Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 19, 2026

Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship, Activity Prediction, and Molecular Dynamics of Non-nucleotide Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors
10:29

Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship, Activity Prediction, and Molecular Dynamics of Non-nucleotide Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors

Published on: May 9, 2025

Antiretroviral drug therapy in HIV-infected Jamaican children

T Evans-Gilbert1, R Pierre, J C Steel-Duncan

  • 1Kingston Paediatric and Perinatal HIV/AIDS Programme, Bustamante Hospital for Children, Jamaica.

The West Indian Medical Journal
|January 29, 2005
PubMed

Insights

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) improved health outcomes in HIV-infected Jamaican children, leading to weight gain and reduced hospitalizations. Access to affordable second-line ART is crucial for sustained treatment success.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Study focuses on HIV-infected Jamaican children undergoing antiretroviral therapy (ART).
  • Reports on the outcomes of this cohort during a specific period.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the impact of ART on the health status of HIV-infected children in Jamaica.
  • To assess changes in weight, height, hospital admissions, and length of stay post-ART initiation.

Main Methods:

  • Observational prospective study design.
  • Data collected on 110 HIV-infected children from 2001-2003.
  • Outcome measures compared at ART initiation and within six months.

Main Results:

  • Significant improvements observed: mean weight gain of 2.8 kg and height gain of 1.7 cm.
  • Reduced hospital admissions by an average of 1.5 and length of stay by 12.9 days.
  • Most children were severely symptomatic (CDC class C) at baseline; 36% had CD4 counts available.

Conclusions:

  • ART introduction led to improved health outcomes in Jamaican children with HIV.
  • ART initiation occurred in older children, often cared for at home.
  • Challenges with accessing affordable second-line ART highlight the importance of adherence to first-line therapy.
Abstract

More Related Videos

Rapid Screening of HIV Reverse Transcriptase and Integrase Inhibitors05:46

Rapid Screening of HIV Reverse Transcriptase and Integrase Inhibitors

Published on: April 9, 2014

An Affordable HIV-1 Drug Resistance Monitoring Method for Resource Limited Settings19:57

An Affordable HIV-1 Drug Resistance Monitoring Method for Resource Limited Settings

Published on: March 30, 2014

Related Concept Videos

Retrovirus Life Cycles01:10

Retrovirus Life Cycles

Retroviruses have a single-stranded RNA genome that undergoes a special form of replication. Once the retrovirus has entered the host cell, an enzyme called reverse transcriptase synthesizes double-stranded DNA from the retroviral RNA genome. This DNA copy of the genome is then integrated into the host’s genome inside the nucleus via an enzyme called integrase. Consequently, the retroviral genome is transcribed into RNA whenever the host’s genome is transcribed, allowing the retrovirus to...
Antiviral Nucleoside Inhibitors01:22

Antiviral Nucleoside Inhibitors

Antiviral Nucleoside InhibitorsAntiviral nucleoside inhibitors are structural analogs of natural nucleosides that interfere with viral DNA or RNA synthesis. These compounds selectively target viral polymerases due to their resemblance to host nucleosides, thereby disrupting viral genome replication.Mechanism of Acyclovir ActionAcyclovir is a guanosine analog with a three-carbon acyclic side chain. It selectively targets herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2),...
Drug Dosing: Infants and Children01:29

Drug Dosing: Infants and Children

Pediatric patient dosages diverge from adults due to disparities in body surface area, total body water, and extracellular fluid per kilogram of body weight. The dosing regimen considers the variations in pharmacokinetics and pharmacology across distinct age groups, encompassing preterm newborns, infants, young children, older children, and adolescents. Calculation of pediatric patient doses is predicated on determining body surface area, which exhibits a superior correlation with the child's...
Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Metabolism01:24

Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Metabolism

In pediatric care, understanding the nuances of hepatic drug metabolism is crucial, as it significantly differs from that of adults. This divergence is primarily due to the developmental stage of drug-metabolizing enzymes, which affects how medications are processed in the body. In neonates, for instance, the activity of Phase I enzymes—critical for the initial breakdown of drugs—is markedly reduced, functioning at just 20–40% of the levels seen in adults. This reduction poses a challenge in...
Subviral Agents01:29

Subviral Agents

Subviral agents are infectious entities that resemble viruses but lack one or more viral components, such as a capsid or essential replication machinery. These agents include viroids, prions, and satellites, each possessing distinct structural and functional characteristics that influence their mode of infection and replication.Viroids are the simplest subviral agents, consisting of circular, single-stranded RNA molecules without a protein coat. They exclusively infect plants, relying entirely...
Antiprotozoal Agents01:21

Antiprotozoal Agents

Leishmaniasis is a widespread parasitic disease caused by several Leishmania species. It affects millions of people each year and remains a major public health problem in endemic regions. First-line treatment relies on pentavalent antimonials, including meglumine antimoniate and sodium stibogluconate. Even so, how these drugs work has not been fully clear, especially their interaction with parasite-specific biochemical pathways. One key target is trypanothione reductase (TR), an enzyme that...