Search Abstracts

Background The mechanism by which B cells sense antigen affinity and initiate signaling that leads to full B activation and differentiation remains unclear. Understanding the relationship between antigen affinity/kinetic rates and selection of functional mutations is critical for HIV-1 Envelope (Env) protein immunogens designed to target broadly neutralizing antibody (bnAb) precursors. Previously, we had reported…

Background Despite its effectiveness in suppressing active HIV replication, antiretroviral therapy (ART) does not eliminate the long-lived pool of HIV reservoir cells. Lymphoid tissues are a major reservoir even in the context of ART, but most studies on latent reservoirs focus on peripheral blood. The complex interplay between immune cells and the mechanisms that maintain…

Background For HIV patients, there is currently no effective cure.  Approaches involving stem cell and gene therapies aimed at mimicking the results of the Berlin Patient and others have been developed including ongoing human clinical trials.  There is an urgent need for strategies that expand gene therapy beyond CCR5 modification to target multiple stages of HIV…

Background Despite antiretroviral therapy (ART), HIV infection is not curable in most cases due to persistent HIV-1 reservoirs. Understanding the factors associated with long-term dynamics of intact HIV-1 proviruses during suppressive ART is critical for developing HIV-1 cure strategies. In this study, we aim to evaluate the association between sex assigned at birth and HIV-1…

Background Differentiated service delivery (DSD) models have reduced strain on health services and improved client experience, retention and viral suppression, but little is known about the impact of HIV DSD models on quality of life (QoL), which is essential for optimizing person-centered care. This study assessed the impact of DSD models on QoL, loss to follow-up (LTFU), and mortality among persons living with…

Background Long-acting injectable PrEP (LAI-PrEP) represents an efficacious HIV prevention strategy, but rollout in 2024 has been limited, constraining our understanding of LAI-PrEP implementation within real-world HIV programs. We explored preferences and potential barriers to uptake and continuation of LAI-PrEP among female sex workers (FSW) accessing routine community-based HIV prevention services in South Africa. Methods…

Background Ward 86, a safety-net HIV clinic in San Francisco for ~2,600 publicly insured patients, has been using long-acting antiretroviral therapy (LA ART) for people living with HIV (PWH) with adherence challenges to oral ART. Since the approval of cabotegravir/rilpivirine (CAB/RPV) in 2021 and lenacapavir (LEN) in 2022, PWH have been referred to the Special…

Background As people with HIV (PWH) in the US continue to age, costs to Medicare are expected to rise substantially. We projected the number of 65y+ Medicare beneficiaries with HIV in the US from 2023 to 2033 and the potential budget impact on Medicare. Methods We used the CEPAC microsimulation model of HIV disease and…

Background Long-acting injectable cabotegravir (CAB-LA) is superior to oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) regimens. The slow scale-up of oral PrEP has left significant gaps in HIV prevention among men who have sex with men (MSM), and global HIV prevention targets have been missed. The introduction of CAB-LA could facilitate broader prevention choices and help reach these targets.…

Background Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is pivotal in HIV prevention. The recent introduction of long-acting injectable PrEP, alongside oral PrEP.  The USAID DISCOVER-Health project, implemented by JSI, has layered injectable PrEP onto its existing oral PrEP service delivery platform. This study examines how layering injectable PrEP onto existing oral PrEP services affects initiation and retention at…