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World AIDS Day

December 1st marks World AIDS Day, a globally recognized occasion dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDS pandemic and mourning those we have lost. The fight against HIV/AIDS has seen monumental strides, largely due to the ceaseless efforts of the scientific community. In light of this annual observance, we are thrilled to present a special collection of articles that will exclusively examine the scientific studies relating to HIV/AIDS, both retrospectively and prospectively.

Retrospective Analyses: The Science of Progress
The retrospective section will feature articles analyzing the scientific discoveries that have shaped our current understanding of HIV/AIDS. It will revisit groundbreaking research, pivotal trials, innovative therapies, and milestones that have been critical in managing and treating this complex disease.

Prospective Investigations: Towards a Brighter Future
On the other hand, the prospective segment will offer forward-looking insights, spotlighting emerging scientific trends, cutting-edge research, and future directions. This section will foster a dialogue about the next phase in HIV/AIDS research and highlight areas where innovation, collaboration, and focused efforts are needed.

Call for Submissions: A Focus on Scientific Exploration
We welcome submissions from researchers, scientists, clinicians, and academics who are engaged in the scientific study of HIV/AIDS. Submissions may include, but are not limited to:

    • Effects and long-term consequences of co-infections with HIV 
    • Advances in treatment and prevention
    • Immunological and genetic research
    • Epidemiological studies and global health
    • Interdisciplinary research exploring new frontiers in HIV/AIDS

This collection aims to serve as a platform for showcasing rigorous scientific investigation and offers an opportunity for authors to contribute to a broader understanding of where we've come from and where we're heading in the battle against HIV/AIDS.


Please consult the submission guidelines and deadlines on the individual journal websites to be part of this unique and impactful commemoration.

Participating Journals

AIDS Research and Therapy (Editors-in-Chief: Barbara Castelnuovo, MD, PhD, Makerere University, Uganda;
Patricia Price, PhD, Curtin University, Australia)

Infectious Agents and Cancer (Editors-in-Chief: Franco M Buonaguro, MD, Istituto Nazionale Tumori IRCCS "Fondazione G. Pascale," Italy; Sam M. Mbulaiteye, MBChB, MPhil, MMed, National Cancer Institute, USA; Maria Lina Tornesello, MD, Istituto Nazionale Tumori IRCCS "Fondazione G. Pascale," Italy)

Journal of Health, Population and Nutrition (Editors-in-Chief: Prof Swapan K. Roy, PhD, Bangaldesh Breastfeeding Foundation, Bangladesh; Prof Orsolya Varga, PhD, University of Debrecen, Hungary)

Reproductive Health (Editor-in-Chief: Dr Sanni Yaya, PhD, University of Ottawa, Canada)

Retrovirology (Editors-in-Chief: Johnson Mak, PhD, Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Australia; Susan Ross, PhD, University of Illinois at Chicago, USA)

Virology Journal (Editors-in-Chief: Alan McLachlan, PhD, University of Illinois at Chicago, USA; Leo Poon, PhD, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong)


  2. Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) remains a significant public health concern worldwide. Women living with HIV/AIDS (WLHA) have the additional and unique need to seek sexual and reproductive health services. ...

    Authors: Lynn T. Nguyen, Le Minh Giang, Diep B. Nguyen, Trang T. Nguyen and Chunqing Lin
    Citation: Reproductive Health 2024 21:34
    Content type: Research Published on:

  3. HIV infection compromises both the peripheral and central immune systems due to its pathogenic and neuropathogenic features. The mechanisms driving HIV-1 pathogenesis and neuropathogenesis involve a series of ...

    Authors: Levanco Keegan Asia, Esmé Jansen Van Vuren, Zander Lindeque and Monray Edward Williams
    Citation: Virology Journal 2024 21:47
    Content type: Brief Report Published on:

  4. HIV reservoir quantification is essential for evaluation of HIV curative strategies and may provide valuable insights about reservoir dynamics during antiretroviral therapy. The Intact Proviral DNA Assay (IPDA...

    Authors: N. V. E. J. Buchholtz, M. M. Nühn, T. C. M. de Jong, T. A. T. Stienstra, K. Reddy, T. Ndung’u, Z. M. Ndhlovu, K. Fisher, S. Palmer, A. M. J. Wensing, J. Symons and M. Nijhuis
    Citation: Virology Journal 2024 21:36
    Content type: Methodology Published on:

  5. The human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) infects millions of people globally and is endemic to various resource-limited regions. Infections persist for life and are associated with increased susceptibili...

    Authors: Nicolas Tardiota, Noushin Jaberolansar, Julia A. Lackenby, Keith J. Chappell and Jake S. O’Donnell
    Citation: Virology Journal 2024 21:14
    Content type: Brief Report Published on:

  6. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and malnutrition negatively reinforce each other. Malnutrition leads to further immune deficiency and accelerates disease progression. The present overview aimed to...

    Authors: Leila Rezazadeh, Alireza Ostadrahimi, Helda Tutunchi, Mohammad Naemi Kermanshahi and Samira Pourmoradian
    Citation: Journal of Health, Population and Nutrition 2023 42:94
    Content type: Review Published on:

  7. Antiretroviral therapy (ART) has led to a decline in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-related mortality, but comorbidities, including organ dysfunction, are increasingly the focus of care. Heart transplant (...

    Authors: Thamer A. Almangour, Preston T. Skersick, Amanda Corbett, Jo E. Rodgers, Patricia P. Chang and Claire E. Farel
    Citation: AIDS Research and Therapy 2023 20:55
    Content type: Case Report Published on:

  8. Poor adherence and under-utilization of antiretroviral therapy (ART) services have been major setbacks to achieving 95-95-95 policy goals in Sub-Saharan Africa. Social support and mental health challenges may ...

    Authors: Jerry John Nutor, Akua O. Gyamerah, Robert Kaba Alhassan, Henry Ofori Duah, Rachel G.A. Thompson, Natalie Wilson, Orlando Harris, Jose Gutierrez, Thomas J. Hoffmann, Monica Getahun and Glenn-Milo Santos
    Citation: AIDS Research and Therapy 2023 20:42
    Content type: Research Published on:

  9. COVID-19 has not only taken a staggering toll in terms of cases and lives lost, but also in its psychosocial effects. We assessed the psychosocial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in a large cohort of people w...

    Authors: Anne K. Monroe, Paige E. Kulie, Morgan E. Byrne, Brittany C. Wilbourn, Shannon K. Barth, Jenna B. Resnik, David M. Huebner, Michael A. Horberg, Amanda D. Castel and Alan E. Greenberg
    Citation: AIDS Research and Therapy 2023 20:27
    Content type: Research Published on:

  10. Behavioral economic (BE) biases have been studied in the context of numerous health conditions, yet are understudied in the field of HIV prevention. This aim of this study was to quantify the prevalence of fou...

    Authors: Larissa Jennings Mayo-Wilson, Jessica Coleman Lewis, Sarah MacCarthy and Sebastian Linnemayr
    Citation: AIDS Research and Therapy 2023 20:25
    Content type: Research Published on:

  11. “Self-care” for sexual and reproductive health (SRH) includes contraceptive methods and other supplies that people can use with or without the support of a healthcare provider. Self-administered tests, self-in...

    Authors: Alice F. Cartwright, Marissa Velarde, Mags Beksinska, Jennifer Smit, Margaret Kasaro, Jennifer H. Tang, Cecilia Milford, Virginia Maphumulo, Manze Chinyama, Esther Chabu, Mayaba Mudenda, Christina Wong, Maria Fawzy and Rebecca Callahan
    Citation: Reproductive Health 2023 20:65
    Content type: Research Published on:

  12. Expanding pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) among transgender women in the United States is an important strategy to meet national HIV prevention goals, however self-reported use of PrEP is low in this group.

