Researchers Discover New Antibody That Can Suppress HIV

Researchers say they have discovered a HIV antibody that can suppress the virus for nearly six months without additional treatment.

The new study involved about half of a group of monkeys, infused with a broadly neutralising antibody to HIV combined with an immune stimulatory compound.

The findings, released at the 25th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections in Boston, lend a clue to strategies that attempt to achieve sustained, drug-free viral remission in people living with HIV.

Being supported in part by the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIAID, the study may have targeted the viral reservoir, populations of long-lived, latently infected cells that harbour the virus and that lead to resurgent viral replication when suppressive therapy was stopped.

“HIV excels at evading the immune system by hiding out in certain immune cells,” said NIAID Director Anthony Fauci.

“The virus can be suppressed to very low levels with antiretroviral therapy, but quickly rebounds to high levels if a person stops taking medications as prescribed.”

“The findings from this early stage research offer further evidence that achieving sustained viral remission without daily medication might be possible,” he added.

In the study, scientists from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center infected 44 rhesus macaques with simian human immunodeficiency virus (SHIV), an HIV-like virus commonly used in nonhuman primate studies.

They then initiated daily antiretroviral therapy (ART) during acute infection to suppress the virus to below detectable levels in the monkey’s blood.

After a 96-week treatment, researchers divided the monkeys into four equal groups and continued to administer ART for 16 additional weeks, with an aim to determine whether the combination of HIV antibody and immune stimulant could reduce the viral reservoir while virus replication was well controlled by the ART.

After discontinuation of ART, the virus rebounded in the blood of all 11 monkeys that neither received HIV antibodies or immune stimulant after a median of 21 days.

The experts also said six of 11 monkeys that received the therapy combination showed a delayed viral rebound after a median of 112 days, and five others of the 11 did not rebound for at least 168 days.

“Our findings suggest that the development of interventions to activate and eliminate a fraction of the viral reservoir might be possible,” said Dan Barouch, principal investigator of the study.

The researchers said compared with the antiretroviral therapy which needs to be taken daily, antibodies to HIV tend to last longer in the body and have shown promise for longer-acting HIV therapeutics and prevention modalities.

Chinese condoms too small for Zimbabwean men

Worries over Chinese condoms in Zimbabwe

Health minister David Parirenyatwa has challenged local companies to consider manufacturing condoms, saying imported options aren’t quite up to task.

The minister was speaking at the recent launch of a new board for the Zimbabwe Private Sector HIV and Aids Wellness Coordinating Programme (ZPSHAWP) in Harare.

Condoms are a type of contraception that can both prevent pregnancy and protect against sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

Parirenyatwa said most of the condoms available in the country are imported from China, adding that some local men however found them not quite the right size.

“You know this region, the Southern African region, has the highest incidence of HIV and we are promoting the use of condoms; both males and females,” said the minister.

“The youths now have a particular condom that they like but we don’t manufacture them. We import condoms from China and some men complain that they are too small.

“We need to look at that; you need to able to have your own condoms. So, if you want to be a big businessman, then manufacture them (condoms) for the region.”

Some 109.4 million male condoms were distributed around Zimbabwe in 2016, representing 33 per individual for the year.

This makes Zimbabwe one of only five countries to meet or exceed the United Nations Population Fund’s (UNDP) regional mark of 30 male condoms per man per year.

Condoms are one of the key measures being used in the country by government and development partners in the fight against HIV infections.

Zimbabwe has the sixth highest HIV prevalence in sub-Saharan Africa at 13.5%, with 1.3 million people living with the virus in 2016.

Source: New Zimbabwe

How world’s largest brain tumour was removed in India

Doctors removing the brain tumour in India

(dpa/NAN)Surgeons in Mumbai, India, have removed a 1.87-kg brain tumour from a 31-year-old man, saying it to be the largest in the world.

The surgery lasted for seven hours at the Nair Hospital.

News of the procedure was made public recently after the hospital ensured the surgery was successful as the patient, Santlal Pal, had recovered, doctors at the facility told dpa Thursday.

“The tumour was so big, it appeared there was another head mounted on top of the patient’s head,” Srikanth Balasubramaniam, a senior surgeon who was part of the operating team said by phone from Mumbai.

“The surgery was challenging because of the sheer size of the tumour and because there were huge arteries going into the tumour.”

“We checked on records that say the previous record was of removing a 1.4-kg brain tumour, also in Mumbai,” he added.

The patient, before and after the surgery

The tumour had made Pal lose his vision and had also rendered him anaemic.

Doctors said he should gradually regain his sight and health.

Pal, a shopkeeper, had been living with the tumour for three years.

He had been turned away from three hospitals who said the tumour was inoperable.

The surgery was complicated as Pal was anaemic and needed 11 units of blood during the operation.

“Such tumours are rare and pose quite a challenge due to blood loss. Managing the patient requires a lot of planning, team skill and monitoring,” Balasubramaniam said.

Nigerian Surgeon Removes Lady's Ovary Instead Of Her Appendix (Photo)

A 59-year-old Nigerian Senior Surgeon, Dr Lawal Haruna, who reportedly removed a woman’s ovary accidentally instead of her appendix has been struck off after being branded a ‘danger to patients.

He allegedly botched up three operations over the course of two years including removing a woman’s ovary because he said the appendix and fallopian tubes were similar ‘worm-like structures’ in the same area. The unnamed woman, known as Patient B, was treated by him when she was admitted for abdominal pain while he was working for Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Trust in Sheffield, South Yorkshire.

During the operation, one of her ovaries was removed leaving her appendix – which was causing her great pain – in situ. A tribunal heard how it was lucky she was not of child-bearing age as it could have affected her fertility.

Dr Haruna botched up two further operations mistaking a lump of fat for an appendix in one case and a skin tag for a harmful lump in another. Colleagues described the operations as poorly executed and ‘never events’. Haruna who claims to have 25 years experience later dismissed the incidents as ‘trifling errors’ and said the appendix and fallopian tubes were similar ‘worm-like structures which lie in a similar area.

The surgeon, who represented himself, told the Manchester hearing he had ‘poor vision’ at the time he carried out the surgery and claimed it would be ‘harsh’ to strike him off. But at the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service a disciplinary panel found him guilty of misconduct and banned him from treating patients.

Shocking!! Doctor amputates unborn baby’s arm, after he declared him dead in the womb, only to realize the baby is still alive and healthy

Reports going rounds claimed that a Doctor in the Northern Part of Nigeria, allegedly declared an “unborn baby” dead in his mother’s woman, amputated his arm, only for the baby to be brought out Alive from the womb.

Also Read: Busted!! Kcee Busted For 'Stealing' Money Photo From Instagram User

Aishat Alubankudi who shared the story on Facebook said:

He took his brother’s wife to the hospital and the Dr sought and obtained his consent to amputate the child’s hand and removed the baby since according to the Dr the baby had since died in the womb.
On the medical advice that, that way the mother’s life could be saved, the baby’s hand was amputated and the baby was removed but only to realised that the baby was not only alive but heart and healthy.
This must be investigated, it doesnt add up.

more details coming...

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