1998

AIDS Dementia Treatments Highlighted: Infectious Disease News (12/98) Vol. 11, No. 12, P. 28; A treatment for AIDS dementia is now entering phase III clinical trials in the United States and has already undergone more general phase III trials in Europe. European patients with severe dementia treated with Neurobiological Technologies Memantine showed significant improvement in functional independence and daily l
Peripheral Neuropathy/Myopathy Common Side Effects of HIV Antiretrovirals: Reuters Health Information Services (12/30/98); Members of the AIDS Clinical Trials Group 175/801 report that therapy with currently recommended antiretroviral drugs for HIV infection could produce symmetrical neuropathy and myopathy. Of nearly 2,500 patients studied, 222 site diagnoses of neuropathy were made, about half of which were cases of distal symmetrical ne
Many Physicians Do Not Follow Pediatric MAC Prophylaxis Guidelines: Reuters Health Information Services (12/30/98); A survey reported in the December issue of the Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal reveals that many doctors who work at medical centers that specialize in pediatric HIV care do not follow the guidelines for prevention of disseminated Mycobacterium avium complex (DMAC) infection. The guidelines were published last yea
Dire Warnings About New Tuberculosis From Russia: Modesto Bee Online (12/31/98); Moran, Mark; Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is sweeping through Russia , and health experts note that the country s economic collapse will likely contribute to continued inadequate treatment of the disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention s Dr. Richard O Brien, one of 10 officials who traveled to Russia ea
Across the USA: Connecticut: USA Today (12/31/98) P. 13A; Connecticut health officials announced that starting January 1, HIV testing facilities will report all infections by race, age, and gender.
Court Faults Dentist in HIV Dispute: Washington Post (12/31/98) P. A11; A U.S. Appeals Court ruled Tuesday that Maine dentist Randon Bragdon violated the 1990 American with Disabilities Act by refusing to treat an HIV-infected woman in his office for fear of contracting the disease. Bragdon had suggested filling the woman s cavity in a hospital instead, which he said would offer greater pr
Dosage Adjustment of Antiretroviral Agents in Patients With Organ Dysfunction: American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy (12/01/98) Vol. 55, No. 23, P. 2528; Hilts, Alexandra E.; Fish, Douglas N.; Alexandra D. Hilts and Douglas N. Fish, of the Denver University Hospital and the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, respectively, provide an overview of dosage adjustment recommendations based on current research for people with impaired renal or hepatic function taking HIV medications. They note, though,
Instability of Tuberculin and Candida Skin Test Reactivity in HIV-Infected Ugandans: American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Online (12/98) Vol. 158, No. 6, P. 1790; Johnson, John L.; Nyole, Sam; Okwera, Alphonse; et al.; Scientists from the Uganda-Case Western Reserve University Research Collaboration examined the factors associated with the stability of skin test responses to purified protein derivative (PPD) and candida antigens in HIV-infected Ugandans receiving isoniazid in a tuberculosis preventive therapy trial. According to the
Dual Infections Occur More Often Than Realized: AIDS Alert (12/98) Vol. 13, No. 12, P. 142; Scientists previously believed that dual infection with multiple strains of HIV occurred only in rare cases, but new data show that dual-infection cases may be more common than formerly thought. Dr. Patricia Fultz of the University of Alabama in Birmingham, and colleagues investigated HIV- infected chimpanzees that wer
Role of HHV-8 in HIV-Related Kaposi's Sarcoma Confirmed: Reuters Health Information Services (12/29/98); Researchers from the Amsterdam Cohort Studies on HIV Infection and AIDS report data that strongly confirm the causal role of human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8) in Kaposi s sarcoma (KS). The authors studied over 1,400 homosexual men and more than 1,100 drug addicts to determine the presence of antibodies to HHV-8 antigens. Ac
Triple-Drug Therapy Does Not Restore Most Immune Markers in Pediatric AIDS: Reuters Health Information Services (12/29/98); New research from the National Cancer Institute indicates that triple-drug therapy with a protease inhibitor does not restore most cellular immune markers in pediatric AIDS patients after six months. The study, published in the Dec. 24 issue of AIDS, investigated the immunological status of 89 HIV-infected children who
Hepatitis Rates Among Russia Youths Up: Itar Wire Service (12/29/98); Russian Health Ministry officials said Tuesday that the rate of hepatitis B and C infection among the nation s youths has increased six to 10 times in the past few years. Although low funding has postponed the implementation of several preventative steps, one bill passed calls for mandatory immunization against hepatit
South Africa Plays Down Faulty Condom Scare: Reuters (12/29/98); Health officials in South Africa are trying to ease fears regarding the recent discovery of faulty condoms in the nation. The country, which has one of the highest HIV infection rates in the world, passed out over 140 million condoms this year, but up to 1 million of the prophylactics were found to be sub-standard. Ac
Thailand: Street Children Learning AIDS Prevention: IPS Wire (12/29/98); In Thailand , where an estimated 1.3 million people may be infected with HIV by the year 2000, a UNICEF-backed program is promoting HIV prevention among street children. The program, run by the Child Development Volunteer Group in Chiang Mai province, features street plays based on real-life situations and which show y
After Tsunami, Drought, PNG Faces AIDS Disaster: Australian Associated Press (12/30/98); Chappell, Trevor; Following a year of devastating drought and a tsunami, Papua New Guinea faces a soaring rate of AIDS. According to experts, HIV incidence in the country last year reached two cases per 1,000 adults, while the incidence of tuberculosis was seven per 1,000 adults. A total of 1,346 HIV infections have been reported in Pa
Heroin Leads to Soaring HIV Rate: South China Morning Post Online (12/30/98); Torode, Greg; United Nations officials announced Tuesday that cases of HIV have now been recorded in all 61 of Vietnam s provinces. The country s increasing rate of HIV infection has been attributed to the continued flow of heroin into northern Vietnam. Currently, about 11,350 HIV infections have been reported in Vietnam; however, e
Warning Against AIDS Complacency as Death Rate Falls: Australian Associated Press (12/30/98); Willis, Katrina; Australia recorded an almost 60 percent decline in AIDS- related deaths in the first seven months of 1998, but residents are being warned not to become complacent about the disease. The most recent issue of the Communicable Diseases Intelligence journal reports that there were 63 AIDS deaths between January and July
Differences in Contributing Factors to Tuberculosis Incidence in U.S.-Born and Foreign-Born Persons: American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine Online (12/98) Vol. 158, No. 6, P. 1797; Chin, Daniel P.; Deriemer, Kathryn; Small, Peter M.; et al.; Researchers in San Francisco analyzed tuberculosis incidence among 367 patients with strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis recently introduced into the city to determine the factors contributing to disease incidence in U.S.-born and foreign- born populations. Using restriction length polymorphism fragment analysis, the
Marked Improvement in AIDS-Related PML Occurs With HAART: Reuters Health Information Service (12/24/98); Researchers working at Hospital Gregorio in Madrid, Spain , reported in Thursday s issue of the journal AIDS a study that showed highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) was effective in stabilizing the condition of patients with AIDS- associated progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), which is caused by
South Africa Joins Africa-Wide AIDS Vaccine Research Effort: CNN Interactive Online (12/27/98); Researchers from South Africa will participate in two vaccine development projects focusing on HIV strains that are prevalent in South Africa and Kenya , the Sunday Independent reported. The South African government will contribute $830,000 to the $9.1 million project, which is primarily funded by the International AID
Bad Condoms Contribute to Africa's AIDS Spread: San Jose Mercury News Online (12/27/98); McNeil Jr., Donald G.; Some condom makers have reportedly been releasing sub-standard products in Africa, which could lead to the increased spread of HIV. Although experts say that most of the condoms are good and the influx of poor-quality condoms has been reduced, some manufacturers may be releasing brittle, leaky, or ill- fitting condoms.
White House Ready to Spend $25 Million to Fight Diseases: Dallas Morning News Online (12/27/98); Health officials said that President Clinton plans to announce soon a 31 percent increase in the federal program to address emerging infectious diseases. The $25 million initiative is designed to combat the spread of infectious diseases, particularly drug-resistant strains. The director of the Centers for Disease Contr
AIDS Vaccines Look Good in Tests: San Francisco Examiner Online (12/27/98); Rosenberg, Eric; Even though several AIDS experts are confident that developing a vaccine against AIDS by President Clinton s goal of 2007 is an attainable objective, a 1998 National Institutes of Health report that said that creating an effective vaccine will require a tremendous undertaking has received the support of researchers suc
AIDS in Africa: The Silent Stalker: New York Times (12/27/98) P. 4-5; McNeil Jr., Donald; While the earliest confirmed case of HIV-1 infection occurred in 1959, researchers estimate that the virus first showed up in the late 1940s or early 1950s. However, the question scientists are trying to answer is why the disease took 20 years to start manifesting itself, ultimately hitting the homosexual and hemophili
Neighbors Kill an HIV-Positive AIDS Activist in South Africa: New York Times (12/28/98) P. A5; McNeil Jr., Donald G.; Gugu Dlamini, an HIV-positive volunteer field worker for the National Association for People Living with HIV/AIDS in South Africa , was beaten to death last week by her neighbors after a mob attacked her in her home. Dlamini, who publicly announced her infection over the radio and television on World AIDS Day this year
Sharing Information: Journal of the American Medical Association Online (12/23/98- 12/30/98) Vol. 280, No. 24, P. 2067; Accelerated approval of many new HIV drugs by the Food and Drug Administration has led to some concerns about the long- term effects of many of these medications, as well as possible interactions and adverse effects. Pharmacologists at the State University of New York, Buffalo, School of Pharmacy created a Web site to
Ethnicity and Hepatitis C: Journal of the American Medical Association Online (12/23/98- 12/30/98) Vol. 280, No. 24, P. 2067; A new study indicates that African-Americans appear to have poorer response rates to interferon treatment for chronic hepatitis C infection compared to other ethnic groups. The study found that after 24 weeks of interferon treatment, only 5 percent of the 40 African-Americans involved in the study had undetectable hepa
HIV Testing Among Populations At-Risk for HIV--Nine States, November 1995-December 1996: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (12/25/98) Vol. 47, No. 50,; This study analyzed self-reported reasons why people at high risk for HIV infection either did not get tested or delayed getting tested for HIV. Although most (76 percent) of the high-risk individuals surveyed in the nine-state study had been tested for HIV, there were several common factors for not getting tested or d
France and UK Battle Tuberculosis in West Africa: Reuters (12/23/98); France and Britain will jointly fund a project designed to battle tuberculosis in West Africa, British International Development Minister Claire Short and French Cooperation Minister Charles Josselin announced Wednesday. The Medical Research Center in Gambia will manage the initiative in collaboration with oth
"25,000 People Die of TB in Russia Every Year: Itar Wire Service (12/23/98); Speakers at a conference at the Moscow I.M. Sechenov Medical Academy on Wednesday reported that 25,000 people die of tuberculosis annually in Russia and that the TB incidence has doubled in the country in recent years. The World Health Organization estimates that 10 million people develop tuberculosis every year, r
"AIDS Explosion May Hit S. Pacific: Newsday Online (12/24/98); Keith-Reid, Robert; According to two AIDS experts in the Pacific Islands, complacency and ignorance of HIV in the region could lead to an explosion of cases. Jane Tyler, the director of the AIDS Task Force in Fiji , asserts that there is enormous complacency, there is no political will and throughout the region there is no true understand
Notification of Partners About HIV Faces Delay: New York Times (12/24/98) P. A17; Richardson, Lynda; Due to a delay in the completion of regulations by the New York Health Department, the state will not begin a new HIV reporting and partner notification program until the spring. The program, which was slated to start next month, was approved by the state legislature in June. Under the measure, physicians and laborator
Caring for People With Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection: New England Journal of Medicine (12/24/98) Vol. 339, No. 26, P. 1927; Steinbrook, Robert; In an editorial appearing in the New England Journal of Medicine, Dr. Robert Steinbrook, a deputy editor of the journal, comments on a study by the HIV Cost and Services Utilization Consortium published in the same issue. According to the study--conducted in early 1996--an estimated 292,000 to 372,000 people in the
Atovaquone Compared With Dapsone for the Prevention of Pneumocystis Carinii Pneumonia in Patients With HIV Infection Who Cannot Tolerate Trimethoprim, Sulfonamides, or Both: New England Journal of Medicine (12/24/98) Vol. 339, No. 26, P. 1889; El-Sadr, Wafaa M.; Murphy, Robert L.; Yurik, Teresa McCabe; et al.; Researchers for the Community Program for Clinical Research on AIDS and the AIDS Clinical Trials Group report that the drugs atovaquone and dapsone are similarly effective in the prevention of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) in HIV- positive patients who cannot tolerate trimethoprim- sulfamethoxazole. The research
The Care of HIV-Infected Adults in the United States: New England Journal of Medicine (12/24/98) Vol. 339, No. 26, P. 1897; Bozzette, Samuel A.; Berry, Sandra H.; Duan, Naihua; et al.; According to research conducted by the HIV Cost and Services Utilization Study Consortium, an estimated 231,400 HIV- infected people received care in the first two months of 1996. The researchers analyzed data from a large number of adult patients who received care at a private, federal, or other government treatment f
We're Saving Our Own Lives: Village Voice Online (12/16/98); Noel, Peter; African-American alternative health care activists will meet in Harlem on Dec. 19 to discuss contentious issues concerning HIV. Some of the participants of the Harlem AIDS Forum assert that HIV does not cause AIDS, that the disease is not spread through sexual contact, and that vaccines can be dangerous. One of the act
Geography Links STD to Alcohol Availability: Fox News Online (12/22/98); Research shows that neighborhoods with a greater number of stores that sell alcohol appear to have higher gonorrhea rates. Researchers from Louisiana State University School of Medicine and the Louisiana Office of Public Health measured the number of alcohol outlets per square mile and per person in New Orleans, findin
Gay Man Goes Public With AIDS Vaccine, Hoping to Inspire Others: Boston Globe Online (12/23/98); Harpaz, Beth J.; In an effort to increase awareness about AIDS vaccine trials, a gay man from New York has gone public with his participation in a vaccine trial. Troy Masters discussed his involvement in a large-scale vaccine trial involving 5,000 people in the United States , asserting that participation is the most important thing w
HIV Health Care Worker Scare Widens: Age Online (12/23/98); Rollins, Adrian; Gray, Darren; Australian health officials have warned that more patients may have been exposed to HIV and hepatitis B virus than were previously reported. The New South Wales health department announced that 13 patients at the Gosford hospital may have been exposed to the viruses by an infected hospital worker. The officials had pre
AIDS Lays Waste to a Nation: Detroit Free Press Online (12/23/98); Tucker, Neely; United Nations statistics indicate that as many as 25 percent of adults in Zimbabwe are infected with HIV. Despite having the highest HIV rate in the world, behavioral changes to stop the spread of the disease have been slow in coming. While condom sales have doubled, some researchers report that there is little eviden
Setting a Bad Example on AIDS: Nature (12/17/98) Vol. 396, No. 6712, P. 603; In South Africa , there are an estimated 1,500 new HIV infections daily and 16 percent of pregnant women carry the virus. While the country has engaged the problem, there has been recent backlash to health minister Nkosazana Zuma s decision not to allow the use of government funds on
AIDS Vaccine Trials in Chimpanzees: Science (12/18/98) Vol. 282, No. 5397, P. 2195; Prince, Alfred M.; Andrus, Linda; Letvin, Norman L.; Scientists from the New York Blood Center respond to a recent Science article that discussed the development of a highly virulent strain of HIV-1 that can cause death in chimpanzees. The original author, Norman L. Letvin, asserted that the new strain could be quite beneficial in testing new vaccine approaches. However,
Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Infection After Travel to or Contact With Visitors From Countries With a High Prevalence of Tuberculosis: American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine (12/98) Vol. 158, No. 6, P. 1871; Lobato, Mark N.; Hopewell, Philip C.; Researchers have concluded that children who travel to countries with high tuberculosis rates have a greater chance of having a positive skin test reaction for the disease. The study of 953 California children younger than six years of age also showed that children in households that had received guests from these high
Pretreatment Evaluation of Chronic Hepatitis C: Risks, Benefits, and Costs: Journal of the American Medical Association Online (12/23/98- 12/30/98) Vol. 280, No. 24, P. 2088; Wong, John B.; Bennett, William G.; Koff, Raymond S.; et al.; Dr. John B. Wong and colleagues evaluated pretreatment strategies for people with chronic hepatitis C who took interferon alfa-2b, which is costly and has a low-likelihood of long-term response. The researchers analyzed the prevalence of genotypes, viral load, and histological characteristics in relation to sustained r
Dutch AIDS Deaths Decline Sharply: Las Vegas Sun Online (12/18/98); The Dutch Central Bureau for Statistics reported that the number of deaths due to AIDS in the country declined sharply in 1997, marking the second consecutive year of decline. A total of 184 people died from the disease in the Netherlands in 1997, down from 327 the year before. There was also a decrease in the number
New Bid Launched for HIV Reporting: United Press International (12/21/98); California legislators have re-introduced a measure that would require HIV case reporting. Gov. Pete Wilson vetoed a bill that would have mandated reporting earlier this year, but Assemblywoman Carole Migden (D-S.F.) announced the re- introduction of the measure on Monday. Wilson will be succeeded by Gray Davis as gove
