National HIV Curriculum Podcast
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Keep Current on HIV Diagnosis, Management and Prevention
The National HIV Curriculum (NHC) podcast explores practice-changing issues and updates in HIV diagnosis, management, and prevention through Case Discussions, Conference Summaries, Expert Interviews, and Literature Reviews.
April 17, 2026
Literature Reviews
Occupational PEP Guidelines: 2025 Update
15 min 39 sec
National HIV Curriculum Podcast Editors Dr. Jehan Budak and Dr. Aley Kalapila discuss an occupational needlestick exposure as they highlight key updates to recommended medications regimens and laboratory monitoring included in the “2025 US Public Health Service Guidelines for the Management of Occupational Exposures to Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Recommendations for Post-exposure Prophylaxis in Healthcare Settings.”
August 26, 2025
Literature Reviews
The BEe-HIVe Study: Major Findings from Two Publications
24 min 30 sec
This episode reviews two recent papers on the practice-changing BEe-HIVe study, which assessed efficacy of a relatively new hepatitis B vaccine (known as HepB-CpG, or trade name Heplisav-B) for persons with HIV, and the resulting clinical implications.
July 15, 2025
Case Discussions
Hepatitis C and HIV Coinfection: Diagnosis and Management
25 min 10 sec
National HIV Curriculum Podcast Editors Dr. Jehan Budak and Dr. Aley Kalapila discuss the diagnosis and management of hepatitis C co-infection in persons with HIV, including direct acting antiviral (DAA) therapy, use of the simplified treatment algorithm, and post-treatment follow-up.
June 24, 2025
Case Discussions
PML: Evaluation and Management
17 min 29 sec
National HIV Curriculum Podcast Editors Dr. Jehan Budak and Dr. Aley Kalapila discuss their approach to diagnosing and managing Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy (PML) in a person with advanced HIV.
June 11, 2025
Expert Interviews
Integrating Injectable ART into Clinical Practice
41 min 36 sec
Long-acting injectable ART (LAI) was not initially considered to be a treatment option for individuals with substantial barriers to taking oral ART. However, our understanding has evolved due to the experience of several clinics around the country, including the team at University of Mississippi Medical Center. In this episode, Dr. James "Ben" Brock, Associate Professor of Medicine, discusses practical aspects of implementing LAI into clinical practice, such as staffing models, patient counseling, adherence support, and payer considerations, plus explores its potential life-saving role for certain people with detectable viral loads, with National HIV Curriculum Podcast Lead Editor Dr. Brian Wood.
May 21, 2025
Case Discussions
Initial Laboratory Evaluation of a Person with HIV
17 min 44 sec
National HIV Curriculum Podcast Editors Dr. Jehan Budak and Dr. Aley Kalapila discuss their approach to the initial laboratory evaluation with a person newly diagnosed with HIV, including HIV-specific, co-infection screening, and healthcare maintenance labs.
May 13, 2025
Conference Summaries
CROI 2025: Four More Potentially Practice-Changing Abstracts
24 min 14 sec
Dr. Jehan Budak and Dr. Raaka Kumbhakar, University of Washington Assistant Professors of Medicine, discuss CROI 2025 abstracts on the complexities of treating TB during pregnancy, the use of tenofovir alafenamide for people with TB, switching to the investigational ART combination doravirine/islatravir, and data on why people stop injectable cabotegravir/rilpivirine.
May 6, 2025
Conference Summaries
CROI 2025: CARES and BEeHIVe Studies and Their Potential Practice-Changing Impacts
23 min 32 sec
What were the CROI 2025 major scientific research themes and the key findings from the CARES trial on long-acting injectable ART and the BEeHIVe study on hepatitis B vaccines for people with HIV? Dr. Jehan Budak and Dr. Raaka Kumbhakar, co-assistant directors of a Ryan White-funded HIV Clinic, discuss major themes, the two studies, and how their clinical practice has already changed.
March 19, 2025
Case Discussions
Initial Visit & Evaluation for a Person with HIV
16 min 53 sec
National HIV Curriculum Podcast editors Dr. Jehan Budak and Dr. Aley Kalapila discuss their approaches and key questions they ask during an initial visit and evaluation with a person who’s new to their clinic.
