About this Research Topic
The pursuit of an HIV cure arises from the recognition of challenges linked to lifelong antiretroviral therapy (ART), particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Investing in HIV cure research in Sub-Saharan Africa is crucial for both scientific advancement and ethical reasons, ensuring equitable access to potential cures, especially for the most affected populations.
Despite Africa bearing the highest burden of HIV-1 infections (nearly 70%), research has predominantly occurred in high-income countries with lower disease burdens, often focusing on men who have sex with men (MSM) living with HIV-1 subtype B. However, findings from these regions cannot be directly extrapolated to Africa due to variations in epidemiology, genetics and host immunity, which are bound to impact individual responses to putative HIV cure interventions.
Immunotherapy and therapeutic vaccination strategies are currently being explored to induce the clearance and control of rebound-competent latent HIV reservoirs, which are a major barrier to eliminating HIV infection. It is imperative to prioritize research efforts in Africa to inform and shape the design of immune-based approaches, which will very likely demand tailoring to ensure efficacy in African populations. Furthermore, the success of any HIV cure strategy in Africa depends not only on biomedical factors but also on social, cultural, and economic considerations. Healthcare infrastructure, cost, stigma and misinformation hinder universal testing, HIV treatment and monitoring in many African communities, hence necessitating culturally sensitive approaches that consider local context, beliefs and practices.
To garner the interest of authors and highlight the necessity for increased HIV cure research in Africa, this Research Topic invites submissions covering a wide range of research, including but not limited to:
• Fundamental discoveries in basic immunology and virology research to translational investigations such as experimental medicine studies
• Basic science/pathogenesis, animal models, structured analytical treatment interruption studies (ATI), genetics and epigenetics.
• The complexities of advancing HIV cure research in the context of other prevention interventions, such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and long-acting injectables, social acceptance and perceptions of cure interventions
Despite Africa bearing the highest burden of HIV-1 infections (nearly 70%), research has predominantly occurred in high-income countries with lower disease burdens, often focusing on men who have sex with men (MSM) living with HIV-1 subtype B. However, findings from these regions cannot be directly extrapolated to Africa due to variations in epidemiology, genetics and host immunity, which are bound to impact individual responses to putative HIV cure interventions.
Immunotherapy and therapeutic vaccination strategies are currently being explored to induce the clearance and control of rebound-competent latent HIV reservoirs, which are a major barrier to eliminating HIV infection. It is imperative to prioritize research efforts in Africa to inform and shape the design of immune-based approaches, which will very likely demand tailoring to ensure efficacy in African populations. Furthermore, the success of any HIV cure strategy in Africa depends not only on biomedical factors but also on social, cultural, and economic considerations. Healthcare infrastructure, cost, stigma and misinformation hinder universal testing, HIV treatment and monitoring in many African communities, hence necessitating culturally sensitive approaches that consider local context, beliefs and practices.
To garner the interest of authors and highlight the necessity for increased HIV cure research in Africa, this Research Topic invites submissions covering a wide range of research, including but not limited to:
• Fundamental discoveries in basic immunology and virology research to translational investigations such as experimental medicine studies
• Basic science/pathogenesis, animal models, structured analytical treatment interruption studies (ATI), genetics and epigenetics.
• The complexities of advancing HIV cure research in the context of other prevention interventions, such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and long-acting injectables, social acceptance and perceptions of cure interventions
Keywords: HIV, HIV cure research, Africa, ART, ATI, prevention interventions
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
