A major scientific conference on HIV has wound up with promising news on treatments which could signal a significant improvement in HIV treatment for the first time in some years.

In a finding that could have profound implications for HIV vaccine research, US scientists say they have found a site on HIV’s outer coating which is vulnerable to antibodies that could effectively neutralise the virus and prevent it from infecting human cells.

New HIV infections have reached their highest level for two decades in Victoria, prompting criticism of the state’s efforts to combat the virus.

Peripheral neuropathy is a painful condition which affects about a quarter of people living with HIV in Australia. DAVID MENADUE looks at the condition and explores some treatment options.

For women living with HIV, the decision to have children can be one of the most difficult choices they make. For women who are diagnosed HIV positive at the time they are becoming mothers, those decisions can be especially urgent and confronting. In this extract from her new book, KARALYN McDONALD shares the stories of several women who have dealt with the twin realities of pregnancy and diagnosis.

HIV infections are on the rise nationwide, and the government is planning an advertising blitz aimed at gay men. If HIV is making a comeback, should positive gay men care? And if we do care, what can we do?

For people who’ve spent time on the Disability Support Pension, the decision to try a return to work can be an important step towards independence from the welfare system. But recent changes to the DSP mean the process is far from straightforward. GRAHAM DOUGLAS-MEYER explains some of the pitfalls.

The evolution of HIV medicine over the last quarter century has led to answers for many of the big questions about how to treat people living with HIV. In 2007, we know that using multiple drugs from different classes, maintaining adherence to dosing schedules and being responsive to side effects and toxicities are all key parts of the broad response to HIV.

We devote a fair amount of space in Positive Living to reporting the results of clinical trials, but do you understand why medical research is done this way? This Backgrounder looks at the science behind clinical trials.

HIV-related news in brief from the March 2007 edition of Positive Living.