AIDS deaths worldwide dropped 10 percent in 2007 because of more access to treatment, the Los Angeles Times reports (latimes.com 7/30).

Prevention efforts in many countries lowered the rate of new infections in children, according to a biennial UNAIDS report released July 29.

“In a surprisingly short period of time, there has been a tripling of prevention efforts in some countries,” says Paul De Lay, MD, director of evaluation for UNAIDS.

However, new HIV infections remained constant at about 2.7 million in 2007, mostly because of increases in countries such as China, Indonesia, Kenya, Mozambique, Russia and Vietnam.