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Human Immunodeficiency Virus prevalence was predicted using cluster analysis technique. A retrospective design was employed. We deployed surrogate measures for social, economic, political and quality of life. Data mining strategies were trailed to gather data. Factors that affect HIV prevalence were represented with surrogate measures by brainstorming activity. Data were taken from world reports from reliable sources. Using an algorithm, data were analyzed using MiniTab software: partitioning, centroid-based, hierarchical and density based methods. This article introduced three contending models on the interplay of the factors towards its influence on HIV prevalence. It culminates with the integration of a holistic model, which can provide a theoretical basis in predicting HIV prevalence. An integrative model was elevated from its substantial form to a more formal application. From HIV prevalence to communicable disease prevalence, this provides a more wide application.

The pandemic of human immunodeficiency virus type one (HIV-1), the major etiologic agent of acquired immunodeficiency disease (AIDS), has led to over 33 million people living with the virus, among which 18 million are women and children. Until now, there is neither an effective vaccine nor a therapeutic cure despite over 30 years of efforts. Although the Thai RV144 vaccine trial has demonstrated an efficacy of 31.2%, an effective vaccine will likely rely on a breakthrough discovery of immunogens to elicit broadly reactive neutralizing antibodies, which may take years to achieve. Therefore, there is an urgency of exploring other prophylactic strategies. Recently, antiretroviral treatment as prevention is an exciting area of progress in HIV-1 research. Although effective, the implementation of such strategy faces great financial, political and social challenges in heavily affected regions such as developing countries where drug resistant viruses have already been found with growing incidence. Activating latently infected cells for therapeutic cure is another area of challenge. Since it is greatly difficult to eradicate HIV-1 after the establishment of viral latency, it is necessary to investigate strategies that may close the door to HIV-1. Here, we review studies on non-vaccine strategies in targeting viral entry, which may have critical implications for HIV-1 prevention.

Intro -- Contents -- Preface -- Introduction: -- Social science aspects of current HIV/AIDS research -- Hugh Klein(1 and Joav Merrick2,3,4,5 -- Introduction -- Social science efforts -- Social aspects -- References -- Social science aspects -- Chapter I -- Condom use measurement in adolescent HIV prevention research: Is briefer better? -- Christopher D. Houck1,*, Angela Stewart2, Larry K. Brown1 and the Project SHIELD Study Group -- Abstract -- Introduction -- Our study -- Our findings -- Discussion -- Social science implications -- Acknowledgments -- References -- Chapter II -- Internet advice on disclosure of HIV status to sexual partners in an era of criminalization -- Bronwen Lichtenstein* -- Abstract -- Introduction -- Evolving law on criminal non-disclosure -- Public health models for HIV prevention -- The law versus medicine -- The disclosure dilemma -- The study -- Results -- Priority rankings -- Value rankings -- How useful is the US advice? -- Whose responsibility? -- Discussion -- References -- Chapter III -- Childhood maltreatment and HIV risk-taking among men using the internet specifically to find partners for unprotected sex -- Hugh Klein*1,2 and David Tilley3 -- Abstract -- Introduction -- Our study -- Measures used -- Analysis -- Our findings -- Childhood maltreatment and HIV risk practices -- Childhood maltreatment and attitudes toward condom use -- Childhood maltreatment and self-esteem -- Testing the structural equation model shown in figure 2 -- Discussion -- Acknowledgments -- References -- Chapter IV -- Understanding the agreements and behaviors of men who have sex with men who are dating or married to women: Unexpected implications for a universal HIV/STI testing protocol -- Jason W. Mitchell,1 David A. Moskowitz2,* and David W. Seal3 -- Abstract -- Introduction -- Our study -- Measures used.

In order to evaluate alternative tests and strategies to simplify pediatric human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) screening at the district hospital level, a cross-sectional exploratory study was organized in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Venous and capillary phlebotomies were performed on 941 Congolese children, aged 1 month to 12 years (153 children under 18 months and 788 children more than 18 months old). The HIV prevalence rate was 4.7%. An algorithm for children more than 18 months old, using serial rapid tests (Determine, InstantScreen, and Uni-Gold) performed on capillary blood stored in EDTA tubes, had a sensitivity of 100.0% (95% confidence interval [CI], 88.9 to 100.0%) and a specificity of 100.0% (95% CI, 99.5 to 100.0%). The results of this study suggest that the ultrasensitive p24 antigen assay may be performed on capillary plasma stored on filter paper (sensitivity and specificity, 100.0%; n = 87) instead of venous plasma (sensitivity, 92.3%; specificity, 100.0%; n = 150). The use of glucolets (instruments used to perform capillary phlebotomies), instead of syringes and needles, may reduce procedural pain and the risk of needle stick injuries at a comparable cost. Compared to the reference, HIV could have been correctly excluded based on one rapid test for at least 90% of these children. The results of this study point towards underutilized opportunities to simplify phlebotomy and pediatric HIV screening.

