Pulmonary Complications of HIV : European Respiratory Monograph 66

According to figures from UNAIDS, there were 34.2 million people living with HIV in 2011, a rise of 5.1 million on 2001. Of these, 2.5 million had become newly infected, a reduction of 22% on figures from 2001. 1.7 million people died from AIDS-related causes in 2011, a decline of 11% on the number of AIDS-related deaths in 2001. A similar decrease in new infections was seen amongst neonates and infants: from 570 000 in 2003 (when figures peaked) to 330 000 in 2011. However, it must be acknowledged that these are global figures and they hide a wide diversity in the number of cases and deaths between countries and risk groups. The most affected continent continues to be sub-Saharan Africa, followed by Eastern Europe and the Caribbean, and the following groups are disproportionately affected: men who have sex with men, female sex workers, injecting drug users, truck drivers, fishermen and the military [1]. Tremendous progress has been made during the last decade, not only in preventive measures but also in HIV treatment. 25 antiretroviral drugs have been licensed for HIV treatment and, thanks to international financial aid and a reduction in the price, these drugs are now available in low-and middle-income countries. More than 8 million individuals are now on therapy in low-and middle-income countries, and as a result, the death rate in some of the hardest hit countries has started to decline, following mortality reductions in the USA and Europe in the late nineties. The life expectancy of an HIV-infected individual who is receiving treatment is approaching that of an uninfected individual, although there are side-effects of the treatment that have an influence on quality of life and the ability to work and participate normally in daily life [2]. That said, progress in the treatment of AIDS has led to carelessness, especially in western capitals. Important precautions are being forgotten and a rise in new infections has been observed during recent years.

In this rich compilation, Emeka Nwosu takes the reader to a journey of the issues that have helped to shape discourses on various aspects of the Nigerian state and society. The articles, originally published in his weekly column in the premier Nigerian daily newspaper, ThisDay, not only show his perspectives on these issues when they were written but also reveal how discussions on some of those issues have evolved over time and how they have mutated today.

Journalists, especially those who maintain regular columns, are often said to write 'history in a hurry'. For experienced writers like the author whose writings are research-based, it does not mean that what they write about is factually wrong but simply that their writings are infused with the passions and emotions that attended those issues as they unfolded.

This collection is therefore not only informed commentaries on some of the issues that have shaped the contour of the Nigerian state and society over the years but a good trip on the passions and emotions that attended those discourses. The articles, 66 of them, are written with remarkable candour and gusto and therefore a delight to read. They form a very important contribution to the corpus of works on Nigerian politics and society.

The lung is the most common site of complications resulting from HIV infection. These respiratory conditions may be of infective or noninfective origin, and are associated with considerable morbidity and mortality. The editors of "Pulmonary Complications of HIV" have brought together experts from around the world to discuss this major area. A broad range of topics is covered, from the global epidemiology of HIV to transplantation, and recent advances in HIV infection, complications, treatment and prevention are discussed. The editors hope that books such as "Pulmonary Complications of HIV" will help us move towards achieving more successful therapies for HIV-related pulmonary infectious diseases