Thirty-nine year old gardener David Damani has never been so happy digging a garden. It can be physically demanding work for someone who is HIV-positive but the very fact he is carrying the HIV virus is what got him the job in the first place. He has been HIV-positive for three years and securing the part-time gardenin
Sperm could provide a vital clue to how diseases like cancer and HIV spread through the body, a study suggests. UK researchers have identified markers on the surface of human sperm which prevent them being attacked by the female immune system. The markers are also found on cancer cells and HIV-infected blood cells and
The first HIV medication which involves taking just one pill a day has been approved by the European authorities. The go-ahead for Atripla represents what some experts say is a revolution in treatment for the virus that causes Aids, although it is not a cure. People using the earliest HIV drugs in 1996 had to take up t
Thirty-seven of Africa s best known musicians have released an album to raise awareness about HIV. The UN-sponsored album has been freely distributed to radio and television stations throughout Africa. It is the starting point of a real battle against Aids and not just words in the air, Senegalese rapper Didier Awadi s
Many people are unaware they are infected with HIV GPs and other health professionals should be more proactive in offering at-risk groups HIV tests, experts say. The University College London study of 263 HIV-positive African patients in the UK found half were diagnosed late despite above average use of services. An
Scouts, cubs and beavers are taking part in a sponsored walk through the Oxfordshire countryside on World Aids Day to help Aids orphans in Zambia . It is the first walk to contribute to a 10,000-mile (16,093km) target organised by Witney-based charity Cecily s Fund. Supporters will take turns to do walks and runs, unti
Events have been held to mark the 20th World Aids Day, many highlighting the need to fight continued prejudices against people with HIV/Aids. The UN recently reduced its estimate of the number of people with HIV/Aids, but the figure still stands at 33 million. Campaigners warn that better treatment has bred complacency
The numbers of people living with HIV in the island doubled last year, an Aids charity has revealed. Rates of new infection are about one person per month. More than 60 people are known to be living with HIV in Jersey, but the number of undiagnosed cases remains unknown. The figures come from Jersey Aids charity ACET w
New figures show a range of sexually transmitted infections are on the increase in Northern Ireland . The fastest growing is chlamydia - which can cause infertility. There were nearly 2,000 new cases last year - a rise of more than 20%. Syphilis and genital herpes also show signi
It is 20 years since the world s first HIV/Aids drug came onto the market in the US. There were complaints AZT was expensive and could have toxic side effects. But it offered hope. Not of a cure, but at least of a longer life for the 15,000 Americans then living with the disease. Hope too for governments worldwide
Doctors and health charities have expressed concern about a conference which will examine the role of homeopathy in treating HIV. The event includes discussion of what have been described as healing remedies for HIV and Aids. One of the speakers believes that the treatment, involving flower essences, can be used to hal
In a small room, in a modest, but well-maintained building in Central Cairo, a phone rings. The caller - a woman - is worried. She suspects that her husband has been having sex with someone else. She is concerned that she might be at risk of catching HIV. Where can I go to get tested? she wants to know. Will my anonymi
Armani, Motorola and Apple are among those to join the scheme, donating part of sales to the Global Fund against Aids, Malaria and Tuberculosis. While private sector contribution has been boosted by the brand, the number of firms signing up remains limited. In Africa more than 33 million people are living with HIV/Aids
Say It s Not True was written by Roger Taylor especially for Nelson Mandela s Aids awareness campaign, 46664. It s been a magical experience, fantastic, Taylor said of Queen s return to the studio on the BBC s Breakfast programme. The track can be downloaded from the 46664 and Queen websites from Saturday, which is Wor
Around one million Zambians - 16% of the population - are believed to have HIV/Aids, a fact marked by World Aids Day on Saturday. After experts from the United Nations backed male circumcision as a way of reducing the chances of getting HIV, the BBC s reporter in Zambia s capital Lusaka, Kennedy Gondwe, decided to unde
Colin McInnes was awarded a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) chair. He is thought to be the first professor in Wales to receive the honour from Unesco and only the eighth in the UK. They are awarded annually to help further research in one of the organisation s fields of compete
The authors, the Institute of Security Studies and Transparency International, say there has been a potentially lethal cocktail of mismanagement . They blame South Africa s president for questioning the link between HIV and Aids and say his stance has had an impact on the whole health system. South Africa has the highe
Tumaini Mbogela said her husband beat her when she returned from a voluntary counselling centre in the town of Makete where she took the HIV test. Rights activists say the attack was uncalled for and women do not need permission to check their HIV status. Half of the 1.6m Tanzanians living with HIV are women, recent fi
More than 300 European health experts are calling for earlier HIV testing to tackle increasing infection rates. They are attending a conference in Brussels, described as the first time patients, policy-makers and physicians have gathered in the same room. One proposal being considered is for wider testing for people co
Almost half of the 300 people aged 14 to 25 surveyed said they would want to keep it a secret if a relative had HIV. The degree of stigma around the disease in Britain is similar to that in South Africa , which has the highest instances of HIV, the Red Cross study reveals. Only 32% of Britons worry about getting the di
The rate of new cases of HIV/Aids in the European Union has almost doubled since 1999, a report shows. Estonia has by far the highest rate of diagnosis, followed by Portugal and the UK, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.
