An ongoing dialogue on HIV/AIDS, infectious diseases,
August 13th, 2012
A Poll: Clintons vs Bush
Got this email recently from a former colleague who now does mostly international work: Hey Paul — nice recap of the IAC conference. But I was wondering if you’d forgotten about someone very important when you wrote, “I can’t think of any major politicians who have done more for HIV than the Clintons.” Um, how […]
July 5th, 2012
Home HIV Test Big News — But Why? And What Impact Will It Have?
The recent FDA approval of a home HIV antibody test (OraQuick In-Home HIV Test) was covered just about everywhere. It’s an oral swab test, takes 20-40 minutes, and will be available over-the-counter. How big a news story was it? Several hundred sources featured it on the day of the announcement, and the total count is now well over […]
April 10th, 2012
A Skeptical Look at “Test and Treat”
Over in Journal Watch AIDS Clinical Care, Abbie Zuger has written a fascinating perspective on the recent enthusiasm for universal HIV treatment. Her take? Let’s just say she doesn’t share the enthusiasm of public health officials and members of guidelines committees. Well, that’s a huge understatement. Specifically: This strategy, which calls for universal voluntary HIV […]
September 4th, 2011
“Novel” Approaches to Initial HIV Therapy: Part II
Two studies were just published on alternative strategies for initial HIV therapy. I’ve already reviewed the first one here. The second paper is a single-arm (n=112) study of darunavir/r (once daily) plus raltegravir, the latest riff on the “NRTI sparing” approach. As I mentioned when I first covered this study, the high rate of virologic failure […]
Paul E. Sax, MD
Associate Editor
NEJM Clinician
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FROM NEJM — Recent Infectious Disease Articles- Clusters of Concern — Spatial Link between Childhood Undervaccination and Measles Outbreaks in South Carolina May 20, 2026Spatial analysis in South Carolina revealed that measles infections were clustered in areas where public school vaccination rates were lower.
- Andes Hantavirus Outbreak on a Cruise Ship, 2026 May 20, 2026On May 2, hantavirus infection was diagnosed in a patient who had been on a cruise ship. Subsequent evaluation revealed multiple cases of Andes hantavirus infection on the ship. To date, three associated deaths have occurred.
- Childhood Vaccine Hesitancy May 20, 2026Vaccine hesitancy is often driven by safety concerns. Clinician recommendations, presumptive communication, and empathy improve uptake; maintaining trust supports future acceptance and community protection.
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- Clusters of Concern — Spatial Link between Childhood Undervaccination and Measles Outbreaks in South Carolina May 20, 2026