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Infectious diseases are the leading cause of death globally, particularly among children and young adults. The spread of new pathogens and the threat of antimicrobial resistance pose particular challenges in combating these diseases. Major Infectious Diseases identifies feasible, cost-effective packages of interventions and strategies across delivery platforms to prevent and treat HIV/AIDS, other sexually transmitted infections, tuberculosis, malaria, adult febrile illness, viral hepatitis, and neglected tropical diseases. The volume emphasizes the need to effectively address emerging antimicrobial resistance, strengthen health systems, and increase access to care. The attainable goals are to reduce incidence, develop innovative approaches, and optimize existing tools in resource-constrained settings.

These guidelines provide guidance on the diagnosis of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, the use of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs for treating and preventing HIV infection and the care of people living with HIV. They are structured along the continuum of HIV testing, prevention, treatment and care. This edition updates the 2013 consolidated guidelines on the use of antiretroviral drugs following an extensive review of evidence and consultations in mid-2015, shared at the end of 2015, and now published in full in 2016. It is being published in a changing global context for HIV and for health more broadly.

Over half of HIV infections globally occur among cisgender women. High HIV incidence among young (ie, 15–30 years old) African cisgender women persists during pregnancy and postpartum, and there is evidence that HIV acquisition risk more than doubles during this period. A new HIV infection has important short- and long-term consequences for the mother’s health. Acute maternal HIV infection is also associated with increased vertical transmission risk, making prevention of HIV among pregnant and breastfeeding populations a global health priority. As access to antiretroviral therapy continues to expand, new—and often undiagnosed—maternal HIV infections during pregnancy and breastfeeding contribute to a growing proportion of new pediatric HIV cases, and urgent focus of interventions to eliminate vertical HIV transmission. To address this important gap, The World Health Organization (WHO) and several national HIV programs recommend offering pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to pregnant and breastfeeding populations at substantial risk for HIV. To fully realize the promise of PrEP in antenatal and postnatal settings, however, “real world” clinical and implementation data are urgently needed. Further, there is a need for research on novel, long-acting tools that prevent HIV acquisition in all populations, including pregnant and breastfeeding populations.

This first ever coverage of the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic characteristics of biopharmaceuticals meets the need for a comprehensive book in this field. It spans all topics from lead identification right up to final-stage clinical trials. Following an introduction to the role of PK and PD in the development of biotech drugs, the book goes on to cover the basics, including the pharmacokinetics of peptides, monoclonal antibodies, antisense oligonucleotides, as well as viral and non-viral gene delivery vectors. The second section discusses such challenges and opportunities as pulmonary delivery of proteins and peptides, and the delivery of oligonucleotides. The final section considers the integration of PK and PD concepts into the biotech drug development plan, taking as case studies the preclinical and clinical drug development of tasidotin, as well as the examples of cetuximab and pegfilgrastim. The result is vital reading for all pharmaceutical researchers.