Two articles by Garenne (2023a,b) argue that voluntary medical male circumcision does not reduce human immunodeficiency virus transmission in Africa. Here we point out key evidence and analytical flaws that call into question this conclusion.

Kaposi\'s sarcoma (KS) has become a common AIDS-defining cancer in sub-Saharan Africa. Kaposi\'s sarcoma-associated human herpesvirus strongly modulated by HIV-related immune suppression are the principal causes of this cancer. No other risk factors have been identified as playing a strong role. HIV prevention programs and good coverage of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in developed countries resulted in a remarkable decline in HIV-KS incidence and better KS prognosis. By contrast, in sub-Saharan Africa, population ART rollout has lagged, but clinical studies have shown positive results in reduction of KS incidence and better KS prognosis. However, the effect of ART rollout in relation to population KS incidence is unclear. We describe the incidence of KS in sub-Saharan Africa, in four time-periods, (1) before 1980 (before HIV/AIDS era); (2) 1981-2000 (early HIV/AIDS era, limited or no ART coverage); (3) 2001-2010 (early ART coverage period); and (4) 2011-2016 (fair to good ART coverage period). We used KS incidence data available from WHO-International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) publications and the Africa Cancer Registry Network. National HIV prevalence and ART coverage data were derived from UNAIDS/WHO. A rapid increase in KS incidence was observed throughout sub-Saharan Africa as the HIV epidemic progressed, reaching peak incidences in Period 2 (pre-ART rollout) of 50.8 in males and 20.3 per 100 000 in females (Zimbabwe, Harare). The overall unweighted average decline in KS incidence between 2000 and 2010 and 2011-2016 was 27%, but this decline was not statistically significant across the region. ART rollout coincides with a decline in KS incidence across several regions in sub-Saharan Africa. The importance of other risk factors such as reductions in HIV incidence could not be ascertained.

BACKGROUND: Social resources help to adapt to stress and might positively affect the well-being of individuals with severe conditions like human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS). The present study investigates the effect of social support, social capital, and coping in a positive state of mind of Iranian older people with HIV/AIDS.
METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 160 older people with HIV referred to AIDS clinics in Tehran in 2019. Samples were randomly selected from patients aged 50 years and older. Data were collected using a questionnaire, a positive state of mind, social capital, coping, social support, and a checklist of demographical variables. Data analysis was performed using SPSS software version 21.
RESULTS: A significant positive correlation was found between social support, social capital, coping, education, and a positive state of mind. A significant negative correlation was also found between age, several chronic diseases of the patient, and a positive state of mind. The linear regression results showed that social support, social capital, coping, and education improved the positive state of mind.
CONCLUSIONS: Based on our findings, we believe that social and psychological interventions effectively enhance patients\' positive state of mind with HIV and ultimately, improve their quality of life.

BACKGROUND: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is a major global public health concern. North African countries carry a disproportionate burden of HIV representing one of the highest rates in Africa.
OBJECTIVE: To characterize the epidemiological and spatial trends of HIV infection in this region.
METHODS: A systematic review was carried out on all the published data regarding HIV/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome in North African countries over ten years (2008-2017) following the PRISMA guidelines. We performed a comprehensive literature search using Medline PubMed, Embase, regional and international databases, and country-level reports with no language restriction. The quality, quantity, and geographic coverage of the data were assessed at both the national and regional levels. We used random-effects methods, spatial variables, and stratified results by demographic factors. Only original data on the prevalence of HIV infection were included and independently evaluated by professional epidemiologists.
RESULTS: A total of 721 records were identified but only 41 that met the criteria were included in the meta-analysis. There was considerable variability in the prevalence estimates of HIV within the countries of the region. The overall prevalence of HIV ranged from 0.9% [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.8-1.27] to 3.8% (95%CI 1.17-6.53). The highest prevalence was associated with vulnerable groups and particularly drug abusers and sexually promiscuous individuals. The dense HIV clustering noted varied from one country to another. At least 13 HIV subtypes and recombinant forms were prevalent in the region. Subtype B was the most common variant, followed by CRF02_AG.
CONCLUSIONS: This comprehensive review indicates that HIV infection in North African countries is an increasing threat. Effective national and regional strategies are needed to improve monitoring and control of HIV transmission, with particular emphasis on geographic variability and HIV clustering.

