Annotated Bibliography: Voluntary Counselling and Testing

currently at about 16% and will rise to about 20% by the year 2000. Annual HIV-positive births
were estimates to be 27 000 this year increasing to 39 000 by 2001 and the number of AIDS
orphans was projected to reach 200 000 by the year 2000.
Notes: 1 copy
Ref ID: 8297
(1997). New combination has lower price. The star.
Keywords: Africa/drugs/South Africa
Abstract: Two groups to drugs are used to fight HIV, and both interrupt the replication of the HIV
virus. Reverse transcriptase inhibitors (RTI) inhibit the reverse transcriptase enzyme, which
helps the viral RNA to replicate. Protease inhibitors (RTI) inhibit the reverse transcriptase
enzyme, which helps the viral RNA to replicate Protease inhibitors (PI) inhibit the protease
enzyme required for viral maturation. The oldest combination is of two types of RTIs, but this is
less effective in the long run. The most widely used new combination is of one PI and two RTIs,
which costs around R3 175 a month. This became possible when PIs were registered in South
Africa at the end of 1996. The combination is the most researched, most effective and most
expensive treatment. But there is a chance of drug resistance developing due to poor
compliance as a result of four to six pill-taking sessions a day. A new PI is now available which
has made combination therapy easier as it has only to be taken twice daily. It has also made
possible a new and as yet unregistered combination treatment, that of two protease inhibitors
together. This costs R1 815 per month, and has been found to reduce the viral load to
undetectable levels in 90% of patients treated.
Notes: 1 copy
Ref ID: 7563
(1997). Mothers' HIV screening gives hope to newborn babies. The Daily News..
Keywords: babies/Baragwanath/infection/intervention/medical/research/transmission
Abstract: Doctors hop to formulate by mid-1998 a package of medical interventions to reduce the
numbers of newborn babies who contract HIV from their mothers. But, for the interventions to
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