The rate of new cases of HIV/Aids in the UK is one of the highest in the European Union, a report shows. There were 8,925 newly diagnosed cases last year, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control said. At almost 149 cases per million inhabitants, the UK has the third highest rate of new infections behind
The sexual health of young UK adults worsened in 2006 despite a concerted public health effort to turn it around, figures show. In 2006, a total of 376,508 new sexually transmitted infections (STIs) were diagnosed - up 2.2% on 2005, the Health Protection Agency found. Young people aged 16-24 made up the bulk of cases o
The Queen has shaken hands with a HIV patient in public for the first time, while touring an Aids clinic during her state visit to Uganda . Dozens of children and adults living with the virus were met by the monarch at treatment facilities established by the UK-based Aids charity Mildmay. The Queen and Duke of Edin
The United Nations has reduced its estimates of how many people are infected with HIV in 2007 from nearly 40m to 33m. Revised figures for India account for much of the decrease, experts say. But the rate of new cases and mortality levels are declining, although figures still show that there are 6,800 new cases each day
The United Nations has reduced its estimates of how many people are infected with HIV. The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/Aids (UNAids) has said the number of HIV cases around the world now stands at 33.2m, compared with approximately 39m last year. These latest figures appear to show a dramatic drop in cases. A
UK patients are now eligible to receive a new type of HIV drug - the first new oral class of HIV/Aids treatment in more than a decade. Pfizer s Celsentri (maraviroc) blocks HIV s entry to immune system cells. Although it is not a cure, it can help patients who have not responded to other available HIV drugs. HIV char
China plans to end a 20-year ban on foreigners with HIV entering the country, the health ministry says. Department spokesman Mao Qun an said the rule had been introduced at a time when people knew little about how HIV/Aids was spread. However, he did not say when the law would be changed. Aids activists have been
South Africa s President Thabo Mbeki remains an Aids dissident - doubting the link between the HIV virus and Aids, according to his new biographer. Mark Gevisser told the BBC Mr Mbeki thinks he has failed on the issue of Aids and regrets dropping the debate. He said Mr Mbeki believes anti-Aids drugs, now distributed in
Lasers could be used to combat viruses and infections like HIV and MRSA without side effects, researchers say. Current ultraviolet light laser treatments can kill micro-organisms - but cannot be used in humans as they would also damage cells in the body. But using infrared femtosecond lasers with carefully selected wav
South Africa s President Thabo Mbeki remains an Aids dissident - doubting the link between the HIV virus and Aids according to a new biography. Mark Gevisser says Mr Mbeki told him he regretted withdrawing from the debate, UK newspaper The Guardian reports. He said that Mr Mbeki called him to specifically discuss Aids
A rising number of dual infections with HIV and tuberculosis has created a co-epidemic spreading throughout sub-Saharan Africa, researchers say. Local health systems are unable to contain the co-epidemic, the Forum for Collaborative HIV Research says. The situation is made more urgent by increasing rates of drug-resist
The strain of the HIV virus which predominates in the United States and Europe has been traced back to Haiti by an international team of scientists. The strain passed from Haiti to the US in about 1969 before spreading further, says the team in the Proceedings of the US National Academy of Sciences. They hope knowi
U2 frontman Bono has been honoured with an award for his humanitarian work at an Aids charity fundraiser in New York. Singer Alicia Keys, who co-founded the Keep A Child Alive charity, described Bono as an amazing man at the event. He is an inspiration and single-handedly made it cool to have something to speak about,
Giving birth can be fatal for women in many countries of the world. Around half a million women die annually before, during or shortly after giving birth - and almost all of these deaths occur in developing countries. Campaigners argue that these deaths are both preventable and have repercussions that echo far beyond t
South Africa is in danger of losing the battle against HIV/Aids, the United Nations children s agency has warned. Unicef s South Africa representative, Macharia Kamau, said infection and death rates were outpacing treatment. This was having a devastating effect on children whose parents died of Aids, and sent out a d
More than a third of patients on HIV medication in sub-Saharan Africa die or discontinue their treatment within two years of starting it, a survey shows. The study found that many were too late taking up anti-retroviral (ARV) drugs, while for some it was impractical to travel to distant clinics. The US researchers also
Bihar -- Eleven years ago, doctors told Kailash Bhagat that he was infected with the HIV virus. He was working as a cook in Bangkok. When he returned to his native village of Sitamarhi in India s eastern Bihar state and told his family and friends about his condition, they immediately shunned and abandoned him. Deject
A man killed when a train hit his car on a level-crossing in Berkshire was awaiting the results of an HIV test when he died, an inquest heard. Brian Drysdale told doctors that he feared he had the disease after unprotected sex with a male partner. The coroner s court at Slough heard that the 48-year-old chef tested neg
A factory that will produce treatments for HIV/Aids is opening in Uganda , the first of its kind in the country. It aims to reduce the cost of the vital medication by cutting import costs. Locally produced anti-retroviral HIV drugs and anti-malaria drugs should be available by January, Uganda s health minister told the
It was a chance meeting in South Africa that gave Annie Lennox the inspiration for the stand-out track on her new album, Songs of Mass Destruction. Attending a function for former president Nelson Mandela s 46664 HIV/Aids campaign, she saw a man in a black T-shirt with I am HIV positive written in big white capital le
A 39-year-old man has been charged with assault after a woman became infected with the HIV virus. Edmore Tabaiwa, of Audley Road in Levenshulme, has been charged with section 18 assault by Greater Manchester Police. He is due to appear at Manchester City Magistrates Court later. The victim, who has not been named, is a
A large increase in the number of cases of HIV in the East of England has been revealed by BBC Look East. Between 1996 and 2005 the number of new cases of HIV, the virus which causes Aids, has risen from 57 to 529. This is the largest increase outside London. The number receiving treatment has risen from 420 cases to 2
Nine in 10 young people rarely or never think about HIV when making decisions over their sex lives, a BBC poll shows. The findings from a survey of 1,500 people comes as the BBC and Terrence Higgins Trust launch a two-month UK campaign to raise awareness about HIV. The poll also showed worrying numbers believed myths s
Former South African president Nelson Mandela has announced an international concert to be held for World Aids Day in Johannesburg on 1 December. The aim is to raise awareness about HIV/Aids in a country with one of the world s highest HIV prevalence rates More than five million people are HIV positive in South Africa.
A court in India s Rajasthan state has put on hold a controversial decision by a lower court denying an HIV-positive woman the custody of her daughter. Last week, a court in Jaipur ruled that the mother was unfit to look after her nine-year-old girl on account of her HIV-positive status. The woman contracted the virus
Angolans serving in the national army have been taking part in an unusual training drill, caught on film. In between oiling their AK-47s, they have been using bananas as a model for what to do with a condom. The doctor in charge, Major Andre Chimuco says many had never seen a condom before, far less used one . The
Maputo Archbishop Francisco Chimoio claimed some anti-retroviral drugs were also infected in order to finish quickly the African people . The Catholic Church formally opposes any use of condoms, advising fidelity within marriage or sexual abstinence. Aids activists have been angered by the remarks, one calling them no
A false belief among young HIV patients that the virus can be cured is fuelling a rise in infection levels, a specialist has claimed. Dr Veerakathy Harindra says a quarter of his young HIV patients wrongly believe a cure has already been found. This leads them to fail to take adequate precautions to prevent the spread
International drug company Merck has halted trials on an HIV vaccine that was regarded as one of the most promising in the fight against Aids. Merck stopped testing the vaccine after it was judged to be ineffective. In trials, the vaccine failed to prevent HIV infections among volunteers who were at risk of catching th
Ever since Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang took up her post in 1999, her rows with Aids activists and views on nutrition have been the staple food of South African news. In recent weeks, however, the minister dubbed Dr No and Dr Beetroot has been in the spotlight more than ever before, amid the controversial s
Pop star George Michael has asked for an interview in which he discusses his fears of having HIV to be removed from a BBC programme. The BBC has confirmed the interview will no longer feature in the upcoming documentary, Stephen Fry: HIV and Me. Michael s former partner, Anselmo Feleppa, died of an Aids-related illness
