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F O C U |
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Vol. 5=
, Issue 20, October 2, 2009 |
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Your e=
mail will NEVER be sold or provided to groups outside o=
f GMTF. Questions/comments or to be removed fro=
m our mailing list, please email us at =
fdh@mtgayhealth.org or call (toll-free) 888-713-4683. Chec=
k out our website at: =
www.mtgayhealth.org. FOCUS=
is made possible through funding provided by the Montana Department of Pub=
lic Health and Human Services (DPHHS), HIV/STD Prevention Section |
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GMTF Members: Steven Barr=
ios (Browning) Brian Flikke=
ma (Bozeman) Sean Fuc=
ci (Billings) Frank G=
ary (Butte) Tom Gocks=
ch (Helena) Eric Hal=
l (Polson) Dustin=
Principe (Billings) Mpower=
MT (Core group): Philip RobersonBrady RoweNathan SherrodAlec ShortOrrin Tiberi (Miss=
oula) Our Staff (Missoula): David H=
errera — Director Jon Freel=
and — Associate Dir. Chantz=
Thilmony — Outreach / MpowerMT Supervisor=
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October <=
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font-family:
Verdana;mso-latinext-font-family:Verdana;font-weight:bold;language:EN;
mso-ansi-language:EN'>17 — Let's Talk Abo=
ut Sex! The Yellowstone AIDS Project is this d=
ay retreat for men who have sex with men at the Mansfield Health Education =
Center on the St. Vincent Campus. Check out their [Billings] <=
span
style=3D'font-size:7.5pt;font-family:Verdana;mso-default-font-family:Verd=
ana;
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font-family:
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mso-ansi-language:EN'>17 — Oz 4. for i=
nfo. [Bozeman] <=
span
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ana;
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font-family:
Verdana;mso-latinext-font-family:Verdana;font-weight:bold;language:EN;
mso-ansi-language:EN'>23 — 25 — or ca=
ll 406-829-8075 for info. [Lubrecht Forest] <=
span
style=3D'font-size:7.5pt;font-family:Verdana;mso-default-font-family:Verd=
ana;
mso-ascii-font-family:Verdana;mso-latin-font-family:Verdana;mso-greek-fon=
t-family:
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mso-hebrew-font-family:Verdana;mso-thai-font-family:Verdana;mso-currency-=
font-family:
Verdana;mso-latinext-font-family:Verdana;font-weight:bold;language:EN;
mso-ansi-language:EN'>24 — Harm Reduction Outreac=
h Worker Training & Skills Building Opportunity. A FREE [Missoula] <=
span
style=3D'font-size:7.5pt;font-family:Verdana;mso-default-font-family:Verd=
ana;
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font-family:
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'>For more events,
Calend=
ar of Events The past decade has seen substantial advances in=
the development of antiretroviral therapy (ART) -- medications used in com=
bination to reduce the replication of HIV virus and treat HIV-infected pers=
ons. Because of these medications, many HIV-infected persons are able to re=
duce levels of virus in the bloodstream (plasma viral load) to undetectable=
levels. Data suggest that HIV-infected persons with undetectable viral loa=
d are less infectious, and may be less likely to transmit HIV via sexual co=
ntact. This fact sheet summarizes the implications of these data to individ=
ual couples and to the potential impact of ART in the prevention of HIV tra=
nsmission within populations. Prevention of Sexual Transmission =
of HIV: Individual Couples vs. Populations Evidence from observational studies among hetero=
sexual populations and men who have sex with men (MSM) suggests that effect=
ive ART may greatly reduce the likelihood of sexual transmission from infec=
ted individuals to their sexual partners. A study of heterosexual couples i=
n Uganda in which one partner was infected revealed that infected persons w=
ho did transmit virus to their partners had significantly higher mean viral=
load than those who did not transmit (90,254 copies/mL vs. 38,029 copies/m=
L); no transmissions occurred among couples in which the infected partners =
viral load was under 1500 copies/mL. Among infected persons at a clinic in =
Spain , wider availability of effective ART was associated with an 80% decr=
ease in sexual transmission of HIV. While fewer data are available regardin=
g the impact of ART on transmission among MSM (the most affected population=
in the United States), transmission rates observed among a population of M=
SM in San Francisco declined with the availability of ART despite increases=
in risk behavior, associated with an estimated 60% decrease in per-act inf=
ectivity. Mathematical modeling studies suggest that successful use of ART =
by enough infected individuals could substantially reduce the spread of HIV=
within a population. ART thus holds promise as an important prevention too=
l. However, it is important to note that this potential reduction in HIV tr=
ansmission within a population does not translate to elimination of transmi=
ssion risk within individual couples. What is the Risk of Sexual HIV Tra=
nsmission for HIV-Infected Persons With Undetectable Viral Load? ART is considered effective when it consistently=
suppresses plasma viral load to undetectable levels. However, sexual trans=
mission of HIV from an infected partner who was on ART with a repeatedly un=
detectable plasma viral load has been documented. An infected partner's gen=
ital (seminal or vaginal) fluid viral load may play a greater role than pla=
sma viral load when evaluating the risk of sexual transmission of HIV. The =
likelihood of HIV transmission in the setting of ART is influenced by a num=
ber of factors, several of which are described below. To view the article, CLICK HERE<=
/a>! Effect of Antiretroviral Therapy o=
n Risk of Sexual Transmission of HIV Infection and Superinfection August 2009 ~ t=
hebody.com |
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