Shalala Announces $479 Million for High HIV Incidence Areas: Reuters Health Information Services (12/21/98); Health and Human Services Secretary Donna E. Shalala announced Friday that approximately $479 million has been allocated for HIV prevention and treatment under the Ryan White CARE act. As part of the joint initiative between the Congressional Black Caucus and the Clinton administration, part of these funds will go to 4
Hep C Crusader Wary of Fed Deal: Toronto Sun Online (12/21/98); Last Friday, the Canadian government released the method of compensation for people infected with hepatitis C virus through tainted blood products, with people who carry the virus but show minimal symptoms receiving a single payment of C$10,000 and sick individuals receiving up to C$120,000 plus income replacement of u
Hospitals Rationing Clot-Buster Urokinase: Baltimore Sun (12/22/98) P. A4; Hospitals around the United States are warning of a shortage of the clot-busting drug urokinase, which is used to dissolve blood clots and to clear tubes in kidney dialysis, with several hospitals saying they only have a few doses remaining. In November, the U.S. FDA ordered
HIV Nurse Sparks Women's Test Panic: Australian Online (12/22/98); Harvey, Claire; Over 255 Australian women may have been exposed to hepatitis B virus and HIV by a male obstetric nurse who tested positive for the viruses. On Sunday, health authorities in the country notified women who had invasive obstetric operations between Jan. 6 and Dec. 11 of the possible risk of infection. Fifty women were fou
Syphilis Eradication: So Near, So Elusive: USA Today (12/22/98) P. 6D; Brainard, Jeffrey; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director Jeffrey Koplan recently announced that the agency would try and eliminate syphilis infection in the United States . With syphilis rates at extremely low-levels, experts believe that now is the time to try and eradicate the disease. Scientists are pressing for the deve
Challenging the Conventional Stance on AIDS: New York Times (12/22/98) P. D6; France, David; Conspiracy theories about HIV still abound despite a wealth of available scientific evidence. Recently, the Rev. Al Sharpton and his National Action Network sponsored the Harlem AIDS Forum, which featured many outspoken opponents to traditional views on HIV and AIDS. Of approximately 12 speakers, only one believed that
Tuberculosis in the Home: Contact History and Childhood Tuberculosis in Central Harlem: Clinical Pediatrics (12/98) Vol. 37, No. 12, P. 753; Moss, William; Dr. William Moss of the Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health reports on contact history of childhood cases of tuberculosis in Central Harlem, New York City. The area had the highest tuberculosis rate in the city in 1993, with an age -adjusted rate of 182 cases per 100,000 people. The number of reported cas
Grant Funds Transgender HIV Prevention: Washington Blade (12/11/98) Vol. 29, No. 50,; Roundy, Bill; The HIV Community Coalition in Washington, D.C., will receive a $20,000 grant from the city s Administration for HIV/AIDS (AHA), a division of the District s Department of Health. The money will go toward the development of a four-month pilot program designed to promote AIDS education among the city s transgender commu
Ban Stays on 'Anti-AIDS Drug' Trials: Hong Kong Standard Online (12/21/98); A report in the Sunday Independent newspaper indicates that the South African Medicines Control Council will not allow clinical trials against HIV for the drug Virodene, which was banned last year because it contained a toxic solvent. The council recently barred testing following another application by South African de
Fighting AIDS in Africa: New York Times (12/19/98) P. A30; McLean, Mora; Many African nations have some of the most far-reaching programs to combat the spread of HIV, asserts Mora McLean, the president of the Africa-America Institute. In a letter to the editor of the New York Times, McLean responds to a series of front-page Times articles on the HIV epidemic in Africa, noting that the artic
World Bank May Lift Bar on Aid for TB Control: Hindu Online (12/21/98); The World Bank may end its suspension of assistance for the National Tuberculosis Control Program in India , which it had imposed several months ago. The agency said that it would not lift the suspension until an efficient mechanism for the procurement of anti-TB drugs was established. According to World Bank official
Needle Exchange Returns to D.C.: Washington Post (12/19/98) P. B1; Montgomery, David; With the initiation of the Prevention Works needle-exchange program in Washington, D.C., the city again has a syringe exchange service designed to help decrease the spread of HIV among intravenous drug users. The program, which used to be run by the Whitman-Walker Clinic, was suspended in October following an act of Co
AIDS Council Criticizes Clinton's Follow-Through: Washington Post (12/20/98) P. A27; President Clinton s follow-up to his call for the development of an AIDS vaccine by the year 2007 has been criticized by his AIDS advisory council, which contends that little progress has been made in the 19 months following the announcement. Members noted that a director of the vaccine center at the National Institute
Rolling Up Their Sleeves to Tackle a Killer Virus: New York Times (12/21/98) P. A26; Richardson, Lynda; Across the United States , volunteers are being inoculated with the candidate HIV vaccine Aidsvax, developed by Vaxgen as part of the first large-scale HIV vaccine tests in the United States. The trial will include 5,000 subjects from the United States and 2,500 subjects from Thailand , many
Glaxo Wins Approval for New AIDS Drug Despite Serious Risks: Wall Street Journal (12/21/98) P. B8; Glaxo Wellcome s newest AIDS drug, Ziagen , was approved for marketing by the Food and Drug Administration Thursday, even though clinical trials showed that about 5 percent of patients experienced significant, and in some cases, fatal side effects, including fever, nausea, abdominal pain, low blood pressure, and an enl
Antenatal Screening for Syphilis: British Medical Journal Online (12/12/98) Vol. 317, No. 7173, P. 1605; Welch, Jan; Cases of congenital syphilis in the United Kingdom are rare, but syphilis is the only chronic infection for which women are routinely screened during pregnancy, writes Jan Welch, of the Department of Sexual Health of King s Healthcare NHS Trust in London, in an editorial. Some healthcare centers are considering discont