A young woman has spoken of her fears she could have been infected with HIV or hepatitis after apparently being stabbed in the stomach with a needle. Katie Dawson, 19, from Strood, near Rochester, Kent, suffered two puncture wounds in the assault in Chatham. My greatest fear is that I could die because of these disease
Just a few minutes walk from the winding picturesque alleyways of Zanzibar s historic and much-visited Stone Town is a sight that most tourists will not get to see. Crouching in small fishing boats and dugout canoes on the shore of Malindi, Stone Town s port are a number of young men injecting themselves with a cocktai
Dozens of blood banks in Peru have been closed after at least four people were infected with the HIV virus through contaminated transfusions. The government said all 240 of the country s facilities would be thoroughly screened, amid what is being described as a national emergency. The patients were all infected at
UN chief Ban Ki-moon has called an emergency meeting to try to address Africa s failure to make progress on the Millennium Development Goals. The eight internationally-declared goals, on reducing poverty and improving life chances, were set in 2000 for achievement by 2015. But the UN says that halfway to the deadline,
South Africa is on course to meet its target of halving new Aids infections by 2011, the deputy president has said. Some 1,000 people are currently being infected each day. The other target is to treat 80% of those in need. Phumzile Mlambo-Ngquka gave her upbeat assessment despite recent controversies at the health m
A woman who says she found that people with HIV/Aids were being buried alive in a remote part of Papua New Guinea has told the BBC about her discovery. Health worker Margaret Marabe, who has Aids herself, spent five months travelling around villages in the country s southern highlands, educating people there about the
Gordon Brown is spearheading a campaign to build national health systems in some of the world s poorest countries that will help save millions of lives. The UK prime minister is forming a new partnership with other developed countries to make sure international aid is spent effectively. Ministers from
A Cardiff couple infected with HIV via contaminated blood products are taking their fight to the British courts. Haydn Lewis, 50, a haemophiliac, was diagnosed with HIV in 1985 after being given contaminated blood. His wife, Gaynor, was unwittingly infected. A US judge has ruled that their case against US pharmaceutica
With Diana s death, many causes - some unfashionable or ignored - lost a high-profile and important patron. After her divorce, the princess resigned as head of most of her charities. But she remained as patron of Centrepoint, Leprosy Mission and the National Aids Trust, as well as taking an interest in the campaign aga
Hundreds of people are expected to attend a candlelit vigil in Greater Manchester to remember those who have lost their lives to the HIV virus. The event, at 2100 BST, marks the end of the Manchester Pride 2007 festival. The vigil is the culmination of the 11 day festival featuring a massive street parade through Manch
Some people with HIV/Aids in Papua New Guinea are being buried alive by their relatives, a health worker says. Margaret Marabe said families were taking the extreme action because they could no longer look after sufferers or feared catching the disease themselves. Ms Marabe said she saw the live burials with her
South Africa s former deputy health minister has been ordered to repay the cost of an unauthorised trip to Spain where she attended an Aids meeting. Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge, who was sacked earlier this month for making the journey to Madrid, has been asked to pay 312,000 rand ($42,000, 21,000 pounds). President T
The Indian government s recent attempt to introduce sex education for school children has provoked a vigorous debate. In the second of two articles, the BBC s Jyotsna Singh considers the case against a more open discussion of sex in schools. The decision to introduce sex education in India s schools, aimed primarily at
Unsafe sex has, for the first time, become the main means of transmission of HIV/Aids in China , overtaking injecting drug use. The BBC s Jill McGivering looks at some of the issues this will raise. In many ways, the pattern of spread of HIV/Aids in China was predictable. It mirrors similar patterns in many other count
Scientists in South Africa say they have found no evidence that healthier eating is a substitute for medical drugs when treating HIV/Aids and TB. This follows an exhaustive study on the links between nutrition and treatment. South Africa s health minister has faced ridicule in the past for stressing the benefits of bee
China s state media says unsafe sex has, for the first time, become the main means of transmission of HIV/Aids, overtaking intravenous drug use. Infected blood transfusions also caused many of the early cases. The news raises fresh concerns that HIV infections are moving from high risk groups to the mainstream populati
Authorities are investigating a church-owned Nigerian university which has imposed compulsory HIV testing for its graduates, officials say. The National Universities Commission (NUC) says it has summoned the leadership of Covenant University to explain its controversial policy. We are trying to find out if it s true th
Couples must first take an HIV test before they will be allowed to marry, the Anglican Church in Nigeria says. The church says the move is to help parishioners make informed choices when choosing marriage partners. The BBC News website learnt that many Christian churches in Nigeria impose similar tests on their members
Pilots in Botswana have reacted angrily to new regulations that mean they could face the sack if they have HIV. The country s Civil Aviation Department says pilots and air traffic controllers must be tested regularly for HIV, diabetes and high blood pressure. If found to be HIV-positive and to have developed another co
HIV can trigger learning and memory deficits by launching a double attack on the brain, research shows. It was already known that a protein on the surface of the virus could kill off mature brain cells. But the latest study shows it also prevents the production of replacements by crippling cells with the potential to s
South Africa s sacked Deputy Health Minister Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge sprang to prominence in the second half of 2006 when her superior Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, was taken ill and underwent a liver transplant. During the health minister s absence, Ms Madlala-Routledge succeeded in repairing the relationship between go
Too many people are refusing HIV tests at sex health clinics - and a key government target could be missed as a result, says an Aids charity. The target aimed to halve the number of people whose HIV infection is missed when they visit a sexual health clinic for another reason. The National Aids Trust said that making a
South Africa s former deputy health minister has said she was sacked for doing her job. Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge said she had been fired for going on an unauthorised trip to a Spanish Aids conference and for criticising hospital conditions. She said it was her duty to respond quickly to reports that babies were dying
Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi s son has said the six Bulgarian medics who were imprisoned for deliberately infecting children with HIV were tortured. Saif al-Islam Gaddafi told Al Jazeera TV that Libyan investigators tortured the medics with electric shocks and threatened to target their families. But Mr Gaddafi denied
Aids activists and opposition parties have criticised the sacking of South Africa s deputy health minister, after she went to a Spanish Aids conference. This is a dreadful error of judgement that will harm public healthcare, said the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC). It is believed that President Thabo Mbeki did not aut
Hollywood is planning to make a movie about the six Bulgarian medics who were jailed in Libya for deliberately infecting children with HIV. The five nurses and a Palestinian-born doctor, who served eight years of the life sentences they received, had always maintained they were innocent. They were released from pri
The South African government says that for the first time, there may be signs of a reduction in the prevalence of HIV, the virus that causes Aids. A government survey found that HIV prevalence among pregnant women across the country had dropped by one percentage point. South Africa has one of the world s worst infectio
Bulgaria is to waive $57m (29m pounds) of debt it is owed by Libya following the release of six medics convicted of infecting Libyan children with HIV. Instead the money will be diverted to an international fund for the victims and their families, officials said. The five nurses and a Palestinian-born doctor, who
Nearly 40% of Nepali women trafficked into India to work as sex workers there have been found to be HIV positive on their return home, a study has found. Sex trafficking may be a major factor in the spread of HIV in India and the rest of South Asia, the report said. Nepal has traditionally had low rates of HIV/Aids but
Imagine being the health minister of Papua New Guinea , a poor country confronting one of the fastest growing Aids epidemics but which can call on the services of fewer than 300 doctors. Or of Ethiopia , which has one doctor for every 100,000 people.
