Definition and research guide
This page combines a MeSH definition, publication statistics and selected research abstracts. It is a starting point for reading the literature, not a medical textbook or a systematic evidence review.
Content available: 3 complete abstracts (656 words), 9 references. Full article text is not stored or reproduced here; follow the PMID, DOI or PMC links to read the original sources and their access terms.
Definition
Includes the spectrum of human immunodeficiency virus infections that range from asymptomatic seropositivity, thru aids-related complex (ARC), to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).
Definition: NLM Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) scope note (Public domain (U.S. National Library of Medicine); attribution requested). View the MeSH record.
Also known as: HIV Infection; Infection, HIV; Infections, HIV; HTLV-III Infections; HTLV-III Infection; HTLV III Infections; Infection, HTLV-III; Infections, HTLV-III.
Where it fits in the MeSH classification
- Broader topics
- Blood-Borne Infections; Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Viral; Lentivirus Infections; Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes
- Narrower topics
- Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome; Acute Retroviral Syndrome; AIDS Arteritis, Central Nervous System; AIDS-Associated Nephropathy; AIDS Dementia Complex; AIDS-Related Complex; AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections; HIV-Associated Lipodystrophy Syndrome; HIV Enteropathy; HIV Seropositivity; HIV Wasting Syndrome
- See also
- Lymphoma, AIDS-Related
Related concepts
Research landscape
PubMed indexes 340,114 records tagged with the MeSH heading “HIV Infections” (counts retrieved 2026-10-29). 57,683 of them (17.0%) were published from 2020 onward, and the busiest period so far is through 1999 with 102,995 records.
Reviews account for 44,161 records (13.0%) and meta-analyses for 2,592. Randomized controlled trials number 11,298 (3.3%) as a share of all records on the topic.
Show the data
| Period | Records |
|---|---|
| through 1999 | 102,995 |
| 2000-2009 | 83,179 |
| 2010-2019 | 96,257 |
| 2020 onward | 57,683 |
Publication-type chart data
| Type | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews | 44,161 | 13.0% |
| Meta-analyses | 2,592 | 0.8% |
| Randomized controlled trials | 11,298 | 3.3% |
Method: PubMed query "HIV Infections"[MeSH Terms] with publication-type and date filters, retrieved 2026-10-29.
Reading the evidence in infectious diseases
Infectious disease evidence combines microbiology, epidemiology and clinical trials. Laboratory studies identify pathogens and how they cause harm; surveillance and outbreak investigations describe who is affected and how infection spreads; trials establish whether treatments and vaccines work. Results depend on place and time, because pathogens evolve and resistance patterns and population immunity change. Check when and where the data were collected, how cases were defined and how up to date the evidence is.
Evidence from open-access studies
These open-access studies come from PubMed’s best-match results for this heading (papers whose main topic it is), ranked here by citation count, with one recent addition. Each abstract is reproduced in full under its recorded open licence so that you can read the authors’ own words. They illustrate the literature; they are not a systematic summary of it. Citation counts measure attention, not reliability or clinical benefit.
| Study / authors | Year | Source label / design | Europe PMC citations | Licence / source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Innate immune imprints shape HIV-1 reservoir cell persistence during long-term antiretroviral therapy | 2026 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 2 | cc by PMID 42680897 · DOI · PMC13630574 |
| HIV/AIDS in the state of Amazonas, Brazilian Amazon: decentralization, third-party support and community action | 2026 | Review article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 1 | cc by PMID 42659512 · DOI · PMC13502917 |
| Digital health promotion strategies to increase HIV testing uptake among key populations: a scoping review | 2026 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 1 | cc by PMID 42585508 · DOI · PMC13460900 |
Innate immune imprints shape HIV-1 reservoir cell persistence during long-term antiretroviral therapy [1]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Host immune responses that can target and eliminate HIV-1 reservoir cells during suppressive antiretroviral therapy are poorly understood.