Outbreak of Primary and Secondary Syphilis - Guilford County, North Carolina, 1996-1997 Syphilis outbreak in North Carolina points to need for increased vigilance.: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report: December 18, 1998/ Vol. 47/ No. 49/ p. 1070; Despite dramatic declines in the national rate of primary and secondary syphilis cases to an all time low of 3.2 per 100,000 in 1997, the rate (40.5) for Guilford County was over 10 times higher than the Healthy People 2000 goal for the nation. From 1994 to 1997, Guilford County experienced a 147% increase in primary a
Impact of Closure of a Sexually Transmitted Disease Clinic on Public Health Surveillance of Sexually Transmitted Diseases - Washington, D.C., 1995 Clinic closing impacts reporting of syphilis cases in Washington, D.C.: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report: December 18, 1998/ Vol. 47/ No. 49/ p. 1067; Although national syphilis rates have declined to historically low levels, syphilis remains a major problem in Washington, D.C. Currently, the city s primary and secondary syphilis rates rank 7th among major U.S. cities. In 1995, the D.C. Department of Health s Northwest (NW) Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD) clinic
New Strategy to Rapidly Assess Efficacy of AIDS Drugs in Children: Infectious Disease News (11/98) Vol. 11, No. 11, P. 22; Scientists from the National Cancer Institute have found a method that may be able to predict whether the use of ritonavir in children will be successful after only the first week of treatment. The researchers, led by Dr. Brigitta Mueller, now at Harvard Medical School, used pre-treatment levels of CD4 cells, HIV RNA i
Genital Ulcer Patients Should Be Focus of HIV Prevention Programs: Reuters Health Information Services (12/17/98); Dr. Kristen Mertz of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and others recommend that people with genital ulcers be treated quickly to prevent the spread of ulcerative sexually transmitted diseases and HIV. The researchers, who report their findings in the December issue of the Journal of Infectious Diseases, n
Africa--Women and AIDS Conference: PANA Wire Service (12/17/98); Adeyemi, Segun; The Society of Women and AIDS in Africa concluded at its seventh conference, which ended Thursday in Senegal , that pregnant women should be given access to AZT to prevent mother -to-child transmission of HIV. The scientific committee of the society also called for a reduction in the price of female condoms, asserting
Medical Notebook: Rise in TB Risk Seen in Certain Itineraries: Boston Globe Online (12/17/98) P. A3; Tye, Larry; A new study published by the American Lung Association found that California children who had traveled to places with high tuberculosis rates--including Mexico , China , India , and Haiti- -were 3.9 times more likely to have tested positive for TB compared to children who had not traveled.
Amphetamines, Cocaine Use Rise in EU, Report Says: Reuters (12/18/98); The 1998 annual report of the European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Addiction indicates that the number of AIDS cases is decreasing on the continent due to progression- delaying drugs. The agency noted that AIDS is now more of an indicator of treatment uptake and less of an indicator of HIV infection. According
D.C. Urged to Improve Efforts Against STDs: Washington Post (12/18/98) P. C3; The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has urged the District of Columbia to increase sexually transmitted disease prevention efforts, specifically recommending that the city increase syphilis screening and partner notification and improve patient education projects. According to the CDC, some cases of syphilis
Report Warns About TB Risk on Long Flights: Boston Globe Online (12/18/98) P. A25; The World Health Organization cautioned Thursday that there is a small but possible risk of contracting tuberculosis on flights over eight hours in length. While the WHO reported that there were no recorded cases of passengers contracting the disease during flight with a TB-infected passenger, there have been cases whe
Syphilis in Pregnant Women and Their Children in the United Kingdom: Results From National Clinician Reporting Surveys 1994-1997: British Medical Journal Online (12/12/98) Vol. 317, No. 7137, P. 1617; Hurtig, A.-K.; Nicoll, A.; Carne, C.; et al.; Researchers from the Sexually Transmitted Disease Section of the United Kingdom s Public Health Laboratory Service Communicable Disease Surveillance Center in London have concluded that current [routine antenatal] screening prevents congenital syphilis and that some fetuses and infants would be placed at risk if routin
Community Based Study of Treatment Seeking Among Subjects With Symptoms of Sexually Transmitted Disease in Rural Uganda: British Medical Journal Online (12/12/98) Vol. 317, No. 7173, P. 1630; Paxton, L.A.; Kiwanuka, N.; Nalugoda, F.; et al.; Researchers for the Rakai Project Study Group investigated treatment seeking among people with symptoms for sexually transmitted diseases residing in the Rakai District of Uganda . Baseline prevalence of infection was taken for over 12,000 people in the study: 10 percent had syphilis, 1.6 percent had gonorrhea, 3.1 per
Potential for the Transmission of HIV-1 Despite Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy: New England Journal of Medicine (12/17/98) Vol. 339, No. 25, P. 1846; Haase, Ashley T.; Schacker, Timothy W.; In an editorial appearing in the New England Journal of Medicine, Drs. Ashley T. Haase and Timothy W. Schacker of the University of Minnesota comment on recent findings by Zhang et al. that men receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy and who have undetectable levels of HIV RNA may be able to transmit the virus t
Nonintravenous Injections Associated With Low HIV Transmission Risk: Reuters Health Information Services (12/16/98); A multicenter team, led by Dr. Josiah D. Rich of the Miriam Hospital in Providence, R.I., has found that the risk of HIV infection through intramuscular or subcutaneous injection is fairly low, but infection can still occur. The researchers, who report their findings in the Dec. 3 issue of the journal AIDS, assessed th
Glimmer of Hope to Restore Damage Immune Systems: Reuters (12/16/98); Reaney, Patricia; Scientists are investigating ways to increase production from the thymus gland in order to strengthen the immune system in people who experience immunodeficiency, including people with AIDS. It was originally believed that the thymus gland, which produces T-cells, lost most of its function due to aging; however, Dr. Ri
S.F. AIDS Programs to Get $36 Million: San Francisco Examiner Online (12/16/98) P. A16; Brazil, Eric; Sixty-three San Francisco-area AIDS groups will receive a total of $36 million in grants as part of the Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency Act, Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-S.F.) announced. The money will also go for services in San Mateo and Marin counties, helping people living with HIV/AIDS. San Francisco has
Smog, Smokes, STDs to Blame for Sterility in China, Reports Say: AZ Starnet Online (12/17/98); As many as one in eight men experiences sterility in China , according to the Xinhua news agency. In the past two decades, the percentage of couples unable to conceive has risen from 3 percent to 13 percent. Air pollution, heavy smoking, and sexually transmitted diseases have been blamed for the increased rate of infer
Misguided Beliefs Seen in AIDS in Kenya: Washington Times (12/17/98) P. A15; Kenya s Daily Nation reported Wednesday that some men in the country believe that they can cure themselves of HIV infection by having multiple sex partners. The Daily Nation noted reports of several dangerous misconceptions presented at an AIDS workshop in Nairobi. These include the belief by some that it is impossible
Babies With Disease Abandoned by Mothers: Washington Times (12/17/98) P. A15; Selsky, Andrew; An estimated 1 million children are HIV-positive in sub- Saharan Africa and there are nearly 8 million African children orphaned by the disease. The Washington Times reports that HIV-infected children are increasingly being abandoned in the region. Social welfare officials say that in Johannesburg through the first hal
P53 Polymorphism and Risk of Cervical Cancer: Nature (12/10/98) Vol. 396, No. 6711, P. 530; Helland, Aslaug; Josefsson, Agnetha; Hildensheim, Allan; et al.; Three separate groups of researchers respond to findings recently reported in Nature by Alan Storey and colleagues indicating that a polymorphism in the p53 gene at codon-72 represents a significant risk factor for cancers associated with human papillomavirus. In letters to the journal, all three research groups report
Hepatitis Meeting Suggests End of 'Carrier' Status: Lancet (12/12/98) Vol. 352, No. 9144, P. 1916; Sharma, Dinesh C.; Attendees of a two-day international conference in New Delhi dealing with Asian perspectives on hepatitis B and C released a consensus statement urging the replacement of the term carrier for patients with the viruses with the term chronic hepatitis B virus infection or chronic hepatitis C virus infection. The change w
Italian Health Ministry Found Guilty in Tainted-Blood-Product Scandal: Lancet (12/12/98) Vol. 352, No. 9144, P. 1916; Simini, Bruno; An Italian civil court recently found the country s Ministry of Health negligent of its responsibility to protect patients from HIV- and hepatitis C virus (HCV)-contaminated blood products. The ministry did not require virus-inactivating treatment of human plasma until 1985. Untreated plasma drugs already in stock were
Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 in the Semen of Men Receiving Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy: New England Journal of Medicine (12/17/98) Vol. 339, No. 25, P. 1803; Zhang, Hui; Geethanjali, Dornadula; Beumont, Maria; et al.; Researchers from Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, Pa., detected proviral DNA from HIV in the seminal cells of HIV-1-infected men receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy who had no detectable levels of viral RNA in their plasma. The finding suggests that the virus can be sexually transmitted by infect
Rite Aid Rolls Out HIV Training: American Druggist--HIV Supplement (11/98) Vol. 1, No. 1, P. 10; Slezak, Michael; Over 400 Philadelphia-area Rite Aid drug stores have introduced a continuing education program on HIV/AIDS for pharmacists. The four-hour program was videotaped and will be sent out to an additional 1,200 Rite Aid stores as part of a national program. The program focuses on keeping pharmacists educated on up-to-date me
Disease Puts Plasma Supplies Into Question: Salt Lake Tribune Online (12/16/98); Wagner, Norma; Federal agencies are currently investigating whether Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) can be passed through blood, following the recent death of a Utah man--who was also a frequent plasma donor--from the disease. The national company that received blood from the man, which could now be pooled into thousands of other uni
Hospitals Get $6 Million for HIV Brain Bank: Boston Globe Online (12/15/98); The National Institutes of Health will give a $6 million grant to three New York City hospitals to study the neurological effects of HIV on the brain. Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Beth Israel Medical Center, and St. Luke s-Roosevelt Hospital Center will in turn create the Manhattan HIV Brain Bank, a collection of br
$240Gs Fed Blood Pact Wins Praise: Toronto Sun Online (12/16/98); HIV-infected Canadians who contracted the virus from parents or partners who were originally infected through tainted blood transfusions will receive C$240,000 in tax-free compensation from the government. About 240 Canadians or their estates are eligible for the compensation, which comes from a C$1.1 billion fund allo
AIDS Takes a Toll on Africa, Even After Death: New York Times (12/16/98) P. A1; McNeil Jr., Donald G.; The United Nations reports that there are about 5,500 deaths due to AIDS in Africa every day. With such large numbers of people dying, the African culture has been forced to change. Many relatives of the deceased no longer have the money to tend to their dead in a manner fitting with tradition. Some cannot afford buria
Choriodecidual Inflammation: a Potentially Preventable Cause of Perinatal HIV-1 Transmission?: Lancet (12/12/98) Vol. 352, No. 9144, P. 1927; Goldenberg, Robert L.; Vermund, Sten H.; Goepfert, Alice R.; et al.; Researchers from the University of Alabama at Birmingham hypothesize that preterm chorioamnionitis and acute chorioamnionitis at term are important components in the perinatal transmission of HIV-1. They state that preterm birth, prolonged rupture of the chorioamniotic membranes, and clinical and histological bacterial
US Scientists May Boycott AIDS Congress: Science (12/10/98) Vol. 396, No.6711, P. 504; Cherry, Michael; Several U.S. researchers reportedly may boycott the World AIDS Conference in Durban in 2000 in response to the cancellation by the South African health minister of a pilot program designed to reduce the vertical transmission of HIV. The canceled program distributed AZT to HIV-infected pregnant women. In a mov
Early Treatment of HIV-1 Infection: Lancet (12/12/98) Vol. 352, No. 9144, P. 1935; Fauci, Anthony; Bartlett, John G.; Goosby, Eric; et al.; In a letter to the Lancet, Dr. Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and others comment on a recent Lancet viewpoint by Jay Levy, of the University of California at San Francisco. Fauci et al. state that Levy s call for caution in the early treatment of HIV-1 infection is val
Tuberculin Skin Test Screening Practices Among US Colleges and Universities: Journal of the American Medical Association Online (12/16/98) Vol. 280, No. 23, P. 2008; Hennessey, Karen A.; Schulte, Joann M.; Cook, Linda; et al.; A study of 624 U.S. colleges and universities found that 378 schools, or 61 percent, required tuberculin screening. Just over one-quarter of schools surveyed required tuberculin screening for all new students, while 8 percent asked for tests from only new international students. 294 schools (47 percent) requested tests
Hospitals Warned of Blood Shortage: UK Independent Online (12/14/98); The British National Blood Service (NBS) has warned every hospital in England that there is a blood shortage. The agency also issued instructions on how to conserve blood supplies. Donors are becoming more scarce, while hospitals continue to use some 10,000 half-liter units of blood daily and demand rises at 3 percent
Continuing Testing Finds 6000 Indian Army Personnel HIV Positive: News Network International Online (12/14/98); According to the Hindustan Times, over 6,000 members of the Indian Army have tested positive for HIV in continued screenings for the disease. Officials from the organization state that there are probably many more infected individuals in the army, because most individuals have not yet been tested. The
Tuberculosis Cases Soar in Kazakhstan: Russia Today Online (12/14/98); According to the Kazakhstan Health Ministry, the number of tuberculosis cases in the nation has increased 30 percent over six years, reaching 73,000 cases. The number of cases rose from 64.2 per 100,000 people to 91.3 per 100,000 people between 1992 and 1997. Deaths due to TB increased by 3.2 percent over the same peri
Judge Orders HIV-Positive Mother to Treat Child With AZT: Oregon Live NewsFlash Online (12/15/98); A judge in Eugene, Ore., ruled that an HIV-infected mother must treat her newborn child with AZT in compliance with her doctor s orders. The parents object to the treatment because of the possible side effects of the drug and because they are unsure of the child s HIV-status. The mother, Kathleen Tyson, must also stop
Bring HIV Campaign Out of the Dark Alley: Wall Street Journal (12/15/98) P. A23; Zingale, Daniel; In a letter to the editor of the Wall Street Journal, Daniel Zingale, the executive director of AIDS Action, applauds a recent editorial in the newspaper opposing public opinion campaigns that portray everyone as at risk for HIV. Zingale notes that homosexual men and injection drug users and their sex partners are at t
Crusading for Cash: Washington Post--Health (12/15/98) P. 10; Havemann, Judith; Disease activists often compete with each other in an effort to secure research and treatment funding for their respective causes. Earlier this year, the American Diabetes Association released a report indicating that the U.S. government spends $1.5 billion annually on AIDS, while just $316 million goes to diabetes--de
Hepatitis C: How Widespread a Threat?: New York Times (12/15/98) P. D1; Grady, Denise; An increasing number of Americans are expected to be diagnosed with hepatitis C in the next 20 years, as latently infected people begin to show symptoms of the disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 4 million people in the United States are infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV). Abou
Expression of CD38 on CD8 T Cells Predicts Maintenance of High Viraemia in HAART-Treated HIV-1-Infected Children (Research Letter): Lancet (12/12/98) Vol. 352, No. 9144, P. 1905; Vigano, Alessandra; Saresella, Marina; Rusconi, Stefano; et al.; Italian researchers report the expression of CD38 on CD8 T cells in two HIV-infected children who were unresponsive to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). The researchers investigated CD38 expression in 16 HIV-positive children; the two subjects who did not respond to treatment showed multiple drug resistance
Prospects for Worldwide Tuberculosis Control Under the WHO DOTS Strategy: Lancet (12/12/98) Vol. 352, No. 9144, P. 1886; Dye, Christopher; Garnett, Geoffrey P.; Sleeman, Karen; et al.; Dr. Christopher Dye of the World Health Organization s Global Tuberculosis Program and other infectious disease experts constructed an age-structured mathematical model to determine the effects of directly observed treatment, short-course (DOTS) on tuberculosis rates. In areas where TB incidence is stable and HIV-1 is
ABT-378 Shows Promise: American Druggist--HIV Supplement (11/98) Vol. 1, No.1, P. 16; Lacone, Alexis; Preliminary data from a study of 35 people receiving Abbott Laboratories ABT-378, a second-generation HIV protease inhibitor, indicate that the drug can be used to successfully lower viral loads. In the study, 16 of 17 treatment-naive people receiving the medication in conjunction with ritona
Testosterone May Lessen Depression in AIDS Patients: Infectious Disease News (11/98) Vol. 11, No. 11, P. 20; Researchers from the New York State Psychiatric Institute found that biweekly injections of testosterone cypionate over three-months increased energy levels and feelings of well- being in a placebo-controlled study of 66 HIV-positive subjects. Dr. Glenn Wagner, a research scientist at the institute, said that fatigue i
FDA Approves Hepatitis C Combination Product: M2 Presswire (12/11/98); The Food and Drug Administration approved the use of Rebetron Combination Therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C who have not been previously treated with interferon therapy. The approval expands the use of the therapy, which consists of interferon alfa-2B recombinant and ribavirin and was previously only availab
Underfunded Health Program: Washington Post (12/12/98) P. A22; Lurie, Peter; In a letter to the Washington Post, Dr. Peter Lurie, of the Public Citizen s Health Research Group, applauds the implementation of a needle-exchange program in the District of Columbia. However, he states that even though the District has found a way to run such a program without interfering with rules laid down by Con
Across the USA: North Carolina: USA Today (12/14/98) P. 18A; A spokesman for the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services said the state would investigate changing its HIV testing policy. The Centers for Disease Control last week recommended the use of anonymous testing in order to increase the number of people willing to get tested for HIV.