One of the medics jailed in Libya on charges of infecting children with HIV has said he was tortured in custody. Palestinian-born Dr Ashraf Alhajouj, held for eight years along with five Bulgarian nurses, said he was given electric shocks to his genitals. The doctor, a Bulgarian citizen, told Dutch TV how police dogs w
The lights of the bars in Fort Dauphin stay bright long after the rest of the countryside around has darkened. Mineworkers and other foreign contractors mingle with local people to drink and dance in this remote part of Madagascar . Sure, there s prostitution here, says one South African mineworker, sitting at a table
Nearly 50 doctors in Kazakhstan have resigned in protest at what they call unprecedented pressure on them over HIV infection in the region s hospitals. More than 120 toddlers, known as the Shymkent babies, tested positive for HIV and 10 died after the virus was discovered in hospitals last September. Last month 21
Zdravko Georgiev is the husband of one of the six Bulgarian medics imprisoned in Libya for infecting children with HIV. He too was held in Libya, and was released with his wife and her colleagues. Shortly before the seven of them were flown to Sofia, Dr Georgiev spoke to the BBC News website about his eight-year wait f
Legislators in the Indonesian province of Papua are debating whether to approve a bill allowing microchips to be implanted in people with HIV. The measure has been put forward as a way of preventing the spread of HIV in the Indonesian province. But the move is facing stiff opposition from health workers. About 2.4% of
The case of five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian trainee doctor convicted by a Libyan court of knowingly infecting 438 children with HIV dragged on for nearly a decade. All six were sentenced to death after being convicted but in July 2007 their sentences were commuted to life in prison after the families of the chi
Six Bulgarian medical workers who were imprisoned in Libya for deliberately infecting children with HIV have arrived in Bulgaria after being freed. The five nurses and a Palestinian-born doctor, who served eight years of the life sentences they received, had always maintained they were innocent. All six were pardon
The death sentences on five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor have been commuted to life in prison. They were found guilty of deliberately infecting about 400 children in Libya with HIV/Aids, and have been in custody for eight years in a complicated legal and political saga. FEBRUARY 1999 Nineteen Bulga
Libya wants renewed ties with the EU as part of any deal to free six medics convicted of infecting hundreds of children with HIV, diplomats say. An EU delegation is in the Libyan capital, Tripoli, aiming to broker a deal to free the five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor. The six, who have always denied t
The world is losing the battle against HIV/Aids, US President George W Bush s top adviser on the virus has said. Dr Anthony Fauci told a conference in Sydney that progress had been made but more people were being infected with HIV than were being treated. For every one person that you put in therapy, six new people get
The world s largest conference on HIV/Aids is getting under way in the Australian city of Sydney. More than 5,000 delegates will be presented with research confirming that male circumcision can reduce HIV infection rates by 60%. The participants are also being urged to sign a declaration, which is aimed at boosting HIV
Bulgaria has officially requested that six medics whose death sentences in Libya were commuted to life in prison be transferred to Bulgaria. The five nurses and one doctor were convicted of intentionally sparking an HIV outbreak in a children s hospital. The six, who say torture was used to extract their confessi
An outbreak of syphilis has prompted the government in Madagascar to declare a state of emergency in the southern town of Fort Dauphin. Ongoing tests suggest that about 17,000 people, or 30% of the region s sexually active population, may have the sexually transmitted disease. An economic boom linked to local minin
The case of five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian trainee doctor convicted by a Libyan court of knowingly infecting 438 children with HIV has dragged on for nearly a decade. All six were sentenced to death after being convicted but in July 2007 their sentences were commuted to life in prison after the families of the
Bulgaria is pressing for the return from Libya of six medics convicted of infecting Libyan children with HIV. Prosecutor General Boris Velchev said an official transfer request would be sent to Tripoli later on Wednesday. Death sentences imposed on the six - five nurses and a Palestinian doctor who holds Bulgarian ci
Some of the world s best ever football players are to take part in a match for Nelson Mandela s 89th birthday later. Brazil s Pele and Cameroon s Samuel Eto o are to play, as an African team takes on the Rest of the World to raise money for the fight against HIV/Aids. Fifa is also due to confer honorary membership on t
Death sentences on six foreign medics convicted of infecting Libyan children with HIV have been commuted to life in prison by Libya s top legal body. The High Judicial Council ruling came after the families of the 438 children agreed a compensation deal reportedly worth $1m (500,000 pounds) per child. Talks are expecte
Libya has begun distributing funds to the families of children with HIV under a deal that could free foreign medics condemned to death for infecting them. Five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor were convicted of deliberately starting a HIV epidemic at a children s hospital. They deny this. Libya s Supreme
Libya s High Judicial Council is to meet to decide the fate of six foreign medics sentenced to death over the infection of Libyan children with HIV. The five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor, on death row since 2004, insist they are innocent. The country s Supreme Court last week upheld the death sentences, pl
A student s research on how cataract surgery on the elderly can help them care for children orphaned by Aids in Africa has led to donations and help. Ruth Anderson graduated from Aberdeen University after spending two months researching the project in Swaziland . Many children are cared for by their grandparents becaus
Malawi s government is calling on all sexually active people in the country to take an Aids test, saying this would help it combat the pandemic. About 14% of Malawi s 12m people are believed to be HIV-positive but more accurate figures would help planning and enable people to get treatment. The campaign is to be focuse
Indian men cannot be trusted and their promiscuous behaviour is fuelling the country s HIV epidemic, an MP has said. Women and Child Development Minister Renuka Chowdhury said Indian women should protect themselves from HIV/Aids by keeping condoms at home. Women need to get condoms to protect themselves, let the men be
The trial of former Ugandan Health Minister Jim Muhwezi, accused of embezzling nearly $4.3m (2.15m pounds), has begun in the capital, Kampala. Retired Major-General Muhwezi and four former senior government officials are also charged with abuse of office. They allegedly misused grants from the Global Alliance for Vacci
The president and opposition leaders in Tanzania have launched a national campaign for voluntary HIV/Aids testing by being tested in public. It is one of the most high-profile campaigns by African leaders to fight the disease. The UN estimates that nearly 1.5 million Tanzanians live with Aids but President Kikwete said
The French government believes the five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor sentenced to death for infecting Libyan children with HIV can be saved. An aide to French President Nicolas Sarkozy, Claude Gueant, told AFP the government was reasonably optimistic . Mr Gueant s statement came after he and Mr Sarkozy s w
Hopes are rising that the six foreign medical staff condemned to death in Libya for infecting children with HIV may be freed as part of a financial settlement with the families of the children. The medics, who all proclaim their innocence, were arrested eight years ago after an outbreak of HIV at a paediatric hospital
Libya s Supreme Court has upheld death sentences imposed in 2004 on five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor for infecting children with HIV. However, a mediating body is now said to have agreed a financial settlement with the children s families. The High Judiciary Council, which can overrule the Supreme Court,
A private insurance company has announced India s first-ever health cover for HIV-positive people. Star Health and Allied Insurance Company, based in the southern city of Madras (Chennai), says the scheme will provide cover of up to $1,100. Aids activists have hailed the move saying it will bring psychological relief t
The UN-backed government estimates are sharply lower than earlier figures, the health minister announced on Friday. Previous estimates from the National Aids Control Organisation (Naco) put the number of HIV cases at 5.2m, while UNAids in 2006 estimated 5.7m cases. Officials say the lower estimate could be attributed t
Brazil has accepted an offer from a manufacturer of an important anti-Aids drug to cut its price by around 30%. The deal with Abbott over its drug Kaletra was hailed by Brazil s health minister as an example to other companies around the world. In May, it broke the patent on another Aids drug and now imp
There is still widespread ignorance about HIV, particularly among young people, research has suggested. A survey by the HIV charity Terrence Higgins Trust found more than 20% of people aged 18 to 24 mistakenly thought there was a cure for HIV. Among the same age group almost a quarter believed condoms have holes in the
Malawi s infamous coffin makers are rumoured to be pretty unfriendly. Nosy visitors who have not come to shop are said to face the risk of being pelted with bricks or stones, though in reality they are more likely to be greeted by friendly faces. The coffin makers workshops spread out alongside a wide street near the n
A Scottish student has described how cataract surgery on the elderly can help them care for children orphaned by Aids in Africa. Ruth Anderson, 23, has just graduated from Aberdeen University in medicine after spending two months researching the project in Swaziland . Many children are cared for by their grandparents b
At least 119 children and babies contracted the virus after receiving treatment in hospitals in Shymkent. The judge said that the accused had acted recklessly, and that corruption and malpractice led to the outbreak. The HIV outbreak was first discovered last year, but the number of cases is still rising. The night bef
