We have previously reported high retention Carfilzomib rates among all groups attending for HIV care in England and Wales, with those recently diagnosed and black African women more likely to be lost to follow-up over a 5-year study period [13]. The extent of and reasons for loss to follow-up were also the subject of a recent BHIVA audit [19]. There are several limitations to our study.

While CD4 counts were not available for all adults, the HIV diagnoses included in the analyses were comprehensive, and the characteristics of those with missing data were similar to those included in the analyses, reducing the likelihood of potential selection biases. CD4 count date was used as a proxy for linkage to HIV care; however, it is possible that some of these tests were conducted at the time of confirmation of a diagnosis within sexual health clinics. To allow for this possibility, we conducted sensitivity analyses that excluded persons who had a CD4 test date within 4 days of HIV diagnosis; this resulted in a similar proportion of entry into care ITF2357 datasheet (data not shown). Further reassurance is provided by the high rate of retention in 2011 among patients diagnosed in 2010. The quality of HIV care delivered through the NHS is excellent. High treatment coverage has significant individual

and public health benefits, including the reduction of onward transmission. The reduction of late presentation of HIV infection (and thereby reducing undiagnosed CHIR-99021 ic50 infections) through greater awareness and promotion of HIV testing in a wider range of settings remains critical in reducing ill health and onward transmission. The monitoring of late diagnosis and standards of HIV care is essential to the planning and allocation of health services resources, and the evaluation of clinical and public health guidelines. None of the authors have and conflicts of interest to

declare. “
“Oral complications associated with HIV infection and with the antiretroviral drugs used to treat it are of increasing concern in HIV-infected patients. Protease inhibitors have been shown to change the proliferation and differentiation state of oral tissues but the effect of nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors is currently unknown. This study examined the effect of zidovudine on the growth and differentiation of the gingival epithelium. Gingival keratinocyte organotypic (raft) cultures were established. The raft cultures were treated with a range of zidovudine concentrations. Haematoxylin and eosin staining was performed to examine the effect of zidovudine on gingival epithelium growth and stratification. Raft cultures were immunohistochemically analysed to determine the effect of this drug on the expression of key differentiation and proliferation markers, including cytokeratins and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA).