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                FROM THE EDITOR

            

            
                New directions at the Journal

                As some readers of the South African Journal of HIV Medicine
                will know, Professor Linda-Gail Bekker has elected to step down as
                editor, and I am moving into this position beginning with the September
                issue. Under Linda-Gail’s leadership the journal has grown
                considerably, and we are indebted to her for her contribution over the
                past years. On a personal note Linda-Gail has been immensely helpful
                during the handover of the editorship, and I am happy to report that
                she will continue to provide guidance while serving on the
                journal’s editorial board.

                
                

                We are looking forward to continuing the journal’s emphasis on
                presenting research and clinical experiences from across the region,
                and keeping readers updated around local and international
                developments. To this end we will seek to expand several sections over
                the coming issues, including: 

                •	 feedback reports from local and international conferences 

                •	 editorial reviews intended to share viewpoints and promote discussion on important topics, and  

                •	 programmatic reports that share local experiences in implementing HIV treatment and prevention services on the ground. 

                
                

                These new sections will be in addition to the ongoing emphasis on
                research articles and case reports that are established strengths of
                the journal. We are also aiming to increase the number of articles
                published in each edition, so please keep your submissions coming. In
                addition I want to continue Linda-Gail’s ‘open door’
                policy regarding suggestions for future content. If you have ideas,
                thoughts or feedback, please e-mail me directly
                (landon.myer@uct.ac.za). 

                
                

                This issue of the journal features a number of important
                contributions. An opinion piece from Nathan Geffen discusses the
                implications of the recently announced findings of HPTN 052,
                demonstrating that antiretroviral therapy is an effective form of HIV
                prevention in serodiscordant partnerships. There was a time when HIV
                prevention and treatment were distinct spheres (in both service
                delivery and our thinking about the epidemic), and these boundaries are
                rapidly falling away. Next, Coceka Mnyani and colleagues discuss the
                risks associated with invasive obstetric procedures in HIV-infected
                women, a valuable follow-up to the previous issue’s emphasis on
                PMTCT. In an original scientific article, Greg Jonsson and colleagues
                report on a survey of HIV-related knowledge among psychiatric patients
                in Soweto. A case report on HIV and primary lymphoma of the breast
                (Barnardt) reminds us of the unusual complications that can accompany
                advanced HIV disease, while another case report demonstrates the value
                of simple microscopy in diagnosing a deep fungal infection in an
                HIV-infected child (Crous). Finally, in a report back from a local
                meeting Kevin Rebe discusses the findings of a recent conference on the
                health of men who have sex with men. 

                
                

                This issue also features a special article on the teaching (and
                understanding) of clinical immunology in the context of HIV/AIDS. Clive
                Gray and colleagues developed an innovative approach to ‘lure
                clinicians into learning immunology’ – no easy task. This
                work has won several awards, and is well worth checking out:
                www.immunopaedia.org.

                
                

                I hope that this breadth and depth is a flavour of things to come! Happy reading.

                
                

                LANDON MYER

                Editor

                
                

                Associate Professor, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town