title: The human immunodeficiency virus, (HIV-1), pandemic: cellular therapies, stem cells and biobanking.
abstract: The Human Immunodeficiency Virus, (HIV-1), has become a major global health threat with recent estimates suggesting that 68% of people living with HIV (PLWH) reside in Sub-Saharan Africa. The current strategies for containment of this disease in the absence of an effective vaccine are of concern in terms of long-term fiscal sustainability and cost effectiveness. HIV prevalence rates are set to rise, not because of increasing incidence but rather because of the effort involved in implementing the anti-retroviral (ARV) programmes, especially on the African continent. Even when sub-optimally delivered, these therapies will lead to a decrease in mortality rates and prevent early death from opportunistic infections. However, evidence is emerging for long-term systemic effects of chronic HIV infection in persons on ARV therapy, including increased incidence of Haematological abnormalities and malignancies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Tygerberg Academic Hospital, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Stellenbosch, Tygerberg, South Africa.
authors.forename: Linda Lee
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Stephens
authors.forename: Carmen Catherine-Ann
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Swanepoel
authors.forename: Beverley Ann
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Van Rooyen
authors.forename: Emmanuel Akinola
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Abayomi
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D000818:Animals; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D058873:Pandemics; D015995:Prevalence
keywords: Biobanking; Cellular therapies; Human Immunodeficiency Virus; Stem cells