US troops were deployed to the Persian Gulf in what became known as the Gulf War. Upon their return, many Gulf War veterans from both the US and other allied forces began to report chronic, unexplained fatigue, pain, Author Affiliations are listed at the end of this article. Members of the VA Cooperative Study #470 Study Group and the data and safety monitoring board are listed in reference 14 of this article.

Background Despite poor primary healthcare systems, free antiretroviral therapy (ART) has been available in China for over 5 years. Virologic outcomes of Chinese patients receiving ART have not been described at a national level. Methods A multi-stage cluster design was used in 8 provinces to randomly sample patients with at least 6 months on first-line ART, stratified by 3 treatment duration groups. Viral load testing and patient interviews were conducted and linked with national treatment database information. Data collected were analyzed for association with viral suppression using multivariable modeling. Adequate viral suppression was defined as viral load less than 400 copies/mL. Results Of 5,256 patients on ART, 3,894 patients met eligibility criteria from whom 1,153 were analyzed. Overall, 72% demonstrated viral suppression; of these, 82%, 73%, and 67% of participants on ART for 6–11 months, 12–23 months, and ≥24 months, respectively, showed viral suppression (p<0.001). In a multivariable model, treatment received at locations other than county level hospitals was less likely to achieve viral suppression, with greater odds for inadequate virologic response found at village clinics (odds ratio [OR] 5.4; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.9–10.1), township health centers (OR, 3.1; CI, 1.7–5.6), and public health clinics (OR, 3.1; CI, 1.7–5.6). Patients receiving didanosine-based regimens were more likely to experience an inadequate virologic response than those receiving lamivudine-based regimens (OR, 3.9; CI, 2.7–5.7). Conclusions China’s national ART program is largely successful at suppressing viral load. Care received outside of hospitals and regimens containing didanosine were associated with less favorable virologic outcomes.

TMC114/r treatment resulted in greater virological and immunological responses in ART-experienced patients compared with CPI at 24 weeks.

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Chronic infection with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major public health threat in the United States and worldwide. By sharing some routes of transmission, persons infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are at risk for coinfection with HCV. As a result, hepatic cirrhosis, end‐stage liver disease, and hepatocellular carcinoma due to chronic infection with HCV are important causes of both morbidity and mortality in coinfected patients. The advent of highly active antiretroviral therapy improved the management of patients with HIV, leading to decreased morbidity and better survival. As patients infected with HIV live longer, their risk of long‐term sequelae from chronic HCV increases. Coinfection with HIV may be associated with rapid progression of chronic HCV. In contrast, the effect of HCV on the natural history of HIV is less clear. Data regarding treatment of HCV in HIV‐coinfected patients are limited.