A new HIV test which can provide results in one hour instead of the usual one week is being piloted in Milton Keynes. Milton Keynes PCT said the week-long wait can be stressful and puts some people off going for a test. The aim of the pilot is to get more people tested early and to reduce the number of undiagnosed peop
A longstanding theory of how HIV slowly depletes the body s capacity to fight infection is wrong, scientists say. HIV attacks human immune cells, called T helper cells. Loss of these cells is gradual, often taking many years. It was thought infected cells produced more HIV particles and that this caused the body to act
A 10-year-old girl is facing an anxious wait for blood test results after being pierced by a dirty needle in an Aberdeenshire park. Louise Shead, from Portlethen, was playing with a friend in the town s skate park on Thursday when she fell and landed on the needle. The girl ran home to tell her parents, who took her to
Two senior doctors at Coventry and Warwickshire hospital say the current HIV screening system for expectant mothers can fail to detect the virus. They say two babies in the city were born with HIV last year, despite their mothers initially testing negative. The doctors say women who are screened for HIV in the early we
Libya s Supreme Court says it will rule on 11 July on the final appeal of six foreign medical workers condemned for infecting 438 children with HIV. Five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor say they are innocent of giving tainted blood to the children. The court is expected to uphold their death sentences but may
Elton John has given a free concert in the main square of Ukraine s capital, Kiev, to promote HIV-Aids awareness. President Viktor Yushchenko and other leading politicians were among the 200,000 people attending the show. Ukraine has one of the highest HIV infection rates in Europe with a new case every 10 minutes, acc
It was billed as the biggest social event of the year in Ukraine . Elton John played a free concert in the capital Kiev to raise awareness about HIV/Aids. But his show attracted some critics as there is widespread homophobia in Ukraine. This former Soviet republic has one of the fastest growing infection rates in Europ
The spread of Aids is slowing down in some parts of Africa, a World Bank report has suggested. Urban areas in Rwanda , Zambia and Ethiopia were singled out as places where infection rates were lowering. The World Bank s Miriam Schneidman told the BBC that Rwanda had done an exceptional job in re
Fresh efforts are under way in Libya to resolve the case of five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor who are under sentence of death. The six were convicted in 2004 of infecting 426 Libyan children with HIV, the virus that causes Aids. They have insisted they are innocent. Germany s foreign minister and the E
Five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor have been sentenced to death in Libya on charges of deliberately infecting about 400 children with HIV/Aids. They have been in custody for more than six years in a complicated legal and political saga. Here BBC News looks at key dates in the case. FEBRUARY 1999 Nin
A year after a programme was launched to sell condoms at theatres showing porn films in India , health officials say the response has been overwhelming. Officials in Surat, a city in western Gujarat state, say the idea is to spread awareness about HIV-Aids. They say research shows that people considered to be from high
A Swedish court has remanded a British man in custody for allegedly infecting underage girls with HIV. Christer Merrill Aggett kept a diary of his sexual encounters with at least 130 girls, a Stockholm court heard. Two of the girls have tested positive for HIV. Mr Aggett has admitted one charge of serious assault and s
The Catholic community of Sant Egidio, with which US President George W Bush is due to hold talks on Saturday, is known as the UN of Trastevere . From its base in a cloistered monastery in the Roman neighbourhood, its missions span HIV/Aids projects in sub-Saharan Africa, peace mediation and campaigning against the dea
G8 leaders meeting in Germany have vowed to deliver on pledges to Africa, and agreed a $60bn (30bn pounds) package for fighting Aids, malaria and TB. Officials said half of that amount would come from the United States . On the final day of their summit, they repeated a commitment made at the 2005 Gleneagles summit to
Current estimates for the number of people in India with the HIV/Aids figures could be greatly exaggerated, a leading Aids worker says. The UN says 5.7 million people in India have the HIV virus, the highest number in the world. But Ashok Alexander, of the anti-Aids Avahan organisation says figures due out soon could b
The 2012 Olympics in London provide a huge opportunity to promote condom use and awareness of HIV, according to a leading charity. The Terrence Higgins Trust said the competition was a magnet for sexual activity and could lead to an increase in sexually transmitted diseases. The charity urged the government to use the
South African Aids experts have called for a mass circumcision programme after studies showed it reduced the rate of HIV infection by up to 60%. Professor Alan Whiteside said all boys born in public hospitals should be offered the operation. It is so blindingly obvious that there are real reasons for circumcision, he
People on anti-HIV drug Viracept are being warned batches of the therapy may have been contaminated with potentially cancer-causing chemicals. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency put out the alert after makers Roche moved to recall all batches of the drug in circulation. The watchdog said patien
Five HIV-positive children in the southern Indian state of Kerala who were turned away from their school last year have failed to get readmission. The school said it feared a backlash from parents of fellow students at the start of the new Indian academic year. The children, in the 5-11 age group, are now confined to a
Four major nationwide surveys into sexual health and behaviour have been launched by Portsmouth University. The university claims they will include the largest studies to date of the sexual health of Africans in England and of lesbian and bisexual women. Two further surveys will study the health of gay and bisexual men
A new study shows that Aids may be killing elected officials in some southern African countries faster than they can be replaced. The report says the disease is killing these countries most active citizens thereby undermining their democracies. South Africa s Institute for Democracy study comes as the country s third c
A haemophiliac exposed to contaminated blood over 20 years ago has given evidence at an independent inquiry. Haydn Lewis, 50, from Cardiff, who has HIV and hepatitis C, said thousands have died after being given infected NHS blood in the 1970s and 1980s. More than 1,700 patients given the contaminated blood have died,
HIV infections will rise because money intended to tackle the problem is being spent elsewhere, a leading sexual health doctor has warned. Consultant Dr Colm O Mahony from Countess of Chester Hospital said services across the country were stretched beyond capacity. He said 300m pounds intended for sexual health was not
The full text of a speech given by Tony Blair on his week-long tour of Africa. I am delighted to be here in South Africa . I am particularly delighted to be here at UNISA through which many of the ANC leaders were educated and today plans to launch a new centre for genocide and holocaust studies. And to have the o
India health officials are alarmed by the growing numbers of pregnant women infected with HIV/Aids in the key states of Uttar Pradesh (UP) and Bihar. The northern states are among India s most backward, with huge populations but poor literacy and health services. Officials say workers who migrate to cities in search
President George W Bush has asked the US Congress to set aside $30bn (15bn pounds) over five years for the global fight against HIV/Aids. He said the sum would double the current US commitment and provide treatment for 2.5 million people. Mr Bush said the funding would also be aimed at preventing more than 12 million n
Countries with HIV epidemics should carry out HIV tests on everyone attending health centres unless they opt out , say experts Issuing new guidance, the World Health Organisation said 200 million people could benefit from the policy. Currently 80% of people infected with HIV in areas such as sub-Saharan Africa do not k
People living with HIV and Aids in the UK are to benefit from money raised at a fashion event in Liverpool. Fashion Aid , taking place at the Pan American Club at the Albert Dock, will showcase the latest ranges from local designers and boutiques. TV fashion expert Julian Bennett is hosting the event on Wednesday, whic
A schoolgirl is waiting to see whether she has contracted HIV after she was stabbed with a syringe. The 16-year-old victim was with a group of friends on 30 March in Nottingham s Old Market Square where a live DJ event was taking place. The teenager noticed a girl dancing in an erratic manner who approached her and sta
A hospital consultant is calling for widespread HIV testing for accident and emergency department patients. Dr Kaveh Manavi, a consultant in HIV medicine at Birmingham s Selly Oak Hospital, told the BBC everyone should be tested unless they opted out. He said the current system, which targets high-risk groups, such as
A critical shortage of doctors and nurses means people are dying unnecessarily from HIV/Aids in southern Africa, according to a report. In some areas, drugs are available but there is nobody to administer them, the Medecins sans Frontieres report says. A BBC correspondent says this is a reality check for those who thou
Kylie Minogue has performed two of her hits for guests at a charity event in France , raising 200,000 pounds for each song. The pop star, 38, sang The Locomotion and Can t Get You Out of My Head. Mischa Barton, Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn attended the dinner and auction, which was hosted by actress Sharon Stone, to ra
Having her virginity regularly tested makes South African Nsomawethu Tshobeni feel good. At 31 I m very proud to be a virgin, and when I attend the test regularly it gives me self-esteem as a woman, said the nurse who works in the coastal city of Durban. A revival in the traditional practice among young Zulu women in S
Deep in the heart of Little Mogadishu, a suburb in Kenya s capital, Nairobi, a pop group called Waayah Cusub (New Era) is causing a storm. Frustrated with the traditional norms of living within the Somali community, which to a large extent restricts open expression; this group of young men and women are now using music
People living with HIV and Aids are holding rallies across Nepal in protest at what they say is an inadequate government response to the pandemic. They complain that health authorities are failing to provide care to the increasing numbers of infected people. About 75,000 Nepalis are thought to be HIV positive.
