Source: http://www.aidsmap.com

**HIV-1 has lost fitness over the past 15 years, say Belgian researchers

http://www.aidsmap.com/en/news/0FD6CD58-0094-48BC-947D-1F3B9E50AF93.asp?wk=1

HIV isolates from the late 1980s infect human cells and kill T-cells much more
effectively than HIV isolates gathered in 2002-2003, Belgian researchers report
in the October 15th edition of the journal AIDS. They say that the findings
represent the first signs that HIV-1 may eventually become attenuated, or less
harmful, in humans in the same way as HIV-2.


**Treatment break of at least six months needed before improvement in
mitochondrial function

http://www.aidsmap.com/en/news/B7F6EC31-D24A-4BCB-9319-4CD4A73E2EB4.asp?wk=1

Anti-HIV therapy needs to be interrupted for at least six months before the
mitochondrial content of immune system cells increases from baseline levels,
Italian researchers have found. In a study published in the October 14th edition
of AIDS the investigators found that mitochondrial DNA in CD8 cells increased
significantly in the first year of a break from antiretroviral treatment, but
that the increase only started six months after treatment was interrupted.


**Treatment interruption delivers no benefit for most heavily treated, despite
resistance loss

http://www.aidsmap.com/en/news/CEB4F2B7-2AC0-48A7-B20A-82805B2AF72E.asp?wk=1

Treatment interruption in heavily pretreated patients failed to deliver an
improved response to treatment when it was resumed, and two-thirds of patients
suffered HIV-related illness as a result of stopping treatment, French
investigators report in the October 15th edition of AIDS. The findings
contradict the results of a previous French study, GIGHAART.


**Efavirenz may linger for up to eight weeks after treatment stops

http://www.aidsmap.com/en/news/86D69A4D-A025-42A2-A045-75179616DC92.asp?wk=1

Levels of efavirenz (Sustiva) sufficient to cause drug resistance may linger for
at least eight weeks after it is stopped in some people who have a genetic
predisposition to clear the drug from the body very slowly, according to
researchers from St George's Hospital, London, and Liverpool University, who
report their findings in the October 15th edition of AIDS.

**Wasting in HIV-positive drug users linked to food insecurity and viral load

http://www.aidsmap.com/en/news/3EF6B356-A7BC-470B-AFD5-722CF5010D77.asp?wk=1

Almost one in five HIV-positive drug users from Miami has HIV-related wasting,
according to the results of a study published in the 15th October edition of
Clinical Infectious Diseases. The study found that wasting is linked to food
insecurity and higher HIV viral loads, despite most of the participants
receiving antiretroviral therapy

**Cryptococcal meningitis: treatment needs to be cheaper and more available

http://www.aidsmap.com/en/news/C47FDE54-DDCC-4036-BD11-48883AD3F64D.asp?wk=1

Treatment for a common AIDS-related infection, crypotococcal meningitis, is
still out of reach and too expensive in many countries, say doctors from South
Africa and London's St George's Hospital in a letter published in the September
edition of Lancet Infectious Diseases.