UNASSIGNED: The proximity of Northeast India to the Golden Triangle facilitates easy accessibility to illicit drugs, resulting in a higher proportion of injecting drug users (IDUs) in the states of Northeast India. The estimated human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevalence among IDU in Manipur which is 1.43% is higher than that of the national figure.
UNASSIGNED: The objectives of the study were to find the factors associated with HIV infection and correlate the association between HIV status and self-assessed risk to HIV among IDUs in Manipur.
UNASSIGNED: National Integrated Biological and Behavioral Surveillance (2014-2015) data were used for the study; all analyses done were weighted. In Manipur, information was collected from 1594 IDUs during the surveillance between 2014 and 2015 across four domains, namely Chandel (396), Imphal East (397), Thoubal (401), and Senapati (400). Chi-square test was performed to test the association between the independent and dependent variables. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify risk factors associated with HIV positivity.
UNASSIGNED: Higher age, unsafe injecting practice, low education status, and low-income status were significantly (P < 0.05) associated with HIV infection among IDUs in Manipur. Self-assessed risk of HIV infection by IDU was significantly associated with HIV positivity.
UNASSIGNED: Interventions among IDUs in Manipur should focus on emphasizing safe injecting practices along with creating awareness on HIV prevention and management.

This study was carried out to determine the seroprevalence of anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in different groups of patients at a tertiary care hospital in North India.
Clinical and demographic data such as age and gender of patients who had undergone testing for the presence of anti-T. gondii IgG and IgM antibodies between January 2004 and October 2014 were retrospectively analysed.
Amongst the 8397 serum samples, an overall seropositivity of 21% (n = 1763) and IgG and IgM seropositivity of 5.7% (n = 481) and 15.3% (n = 1282) were respectively observed. Compared to the period of 2004-2012 (median seroprevalence: 23.6%), a decline in seropositivity to 9.7% in 2013 and 8.1% in 2014 was noted. A rising seroprevalence with age and a higher seroprevalence in females versus males (29.5%, n = 1179 vs. 13.3%, n = 584) were recorded. The highest seroprevalence was observed in suspected ocular toxoplasmosis (47.2%, n = 47), followed by neurological (26.8%, n = 77), human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (18.9%, n = 267), post-transplant (17.1%, n = 12) and congenital (7.2%, n = 144) toxoplasmosis. In patients screened for Toxoplasma exposure, the seropositivity was 47.8% (n = 11) in transplant screening and 44.9% (n = 781) in antenatal screening.
Toxoplasma infection is highly prevalent in the population of North India across various clinical categories of patients. Future studies focusing on continuous monitoring of seroprevalence trends and elucidation of the risk factors associated with seropositivity in more defined groups of patients are needed.

BACKGROUND: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-related stigma refers to the negative beliefs, feelings, and attitudes, while discrimination is the unfair and unjust treatment of people living with HIV/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (PLHA). Their manifestations are context-specific and have varied impacts.
OBJECTIVE: (1) To determine the different contexts in which PLHA face stigma and discrimination. (2) To study the impact of stigma and discrimination on the health of the PLHA.
METHODS: A qualitative study was conducted among PLHA at the office of the network for positives. Fourteen key informant interviews were conducted on PLHA and the peer counselors to determine the contexts in which they faced stigma and discrimination. To understand its impact on health, two Focus Group Discussions were carried out separately for male and female PLHA. The data were collected using a semi-structured interview guide and were audio recorded. They were then transcribed, manually coded, thematically analyzed, and triangulated.
RESULTS: The themes that arose showed that stigma and discrimination were context-specific and were experienced in different levels such as an individual, family, community, health-care system, and media. They experienced violence in addition to the loss of shelter and economic support. Stigma and discrimination was found to have a negative impact on the health of the PLHA. It was a major hindrance to health-care utilization resulting in worsening of health conditions and indirectly contributed to the spread of diseases.
CONCLUSIONS: PLHA experience different forms of stigma and discrimination which have an adverse impact on their health. Behavior change communication initiatives for the community are required.