February 21, 2025
Expert Interviews
LATITUDE Study: Interim Findings and Implications
47 min 44 sec
Dr. Aadia Rana, University of Alabama Birmingham Professor of Medicine and LATITUDE Study Chair, discusses the LATITUDE Study’s key findings to date and considerations for prescribing long-acting ART for individuals who struggle to take oral medications or who have detectable viral loads.
January 24, 2025
Case Discussions
Neurosyphilis: Evaluation and Management
22 min 31 sec
National HIV Curriculum Podcast Editors Dr. Jehan Budak and Dr. Aley Kalapila discuss their approach to diagnosing and treating neurosyphilis in a person with HIV, including clinical manifestations, diagnostics, treatment, and therapeutic monitoring.
January 6, 2025
Expert Interviews
Switching ART Regimens: A Discussion
35 min 59 sec
The three National HIV Curriculum Podcast editors discuss the multiple factors they consider before switching to another oral ART option or to injectable cabotegravir/rilpivirine, including adherence, patient preference, weight gain, NRTI resistance, HBV status, and dosing schedules.
December 9, 2024
Case Discussions
Disseminated MAC: Evaluation and Management
23 min 20 sec
National HIV Curriculum Podcast Editors Dr. Jehan Budak and Dr. Aley Kalapila discuss their approach to diagnosing and treating disseminated Mycobacterium avium complex in a person with advanced HIV, including prophylaxis and management of the infection and immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS).
November 19, 2024
Expert Interviews
Initial ART Regimens Considerations: A Discussion
23 min 43 sec
The three National HIV Curriculum Podcast editors share their perspectives on recent guideline changes to initial ART choices for treatment-naïve individuals with HIV, practical considerations for first line and alternate ART regimens, and the impact of M184V mutation.
October 18, 2024
Expert Interviews
Implementation of the New HHS Anal Cancer Screening Guidelines
40 min 38 sec
Dr. Jeff Schouten, UW faculty in Surgery and in Allergy and Infectious Diseases as well as ANCHOR trial co-investigator, discusses the new anal cancer screening guidelines for persons with HIV then focuses on implementation barriers and considerations for integrating the new recommendations into HIV primary care clinical practice.
September 27, 2024
Case Discussions
Pneumocystis Pneumonia: Management
17 min 16 sec
National HIV Curriculum Podcast Editors Dr. Jehan Budak and Dr. Aley Kalapila discuss their approach to treating Pneumocystis Pneumonia (PCP or PJP) in a person with advanced HIV, including the use of antimicrobials, adjunctive steroids, and when to start ART.
September 12, 2024
Literature Reviews
The ANCHOR Study: Does Treatment of Anal HSIL Prevent Anal Cancer?
16 min 13 sec
This episode reviews a landmark study published in 2022 that aimed to answer the question of whether treating anal high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL) prevents anal cancer for persons with HIV, a question that was previously unanswered and that was key to informing the new anal cancer screening guidelines.
August 15, 2024
Case Discussions
Evaluation of Dyspnea in a Person with Advanced HIV
26 min 39 sec
Dyspnea in persons with advanced HIV has a broad differential diagnosis. National HIV Curriculum Podcast Editors Dr. Jehan Budak and Dr. Aley Kalapila discuss potential causes and diagnostic options with a specific focus on the wide array of diagnostics for Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP), including blood tests, sputum stain types, DFA, and PCP PCR.
July 18, 2024
Expert Interviews
Semaglutide Studies in PWH & What to Consider Before Prescribing
31 min 2 sec
Dr. Kristine Erlandson, Associate Professor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and SLIM LIVER study senior author, discusses recent key GLP-1 receptor agonist studies, clinical implications, and practical prescribing considerations for HIV primary care providers with National HIV Curriculum Podcast Lead Editor Dr. Brian Wood.
July 2, 2024
Literature Reviews
The SLIM LIVER Study: Use of Semaglutide for Persons with HIV
23 min 52 sec
This episode reviews literature about the recent SLIM LIVER study which evaluated the impact of semaglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist, on persons with HIV and discusses the important implications on clinical practice.