    Authors: Lisa M. Kuhns, Judy Perloff, Amy K. Johnson, Josie Lynne Paul, Kevin Pleasant, Kaiji Evans, Damian J. Denson, Deborah J. Gelaude, Patricia A. Bessler, Rose Diskin, Marbella Cervantes, Robert Garofalo and Anna L. Hotton
    Citation: AIDS Research and Therapy 2023 20:24
    Content type: Research Published on:

  13. Following reports of anti-retroviral therapy (ART) experienced Ugandan people living with HIV (PLHIV) presenting with diabetic ketoacidosis weeks to months following a switch to dolutegravir (DTG), the Uganda ...

    Authors: Frank Mulindwa, Barbara Castelnuovo, Nele Brusselaers, Robert Bollinger, Joshua Rhein, Mutebi Edrisa, Allan Buzibye, Willington Amutuhaire, George Yendewa, Sarah Nabaggala, Eva Laker Agnes Odongpiny, Ronald Kiguba, Aisha Nakawooza, Simon Dujanga, Martin Nabwana and Jean-Marc Schwarz
    Citation: AIDS Research and Therapy 2023 20:15
    Content type: Research Published on:

  14. The orthopoxvirus causes the rare disease monkeypox, and underlying immune deficiencies might lead to worse outcomes. In this report, we described a rare case of monkeypox with an underlying immune deficiency ...

    Authors: Wooyoung Jang, Likhita Kandimalla, Sivagami Rajan, Rafael Abreu and Jamie Enrique Campos
    Citation: AIDS Research and Therapy 2023 20:12
    Content type: Case Report Published on:

  15. HIV-associated neurological disorders (HAND) affect up to 50% of people living with HIV (PLWH), even in the era of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART). HIV-DNA can be detected in the cerebral spinal flui...

    Authors: Angela Wahl and Lena Al-Harthi
    Citation: Retrovirology 2023 20:1
    Content type: Review Published on:

  16. The COVID-19 epidemic and various control and mitigation measures to combat the widespread outbreak of the disease may affect other parts of health care systems. There is a concern that the COVID-19 pandemic c...

    Authors: SeyedAhmad SeyedAlinaghi, Pegah Mirzapour, Zahra Pashaei, Arian Afzalian, Marcarious M. Tantuoyir, Roghayeh Salmani, Seyed Farzad Maroufi, Parinaz Paranjkhoo, Seyede Parmis Maroufi, Hajar Badri, Sanaz Varshochi, Farzin Vahedi, Esmaeil Mehraeen and Omid Dadras
    Citation: AIDS Research and Therapy 2023 20:4
    Content type: Review Published on:

  17. The development of antiretroviral therapy (ART) has been effective in suppressing HIV replication. However, severe drug toxicities due to the therapy and its failure in targeting the integrated proviral genome...

    Authors: Ruchira Bhowmik and Binay Chaubey
    Citation: AIDS Research and Therapy 2022 19:58
    Content type: Review Published on:

  18. Viroporins are virally encoded ion channels involved in virus assembly and release. Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and influenza A virus encode for viroporins. The human coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 enc...

    Authors: Wyatt Henke, Hope Waisner, Sachith Polpitiya Arachchige, Maria Kalamvoki and Edward Stephens
    Citation: Retrovirology 2022 19:25
    Content type: Research Published on:

  19. Integrase strand transfer inhibitors (INSTIs) have improved the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). There are currently four approved for use in treatment-naïve individuals living with HIV; these ...

    Authors: Alexa Vyain Zhao, Rustin D. Crutchley, Rakesh Chowdary Guduru, Kathy Ton, Tammie Lam and Amy Cheng Min
    Citation: Retrovirology 2022 19:22
    Content type: Review Published on:

  20. The generation of over 69 spliced HIV-1 mRNAs from one primary transcript by alternative RNA splicing emphasizes the central role that RNA processing plays in HIV-1 replication. Control is mediated in part thr...

