{"title":"Zika virus: an overview update.","authors":"Hanna K de Jong, Martin P Grobusch","doi":"10.1097/COH.0000000000000926","DOIUrl":"10.1097/COH.0000000000000926","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose of review: </strong>Although cases of Zika virus disease (ZVD) have declined globally since 2017, new outbreaks have been reported, such as in Asia in 2024. As there is no vaccine or treatment available to date, both vaccines and mAbs neutralizing Zika virus would be of great interest, especially for pregnant women and immunocompromised patients such as those living with HIV. This review focuses on new insights regarding ZVD in the last two years and summarizes the key literature on global epidemiology, transmission, diagnostics, clinical features, preventive measures, and treatment options.</p><p><strong>Recent findings: </strong>At the time of writing, ZVD is endemic across tropical and subtropical regions of the world, with the highest risk of infection in Latin America and the Caribbean, but no significant peaks in outbreak activity across endemic regions. There are ongoing efforts to further investigate the clinical and epidemiological long-term sequelae of the large outbreak in the Americas 2015-2018; further refinement of diagnostic tools to improve specificity in view of significant cross-reactivity potential, particularly with dengue virus. Multiple vaccines are in different clinical development stages; however, phase 3 trials are awaiting the next epidemic.</p><p><strong>Summary: </strong>While there is no current major zika virus outbreak, progress has been made in the epidemiological work-up of clinical-epidemiological data, refinement of diagnostic tools, and mainly preventive (vaccines) rather than curative (drugs) tools.</p>","PeriodicalId":93966,"journal":{"name":"Current opinion in HIV and AIDS","volume":" ","pages":"294-302"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11970592/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143574848","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Editorial introductions.","authors":"","doi":"10.1097/COH.0000000000000934","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1097/COH.0000000000000934","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":93966,"journal":{"name":"Current opinion in HIV and AIDS","volume":"20 3","pages":"v-vi"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143775280","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Epigenetic reprogramming of the host immune system during acute HIV.","authors":"Alina P S Pang, Michael J Corley","doi":"10.1097/COH.0000000000000935","DOIUrl":"10.1097/COH.0000000000000935","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose of review: </strong>This review explores the epigenetic mechanisms driving immune dysregulation during acute HIV, focusing on how early HIV exploits host epigenetic machinery to establish viral persistence and evade immune clearance.</p><p><strong>Recent findings: </strong>Epigenetic reprogramming during acute HIV plays a pivotal role in shaping immune responses, establishing viral reservoirs, and driving persistent immune dysfunction. Recent studies leveraging genome-wide DNA methylation profiling, single-cell transcriptomics, and chromatin accessibility assays are elucidating key mechanisms through which HIV exploits the host epigenome to evade immune surveillance and promote viral persistence.</p><p><strong>Summary: </strong>Epigenetic reprogramming during acute HIV is a critical determinant of viral persistence and immune dysfunction. Understanding these mechanisms offers new avenues for therapeutic strategies aimed at modulating the epigenome to disrupt reservoir formation, enhance immune responses, and advance HIV cure efforts.</p>","PeriodicalId":93966,"journal":{"name":"Current opinion in HIV and AIDS","volume":"20 3","pages":"209-217"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143775281","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Acute retroviral syndrome.","authors":"Javier R Lama, Rachel A Bender Ignacio, Ann Duerr","doi":"10.1097/COH.0000000000000933","DOIUrl":"10.1097/COH.0000000000000933","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose of review: </strong>To review the most important recent literature on the definition, epidemiology, clinical presentation, pathogenesis and treatment of the acute retroviral syndrome (ARS), a constellation of nonspecific symptoms and transient illness occuring in at least 50% of persons shortly after HIV acquisition. ARS is driven by initial rapid HIV viral replication and dissemination after acquisition, followed by immune activation and massive systemic inflammation. A more detailed understanding of ARS is important for the implementation of early detection efforts, treatment and public health strategies to control HIV.</p><p><strong>Recent findings: </strong>Recent research has provided deeper insights into ARS. Key findings include associations of ARS with heightened immune activation and elevated levels of IFNγ and multiple other cytokines, particularly IP-10, as well as with higher viral load and more severe CD4 + depletion during acute infection. These negative impacts can be mitigated by early antiretroviral therapy initiation and long-term outcomes are generally similar in treated individals with or without ARS.