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[Rentahamster]

(Scanning electron micrograph of HIV-1 (in green) budding from cultured lymphocyte. Multiple round bumps on cell surface represent sites of assembly and budding of virions. )

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Good progress in the fight against HIV and AIDS. How much does this treatment cost per person? Theoretically, we could put a huge dent in new cases of HIV infection worldwide if everyone with HIV got on it.

End to Aids in sight as huge study finds drugs stop HIV transmission

Paper says risk between male partners is zero if virus fully suppressed by antiretrovirals

www.theguardian.com

An end to the Aids epidemic could be in sight after a landmark study found men whose HIV infection was fully suppressed by antiretroviral drugs had no chance of infecting their partner.


The success of the medicine means that if everyone with HIV were fully treated, there would be no further infections.


Among nearly 1,000 male couples across Europe where one partner with HIV was receiving treatment to suppress the virus, there were no cases of transmission of the infection to the HIV-negative partner during sex without a condom. Although 15 men were infected with HIV during the eight-year study, DNA testing proved that was through sex with someone other than their partner who was not on treatment.

A (blue) H9 T cell infected with the (yellow) human immunodeficiency virus. Photograph: AP


Study:

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(19)30418-0/fulltext

The level of evidence for HIV transmission risk through condomless sex in serodifferent gay couples with the HIV-positive partner taking virally suppressive antiretroviral therapy (ART) is limited compared with the evidence available for transmission risk in heterosexual couples. The aim of the second phase of the PARTNER study (PARTNER2) was to provide precise estimates of transmission risk in gay serodifferent partnerships.

Findings

Between Sept 15, 2010, and July 31, 2017, 972 gay couples were enrolled, of which 782 provided 1593 eligible couple-years of follow-up with a median follow-up of 2·0 years (IQR 1·1–3·5). At baseline, median age for HIV-positive partners was 40 years (IQR 33–46) and couples reported condomless sex for a median of 1·0 years (IQR 0·4–2·9). During eligible couple-years of follow-up, couples reported condomless anal sex a total of 76 088 times. 288 (37%) of 777 HIV-negative men reported condomless sex with other partners. 15 new HIV infections occurred during eligible couple-years of follow-up, but none were phylogenetically linked within-couple transmissions, resulting in an HIV transmission rate of zero (upper 95% CI 0·23 per 100 couple-years of follow-up).
Interpretation
Our results provide a similar level of evidence on viral suppression and HIV transmission risk for gay men to that previously generated for heterosexual couples and suggest that the risk of HIV transmission in gay couples through condomless sex when HIV viral load is suppressed is effectively zero. Our findings support the message of the U=U (undetectable equals untransmittable) campaign, and the benefits of early testing and treatment for HIV.
Funding
National Institute for Health Research.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

1980s = OMG! HIV and AIDS! Major media attention. You get you're dead. Homos, drug users and perverts sleeping around watch out or die!

2000s = OMG! It seems medicine has made drugs that help suppress and prolong lives of HIV/AIDS carriers! Zero media attention

 

[Fbh]

So people had condomless sex with their HIV positive partners just to see if this works?

Anyway, good news

 

[iconmaster]

So people had condomless sex with their HIV positive partners just to see if this works?

Yes. They found couples who were already doing it anyway. Still feels dirty to me.

 

[Werewolf Jones]

When you can smash raw again.

 

[cryptoadam]

This is good.

Praise science.

 

[Omega Supreme Holopsicon]

What happens if the guys on the drug have sex with someone with another strain of hiv? I've heard strains can combine and interact creating drug resistant hiv. Or is that a rumor?

 

[Papa]

Yes. They found couples who were already doing it anyway. Still feels dirty to me.

But how had they not already contracted it?

 

[E-Cat]

But how had they not already contracted it?

Yeah, seems there's a possibility those couples were already predisposed against contracting it from one another.

 

[Croatoan]

What happens if the guys on the drug have sex with someone with another strain of hiv? I've heard strains can combine and interact creating drug resistant hiv. Or is that a rumor?

You mean super aids?

 

[Codes 208]

One step closer...

 

[Halo is Back]

Good news but still would not put my penis in it.

 

[Loki]

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Good progress in the fight against HIV and AIDS. How much does this treatment cost per person?

In the USA? $10K+ per year. In the rest of the world? Free or ~$1-2K/year.

 

[Weilthain]

You mean super aids?

Dammit I was going to say that

 

[Torrent of Pork]

So people had condomless sex with their HIV positive partners just to see if this works?

Anyway, good news

The inventor of the polio vaccine injected the virus into his own body to prove the vaccine was effective, plus these couples were doing it anyway.