- Closing excerpt
- These findings underscore the critical influence of host and viral genetic variation on reservoir persistence and highlight opportunities for leveraging innate immunity in HIV cure strategies.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (210 words)
Host immune responses that can target and eliminate HIV-1 reservoir cells during suppressive antiretroviral therapy are poorly understood. Here, analyzing over 6,000 proviral DNA amplicons from 104 individuals on long-term antiretroviral therapy, we found that carriers of HLA-C2 allotypes, which promote NK cell education via interactions with KIR2DL1, exhibited lower frequencies of intact proviruses. No protective effects of HLA-C2 alleles were observed during untreated infection, suggesting a selective vulnerability of reservoir cells to NK-cell-mediated immune activity under antiretroviral therapy. Supporting this, frequencies of KIR2DL1+ NK cells, particularly those coexpressing the activating HLA-E receptor NKG2C, were inversely correlated with frequencies of intact proviruses. Moreover, viral protein U variants that strongly downregulate HLA-C, increasing a missing-self response by KIR2DL1+ NK cells, were associated with smaller reservoirs in carriers of HLA-C2. Infected cells surviving long-term displayed elevated HLA-C expression, consistent with in vivo selection for resistance to KIR2DL1+ NK-cell-mediated immune clearance. Immune activity of KIR2DL1+ NK cells against viral reservoir cells was enhanced by NKG2C-HLA-E interactions, as sequence variants in HLA-E-restricted HIV-1 epitopes reduced NKG2C-dependent NK cell activation and were associated with higher frequencies of intact proviruses. These findings underscore the critical influence of host and viral genetic variation on reservoir persistence and highlight opportunities for leveraging innate immunity in HIV cure strategies.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 42680897 · DOI · PMC13630574
HIV/AIDS in the state of Amazonas, Brazilian Amazon: decentralization, third-party support and community action [2]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Amazonas is Brazil's largest state and a paradigmatic tropical medicine setting: vast territories connected mainly by rivers, high cultural and linguistic diversity, and multiple co-endemic infections.
- Closing excerpt
- In this narrative review, we argue that HIV in the Brazilian Amazon should be understood through a syndemic lens encompassing tuberculosis co-infection, mobility and geographic dispersion, and that progress toward 95-95-95-aligned targets will require differentiated service delivery, integrated tuberculosis (TB)/HIV strategies, and supply-chain and workforce resilience tailored to riverine, rural and Indigenous contexts.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (236 words)
Amazonas is Brazil's largest state and a paradigmatic tropical medicine setting: vast territories connected mainly by rivers, high cultural and linguistic diversity, and multiple co-endemic infections. The state comprises 62 municipalities and roughly 4.3 million inhabitants, with approximately half of its inhabitants residing in Manaus, the capital, where specialized human immunodeficiency virus (HIV ) services have historically been concentrated. However, the HIV/ acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) epidemic has shown sustained interiorization beyond the capital and a high AIDS mortality coefficient, reflecting late diagnosis and gaps in retention in care. Over the last decade, expanded testing, rapid initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART), the introduction of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), HIV self-testing, and decentralized municipal services in partnership with third parties, such as the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), have coincided with declining AIDS mortality, yet heterogeneity across municipalities remains pronounced, including in predominantly Indigenous areas and border regions. This review synthesizes key programmatic inflection points and highlights the complementary roles of the public sector, third-party organizations, and civil society in implementing combination prevention, improving linkage to care and monitoring loss to follow-up. In this narrative review, we argue that HIV in the Brazilian Amazon should be understood through a syndemic lens encompassing tuberculosis co-infection, mobility and geographic dispersion, and that progress toward 95-95-95-aligned targets will require differentiated service delivery, integrated tuberculosis (TB)/HIV strategies, and supply-chain and workforce resilience tailored to riverine, rural and Indigenous contexts.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 42659512 · DOI · PMC13502917
Digital health promotion strategies to increase HIV testing uptake among key populations: a scoping review [3]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- HIV testing uptake among key populations remains suboptimal despite its central role in HIV prevention.