    Authors: Subha Dahal, Kiera Clayton, Terek Been, Raphaële Fernet-Brochu, Alonso Villasmil Ocando, Ahalya Balachandran, Mikaël Poirier, Rebecca Kaddis Maldonado, Lulzim Shkreta, Kayluz Frias Boligan, Furkan Guvenc, Fariha Rahman, Donald Branch, Brendan Bell, Benoit Chabot, Scott D. Gray-Owen…
    Citation: Retrovirology 2022 19:18
    Content type: Research Published on:

  21. Poor sexual and reproductive health (SRH) outcomes amongst adolescent girls in India have been associated with inadequate knowledge of SRH. Evidence suggests that social media can promote health-seeking behavi...

    Authors: Ria Saha, Pintu Paul, Sanni Yaya and Aduragbemi Banke-Thomas
    Citation: Reproductive Health 2022 19:178
    Content type: Research Published on:

  22. Nonhuman primates (NHPs) are well-established basic and translational research models for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections and pathophysiology, hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transplantation, and a...

    Authors: Jenna Kropp Schmidt, Matthew R. Reynolds, Thaddeus G. Golos and Igor I. Slukvin
    Citation: Retrovirology 2022 19:17
    Content type: Review Published on:

  23. Polypharmacy in people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) is a rising morbidity that exacts hefty economic burden on health budgets in addition to other adverse clinical outcomes. Despite recent advances, uncertaint...

    Authors: Mohammed Ibn-Mas’ud Danjuma, Safah Khan, Farah Wahbeh, Lina Mohammad Naseralallah, Unwam E. Jumbo and Abdelnaser Elzouki
    Citation: AIDS Research and Therapy 2022 19:37
    Content type: Research Published on:

  24. Multi-types COVID-19 vaccines have shown safety and efficacy against COVID-19 in adults. Although current guidelines encourage people living with HIV (PLWH) to take COVID-19 vaccines, whether their immune resp...

    Authors: Shi Zou, Mengmeng Wu, Fangzhao Ming, Songjie Wu, Wei Guo, Gifty Marley, Zhongyuan Xing, Zhiyue Zhang, Minxia Zeng, Chao Sun, Jianfeng Zhang, Weiming Tang and Ke Liang
    Citation: AIDS Research and Therapy 2022 19:33
    Content type: Research Published on:

  26. Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) represents a proven biomedical strategy to prevent HIV transmissions among men who have sex with men (MSM) in the United States (US). Despite the design and implementation of va...

    Authors: Ying Wang, Jason W. Mitchell, Chen Zhang and Yu Liu
    Citation: AIDS Research and Therapy 2022 19:28
    Content type: Review Published on:

  27. We conducted a pilot trial of an intervention targeting intersectional stigma related to being pregnant and living with HIV while promoting capabilities for achieving ‘respected motherhood’ (‘what matters most...

    Authors: Lawrence H. Yang, Evan L. Eschliman, Haitisha Mehta, Supriya Misra, Ohemaa B. Poku, Patlo Entaile, Timothy D. Becker, Tadele Melese, Merrian J. Brooks, Marlene Eisenberg, Melissa A. Stockton, Karen Choe, Danielle Tal, Tingyu Li, Vivian F. Go, Bruce G. Link…
    Citation: AIDS Research and Therapy 2022 19:26
    Content type: Brief Report Published on:

  29. Ethiopia has the second-largest youth population in Africa with about 37.4 million people aged 10–24 years. To meet the needs of this population group, adolescent, and youth health (AYH) programs, including th...

    Authors: Teshome W. Admassu, Yordanos T. Wolde and Mirgissa Kaba
    Citation: Reproductive Health 2022 19(Suppl 1):130
    Content type: Commentary Published on:

    This article is part of a Supplement: Volume 19 Supplement 1

  30. There are few reports on lung cancer among people with HIV (PWH) in Sub-Saharan Africa. In this report, we describe a cohort of PWH and lung cancer at the Uganda Cancer Institute.

    Authors: Joseph Baruch Baluku, Naghib Bogere, Sharon Namiiro, Victoria Walusansa, Irene Andia-Biraro, William Worodria and Bruce Kirenga
    Citation: Infectious Agents and Cancer 2022 17:24
    Content type: Brief Report Published on:

  31. Marijuana’s putative anti-inflammatory properties may benefit HIV-associated comorbidities. How recreational marijuana use affects gene expression in peripheral blood cells (PBC) among youth with HIV-1 (YWH) i...