A major conference is taking place in London to raise awareness about the cancer threat to Africa. The meeting, which is being attended by health ministers from across the continent, will examine the need for cancer programmes across the region. Cancer is often thought of as a disease of the western world but that is c
Former US President Bill Clinton has unveiled a major deal with two Indian drugs companies to provide cheaper HIV/Aids drugs to developing nations. The Clinton Foundation s agreement will cut the cost of what are known as second line anti-retrovirals by 25-50%. Second line drugs are used when cheaper and earlier forms
A sale of paintings of Glastonbury festival by artist Kurt Jackson has raised 47,000 pounds for Oxfam. Mr Jackson was joined for the auction by Glastonbury organiser Emily Eavis, The Magic Numbers, Edith Bowman and other music industry figures. Emily Eavis was inspired to make the collaboration with the artist while on
A court in Libya hearing a defamation trial involving five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor will deliver a verdict on 27 May. The decision was taken at a hearing in Tripoli on Sunday that saw defence lawyers try to get the case dismissed. The six are accused of making false claims of torture and have pleaded n
Taking daily selenium supplements may block the build up of HIV in a patient s blood, research suggests. The University of Miami found a lower HIV viral load in patients who took selenium supplements for nine months. Selenium deficiencies have been recorded in HIV patients, and evidence suggests the mineral can improve
The president of Brazil has authorised the country to bypass the patent on an Aids drug manufactured by Merck, a US pharmaceutical giant. The country will import a cheaper, generic Indian-made version of the patented Efavirenz drug. The decision came after talks between Brazil and the US company broke do
A nightclub in India which says that it is the first to offer condoms as its unique theme has opened in the northern city of Chandigarh. The condom disco is certain to raise eyebrows among more orthodox residents. Backers say there is a serious purpose behind the disco as the aim is to promote HIV and Aids awareness am
One of Africa s poorest countries, with an average per capita income of about 80 pounds a year, Malawi needs outside help to tackle HIV/Aids. Northern Ireland s only independent development agency, War on Want NI (WOWNI), is doing what it can to help rebuild lives ravaged by the infection. Near the southern city of
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has ordered the arrest and prosecution of former Health Minister Jim Muhwezi and his two deputy ministers at the time. A report implicates them in mismanaging a grant from the Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria. The fund suspended its grants to Uganda in 2005 after fin
More than one in three gay men with HIV have unprotected sex, a survey says. The University College London poll of 2,640 men in Manchester, Brighton and London also revealed a fifth of gay men without HIV do the same. Researchers said it was worrying, and called for a renewed push to discourage risky behaviour, the Sex
The Thai government s decision to bypass the patents on two Aids drugs and one heart drug, so it can offer them to all Thai citizens, is a bold move, which has put the country on a collision course with the big pharmaceutical firms. Six years ago I visited a clinic outside Bangkok, where a locally-made pill, called V1
A prominent critic of the Chinese government s record fighting HIV/Aids is being harassed by the authorities weeks after receiving a major award. Dr Gao Yaojie exposed a 1990s blood transfusion scandal that infected thousands of people in Henan province. She was recently recognised for her work by a charity in New York
A natural ingredient of human blood has been shown to block HIV, raising hopes of a new class of drugs to treat infection with the virus. The molecule works in a way different to current antiretroviral therapies, and so could be a new line of attack. Researchers found its potency could be boosted by making tiny changes
The supply of contaminated NHS blood products to haemophiliacs in the 1970s and 1980s was wholly avoidable , an independent public inquiry has heard. Some 5,000 people were exposed to hepatitis C and of these more than 1,200 were also infected with HIV. Victims, and relatives of some of the more than 1,700 patients who
An independent public inquiry into the supply of contaminated NHS blood to haemophilia patients is set to hear evidence from those affected. During the 1970s and early 1980s, nearly 5,000 people were exposed to hepatitis C and of these more than 1,200 were also infected with HIV. More than 1,700 patients have since die
A man who contracted HIV after receiving treatment for haemophilia has said he was not told that he had the virus for months. Haydn Lewis, from Cardiff, said he thought it was during this time that his wife also became infected with HIV. An independent inquiry has begun into how patients with haemophilia were given con
Just 28% of poor people with HIV have access to the antiretroviral drugs that could save their lives, a study shows. The report is published by the World Health Organization , UNAids and Unicef. It warned many obstacles remain to meeting the United Nations target of universal access to HIV/Aids prevention and care prog
A man infected with HIV has been jailed for 11 years for raping a young woman in a city centre. Eddy Biharanduka, 38, of Oriental Place, Brighton, threatened to kill the 21-year-old before forcing her to have sex with him in April 2005. Lewes Crown Court heard the victim had to undergo an HIV test, which was negative,
Actress Shilpa Shetty has defended Richard Gere after the Hollywood actor sparked protests by kissing her at an Aids awareness rally in New Delhi. Public displays of affection are still largely taboo in India , and protestors in Mumbai (Bombay) set fire to effigies of Gere following the incident. What he did was v
Early clinical trial results suggest drugs acting on a new HIV target are effective, say scientists. Integrase-inhibitors work in a similar way to existing HIV drugs, by blocking an enzyme essential for HIV to be able to replicate itself. Scientists are hopeful the new family of drugs will get round the problem of trea
Australia should refuse to allow migrants or refugees with HIV to enter the country, Prime Minister John Howard has said. Mr Howard said there may be special cases when an exemption could be considered but as a rule HIV-positive people should be denied entry. Mr Howard was asked about the issue during a visit to Vict
Fury at Howard HIV entry ban call Aids charities have reacted angrily to Australian Prime Minister John Howard s opposition to HIV-positive immigrants moving to Australia. Mr Howard proposed a blanket ban, which would only be exempt in special cases, during a radio interview in Melbourne. Australian HIV activists said
A Jersey woman accused of fraud against a local Aids charity has appeared in court on the island. Julie Tadier, who worked at ACET, the Christian Aids charity, was charged in connection with the disappearance from the charity of 22,000 pounds. Mrs Tadier was granted bail at Jersey Magistrates Court on Friday to re-appe
Nearly 4,000 people with HIV/Aids have reported at treatment centres around Pakistan , government and World Health Organisation (WHO) officials say. The figure is a fraction of the total number of Pakistanis with the virus. A UNAids report last year said that between 80,000 and 140,000 people were infected - and the ra
The end of March marked the end of 17-year-old orphan, Steve Julio s carpentry course at his local college in the Chiradzulu district of southern Malawi . He is now preparing to start up a small business to provide for himself and his two brothers Davison, 14, and Evance, 12. It is a huge turnaround in his life since
Barristers for the young son of an HIV infected couple have won a restraining order preventing the Home Office deporting them to Malawi . Caroline Manchinjili, Brian Lungu and their seven-year-old son Dumisani were due to be deported on 3 April. But it was delayed because the Home Office could not find an escort for th
A man who recklessly infected his Edinburgh lover with HIV and hepatitis C has been jailed for nine years. Giovanni Mola refused to wear condoms after beginning a sexual relationship with a woman in Edinburgh in 2003. Mola, 38, who claimed to have had 200 lovers, had been diagnosed with the viruses three years earlier.
