SAN FRANCISCO-Researchers from the University of California recently published an article in the journal Nature Medicine estimating that 42% of HIV infections in the Bay area will be resistant to current AIDS drugs by 2005.
This percentage has steadily increased since 1996. In 1999, 28.5% of AIDS cases were resistant to current technologies. The predicted percentage is continuing to fuel the race to discover new pharmaceuticals and treatment options for those infected.
Within the same research, the report states that mutant viral strains resistant to AIDS drugs are actually less dangerous that their wild counterparts. It typically takes and AIDS patient three years to lose the T-cells they gained from antiviral therapy.
Sally Blower, a UCLA biomathematician, is responsible for the prediction. Blower, using a computer program she developed, bases her infection system on her previous research in determining the risk of nuclear plant meltdowns. She has been using her infection prediction software for a decade. It does not, however, take into account the possibility of transmission of drug-resistant strains to those already infected with the virus.
With the report, researchers are expected to refocus on methods of reducing drug resistance and developing new therapies for those already infected with drug-resistant strains.
Researchers estimate there are 18,000 people living in San Francisco with HIV.
Information from www.sfgate.com
Beyond the Surface: Rethinking Environmental Hygiene Validation at Exchange25
June 30th 2025Environmental hygiene is about more than just shiny surfaces. At Exchange25, infection prevention experts urged the field to look deeper, rethink blame, and validate cleaning efforts across the entire care environment, not just EVS tasks.
A Controversial Reboot: New Vaccine Panel Faces Scrutiny, Support, and Sharp Divides
June 26th 2025As the newly appointed Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) met for the first time under sweeping changes by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr, the national spotlight turned to the panel’s legitimacy, vaccine guidance, and whether science or ideology would steer public health policy in a polarized era.
Getting Down and Dirty With PPE: Presentations at HSPA by Jill Holdsworth and Katie Belski
June 26th 2025In the heart of the hospital, decontamination technicians tackle one of health care’s dirtiest—and most vital—jobs. At HSPA 2025, 6 packed workshops led by experts Jill Holdsworth and Katie Belski spotlighted the crucial, often-overlooked art of PPE removal. The message was clear: proper doffing saves lives, starting with your own.