Microbicides and circumcision could achieve modest cuts in HIV infections in Africa

Via Aids Map, by Gus Cairns
Three mathematical models presented at the Eighteenth International AIDS Conference in Vienna have found that circumcision and a microbicide, used separately or together, could produce modest reductions in HIV incidence.

The models, by Andrew Cox of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and Hiam Chemaitelly of Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar, broadly agreed that a realistic level of microbicide and circumcision adoption would produce an approximately 20% reduction in new HIV infections within 15 to 20 years. Adding comprehensive antiretroviral therapy (ART) into this mix would reduce new infections considerably more.

A third model, by Geoffrey Garnett of Imperial College in London, was cited by Bill Gates in his conference talk on Monday. This showed that adding in microbicides and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to currently available prevention interventions – excluding ART – would reduce HIV infections by an additional 15 to 18%.