</p><p><strong>Summary: </strong>Current findings underscore the importance of early detection and intervention in ARS to mitigate long-term health impacts and inform the development of targeted therapeutic strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":93966,"journal":{"name":"Current opinion in HIV and AIDS","volume":" ","pages":"186-192"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143660032","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Stepping stones to cure in children with HIV.","authors":"Louise Kuhn","doi":"10.1097/COH.0000000000000925","DOIUrl":"10.1097/COH.0000000000000925","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":93966,"journal":{"name":"Current opinion in HIV and AIDS","volume":"20 3","pages":"247-248"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11970341/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143775282","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Human models that inform antiretroviral therapy-free remission with perinatally acquired HIV infection.","authors":"Caroline T Tiemessen","doi":"10.1097/COH.0000000000000918","DOIUrl":"10.1097/COH.0000000000000918","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose of review: </strong>Rare persons who achieve disease-control despite high viral loads (viraemic nonprogressors) or maintain virologic control in the absence of antiretroviral therapy (ART) (elite controllers) or following ART interruption (posttreatment controllers) possess protective factors that can be harnessed for interventions to achieve ART-free remission. This review broadly summarizes these phenotypes in adults and children, and updates on findings important in informing strategies for ART-free remission in children with HIV.</p><p><strong>Recent findings: </strong>To date, only a few individual cases of posttreatment control have been described in children. Smaller HIV reservoir size with very early ART initiation in neonates with in-utero acquired HIV associates with improved virological and immunological outcomes. Nine new cases of ART-free remission in children were recently described - 4 from the P1115 trial, and 5 males from the Ucwaningo Lwabantwana study in South Africa. A striking reduction in the decay of intact proviruses was observed over three decades on suppressive ART in two early-treated twins with HIV.</p><p><strong>Summary: </strong>The unique environment of perinatal HIV infection favours effective restriction and decay of the HIV-1 reservoir with suppressive ART initiated very early. Sex and population differences require consideration in ongoing studies to inform ART-free remission.</p>","PeriodicalId":93966,"journal":{"name":"Current opinion in HIV and AIDS","volume":" ","pages":"249-256"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11970615/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143416474","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"New developments in antiretroviral therapy strategies to improve clinical management of neonates and young infants with HIV.","authors":"Lisa Jane Frigati, Shaun Barnabas, Adrie Bekker","doi":"10.1097/COH.0000000000000928","DOIUrl":"10.1097/COH.0000000000000928","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose of review: </strong>Clinical and virological outcomes in early-treated cohorts of children living with HIV have been sub-optimal. This is in part due to the demands on the caregiver of adhering to twice a day antiretroviral treatment (ART) for their newborn infants. Administering ART to neonates can be challenging and frequently requires separate drugs in liquid formulations and multiple dose adjustments. We reviewed literature from 01 January 2015 to 31 December 2024 on infant outcomes, antiretroviral drugs, updated dosing recommendations, new formulations and potential strategies to enhance adherence when ART is started in the neonatal and young infant period.</p><p><strong>Recent findings: </strong>There are now pharmacokinetic (PK) data to inform the use of abacavir and lamivudine in liquid and solid formulations in the neonatal period and to support the use of lamivudine and nevirapine in preterm infants. A dosing strategy for dolutegravir in the first month of life has been informed by recent studies.</p><p><strong>Summary: </strong>Studies are ongoing with regards to dolutegravir in various formulations. Long-acting antiretroviral therapy and broadly neutralizing antibodies are currently being studied in neonates and young infants. Addressing maternal clinical and psychosocial health and is a key factor in ensuring infants achieve viral suppression and decreased morbidity.</p>","PeriodicalId":93966,"journal":{"name":"Current opinion in HIV and AIDS","volume":" ","pages":"257-264"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143574843","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Benjamin Bone, Lesley de Armas, Rajendra Pahwa, Savita Pahwa