UNASSIGNED: Human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) cases were found in South Kalimantan; until June 2012, based on residence, the cases include 164 people of Banjarmasin, 54 people of Banjarbaru, and 141 people of Tanah Bumbu. Although the number of cases in Banjarbaru is not as high as in the city of Banjarmasin, there remains a concern that the case did not increase and may even be pressed.
UNASSIGNED: This study aimed to describe adolescents\' knowledge about HIV-AIDS and the implications on the health promotion program among the senior high school students in Banjarbaru in an effort to prevent HIV-AIDS.
UNASSIGNED: This research used quantitative design with descriptive statistic test. The respondents were senior high school adolescents in Banjarbaru. Respondents were selected by purposive sampling technique with the inclusion criteria, such as willing to be a respondent, a native person of Banjarbaru, grade XI-XII, can cooperate and communicate well, and physically and mentally healthy.
UNASSIGNED: The result of this research showed as many as 308 respondents (96%) had a high level knowledge. Statistical test showed there were no correlation between level of knowledge about HIV /AIDS with attitudes toward people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA (p=0,813).
UNASSIGNED: Optimal support be required as the efforts to reduce HIV/AIDS cases from various network.

Evidence supporting the current World Health Organization recommendations of early antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation for adolescents is inconclusive. We leverage a large observational data and compare, in terms of mortality and CD4 cell count, the dynamic treatment initiation rules for human immunodeficiency virus-infected adolescents. Our approaches extend the marginal structural model for estimating outcome distributions under dynamic treatment regimes, developed in Robins et al. (2008), to allow the causal comparisons of both specific regimes and regimes along a continuum. Furthermore, we propose strategies to address three challenges posed by the complex data set: continuous-time measurement of the treatment initiation process; sparse measurement of longitudinal outcomes of interest, leading to incomplete data; and censoring due to dropout and death. We derive a weighting strategy for continuous-time treatment initiation, use imputation to deal with missingness caused by sparse measurements and dropout, and define a composite outcome that incorporates both death and CD4 count as a basis for comparing treatment regimes. Our analysis suggests that immediate ART initiation leads to lower mortality and higher median values of the composite outcome, relative to other initiation rules.

OBJECTIVE: Candidiasis is a common human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome-associated opportunistic mycoses. The present study ascertained the species spectrum of Candida strains recovered from different clinical samples from symptomatic HIV-positive individuals and determined the antifungal susceptibility profile of the isolates.
METHODS: A variety of specimens were collected from 234 symptomatic HIV seropositive individuals depending on their clinical manifestations and subjected to direct microscopic examination. Blood samples were inoculated in biphasic blood culture medium and all other specimens on Sabouraud dextrose agar with chloramphenicol and incubated at 35°C-37°C. Species identification of the recovered Candida isolates was attempted on the basis of germ tube production, micromorphology on corn meal agar, color and morphology on HiCrome Candida Differential agar, and carbohydrate fermentation and assimilation tests. Susceptibility testing of the isolates was performed employing the VITEK 2 system.
RESULTS: A total of 167 Candida isolates were obtained; Candida albicans (136), Candida tropicalis (13), Candida krusei (8), Candida parapsilosis (5), Candida glabrata (4), and Candida kefyr (1). Fluconazole resistance was more frequent among nonalbicans species, and significantly higher 5-fluorocytosine resistance compared to C. albicans was also observed. Eight Candida strains (six C. krusei, one C. kefyr, and one C. albicans) were multidrug resistant.
CONCLUSIONS: Although C. albicans continues to be the leading etiological agent of candidiasis, the incidence of nonalbicans species among HIV-positive Indian individuals is rising. Antifungal resistance was higher among nonalbicans Candida species. Another issue of therapeutic concern is the possible emergence of multidrug-resistant Candida strains among these patients.