HIV acquisition prior to entry into formal sex work: inference from next-generation viral sequencing.

OBJECTIVE: To infer the timing of HIV acquisition in relation to self-reported events in the sexual life course of adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) who self-identify as female sex workers (FSW) in Mombasa, Kenya. DESIGN: Next-generation viral sequencing of samples of AGYW living with HIV in the Transitions study, a cross-sectional bio-behavioural survey of AGYW aged 14-24 years in Mombasa, Kenya. METHOD: Dried blood spot specimens were collected from study participants ( n  = 37, all FSW). A portion of the HIV pol gene was sequenced using an in-house next-generation sequencing assay for HIV drug resistance mutation genotyping. Estimated time since infection (ETI) was inferred using the HIV EVO web-based tool ( https://hiv.biozentrum.unibas.ch/ETI/ ), and data on self-reported events were obtained from the survey. RESULTS: The median ETI among FSW was 3.4 (interquartile range = 1.7, 6.3) years, with a median ETI of 1.5 years prior to entry into formal sex work. We estimated that 74.1% (95% confidence interval = 53.7-88.9%) of participants living with HIV and who self-identified as FSW likely acquired HIV prior to self-identification as a sex worker. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest a large fraction of prevalent HIV infection among AGYW engaged in sex work stems from acquisition prior to entry into formal sex work. Current HIV prevention programs tailored for sex workers may miss key opportunities for HIV prevention as they are designed to reach women after entry into formal sex work, signaling a need for tailored programs to reach high-risk AGYW earlier on in their sexual life course

For whom and for what? principles, criteria, and indicators for sustainable forest resources management in Thailand

Thailand's forest has been steadily declining during the last 50 years. A logging ban in the natural forests of 1989 has not been efficient in reversing this trend. However, the policy is to afforest the country to 40% cover 25% should be protected forest and 15% for production. To consolidate this a huge number of wildlife sanctuaries and national parks have been gazetted at an increasing rate during the recent decade. As law-enforcement has become stricter this situation has lead to a very tense conflict between the Royal Forest Department, the communities, and the NGO society supporting the latter. Criteria & indicators (C&I) have been developed to make the sustainable forest management (SFM) concept operational. The present study is conducted at the FMU-level, the purpose of C&I is to construct a common platform for dialogue between the involved parties and to test whether this could function to mitigate the tense forest and people controversy in the areas srutinised.The two areas are the doi Inthanon National Park and the Mae Moh FIOR teak plantation in Northern Thailand. The study concluded that C&I could be an instrumental tool in the development of a more coherent forest policy in Thailand

Understory diversity and composition after planting of teak and mahogany in Yogyakarta, Indonesia

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