HIV tests are now more positive among heterosexuals

Responsible for changing the lives of more than 79,3 million people worldwide since its emergence in the 1980s, HIV test results have undergone a change that could finally change the stigma of the pandemic.

The change in the diagnosis of the disease that, at its beginning, unfortunately, affected more gay and bisexual men, happened mainly due to campaigns focused on this type of public, as well as the acceptance of testing and greater prevention. Understand the story right now.

HIV test results showed changes

For the first time in a decade of the HIV pandemic, 49% of tests came back positive for people who are openly heterosexual. Gays and bisexuals are now at 45%.

However, although the results do not indicate better testing, the news is still good: since 2014, there has been a 74% drop in gay and bisexual men diagnosed with the HIV virus in their body.

There are still battles to be won, however: data from a clinic in England show that demand for tests done on gay men has dropped by 7% and the same data is by a third for straight men. That is, despite the fact that a group is registering fewer diagnoses, there is still much to be done for the 2030 global goal of zero infections to be reached.

Another important fact is that people who are part of the LGBTQIA+ community are more adept at taking the pill Pre-Exposure ProphylaxisAlso known as PrEP. Daily drinking, which is another way to avoid HIV infection, is much more popular among gay men than people who identify as heterosexual.

What does this mean for the HIV infection pandemic?

These data demonstrate that governments and experts need, therefore, to focus on another type of public to reach the end of the HIV pandemic, which also causes AIDS.

If previously gays and bisexuals were the focus group of campaigns to prevent new cases, the 2022 data show that heterosexual people who need to be, now, the great focus of governments and awareness experts.

Risk groups (people of African origin and transsexuals) must still be considered, since the analysis of this sample has been quite successful, but it is important to remember that there is still a high rate of HIV infection in 51% of women and 55% of heterosexual men. 66% of those diagnosed only knew they had the disease when they were over 65 years old, time that may be too late for treatment to start. The number is only at 29% when we talk about gay and bisexual men.

the rule is clara: It is necessary to test literally everyone, regardless of color, ethnicity, sexual orientation or age. In Brazil, the SUS offers a free HIV test that is ready in just 15 minutes and treatment can be done free of charge.

Antiretrovirals start working as soon as they are taken, and the viral load usually becomes undetectable within 1 to 2 months. Today, there are people who are already living peacefully, despite having been diagnosed with HIV. It is worth mentioning, of course, that the best protection is sex with a condom.

Is there a vaccine against HIV?

Since the HIV virus was discovered during the 80s, 33 vaccine options have tried to be developed to prevent infections, but the studies haven't gotten very far. However, experts are developing new studies to reach the expected day of announcing a vaccine against this virus.

The main one is the study Mosaic, that is already carrying out tests on people to find out about possible vaccine reactions and whether large-scale production can be done. This review is being carried out with people who live in Argentina, Brazil, Italy, Peru, Mexico, Poland, Spain and the United States and is developed by laboratories HVTN, Janssen Vaccines & Prevention BV, NIAID and USAMRDC, with the involvement of research centers from the EUA e Brazil.

About 3.000 people (the target is 3.800 participants) have already taken the vaccine ad26, and in addition to side effects that are common in these studies, no serious health problems were found. The research results will be presented in 2024 in what could be the light at the end of the tunnel that humanity needs.

Another idea is that of National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases of the EUA which was shared in the magazine Nature Medicine. Using the messenger RNA technique (the same used in some COVID-19 vaccines), experts have already carried out tests on mice and monkeys.rhesus.

In addition to the primary dose, the animals also received a booster for about a year, and the scientists chose to carry out tests with several variants of HIV. During week 58, all the monkeys being tested already had “levels of T cells and neutralizing antibodies that would be effective against 12 strains of HIV”, according to the publication.

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Sources: The Guardian