A new drug for HIV has produced highly promising results in trials, when combined with an existing treatment, researchers say. Darunavir was given by a Spanish team to patients with advanced HIV infection, in tandem with a low dose of the current antiretroviral ritonavir . There is a need for new antir
Exclusively breastfeeding until a baby is six-months old can significantly reduce the risk of mother-to-child HIV transmission, an African study says. The South African researchers compared solely breastfed babies with those also given formula or solid foods. They say breastfeeding carries a low transmission risk, but
Drinking green tea could help in the fight against HIV, research suggests. Scientists found a component called epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) prevents HIV from binding to immune system cells by getting there first. Once EGCG has bound to immune system cells there is no room for HIV to take hold in its usual fashion.
International experts have backed the use of male circumcision in the prevention of HIV. The World Health Organization and UNAIDS said circumcision should be added to current interventions to reduce the spread of HIV. Three African trials have shown that circumcision halved the rate of HIV infection in heterosexual men
A Cornish mother faces weeks of anguish waiting for HIV test results after her son stepped on a discarded needle as he played on a beach. The six-year-old was playing in the sand on Polkerris Beach on Saturday when the hypodermic needle went through a wellington boot into his foot. It could be a month before the result
Patients are facing a wait of up to nine weeks for an appointment at a sexual health clinic, despite a promise that it should take two days. An investigation by BBC Wales Dragon s Eye programme found the delay for treatment and check-ups was three to four weeks in Aberystwyth and Wrexham. But the wait was more than nin
MADRAS -- Female sex workers in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu are to get 60,000 condoms as part of a government sponsored Aids prevention initiative. The programme is a collaboration between a local Aids control authority and a national family planning trust. At least seven other Indian states have also been
JOHANNESBURG -- South Africa has launched an ambitious five-year plan to combat Aids, as new research suggested 1,500 citizens were infected with HIV every day. The government aims to halve infections by 2011, extend its anti-retroviral drug programme, and raise awareness. The plan was broadly welcomed by Aids activist
Top cricketers are to help publicise a campaign against HIV/Aids during the World Cup in the West Indies. Indian captain Rahul Dravid and his Australian counterpart Ricky Ponting are among the stars participating in the UN-sponsored drive. They will feature in public service announcements and other events during the se
Mexico s highest court has ruled that the country s military cannot order HIV-positive soldiers to leave the armed forces. The Supreme Court said a law requiring soldiers with the condition to leave was unconstitutional. The case was brought by 11 members of the military. Some 300 HIV-positive people have been fired ov
A new HIV drug shows promising results in people for whom other treatments no longer work, a study suggests. Pfizer s Maraviroc - which blocks HIV s entry to immune system cells - is one of a number of drugs being developed for this group of patients. A study found twice as many people on the drug had undetectable viru
Five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor in Libya accused of making false claims of torture have pleaded not guilty to charges of slander. The six were sentenced to death in a separate trial last year for infecting hundreds of Libyan children with HIV. They say they made false confessions, admitting to infecting
Gambia is reported to have expelled a UN envoy after comments she made about the president s HIV/Aids cure claims. Yahya Jammeh said his herbal medicine, taken orally and applied to the skin, cures the disease in three days. Fadzai Gwaradzimba warned that this treatment could encourage people to engage in risky behav
The hum of radio sets and the murmur of conversation, the odour of sewage and cooking rice all seeped through the thin walls of the dilapidated hallway. An ageing Kazakh woman in a colourful headscarf put a finger to her wrinkled mouth, signalling us to be quiet, as she led us up stairs to her biggest secret. The secre
The lawyer for five Bulgarian nurses sentenced to death in Libya for infecting hundreds of children with HIV has appealed against their convictions. Othman Bizanti said he had lodged papers on their behalf on Saturday at the court where they had been tried in the capital, Tripoli. The lawyer for a Palestinian docto
The Chinese authorities are to allow a prominent critic of the country s HIV/Aids policies to visit the US to receive an award from a rights group. Beijing had previously refused Dr Gao Yaojie, 80, permission to travel and placed her under house arrest a fortnight ago. Human rights groups criticised Beijing for restric
The trial of 21 medical workers who are allegedly linked to an outbreak of the HIV virus in the south of Kazakhstan is under way in the city of Shymkent. A total of 92 children and 12 mothers have tested positive, and eight toddlers have died, since the HIV virus was found in blood banks in September. Thousands con
Scientists have shown what happens when an infection-fighting antibody attacks a gap in HIV s formidable defences. The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases-led team say the work could aid HIV vaccine development. They have published an atomic-level image in Nature showing the antibody, b12, attacking p
Sexual health care should be funded nationally in England to ensure people do not miss out, campaigners say. They warn that government funds are not getting through because local healthcare providers need to use the money in other areas. A survey of sexual health doctors also says patients are often unable to book appo
A court challenge to India s patent laws by the pharmaceutical giant Novartis could cut the supply of affordable medicines to treat Aids and other epidemics in the developing world, aid agencies say. India changed its patent laws in 2005 to comply with a global agreement on intellectual property. A subsequent applicati
HIV is again casting an ominous shadow across Australia s gay community. Infection rates rose by 41% between 2000 and 2005. Charities have warned that although the epidemic is nowhere near as bad as it was in the 1980s, the latest figures are alarming. There is a fear that a new generation of homosexual men has become
A BNP correspondent has criticised work by an Aids education charity in Jersey. In an online article, the BNP Jersey correspondent attacked ACET Jersey for printing materials in different languages in the island. The writer said the charity should not be providing health leaflets in languages other than English. The BN
The first large-scale trial of an HIV vaccine is set to begin in South Africa , it has been announced. Three thousand HIV negative men and women who are sexually active will be immunised in the four-year study. An international team of researchers, led by experts from the US, will oversee the trial of the vaccine, crea
The public are being offered the chance to bid for comedian Joan Rivers and artist Tracey Emin to clean their house in a charity auction next month. Other lots on offer at the auction in aid of the Terrence Higgins Trust include a chance to walk your dog with singer Geri Halliwell. The annual Lighthouse Gala auction ta
