SADJ : journal of the South African Dental Association = tydskrif van die Suid-Afrikaanse Tandheelkundige Vereniging
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The use of antiretroviral drug therapies in HIV-1 infected pregnant women and their infants has resulted in significant reductions in the rates of mother-to-child transmission of HIV-1. A number of drugs that target the reverse transcriptase enzyme have been tested either alone or in combination in short-course regimens tailored for use in developing countries. ⋯ While these mutations do not compromise the ability of nevirapine to prevent mother-to-child transmission there is some concern that they may compromise future treatment options. Here we review the current data on HIV-1 drug resistance mutations and what they might mean in terms of efficacy of antiretroviral therapies to prevent mother-to-child transmission.
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The purpose of this study was to assess dentists' knowledge of HIV/AIDS, as it affects them in their workplace, attitudes pertaining to universal precautions and treatment of patients with HIV/AIDS and their behaviour toward their patients. A descriptive cross-sectional survey was carried out. A 34-item questionnaire was delivered to a random sample of 145 dentists based in Nairobi, Kenya. ⋯ In addition, courses on working with patients with HIV/AIDS should be offered so as to remove ignorance and fear. Results from this survey show that there is a fair level of knowledge as far as HIV/AIDS is concerned. The results also indicate that a greater compliance with universally accepted guidelines for infection control is needed, as it remains low for dentists working in the capital city of a country that records a rising number of new HIV/AIDS cases every day.