Category Archives: Biomedical interventions

BACKGROUND: There is increasing debate about the impact of scaled-up HIV/AIDS programmes on fragile healthcare systems in low-income countries. OBJECTIVES: To contribute to the understanding of the relation between HIV/AIDS...

OBJECTIVE: To review the methods and findings of studies that assess the costs and consequences of interventions to reduce mother-to-child HIV transmission in sub-Saharan Africa. DESIGN: Systematic literature review. METHODS:...

Evidence of the risk of birth defects with efavirenz use is limited. We updated a meta-analysis of birth defects in infants with first trimester efavirenz exposure up to July 2011....

BACKGROUND: Mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV infection is one of the most tragic consequences of the HIV epidemic, especially in resource-limited countries, resulting in about 650 000 new paediatric HIV...

Objective: To test the a priori hypothesis that longer duration of ruptured membranes is associated with increased risk of vertical transmission of HIV. Design: The relationship between duration of ruptured...

INTRODUCTION: Pregnancy is contraindicated in vaginal microbicide trials for the prevention of HIV infection in women due to the unknown maternal and fetal safety of the microbicides. Women who become...

OBJECTIVE: This article reviews the antiretroviral therapy (ART)initiation criteria from national treatment guidelines for 70 countries and determines the extent of consistency with the current World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations....

BACKGROUND: This systematic review focuses on antiretroviral therapy (ART) for treating human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in ART-eligible pregnant women. Mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) is the primary means by which children...

OBJECTIVES: To review the evidence on the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of non-occupational postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) for HIV. DATA SOURCES: Eleven electronic databases were searched from inception to December 2007....

Objective To assess the contribution of provider-initiated testing and counselling (PITC) to achieving universal testing of pregnant women and, from available data on components of PITC, assess whether PITC adoption...

It is critical to include a sexual and reproductive health lens in HIV programming as most HIV transmission occurs through sexual intercourse. As global attention is focusing on the sexual...

Objective: Efficacious HIV prevention programs designed for heterosexual adults were identified. Methods: Thirty-two programs designed with a comparison group and aimed at preventing heterosexual transmission for HIV were identified utilizing...