How Common Are False-Positive HIV Test Results After Participation in an HIV Vaccine Trial?
In a review of 27 vaccine trials, more than 40% of the vaccine recipients had false-positive HIV test results within 6 to 12 months after vaccination.
Can Counseling Change Heterosexual HIV Transmission Rates?
A program designed specifically for African-American heterosexual couples had limited success: Self-reported practices changed, but rates of sexually transmitted diseases didn't.
By Abigail Zuger, MD
July 26, 2010
Covering:
El-Bassel N et al., Arch Intern Med 2010 Jul 12
Sexually-Transmitted Vaccinia
Dermatology Summary and Comment
A case report of vaccinia virus infection following physical contact with a recent smallpox vaccine recipient
By Jan V. Hirschmann, MD
July 23, 2010
Covering:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)., MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2010 Jul 2; 59:773
Antibodies That Neutralize Most Strains of HIV-1
General Medicine Summary and Comment
New technologies allowed a research group to find a needle in a haystack.
Coadministration of Adolescent Vaccines: Give Them When You Can
Concomitant administration of Gardasil, Menactra, and Adacel was well tolerated and did not compromise immune response.
Don't Blame It on Viagra
General Medicine Summary and Comment
Men who used erectile-dysfunction drugs had higher rates of sexually transmitted diseases than did nonusers, both before and after the drugs were prescribed.
By Abigail Zuger, MD
July 13, 2010
Covering:
Jena AB et al., Ann Intern Med 2010 Jul 6; 153:1
More on HIV Nucleic Acid Amplification Testing
A community-based program shows the merits of adding unpooled NAAT to antibody testing — and of providing negative results via the Internet or voice mail.
By Carlos del Rio, MD
July 12, 2010
Covering:
Morris SR et al., Ann Intern Med 2010 Jun 15; 152:778
Nurse-Led Monitoring of HIV Therapy
HIV/AIDS Clinical Care Summary and Comment
Free
In areas without sufficient HIV specialist support, nurse-led monitoring was noninferior to physician-led monitoring; however, neither strategy resulted in success rates considered acceptable in industrialized countries.
Hastening Chlamydia Therapy
Women's Health Summary and Comment
Electronic medical records shortened time-to-treat interval.
By Anna Wald, MD, MPH
July 1, 2010
Covering:
Brook MG et al., Sex Transm Infect 2010 May 21
Don't Reinfect the Messenger: Partner-Delivered Therapy and Trichomoniasis Prevention
Women's Health Summary and Comment
Offering women antibiotics for their male partners can be effective for lowering reinfection rates.
By Anna Wald, MD, MPH
July 1, 2010
Covering:
Schwebke JR and Desmond RA., Sex Transm Dis 2010 Jun; 37:392
New HIV Test Approved
The test can detect both HIV antibodies and HIV p24 antigen, thus enabling diagnosis of acute as well as chronic infection.
"MSM" Encompasses Several Distinct Populations
A large survey identifies both high- and low-risk groups for HIV.
By Abigail Zuger, MD
June 28, 2010
Covering:
Xu F et al., Sex Transm Dis 2010 Jun; 37:399
Enhancing Pneumococcal Vaccination Response
Infectious Diseases Summary and Comment
In a randomized, placebo-controlled trial, adding a toll-like receptor 9 agonist significantly increased the immunogenicity of 7-valent conjugated pneumococcal vaccine in HIV-infected patients.
By Neil M. Ampel, MD
June 23, 2010
Covering:
Søgaard OS et al., Clin Infect Dis 2010 Jul 1; 51:42
A First Attempt at Routine Inpatient HIV Testing
Investigators describe the first voluntary inpatient HIV testing program within a Veterans Affairs hospital.
By Charles B. Hicks, MD
June 21, 2010
Covering:
Siegel M et al., J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 2010 May 20
Young Women Have Few Sequelae from Early Puberty
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
But teenage promiscuity in early maturers raises the risk for sexually transmitted diseases and hepatitis.
By Barbara Geller, MD
June 21, 2010
Covering:
Copeland W et al., Am J Psychiatry 2010 May 17
Treating Syphilis Without Penicillin
General Medicine Summary and Comment
Free
A large study finds that a single oral dose of azithromycin can be curative in patients with early syphilis.
By Abigail Zuger, MD
June 17, 2010
Covering:
Hook EW III et al., J Infect Dis 2010 Jun 1; 201:1729
Preventing Mother-to-Infant HIV Transmission
Infectious Diseases Summary and Comment
Free
In two large, randomized studies conducted in sub-Saharan Africa, antiretroviral regimens given to lactating mothers or their infants reduced postnatal HIV acquisition.
By Rajesh T. Gandhi, MD
June 16, 2010
Covering:
Shapiro RL et al., N Engl J Med 2010 Jun 17; 362:2282
Chasela CS et al., N Engl J Med 2010 Jun 17; 362:2271
Mofenson LM., N Engl J Med 2010 Jun 17; 362:2316
Quick Herpes Test for Women in Labor to Help Prevent Transmission to Newborns
Women's Health Summary and Comment
Rapid testing for HSV in vaginal specimens from laboring women had very high sensitivity and specificity.
By Wendy S. Biggs, MD
June 10, 2010
Covering:
Gardella C et al., Obstet Gynecol 2010 Jun; 115:1209
HIV Treatment Doubles as Prevention in Heterosexual Couples
HIV/AIDS Clinical Care Summary and Comment
Free
Antiretroviral therapy reduced the likelihood of HIV transmission by 92% among serodiscordant heterosexual couples in Africa.
By Carlos del Rio, MD
June 7, 2010
Covering:
Donnell D et al., Lancet 2010 May 27
Dabis F et al., Lancet 2010 May 27
How Often Do Anal Warts Harbor High-Grade Neoplasia or Cancer?
Among men who have sex with men, high-grade lesions were frequently present within anal condylomata that seemed benign on clinical exam.
A Test Result of Undetermined Significance — Two Specialists Respond
HIV/AIDS Clinical Care Antiretroviral Rounds
Free
Two HIV specialists explain how they would manage the care of an HIV-infected man whose anal Pap smear showed "atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance."
U.S. Congenital Syphilis Rates on the Rise
Women's Health Summary and Comment
Following a 14-year decline, congenital syphilis rates rose from 2003 through 2008.
By Diane E. Judge, APN/CNP
May 20, 2010
Covering:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)., MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2010 Apr 16; 59:413
Trichomonas vaginalis Among Teens
Women's Health Summary and Comment
In a cohort of high-risk teens, incidence of <$EMPH_O>T. vaginalis<$EMPH_C> was 22 cases per 100 person-years.
By Anna Wald, MD, MPH
May 20, 2010
Covering:
Krashin JW et al., Sex Transm Dis 2010 Mar 26
A Test Result of Undetermined Significance
HIV/AIDS Clinical Care Antiretroviral Rounds
Free
An HIV-infected man with an undetectable viral load and no symptoms has "atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance" on an anal Pap smear. How would you manage his care?
Kaposi Meets Vincristine
Dermatology Summary and Comment
Intralesional vincristine was associated with a high rate of remission of lesions.
By Mark V. Dahl, MD
May 14, 2010
Covering:
Brambilla L et al., Br J Dermatol 2010 Apr; 162:854
