NIH’s Dr. Carl Dieffenbach Shares Research Highlights from the Second Day of AIDS 2018 (Video)

As part of HIV.gov's series of Facebook Live dispatches from the 22nd International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2018) in Amsterdam, we spoke again today with Carl Dieffenbach, Ph.D., who shared highlights from the conference's second full day of HIV research presentations. Dr. Dieffenbach is the Director of the Division of AIDS at NIH's National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID).

Among the studies presented today at the conference that Dr. Dieffenbach highlighted was the Sustainable East Africa Research in Community Health (SEARCH) study—one of several U.S. Government-funded studies evaluating whether "treatment as prevention" (TasP) can help countries reach their 90-90-90 goals and reduce HIV incidence in communities.

SEARCH is evaluating whether a multi-disease, streamlined-care approach to HIV "test and treat" reduces HIV incidence and improves community health in over 30 communities in rural Uganda and Kenya. The intervention includes health fairs that provide HIV testing as part of a package of screenings and treatment for multiple diseases, including tuberculosis and noncommunicable diseases. This patient-centered approach to health care has been successful in improving control of hypertension and decreasing new tuberculosis cases. The approach has also engaged more people—particularly men—in HIV testing and treatment. Both control and intervention communities received HIV treatment on demand and saw a 30 percent decrease in HIV incidence. You can read the study abstractExit Disclaimer and learn more about in this news release about the study from NIAID and PEPFAR.

Dr. Dieffenbach also highlighted the lecture presented today by his colleague, Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., Director of NIAID, about research aimed at achieving long-lasting control of HIV infection without antiretroviral therapy. Read more about that lecture in this blog post.  

Dr. Dieffenbach also briefly discussed some of the ways scientific research is shared at conferences like AIDS 2018.

Our interview concluded with Dr. Dieffenbach's discussion of research on substance abuse, substance use treatment, and HIV treatment outcomes among women living with HIV. Study results shared at the conference today showed that, among women living with HIV who used substances, those receiving substance use treatment had better HIV treatment outcomes with higher rates of viral suppression. The study also unpacked how use of various substances can affect HIV treatment outcomes. Read the abstractExit Disclaimer.

The Conference
The 22nd International AIDS Conference is taking place this week in Amsterdam. It has gathered over 15,000 HIV researchers, public health experts, policy makers and members of the HIV affected community from 160 nations to share and discuss the latest HIV science and innovations in prevention and treatment.

More Updates to Follow from HIV.gov
As the conference continues tomorrow, we will bring you additional interviews with Ambassador Deborah Birx and CDC's Dr. Eugene McCray, as well as one more conversation with Dr. Dieffenbach about daily HIV research highlights. Review this post for HIV.gov's schedule and follow us on FacebookExit Disclaimer and TwitterExit Disclaimer for details.