June 14, 2024
Case Discussions
CMV Retinitis: Evaluation and Management
24 min 14 sec
National HIV Curriculum Podcast Editors Dr. Jehan Budak and Dr. Aley Kalapila discuss possible causes of visual changes in advanced HIV and the diagnosis and management of CMV retinitis in people with HIV.
May 23, 2024
Expert Interviews
Should People with HIV Take Aspirin for CVD Prevention?
14 min 49 sec
HIV exacerbates the risk for adverse cardiovascular events. Dr. Chris Longenecker, a University of Washington Associate Professor of Medicine, and National HIV Curriculum Podcast Lead Editor Dr. Brian Wood discuss the pros and cons around aspirin for primary prevention and how to counsel patients.
May 7, 2024
Case Discussions
Toxoplasma Encephalitis: Management
17 min 48 sec
National HIV Curriculum Podcast Editors Dr. Jehan Budak and Dr. Aley Kalapila discuss the diagnosis and treatment of toxoplasma encephalitis, potential side effects, and when to start or restart HIV antiretroviral therapy.
April 15, 2024
Expert Interviews
Cardiovascular Side Effects of Antiretroviral Therapy
20 min 3 sec
Dr. Chris Longenecker, a University of Washington Associate Professor of Medicine, discusses the cardiovascular side effects, including effects on lipids, of common antiretroviral therapy (ART) drugs with National HIV Curriculum Podcast Lead Editor Dr. Brian Wood.
April 2, 2024
Case Discussions
Evaluation of Focal Neurological Symptoms in a Patient with Advanced HIV
13 min 17 sec
National HIV Curriculum Podcast Editors Dr. Jehan Budak and Dr. Aley Kalapila discuss an approach to working up a patient with a CD4 <100 who presented with focal neurological deficits and abnormal brain imaging.
March 13, 2024
Expert Interviews
New Guidelines: Statin Therapy for People with HIV to Prevent CVD
22 min 54 sec
The first ever statin therapy guidelines to prevent cardiovascular disease (CVD) in people with HIV were released February 27, 2024. Dr. Chris Longenecker, a University of Washington Associate Professor of Medicine, and National HIV Curriculum Podcast Lead Editor Dr. Brian Wood discuss the recommendations and their clinical implications.
March 12, 2024
Expert Interviews
Pharmacologic Management of Hyperlipidemia
23 min 43 sec
Dr. Chris Longenecker, a University of Washington Associate Professor of Medicine, and National HIV Curriculum Podcast Lead Editor Dr. Brian Wood discuss treatment of hyperlipidemia for individuals with HIV (PWH), with a focus on tools to estimate cardiovascular disease risk, selecting lipid-lowering agents, and key drug-drug interactions, as well as managing adverse effects or nonresponse to initial therapy.
February 20, 2024
Case Discussions
Management of Cryptococcal Meningitis
22 min 15 sec
After diagnosing cryptococcal meningitis in the last episode, National HIV Curriculum Podcast Editors Dr. Jehan Budak and Dr. Aley Kalapila review the complexities of managing a patient with HIV and cryptococcal meningitis.
February 6, 2024
Expert Interviews
REPRIEVE Statin Trial: Why is It Important?
22 min 21 sec
Dr. Chris Longenecker, a University of Washington Associate Professor of Medicine, discusses the REPRIEVE trial design and clinical practice implications with National HIV Curriculum Podcast Lead Editor Dr. Brian Wood.
January 23, 2024
Case Discussions
Evaluation of a Headache in Advanced HIV
21 min 59 sec
National HIV Curriculum Podcast Editors Dr. Jehan Budak and Dr. Aley Kalapila discuss an approach to working up a headache in a patient with a CD4 count less than a 100.
January 9, 2024
Expert Interviews
Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) and Weight Gain
32 min 52 sec
Managing weight gain with the use of newer generation HIV ART regimens is controversial. Dr. Sara Bares, a University of Nebraska Associate Professor, discusses key studies and how to counsel patients about potential impacts of initiating or switching a regimen with National HIV Curriculum Podcast Lead Editor Dr. Brian Wood.