- Closing excerpt
- Further studies with more robust design, wider geographic coverage, and longer follow-up are warranted.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (210 words)
HIV testing uptake among key populations remains suboptimal despite its central role in HIV prevention. Digital health promotion strategies have been increasingly implemented to address multilevel barriers to testing. However, current evidence is fragmented across platforms, populations, and settings. This scoping review aimed to map and synthesize current evidence on digital health promotion strategies designed to increase HIV testing uptake among key populations. This scoping review adopted Arksey & O'Malley's five-stage framework and reported the process following PRISMA-ScR. PubMed, Scopus, the Cochrane Library, and CINAHL were searched for studies published from January 2015 to April 2025. Eligible studies examined digital health promotion strategies focused on HIV testing uptake among key populations. Sixteen studies were included. We identified four thematic clusters of digital health promotion strategies. Overall, the identified approaches showed potential to increase testing uptake and reduce barriers; however, evidence remains heterogeneous and uneven across populations and settings. Digital strategies for HIV testing are complementary. Integrating mobile apps, social media outreach, digital messaging, and peer-driven networks may offer scalable, context-sensitive solutions for key populations. However, the limited representation of certain groups, particularly transgender women and people who inject drugs, highlights important gaps in the evidence base. Further studies with more robust design, wider geographic coverage, and longer follow-up are warranted.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 42585508 · DOI · PMC13460900
Key reviews and meta-analyses
The most cited review-type papers among PubMed’s best-match results for this heading, listed with bibliographic details only. Follow the links for the full text and access terms.
- Research article Geographic and Population Distributions of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)-1 and HIV-2 Circulating Subtypes: A Systematic Literature Review and Meta-analysis (2010-2021) [4]
- Research article Higher cardiovascular disease risks in people living with HIV: A systematic review and meta-analysis [5]
- Research article Cancer risk in people living with HIV and solid organ transplant recipients: a systematic review and meta-analysis [6]
- Research article The incidence rate of tuberculosis and its associated factors among HIV-positive persons in Sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis [7]
- Research article HIV-related stigma and associated factors: a systematic review and meta-analysis [8]
- Research article HIV incidence among women engaging in sex work in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis [9]
References
- Tan TS, Sun W, Gao C, Viard M, Walters LC, Lancien M, et al.. Innate immune imprints shape HIV-1 reservoir cell persistence during long-term antiretroviral therapy. . 2026. PMID 42680897 · DOI · PMC13630574
- Benzaken AS, Salimo ZM, Farias MEL, Omena AG, Hallal RC, Humar RCH, et al.. HIV/AIDS in the state of Amazonas, Brazilian Amazon: decentralization, third-party support and community action. . 2026. PMID 42659512 · DOI · PMC13502917
- Syamsir SB, Naralia TW, Rahayu H, Pamungkas ED, Diorarta R, Setiawan A, et al.. Digital health promotion strategies to increase HIV testing uptake among key populations: a scoping review. . 2026. PMID 42585508 · DOI · PMC13460900
- Williams A, Menon S, Crowe M, Agarwal N, Biccler J, Bbosa N, et al.. Geographic and Population Distributions of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)-1 and HIV-2 Circulating Subtypes: A Systematic Literature Review and Meta-analysis (2010-2021). J Infect Dis. 2023. PMID 37592824 · DOI · PMC10681860
- Zhu S, Wang W, He J, Duan W, Ma X, Guan H, et al.. Higher cardiovascular disease risks in people living with HIV: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Glob Health. 2024. PMID 38666515 · DOI · PMC11046517
- Jin F, Vajdic CM, Poynten IM, McGee-Avila JK, Castle PE, Grulich AE. Cancer risk in people living with HIV and solid organ transplant recipients: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet Oncol. 2024. PMID 38936380 · DOI · PMC11246791
- Wondmeneh TG, Mekonnen AT. The incidence rate of tuberculosis and its associated factors among HIV-positive persons in Sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Infect Dis. 2023. PMID 37723415 · DOI · PMC10507970
- Dessie ZG, Zewotir T. HIV-related stigma and associated factors: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Public Health. 2024. PMID 39109161 · DOI · PMC11300231
- Jones HS, Anderson RL, Cust H, McClelland RS, Richardson BA, Thirumurthy H, et al.. HIV incidence among women engaging in sex work in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet Glob Health. 2024. PMID 39030057 · DOI · PMC11283888
About this article
- Sources
- NLM Medical Subject Headings (definition, synonyms); NCBI PubMed (counts, identifiers); Europe PMC (open-access abstracts and citation counts).
- Verification
- Every reference was resolved against PubMed on 2026-10-31; title, year and DOI matched.
- Review state
- automated source verified; no human expert review has been recorded yet.
- Version
- 1, last updated 2026-10-29.
See how EvidenceLib is built. Spotted an error? Email support@evidencehelix.com.
Evidence strength
EvidenceHelix's computed view of the study designs behind this topic: how common meta-analyses, randomized trials and reviews are, how recent the literature is, and a plain-language reading. It describes the design mix of the literature. It is not a quality appraisal of any study, and it is not medical advice.