Dr. Vijay V. Yeldandi, M.D., FACP, FCCP, FIDSA, an educator and Infectious Diseases Clinician with a special interest in Transplantation and Public Health, was in Mysuru recently to participate in the 9th edition of HIVe Mysuru 2025, a conference on HIV, TB and Other Infectious Diseases. The conference was hosted by Asha Kirana Charitable Trust. Dr. Yeldandi is board-certified in Infectious Diseases (ABIM, USA) and is currently a Clinical Professor of Medicine and Surgery at the University of Illinois in Chicago. For over three decades, Dr. Yeldandi has been managing patients with autoimmune and autoinflammatory disorders, those who have undergone transplantation, as well as individuals with HIV and other infections. His current work focuses on participatory action research promoting the ‘One Health, One Planet’ concepts.

He is the Founder and Director of GYD Diagnostics and Clinics, Suvarna Swasthya Research Centre and the International Centre for Human Health Advancement. On behalf of Star of Mysore, Sujata Rajpal spoke to him. Excerpts…

Star of Mysore (SOM):You have worked with HIV patients for over 40 years across India and United States. Despite widespread awareness and medical advances, why does stigma around                                    HIV still persist?

Dr. Yeldandi: It’s not the fear of death, but the fear of losing control over life that fuels stigma. With HIV, the stigma is worsened due to its association with sexual transmission. People often react with judgement, assuming it’s the result of bad behaviour or bad karma. This fear and judgement create isolation. And it’s not just HIV, tuberculosis (TB) patients too face similar stigma. TB can be cured with the right treatment. HIV, although not curable yet, is manageable.

With antiretroviral therapy (ART), people with HIV can live long, healthy lives with autonomy and dignity. We can even prevent mother-to-child transmission. To achieve this, we need a humane, multifaceted approach and not just medical interventions, for effective healthcare.

SOM: What is the mission of SHARE India, the organisation you are associated with?

Dr. Yeldandi: SHARE India is a not-for-profit scientific and industrial research organisation. We’ve collaborated with the National AIDS Control Organisation since 2005, with support from the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. Our work spans HIV, tuberculosis, COVID-19, Hepatitis B and C, and cancer screening. We have partnered with multiple State governments to strengthen public health systems and training. Our mission is to support evidence-based and people-centred care.

SOM: What do you mean by ‘One Health, One Planet,’ which you emphasised in your talk?

Dr. Yeldandi: One Health, One Planet signifies the interconnectedness of well-being across humans, animals and the environment. For example, 95 percentage of rabies deaths in India are from dog bites, mostly from stray dogs. To control rabies, we must vaccinate dogs and manage their population humanely. That also means keeping our environment clean and avoiding feeding strays, as increased food availability leads to population growth. Many programmes exist to control stray dog populations, but they often fail due to lack of accountability.

‘One Planet’ emphasises our responsibility to preserve the environment for future generations. Pollution, microplastics and water contamination are urgent issues. We cannot treat Earth                                        as expendable.

A sustainable, restorative approach is essential for long-term well-being. Healthcare must go beyond disease survival, it must empower individuals to thrive. Whether it’s HIV, TB, COVID-19 or chronic illness, our systems must be humane, inclusive and participatory.

SOM: How does the concept of Salutogenesis apply to someone with a chronic condition or disability?

Dr. Yeldandi: Health isn’t just the absence of disease; it’s the ability to meet life’s demands. Salutogenesis, introduced by Israeli physician Aaron Antonovsky, is about focusing on what creates health rather than what causes disease. He studied women who survived Nazi concentration camps and found that about 30% of them led fulfilling lives afterward. What set them apart was self-awareness, strong coping mechanisms, and access to support systems.

The essence of healthcare is not just about treating illness, but about enabling people to live a purposeful life. I am a polio survivor myself and use braces and crutches to walk. By conventional definitions, I wouldn’t be considered healthy but through the lens of                                                       Salutogenesis, I live a life of purpose, autonomy and dignity.

SOM: You have done decades of work on immune system disorders. Why are most autoimmune diseases still  incurable?

Dr. Yeldandi: Our understanding of the immune system has advanced tremendously, but autoimmune diseases remain incredibly complex. These conditions involve the body attacking itself, and we still don’t fully understand why this happens in every case. That makes finding a cure challenging. However, we’re getting better at managing these conditions and even manipulating the immune system, for instance, in organ transplants, where we suppress immunity to prevent rejection. Many of these advance stem from research on HIV, which have taught us a great deal about immunology.

SOM: There has been an ongoing debate about COVID-19 vaccine risks, especially regarding heart issues. Is this concern valid?

Dr. Yeldandi: No vaccine is entirely without risk. The mRNA COVID-19 vaccines have, in rare cases, caused myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscles) especially in adolescent boys. Most of these cases recover completely, though unfortunately, some do not.

However, the risks from COVID itself — lung damage, inflammatory syndromes, death, are far greater. So, vaccination remains the better option. Informed consent is essential and trust must be earned through honesty and respect, not fear or pressure. The way forward is through awareness, not alarmism.

Healthcare must be humane, inclusive and participatory. Whether it’s HIV, TB, COVID or chronic illness, we must empower people and protect our planet. Every person deserves to live with dignity, autonomy and purpose. That is the heart of good medicine.

—Dr. Vijay V. Yeldandi