Illinois Appoints HIV + Openly Gay Man

Illinois Governor Pat Quinn announced earlier this week that he has named Brent Adams, an openly gay and HIV positive man, as the state’s Acting Secretary of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR). The appointment makes Adams the state’s first openly HIV-positive cabinet member.

Adams stated:

“Time and time again, Governor Quinn has demonstrated his commitment to progressive values, and I’m honored to play a role in promoting his vision of a state that strives to project and promote equality of life for all people, including persons living with HIV. I think it’s an encouraging step forward for all of us.”

Prior to his appointment to IDFPR, Adams chaired the Mortgage Fraud Task Force, coordinated the Mortgage Relief Project, and drafted legislation to advocate for state consumers. He has also served as policy associate for the AIDS Foundation of Chicago and was policy director for Citizen Action/Illinois, the state’s largest public interest organization.

HIV, Bareback Sex and You!

There is a new site that provides information about HIV and strategies, which may prevent or reduce the risk of getting or passing on HIV. The best was to prevent getting or passing on HIV is to use condoms and water-based lube during anal sex. For more information on condom use, risk reduction, testing, drug use, heat of the moment and more…check out: Protection.org.au!

Swine Flu and HIV: Facts You Need to Know

The threat of a swine flu epidemic in the United States has many people living with HIV concerned about their health and safety. POZ and AIDSmeds check in with WHO and the CDC for the latest. In short: While there are reasons to be cautious, there’s no reason to panic.

Read more about swine flu and how it can be prevented and treated at POZ.com!

Rejection Painful for Gay Men with HIV

Society commonly rejects these men — for being gay and for being infected. A study released on Wednesday by Gay Men’s Health Crisis in New York says half of Americans surveyed believe HIV/AIDS contributes to anti-gay bias — the same proportion as in 1986.

Yet, little is said about the discrimination suffered by gays who are HIV-positive from other gay men, perhaps because the gay community wants to protect itself from the bad publicity.

”Gay people as a minority complain that they are discriminated against, but within a large part of the gay community they discriminate against those of us who have HIV, so there is a double standard,” argues Hernando Hernández, 44, who has lived with the virus for 24 years.

Read the rest at Miami Herald!

Video Captures Cell-to-Cell HIV Transfer

According to a post at POZ.com:

By creating a molecular clone of infectious HIV and inserting a special gene into its genetic code, scientists were able to film how the virus spreads directly from infected CD4 cells to uninfected ones. Researchers hope that the digital video will lead to new breakthroughs in treatment and vaccine development.

According to the article, the video showed that when an infected CD4 cell (a.k.a. T-cell) comes into contact with a healthy one, it forms a bridge called a virological synapse. Because the inserted gene used in the study turned HIV fluorescent green when exposed to blue light, scientists were able to observe the viral particles entering the healthy cell.

While researchers discovered that HIV travels from cell-to-cell via virological synapses in 2004—in addition to migrating freely between cells—they did not yet know why the process was so effective. This video illustrates that cell-to-cell transfer helps the virus avoid immune system detection in ways free-circulating virus does not.

“Direct T-cell-to-T-cell transfer through a virological synapse is a highly efficient avenue of HIV infection, and it could be the predominant mode of dissemination,” said study coauthor Benjamin Chen, assistant professor of medicine and infectious diseases at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City.

Watch the video here:

Next Page »