{"title":"Immune signatures and biomarkers of viral control in early-treated children with HIV: insights informing intervention.","authors":"Benjamin Bone, Lesley de Armas, Rajendra Pahwa, Savita Pahwa","doi":"10.1097/COH.0000000000000929","DOIUrl":"10.1097/COH.0000000000000929","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose of review: </strong>This review concentrates on the immune signatures in infants with perinatally acquired HIV (PAH) and in later life to assess their utility in predicting the likelihood of HIV remission following discontinuation of antiretroviral therapy.</p><p><strong>Recent findings: </strong>Distinct immune signatures are identifiable in early treated infants with PAH in whom reservoirs are markedly restricted, with high CD4 + /CD8 + ratios, decreased immune activation and exhaustion, and a rapid transition of CD8 + T cells from naïve to a terminally differentiated state. The natural killer (NK) cell compartments manifest downregulated inhibitory markers and exhibit cytokine producing NK phenotypes. Immune signatures observed in adolescent/adult cohorts with PAH, and associated with reduced or absent replication competent HIV reservoir included HIV-specific T cell proliferative responses and NK cells expressing the activation markers NKG2D and NKp46.</p><p><strong>Summary: </strong>Immune signatures of functional T cell and NK cell compartments are identifiable in early treated infants and adolescents with PAH, and are associated with limited replication competent reservoirs. Such findings are also observed in post treatment controllers and could be predictors of ART-free remission.</p>","PeriodicalId":93966,"journal":{"name":"Current opinion in HIV and AIDS","volume":" ","pages":"265-270"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11968082/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143766159","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Mauricio Teixeira Lima, Erna Geessien Kroon, Marco Antônio Campos
{"title":"Mpox and the impact on people with HIV.","authors":"Mauricio Teixeira Lima, Erna Geessien Kroon, Marco Antônio Campos","doi":"10.1097/COH.0000000000000922","DOIUrl":"10.1097/COH.0000000000000922","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose of review: </strong>This review explores the intersection of Mpox and HIV, highlighting clinical manifestations, immune evasion mechanisms, epidemiological challenges, and prevention strategies. People with HIV (PWH), particularly those with low CD4 + cell count, face severe Mpox outcomes. Prevention relies on education, vaccination, and early detection. Integrating Mpox management into HIV care systems is vital.</p><p><strong>Recent findings: </strong>Since May 2022, Mpox caused by Orthopoxvirus monkeypox (MPV) Clade IIb, has affected 126 countries. In 2024, Clade Ib emerged in the Democratic Republic of Congo, leading to its declaration as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). Research on MPV-HIV co-infections has provided genomic insights and protective strategies for PWH. Antivirals like tecovirimat show promise despite emerging resistance concerns.</p><p><strong>Summary: </strong>The global Mpox outbreak caused by Clade IIb and the emergence of Clade Ib underscores its growing threat. Mpox disproportionately impacts PWH, leading to severe outcomes and higher fatality rates. This review emphasizes clinical challenges, genomic advances, and prevention strategies. Enhanced surveillance, vaccination, and tailored therapies are essential to addressing this evolving health crisis.</p>","PeriodicalId":93966,"journal":{"name":"Current opinion in HIV and AIDS","volume":" ","pages":"310-317"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143525530","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Frailty in people with HIV: a geriatric syndrome approach to aging with HIV.","authors":"Alice Zhabokritsky, Julian Falutz","doi":"10.1097/COH.0000000000000943","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1097/COH.0000000000000943","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose of review: </strong>Older persons with HIV (OPWH) are at risk of earlier onset of age-related comorbidities and common geriatric syndromes, notably frailty. The purpose of this review is to provide an update on recent developments related to frailty in OPWH, particularly as they relate to common co-occurrence of frailty with other geriatric syndromes which have an adverse impact on health outcomes.</p><p><strong>Recent findings: </strong>Recent studies reliably demonstrate that frailty co-occurs with other geriatric syndromes due to common biologic risk factors. They often have an equal or greater impact on mortality and quality of life (QoL) compared to age-related comorbidities. Frailty is potentially reversible and risk factors for progression to or regression from a state of frailty have been identified. Importantly, HIV and Aging care centers have been initiated based on proven geriatric-based principles and frail OPWH should be referred. The role of agism and stigmatization are identified as contributors to states of frailty.</p><p><strong>Summary: </strong>Recent findings focus on the important role geriatric syndromes especially frailty play in determining QoL in OPWH and this has led to efforts to operationalize frailty screening methods and to develop appropriate management protocols to limit or delay the impact of frailty on health.</p>","PeriodicalId":93966,"journal":{"name":"Current opinion in HIV and AIDS","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143784653","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}