Millions of Indians fall into poverty because of the private high Out of Pocket pattern of health financing, due to the absence of insurance coverage. Conditions like HIV and AIDS also influence poverty due to a lifelongtreatment requirement. Access to insurance coverage (commercial or voluntary) has been denied to People Living with HIV (PLHIV) through various clauses. However lately, there have been certain experiments on inclusion of HIV into new or existing schemes. This paper provides a systematic review of coverage, managerial and financial systems of selected cases of HIV insurance pilots in India with an objective to explore its sustainability and ability to be replicated. A cross-sectional descriptive analysis of existing literature and in-depth case studies of relevant health insurance schemes were used for the review. Data was compiled using qualitative data collection tools such as in-depth interviews with officials. The schemes were analysed using two frameworks viz. managerial ability and coverage ability. The managerial ability was analysed through a Strength-Weakness-Opportunity-Threat(SWOT) analysis. The coverage ability was analysed through three dimensions viz. a) breadth b) depth and c) height. In India, there are two types of insurance policies vis-à-vis HIV coverage. These were categorised as HIV-specific and HIV-sensitive policies. Of the seven pilot schemes reviewed, the small-scale health insurance schemes show limited success owing to smaller pool and limited managerial capabilities. The large schemes offer avenues for mainstreaming butpose issues of governance as well as marketing among PLHIVs. The findings of the research identify a specific set of issues and challenges for sustainability and replication from three perspectives viz. a) market, b) cost recovery and sustainability and c) equitable coverage. Abbreviations: AIDS – Acquired Immune Deficient Syndrome; ART - Anti-retroviral Therapy; BPL – Below Poverty Line; FF-HIP – Freedom Foundation Health Insurance Policy; HIV – Human Immunodeficiency Virus; IRDA – Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority; NGO – Non Government Organisation; PLHIV – People Living with HIV; OI – Opportunistic Infections; OOP – Out of Pocket; RSBY – Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana; STI – Sexually Transmitted Infection; SWOT – Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats; UHC – Universal Health Coverage; UNDP – United Nations Development Program.

Through the efforts of thousands of individuals, the World Wide Web has become a gold mine of information about HIV. In this article, we describe ∼90 Web sites that are among the most useful to clinicians and researchers with regard to HIV. Web sites were classified according to their content and target audience and were judged according to their adherence to accepted standards of medical Internet publishing. Selected Web sites were categorized into the following groups: (1) sites with comprehensive coverage of HIV treatment and its management, (2) on-line peer-reviewed journals, (3) proceedings of scientific meetings, (4) sites with HIV-related textbooks, manuals, and guidelines, (5) government publications, (6) research databases, (7) information on clinical trials, (8) sites with comprehensive information for laypersons, and (9) sites with information related to specific medical complications of HIV infection.

In earlier work, human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) sequences were analysed to estimate the timing of the ancestral sequence of the main group of HIV-1, the virus that is responsible for the acquired immune deficiency syndrome pandemic, yielding a best estimate of 1931 (95% confidence interval of 1915-1941). That work will be briefly reviewed, outlining how phylogenetic tools were extended to incorporate improved evolutionary models, how the molecular clock model was adapted to incorporate variable periods of latency, and how the approach was validated by correctly estimating the timing of two historically documented dates. The advantages, limitations, and assumptions of the approach will be summarized, with particular consideration of the implications of branch length uncertainty and recombination. We have recently undertaken new phylogenetic analysis of an extremely diverse set of human immunodeficiency virus envelope sequences from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (the DRC, formerly Zaire). This analysis both corroborates and extends the conclusions of our original study. Coalescent methods were used to infer the demographic history of the HIV-1 epidemic in the DRC, and the results suggest an increase in the exponential growth rate of the infected population through time.

Background: National Tuberculosis Program has envisioned to provide human immunodeficiency virus testing for all tuberculosis patients. However, human immunodeficiency virus testing coverage among notified tuberculosis patients is very low in Nepal. Hence, it is difficult to reflect the prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus infection among Tuberculosis patients based on the information available from the routine system. Hence National Tuberculosis Program carried out sentinel surveillance to assess the prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus infection among tuberculosis patients and its associated factors in Nepal.Methods: This study is cross-sectional study type conducted at six sentinel sites across the country. This study lasted for six months starting from March 2017 to August 2017. The sample size was calculated using Epiinfo STATCAL application assuming confidence interval at 95%, 85% power and 5% non-response rate. The required sample size was 1672 tuberculosis patients. Ethical approval was obtained from Nepal Health Research Council. All types of tuberculosis patients who were equal or above 15 years were included in the study. Human immunodeficiency viruse testing was performed among tuberculosis patients as per the testing algorithm recommended by national guideline.Results: The study was carried out among 1664 tuberculosis patients registered for tuberculosis treatment during the study period. More than two thirds of tuberculosis patients (67%) were male. The median age of tuberculosis patients was found 32 years. During human immunodeficiency virus testing, 41 out of 1664 tuberculosis patients were found human immunodeficiency virus positive resulting human immunodeficiency virus infection seroprevalence among tuberculosis patients to 2.5%. Prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus infection was significantly associated with age (P=0.002), caste/ethnicity (P=0.025), religion (P=0.015) and occupation (P=0.014) of tuberculosis patients.Conclusions: Prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus infection among tuberculosis patients was found 2.5%. Information and access to tuberculosis/human immunodeficiency virus services needs to be increased toaddress tuberculosis-human immunodeficiency virus co-infection in Nepal.Keywords: HIV; prevalence; TB; TB-HIV coinfection.

The sources of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/AIDS information as well as the perception of reliability of information from these sources may have a significant impact on the effectiveness of HIV risk reduction messages in reaching high risk populations. We examined the sources of HIV information and the perception of reliability of information from these sources among African Americans (n = 441), Hispanic Americans (n = 456), and whites (n = 297), in Houston, Texas. The data revealed that African Americans and Hispanics were most likely to receive their HIV/AIDS information from the "media" compared with whites who received most of their information from "government agencies and professionals." Information from "family, friends and schools" were regarded as the least reliable by respondents from all three ethnic groups. The data also showed that perceptions of reliability of information sources were influenced by level of educational attainment. Implications for designing target audience-specific intervention strategies for the prevention of the spread of HIV disease are discussed.