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Problem: HIV/AIDS and sexual violence act synergistically and compromise women's health. Yet, immuno‐biological mechanisms linking sexual violence and increased HIV susceptibility are poorly understood. Methods: We conducted a cross‐sectional pilot study of HIV‐uninfected women, comparing 13 women exposed to forced vaginal penetration within the past 12 weeks (Exposed) with 25 Non‐Exposed women. ELISA assays were conducted for 49 biomarkers associated with HIV pathogenesis in plasma and cervicovaginal lavage (CVL). Differences between Exposed and Non‐Exposed were analyzed by linear and logistic regression, using propensity score weighting to control for age, race, socioeconomic status, menstrual cycle, and contraceptive use. Results: In CVL, Exposed women had significantly reduced chemokines MIP‐3α (p <.01), MCP‐1 (p <.01), and anti‐HIV/wound‐healing thrombospondin‐1 (p =.03). They also had significantly increased inflammatory cytokine IL‐1α (p < 0.01) and were more likely to have detectable wound‐healing PDGF (p =.02). In plasma, Exposed women had reduced chemokines MIP‐3α (p <.01) and IL‐8 (p <.01), anti‐inflammatory cytokine TGF‐β (p =.02), anti‐HIV/antimicrobial HBD–2 (p =.02), and wound‐healing MMP‐1 (p = 0.02). They also had increased thrombospondin‐1 (p <.01) and Cathepsin B (p =.01). After applying the stringent method of false discovery rate adjustment, differences for IL‐1α (p =.05) and MCP‐1 (p =.03) in CVL and MIP‐3α (p =.03) in plasma remained significant. Conclusions: We report systemic and mucosal immune dysregulation in women exposed to sexual violence. As these biomarkers have been associated with HIV pathogenesis, dysregulation may increase HIV susceptibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose of Review: Women remain disproportionately affected by the HIV/AIDS pandemic. The primary mechanism for HIV acquisition in women is sexual transmission, yet the immunobiological factors that contribute to HIV susceptibility remain poorly characterized. Here, we review current knowledge on HIV pathogenesis in women, focusing on infection and immune responses in the female reproductive tract (FRT). Recent Findings: We describe recent findings on innate immune protection and HIV target cell distribution in the FRT. We also review multiple factors that modify susceptibility to infection, including sex hormones, microbiome, trauma, and how HIV risk changes during women's life cycle. Finally, we review current strategies for HIV prevention and identify barriers for research in HIV infection and pathogenesis in women. Summary: A complex network of interrelated biological and sociocultural factors contributes to HIV risk in women and impairs prevention and cure strategies. Understanding how HIV establishes infection in the FRT can provide clues to develop novel interventions to prevent HIV acquisition in women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Latino children are the largest minority and fastest growing group in the United States, consisting of 17.9 million children age 18 years and younger (Pew Research Center, 2016). The population is expected to keep growing, and by the year 2035, 1 in 3 American children and youth will be Latino (Patten, 2016). Although increasing in numbers, these children face numerous struggles, with nearly a third of Latino children living at or below the poverty line (Polk, Carter-Pokras, Dover, & Cheng, 2013). When accessing health care, obstacles these children and their families face include limited English proficiency (LEP), minimal understanding of how the United States healthcare system functions, lack of primary care providers, and complications related to immigration status. These difficulties may ultimately lead to poorer health outcomes. As the pediatric Latino population continues to grow in the United States, the management of these patients and their families will become a cornerstone for all clinicians, especially those in the emergency department. By understanding common barriers faced, as well as grasping a general concept of Latino cultural dynamics, providers can improve their cultural competency, and with that, the healthcare experience for Latino pediatric patients and their families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]