A 38-year-old man has been convicted of knowingly infecting a former partner with HIV. David Johnson, director of Waverley Care, which supports people in Scotland living with HIV, says we must all learn lessons following the case of Giovanni Mola and Miss X. The case of Mr Mola potentially gives rise to a number of imp
Following the conviction of a man who recklessly infected his former partner with HIV, the BBC news website speaks to another woman who caught the virus from her partner. The 40-year-old former social worker from Glasgow was infected by her former partner 11 years ago. I was in a health centre when I when I was told I
Giovanni Mola has been found guilty of knowingly infecting his former partner with HIV and Hepatitis C. James Chalmers, a senior lecturer in law at the University of Edinburgh, looks at the criminal justice system s intervention in HIV transmission cases. Giovanni Mola s conviction for culpable and reckless conduct at
A man has been found guilty of knowingly infecting his former partner with HIV and Hepatitis C. Giovanni Mola, 38, had denied culpably and recklessly failing to say he had HIV to the danger of the woman s life. Mola committed the offence between September 2003 and February 2004, at a flat in Edinburgh s Home Street and
A chef accused of knowingly giving a former partner HIV and Hepatitis C has been challenged over claims that he always wore a condom during sex. At the High Court in Glasgow, Dorothy Bain, prosecuting, said Giovanni Mola s claim that he took care was nonsense . Jim Keegan, defending, said medical notes contradicted the
An Italian chef has admitted in court that he had infected his former girlfriend with HIV and Hepatitis C. At the High Court in Glasgow, Giovanni Mola, 38, said he accepted he had infected the woman, known as Miss X. He said he did not tell her about his condition as he believed the situation was under control and he w
The parents of Innocent Mukasa (not her real name) died when she was two-and-a-half-years old. Until a couple of months ago she was living in an institution for abandoned children in Kampala. But Innocent, now 11, is one of around 20 children who are being fostered by other families to whom they are not related. Tr
HIV can dodge destruction by powerful antiretroviral drugs by hiding out in the testicles, scientists say. The French work in the American Journal of Pathology suggests the gonads provide an ideal environment for the Aids virus to replicate itself. Evidence shows even the best antiretrovirals find it difficult to penet
HIV/Aids campaigners are circulating misconceptions about who is at risk, a former World Health Organization expert has warned. Dr James Chin was head of a WHO Global Programme on Aids unit from 1987-1992. In a new book, he says people in the general population outside Africa are unlikely to contract HIV/Aids, as it is
A claim by Gambian President Yahya Jammeh that he can cure Aids in three days has been lambasted by a leading South African HIV/Aids specialist. I m astonished. The danger of a president standing up [to say this] is shocking, Jerry Coovadia told the BBC. Mr Jammeh said last month he had begun treating 10 patients on Th
The sister of a woman who claims her boyfriend infected her with HIV has told a court of the dreadful secret she shares with her sibling. The woman, whose identity remains secret, said she was the only family member who knew Miss X had HIV. She told the High Court that her sister became depressed after the diagnosis.
The UK is discriminating against Kenyans with HIV by insisting that people who want visas be screened for tuberculosis, Aids activists say. Inviolata Mbwavi of the Empowerment Network for People Living with Aids says those with HIV will be most affected by the directive. TB is one of the diseases which often infects pe
Clinical trials of a new drug designed to help prevent women contracting the Aids virus have been stopped. The World Health Organization said the drug, which uses a microbicidal gel, did not help the women and made them more vulnerable. The tests were carried out on more than 1,300 women in
A health adviser has described the harrowing moment she told a young woman she had contracted HIV and Hepatitis C, allegedly from her boyfriend. Sarah Cooper, 47, told the High Court in Glasgow that she broke the news to the woman, known only as Miss X, who mentally shut down when told. Miss X alleges Giovanni Mola inf
Ivory Coast s Didier Drogba has pledged to promote the fight against HIV/Aids in his role as a United Nations goodwill ambassador. On Wednesday, the Ivorian captain and Chelsea star was named a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations Development Programme. The 28-year-old will receive symbolic earnings of one dollar
Seven out of 10 young women do not believe they are at any risk of being infected with HIV, a survey has found. The poll, commissioned by The Body Shop and MTV, also found 92% do not think a condom is an essential handbag item on a night out. Two-thirds of the 1,064 women aged 16 to 30 surveyed thought it would spoil t
South Africa should forcibly isolate patients infected with a deadly strain of TB to stop the disease spreading on the HIV-hit continent, experts say. South Africa s outbreak of the multi drug-resistant XDR-TB has killed at least 74 people in the past few months. Writing in the PLoS Medicine journal, the ethicists an
Banning home HIV testing kits is unwarranted and a breach of patient autonomy, a UK health expert argues. The tests were made illegal in 1992 amid the concern, among others, that a person could discover they had HIV without ready access to counselling. In The Lancet, Lucy Frith of Liverpool University claims none of th
More than 20 medical staff allegedly linked to the spread of HIV in Kazakhstan have gone on trial in the southern city of Shymkent. More than 70 people, mostly children, contracted the virus, apparently from infected blood transfusions. It is not known how the defendants are expected to respond to the charges. The
A 35-year-old man has been jailed for three-and-a-half years for infecting his girlfriend with HIV. The pair met at a Bournemouth nightclub and had unprotected sex during their relationship even though the victim had been concerned the man had the virus. The Zimbabwean man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, admitt
A type of algae found on the Brazilian coast could hold the key to a powerful new protection for women against HIV. Brazilian researchers have developed a microbe-killing gel from the algae which they hope will be used to block HIV infection. In preliminary lab tests they say it proved to be 95% efficient. The team hop
A test to detect drug-resistant HIV strains in patients could allow more effective treatment of the virus. It is more sensitive than existing methods, meaning resistant viruses can be detected at very low levels in patients blood. This could allow doctors to give patients the most appropriate treatment earlier than is
US chat show host Oprah Winfrey has offered the students at her new school in South Africa free HIV tests and treatment if it is needed. To set an example, the 53-year-old underwent an HIV test herself. Winfrey, who set up the academy to educate children from poor families, said: Today I have taken the test to demonst
Growing numbers of Ugandan men are being circumcised, after medical research showed it could halve the HIV infection rate among heterosexual men. A Ugandan paper reports that last year of 2,500 people circumcised at various clinics, half of them were male adults, compared to less than 400 in 2005. A hospital official s
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