Prevention a priority at European HIV conference
Story Summary: She suggested that research into so-called elite controllers HIV-positive individuals who remain free of symptoms of the infection and have a very low viral load could not only improve HIV treatment, but could also benefit prevention. Increasing HIV testing was essential to control of the epidemic on the continent, said Prof. Rockstroh. However, laws criminalising HIV transmission and exposure and the high levels of stigma that surround the virus in some countries were targeted as obstacles preventing individuals from testing. Several other key themes of the conference were also highlighted at the press conference: HIV and aging. The 2010 International AIDS Conference in Vienna will focus on the epidemic in Eastern Europe, and the scene will be set at the Cologne conference. A third of patients in western Europe are co-infected with hepatitis C virus, a figure that increases to 70% in Eastern Europe where injecting drug use is fuelling the epidemic. This means that liver disease is an importance cause of illness and death in this population and there is an urgent need for new anti-hepatitis C therapies. These will cover antiretroviral treatment, medical monitoring and the treatment of hepatitis co-infections. Regular news on key developments will be published at aidsmap. Regular news on key developments will be published at aidsmap….Read the Full Story
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