    Authors: Li Yin, Ashok R. Dinasarapu, Samiksha A. Borkar, Kai-Fen Chang, Kristina De Paris, Julie J. Kim-Chang, John W. Sleasman and Maureen M. Goodenow
    Citation: Retrovirology 2022 19:10
    Content type: Research Published on:

  32. Viral suppression remains the most desired outcome in the management of patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) and this can be achieved by an effective Antire...

    Authors: Stephen Opoku, Samuel Asamoah Sakyi, Nana Kwame Ayisi-Boateng, Anthony Kwame Enimil, Ebenezer Senu, Richard Owusu Ansah, Bismark Dankwah Aning, Diana Atsieno Ojuang, Doreen Nafula Wekesa, Fatima Osman Ahmed, Chidinma B. Okeke and Ama Darkoaa Sarfo
    Citation: AIDS Research and Therapy 2022 19:21
    Content type: Research Published on:

  33. Despite national and international commitments and efforts to prevent risky sexual behaviours, a high proportion of young people in South Africa are engaged in risky sexual behaviour. However, most efforts are...

    Authors: Clifford Obby Odimegwu and Nebechukwu Henry Ugwu
    Citation: Reproductive Health 2022 19:119
    Content type: Research Published on:

  34. South Africa has made significant progress in scaling up antiretroviral therapy (ART) to achieve the aspirational goal of HIV epidemic control. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of HIV, ass...

    Authors: Nonzwakazi P. Ntombela, Ayesha B. M. Kharsany, Adenike Soogun, Nonhlanhla Yende-Zuma, Cheryl Baxter, Hans-Peter Kohler and Lyle R. McKinnon
    Citation: Reproductive Health 2022 19:116
    Content type: Research Published on:

  35. Long-Term Non-Progressors (LTNPs) are untreated Human Immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infected individuals able to control disease progression for prolonged periods. However, the LTNPs status is temporar...

    Authors: Ana Moyano, Oscar Blanch-Lombarte, Laura Tarancon-Diez, Nuria Pedreño-Lopez, Miguel Arenas, Tamara Alvaro, Concepción Casado, Isabel Olivares, Mar Vera, Carmen Rodriguez, Jorge del Romero, Cecilio López-Galíndez, Ezequiel Ruiz-Mateos, Julia G. Prado and María Pernas
    Citation: Retrovirology 2022 19:6
    Content type: Research Published on:

  36. Co-infection with HIV is a strong risk factor for cervical cancer development. It is unknown whether women with HIV in Guangxi, China are utilizing currently available cervical cancer screening services, what ...

    Authors: Ran Zhao, Shujia Liang, Deanna Teoh, Yunqing Fei, Xianwu Pang and Shalini Kulasingam
    Citation: Infectious Agents and Cancer 2022 17:12
    Content type: Research Article Published on:

    The Correction to this article has been published in Infectious Agents and Cancer 2022 17:21

  37. Human pegivirus 1 (HPgV-1) is a Positive-sense single-stranded RNA (+ ssRNA) virus, discovered in 1995 as a Flaviviridae member, and the closest human virus linked to HCV. In comparison to HCV, HPgV-1 seems to...

    Authors: Mehdi Samadi, Vahid Salimi, Mohammad Reza Haghshenas, Seyed Mohammad Miri, Seyed Reza Mohebbi and Amir Ghaemi
    Citation: Virology Journal 2022 19:41
    Content type: Review Published on:

  38. Support groups for people living with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) have continued to evolve since their emergence over two decades ago. In addition to providing HIV education and fostering psychosoci...

