New Female controlled HIV prevention method

According to Stephanie Castillo, two new studies presented during the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections in Boston revealed potential HIV prevention methods for young women that works like birth control.The studies, called The Ring Study and ASPIRE, investigators are testing the efficacy of a monthly vaginal ring containing an antiretroviral drug called dapivirine, developed by the nonprofit International Partnership for Microbicides. This drug reported works by blocking HIV's "ability to replicate itself inside a healthy cell. The vaginal ring delivers the drug directly to the site of infection, with very low systemic exposure which could provide more options for women to reduce their own risk of HIV."

The majority of participants in the study were young, unmarried, and at "very high risk for HIV." The Ring Study in particular was conducted in Sub-Saharan Africa countries,Malawi, Uganda and including Zimbabwe.

Overall, the Ring Study showed the dapivirine ring helped reduce HIV risk by 31 percent and 37 percent among women ages 21 and older. The ASPIRE study, on the other hand, showed the dapivirine ring reduced HIV risk by 61 percent in women older than 25 and 56 percent in women older than 21 compared to the placebo group. For more details on these studies please see Stephanie Castillo article on   http://www.medicaldaily.com/vaginal-ring-hiv-infection-young-women-374535 or links provided above

To  read up on efforts in the area of HIV and prevention see some of our books  below

1. Aids and adolescents edited by L Sherr
2. The invisible cure: Africa, the west and the fight against aids by L T Epstein
3. Nutritional aspects of HIV infections edited by T L Miller and S L Gorbach
4. AAHIVM fundamentals of medicine for the HIV Specialist
5. AIDS: a strategy for nursing care by R J Pratt
6. A guide to the clinical care of women with HIV edited by J R Anderson
 7.community engagement for anti-retroviral treatment: trainers manuals by HIV/AIDS Alliance

Journals with interesting articles around HIV Aids, contraception and reproductive health include
7. Reproductive health Matters
8. Studies in Family planning

For these and many other resources please visit our library or contact us on whatsapp  +263 735897520 on how you can get access to our collection.