Ann Duerr, MD, PhD, MPH

HIV infection continues to exact a devastating toll worldwide.Advances in antiretroviral therapy have helped bring theHIV/AIDS epidemic under control in developed countries.Antiretroviral drugs, however, are not widely available inthose developing countries where HIV poses a catastrophicthreat. Effective strategies for HIV prevention are thereforecrucial to curbing the global epidemic. Vaccination, microbicideuse, and male circumcision are 3 key preventive interventions.Current research is focused on developing effective vaccinesand microbicides and on determining the extent to whichcircumcision helps prevent HIV acquisition and transmission.[Infect Med. 2008;25:63-72]