Category: hiv-aids

It’s no secret that the transgender community has been disproportionately affected by HIV, especially transgender women of color. A new investigation by researchers in the Netherlands provides more insight into the impact of HIV on transgender people around the globe, both transfeminine and transmasculine. The Dutch meta-analysis, published December 1 in the journal PLoS One,… Continue reading Trans Women and Men Are Hit Hard by HIV

Whether you’re living with HIV or care about someone who is, 2019 was a year of medical breakthroughs and new promise that more people living with HIV can thrive with the virus. Here are our top picks of news that made a difference in 2019. 1. HIV-Positive Woman Becomes First to Donate an Organ The… Continue reading The 6 Biggest Pieces of HIV News in 2019

An international team of researchers have found a second HIV-infected patient who seems to have been “cured” of the infection without any regular treatment, according to a study published in the November 16 issue of Annals of Internal Medicine. Led by scientists at the Ragon Institute of Massachusetts General Hospital, MIT, and Harvard, the investigation examined… Continue reading Researchers Identify New HIV Patient Who Appears to Have Been ‘Cured’ Without Treatment

A mixed race woman has lived for 14 months without any detectable HIV in her body after receiving an experimental stem-cell transplant procedure. If these results hold up over time, she would be the first female, and first multiracial individual, to be cured of HIV. The woman, called the “New York patient,” was diagnosed with… Continue reading New Treatment on Track to Cure Woman of HIV

For the first time in nearly two decades, a new strain of the human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, has been discovered. In a study published November 6, 2019, in the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes, researchers with the healthcare company Abbott Laboratories revealed that they have found three people in the Democratic Republic of… Continue reading First New HIV Strain Discovered in Nearly 20 Years

Sexual health can be difficult or uncomfortable for many people to discuss, especially with doctors. But talking to your doctor about your sexual health is crucial if you are sexually active. One reason it’s important to have this discussion is to decide what precautions are appropriate for preventing sexually transmitted diseases, such as HIV. Your… Continue reading Talking to Your Doctor About HIV Prevention

An experimental vaccine designed to prevent HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) has produced promising results in a preliminary study involving a small group of volunteers. The vaccine candidate showed success in stimulating production of rare immune cells needed to start the process of generating antibodies against the fast-mutating virus. As detailed December 2 in the journal… Continue reading HIV Vaccine Candidate Prompts Immune Response in Early Human Trials

When one person in a couple is diagnosed with the human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, it has a significant effect on the couple’s romantic relationship — there’s always a chance that the infected person can transmit HIV to his or her partner. The most dangerous possibility for HIV transmission occurs when a partner is infected… Continue reading Sexual Intimacy With an HIV-Positive Partner

Before Ciarra Covin was diagnosed with HIV in 2008, medications called PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) that prevent HIV infection didn’t exist. As a college student in rural Georgia, Covin found out she had HIV after going to the school’s health clinic for birth control. Upon learning her positive status, her first thought was, “Will I be… Continue reading HIV PrEP Treatment Failing to Reach Minorities

Hearing that you have the human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, will change your life. In the days, weeks, months, and years after you learn that you have HIV, you may experience all kinds of emotions, including anger, shock, sadness, or even denial. You may also struggle with depression. According to the National Institute of Mental… Continue reading The Emotional Impact of an HIV Diagnosis