the chemokine receptor, CCR5, which is a target entryway of HIV. This report was published online in Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy. (Read: Coming soon an effective HIV vaccine?)
Here are some facts about HIV/AIDS you didn't know
According to NACO report of 2011, 2.3 million people were HIV positive in India. The disease was found to be most prevalent in southern and northern states with Andra Pradesh and Manipur having the highest number of cases. HIV was more prevalent men than in women and was seen in people between 15-49 years of age. The good news here is that the survey found that the number of people infected with HIV has decreased by 50% in 2011. This World AIDS day, the theme is 'Getting to Zero' zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. So in order to help us all move towards that goal here are eleven things about HIV/AIDS that you might not have known.
Fact 1: A person may be HIV positive but might not necessarily have AIDS
HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. A person is termed to be HIV positive when they are found to be infected by this virus. As the disease progresses it eventually eats away at the immune system of the patient, causing a number of opportunistic infections to take hold along the way. AIDS or Acquired Immunodeficiency Disease is a host of conditions that are associated with the loss of one's immune system according to the CDC when a person's CD4 count is below 200 cells/mm3. This is the most severe stage of the infection. HIV and AIDS are different and a person who is HIV positive does not necessarily have AIDS. (Read: Living with HIV diagnosis, treatment and prevention)
Fact 2: There are two strains of HIV
You probably knew that HIV originated in monkeys. But did you know that there are actually two types of HIV strains? Labeled as HIV 1 and HIV 2, these two strains have been found in chimpanzees and small African monkeys. HIV 1 is the more potent of the two strains and is what most commonly causes HIV infection.
Read more about causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of hiv/aids.
Fact 3: It takes almost 10 years for the onset of AIDS
Once a person is infected with HIV it takes at least 10 years for it to progress into AIDS. AIDS is the final or most severe stage of the disease when the immune system of the patient's body has been compromised greatly. Read more about 11 things about HIV/AIDS you didn't know
With inputs from ANI
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