TY - JOUR
T1 - Biomedical Approaches to HIV Prevention in Women
AU - Heumann, Christine L.
PY - 2018/6/1
Y1 - 2018/6/1
N2 - Purpose of Review: Effective HIV prevention techniques for women are of critical importance, as nearly half of all HIV infections globally are in women. This article reviews the recent literature on biomedical approaches to HIV prevention in women. Recent Findings: In trials in which women were adherent to oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), PrEP was equally efficacious in men and women. However, in studies of oral PrEP exclusively in women, adherence was low, and it was not efficacious. In trials of topical PrEP, including vaginal tenofovir gel and the monthly dapivirine ring, efficacy was also dependent upon adherence. Treatment as prevention (TasP) is a very effective HIV prevention strategy, though limited in that it is not controlled by the HIV-uninfected partner. Summary: Adherence is an important factor in the efficacy of biomedical interventions for HIV prevention in women; continued research is needed to identify the most efficacious and acceptable agents for women. Oral PrEP is currently recommended for the following groups of HIV-negative women: heterosexual women in ongoing sexual relationships with a partner infected with or at substantial risk of HIV infection and women who inject drugs and share injection or drug preparation equipment.
AB - Purpose of Review: Effective HIV prevention techniques for women are of critical importance, as nearly half of all HIV infections globally are in women. This article reviews the recent literature on biomedical approaches to HIV prevention in women. Recent Findings: In trials in which women were adherent to oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), PrEP was equally efficacious in men and women. However, in studies of oral PrEP exclusively in women, adherence was low, and it was not efficacious. In trials of topical PrEP, including vaginal tenofovir gel and the monthly dapivirine ring, efficacy was also dependent upon adherence. Treatment as prevention (TasP) is a very effective HIV prevention strategy, though limited in that it is not controlled by the HIV-uninfected partner. Summary: Adherence is an important factor in the efficacy of biomedical interventions for HIV prevention in women; continued research is needed to identify the most efficacious and acceptable agents for women. Oral PrEP is currently recommended for the following groups of HIV-negative women: heterosexual women in ongoing sexual relationships with a partner infected with or at substantial risk of HIV infection and women who inject drugs and share injection or drug preparation equipment.
KW - HIV prevention
KW - Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP)
KW - Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP)
KW - Treatment as prevention (TasP)
KW - Women
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85045673540&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s11908-018-0618-9
DO - 10.1007/s11908-018-0618-9
M3 - Review article
C2 - 29666937
AN - SCOPUS:85045673540
SN - 1523-3847
VL - 20
JO - Current Infectious Disease Reports
JF - Current Infectious Disease Reports
IS - 6
M1 - 11
ER -