    Authors: Fine Mazambara, Dexter Chagwena, Tinashe Mudzviti, Samantha Sithole, Tsitsi Monera-Penduka, Charles C. Maponga and Gene D. Morse
    Citation: AIDS Research and Therapy 2022 19:7
    Content type: Short report Published on:

  39. In hospitalized people with HIV (PWH) there is an increased risk of mortality from COVID-19 among hospitalized PWH as compared to HIV-negative individuals. Evidence suggests that tocilizumab—a humanized monocl...

    Authors: Samuel J. Minkove, Grant Geiger, Josep M. Llibre, Mary W. Montgomery, Natalie E. West, Natasha M. Chida, Annukka A. R. Antar, Dima Dandachi and Ethel D. Weld
    Citation: AIDS Research and Therapy 2022 19:6
    Content type: Case report Published on:

  40. Ultraviolet (UV) light has previously been established as useful method of disinfection, with demonstrated efficacy to inactivate a broad range of microorganisms. The advent of ultraviolet light-emitting diode...

    Authors: Arvin T. Persaud, Jonathan Burnie, Laxshaginee Thaya, Liann DSouza, Steven Martin and Christina Guzzo
    Citation: Virology Journal 2022 19:29
    Content type: Short report Published on:

  41. Long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) is the most effective and reliable contraception option for female sex workers (FSWs) who desire future fertility. Unlike the other reversible contraceptive methods,...

    Authors: Simple Ouma, Nazarius Mbona Tumwesigye, Catherine Abbo and Rawlance Ndejjo
    Citation: Reproductive Health 2022 19:34
    Content type: Research Published on:

  42. The recent discovery of the role of m6A methylation in the regulation of HIV-1 replication unveiled a novel layer of regulation for HIV gene expression. This epitranscriptomic modification of HIV-1 RNAs is under ...

    Authors: Sarah N’Da Konan, Emmanuel Ségéral, Fabienne Bejjani, Maryam Bendoumou, Mélissa Ait Said, Sarah Gallois-Montbrun and Stéphane Emiliani
    Citation: Retrovirology 2022 19:4
    Content type: Research Published on:

  43. The NF-κB family of transcription factors and associated signalling pathways are abundant and ubiquitous in human immune responses. Activation of NF-κB transcription factors by viral pathogen-associated molecu...

    Authors: Douglas L. Fink, James Cai, Matthew V. X. Whelan, Christopher Monit, Carlos Maluquer de Motes, Greg J. Towers and Rebecca P. Sumner
    Citation: Retrovirology 2022 19:2
    Content type: Research Published on:

  44. Data on the association of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection with adverse outcomes in patients with COVID-19 are conflicting. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to summarize the availabl...

    Authors: Celestin Danwang, Jean Jacques Noubiap, Annie Robert and Jean Cyr Yombi
    Citation: AIDS Research and Therapy 2022 19:3
    Content type: Review Published on:

  45. We developed a personalized Monocyte-Derived Dendritic-cell Therapy (MDDCT) for HIV-infected individuals on suppressive antiretroviral treatment and evaluated HIV-specific T-cell responses.

    Authors: Marcella Vassão de Almeida Baptista, Laís Teodoro da Silva, Sadia Samer, Telma Miyuki Oshiro, Iart Luca Shytaj, Leila B. Giron, Nathalia Mantovani Pena, Nicolly Cruz, Gisele Cristina Gosuen, Paulo Roberto Abrão Ferreira, Edécio Cunha-Neto, Juliana Galinskas, Danilo Dias, Maria Cecilia Araripe Sucupira, Cesar de Almeida-Neto, Reinaldo Salomão…
    Citation: AIDS Research and Therapy 2022 19:2
    Content type: Research Published on:

  46. Retention in clinical care is important for people living with HIV (PLWH). Evidence suggests that missed clinic visits are associated with interruptions in antiretroviral therapy (ART), lower CD4 counts, virol...

    Authors: Nicole Dear, Allahna Esber, Michael Iroezindu, Emmanuel Bahemana, Hannah Kibuuka, Jonah Maswai, John Owuoth, Christina S. Polyak, Julie A. Ake and Trevor A. Crowell
    Citation: AIDS Research and Therapy 2022 19:1
    Content type: Short report Published on: