Advances in HIV care and treatment in resource-poor countries

Advances in HIV prevention and care are often readily available. Cotrimoxazole costs less than US$10 per patient per year and reduces opportunistic infections and, new and recurrent episodes of malaria. Generic drugs dramatically impact the availability of antiretroviral treatment. Universal offering of rapid HIV testing increases the number of individuals who know their HIV status and increases early access to treatment. Treatment with HAART during pregnancy and breastfeeding reduces HIV transmission to levels observed in formula feed populations. Male circumcision is recommended as a means for decreasing transmission of HIV to males. International guidelines require frequent revisions to keep pace with clinical advances to ensure that all HIV-infected individuals benefit from life-saving treatment. Guidelines should integrate diseases to avoid disjointed recommendations, for example HIV and TB. Contact tracing has been ignored as a means of preventing HIV transmission, raising ethical concerns related t...