Trending News: Medical Marijuana May Improve Sleep in Chronic Pain Sufferers

Mucosa-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells’ function and activity during the acute stage of HIV infection adds to the knowledge of immune system activation and could lead to possible new treatment interventions, according to The American Journal of Managed Care. Researchers at the Karolinska Instituet in Sweden examined the roles of MAIT cells in HIV using data on 29 individuals with acute HIV-1 infection. They found that MAIT cells had a subset differentiation in acute and early HIV-1 infection, and that a decline in the frequency of CD8+ MAIT cells was counterbalanced by a frequency gain by double negative MAIT cells.

Medical marijuana use may help patients suffering from chronic pain achieve better sleep, according to MD Magazine. Results from a 128-person study found the use of medical marijuana may help sleep patterns, but that patients may develop a tolerance that negates the therapeutic effect. The study authors call for additional research to examine the ideal use for medical marijuana in patients with a high prevalence of sleep issues.

HIV transmission in the UK continues to fall due to increased testing efforts over the past decade with the intent to eliminate HIV transmission in the country by 2030, according to Contagion Live. The UK reached a peak of new HIV diagnoses in 2014, with 6278 new cases of HIV, and then experienced a decline to 4453 in 2018. The steepest fall occurred for men who have sex with men aged 25 to 49 years, born in the UK, white, and residing in London.