Do Drugs Cost Too Much? Consider the Alternatives: Wall Street Journal (11/14/98) P. A18; Kogan, Richard Jay; Richard Jay Kogan, chairman and CEO of Schering-Plough , asserts that the increasing profits by drug manufacturers are due to new drug candidates, better medications, novel delivery systems, and treatments for diseases that were previously untreatable. Commenting in the Wall Street Journal, Kogan notes that the launch
Safeguards on 'Killer Microbes' Urged: Boston Globe Online (12/14/98) P. E5; Zitner, Aaron; Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) and Sen. Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) are working on proposals designed to address the growing problem of drug-resistant diseases. The two senators will host today an informal meeting on the subject that will include infectious disease specialists and officials from the Centers for Disease Control
Infections May Be Often-Missed Cause of Birth Problems: Dallas Morning News Online (12/14/98); Beil, Laura; Infections such as chlamydia, which has no symptoms in 75 percent of infected women, may be responsible for premature delivery and low infant birth-weight, reported researchers at the National Sexually Transmitted Disease Prevention Conference in Dallas last week. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which c
Good HIV: Wired (11/98) Vol. 6, No. 11, P. 100; Lowenstein, Jerold M.; Cell Genesys, a California biotechnology company, is exploring the use of HIV as a vector in gene therapy. The virus qualities make it ideal for use in this system; it evades the body s defenses and inserts its genes into host cells. If scientists can find a way to get the virus to insert useful genes into cells withou
IL-2 Improves Response of HAART-Treated Patients: Reuters Health Information Services (12/10/98); German investigators report in the Dec. 3 issue of AIDS that the addition of subcutaneous interleukin-2 ( IL-2 ) to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) can help improve patient immune response. The researchers compared HAART/IL-2 treatment to HAART alone in 64-HIV infected patients as part of phase II clinical
Boston Minister Urges Africa to Put Focus on AIDS Crisis: Boston Globe Online (12/11/98) P. A37; Shillinger, Kurt; At a meeting of the World Council of Churches in Zimbabwe , Boston Rev. Eugene Rivers called for African clergy to focus on the AIDS crisis. He asserted that sexual promiscuity now functions as a form of violence against women and children and that the clergy should view male sexual permissiveness as a question of just
Schmoke to Go on Air to Defend His City's Honor: Washington Post (12/11/98) P. G1; Pierre, Robert E.; Baltimore Mayor Kurt L. Schmoke has accepted an invitation to appear on the Tonight Show from host Jay Leno, who joked this week about the city s high rate of sexually transmitted diseases--the highest in the country. In announcing his decision to appear on tonight s show and discuss Baltimore s STD problem, Schmoke sa
Activist Health Minister Draws Foes in South Africa: Washington Post (12/11/98) P. A41; Duke, Lynne; Nkosazana Zuma, South Africa s Health Minister, has received much criticism over her AIDS treatment policy. Zuma recently decided to halt funding for the treatment of pregnant HIV- infected women, arguing that the funds would be better spent on prevention. However, her prevention efforts have also drawn fire; the Healt
State Officials to Speed Up H.I.V. Testing of Newborns: New York Times (12/11/98) P. A27; New York state s program requiring the testing of all newborn children for HIV will be amended to decrease the time between testing and notification. An amendment will require hospitals to hasten their testing of the infants and return the results within 48 hours. Physicians and AIDS activists have complained that the
City Urged to Begin Tracking HIV Cases: Washington Post (12/11/98) P. G3; The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended Thursday that the District of Columbia and 11 other U.S. jurisdictions begin tracking HIV infections. The preliminary guidelines advocate HIV reporting but would not require it, if adopted. Officials in Washington, D.C., report that they are moving toward a tra
Lamivudine for Chronic Hepatitis B: New England Journal of Medicine (12/09/98) Vol. 339, No. 24, P. 1786; Bernasconi, Enos; Battegay, Manuel; Lai, Ching-Lung; et al.; Swiss doctors Enos Bernasconi and Manuel Battegay question the use of once-daily lamivudine regimens for the treatment of hepatitis B virus (HBV). In a letter to the editor of the New England Journal of Medicine, they state that the half-life of the medication in liver cells has not yet been determined. The authors not
Working in a Virtual Laboratory: Scientist (12/07/98) Vol. 12, No. 24, P. 1; Wilson, Jennifer Fisher; The Great Lakes Center for AIDS Research (CFAR) will use video and audio conferencing, the Internet, and application sharing to establish a virtual research center. The technology will connect a diverse group of HIV/AIDS researchers at Northwestern University Medical Center, the Wisconsin Regional Primate Center, the U
Low-Dose Cyclosporin: Government Trial Recruiting, Cell Count Over 500: AIDS Treatment News (12/04/98) No. 308, P. 5; The AIDS Clinical Trial Group 334 is recruiting for a phase II, placebo-controlled, 16-week clinical trial evaluating the use of cyclosporin in patients with HIV. Cyclosporin, an immunosuppressant, has been anecdotal tied to successful HIV treatment, although little research has been conducted on the matter. The drug m
How Conflicts Spread AIDS in Central Africa: PANA Wire Service (12/09/98); Gueye, Jules S.; The spread of refugees in Africa is contributing to HIV transmission throughout the continent, asserts Frederik Kouzoukesse, deputy head of the anti-AIDS service in the Central African Republic . He said that social and economic unrest are forcing people to move and when they do so, they also propagate diseases. Whil
Pilot Intervention Program Improves HAART Adherence: Reuters Health Information Services (12/09/98); Adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy may be improved through the use of modified directly observed therapy, report researchers from Brown University. Dr. Jennifer A. Mitty of Miriam Hospital in Providence, R.I., and others conducted a study in which patient adherence was monitored by outreach workers durin
Chlamydia Is Number One STD: Fox News Online (12/09/98); According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, chlamydia is the most common sexually transmitted disease in the United States . As many as three-fourths of infected people may be asymptomatic for the disease, which can cause pelvic inflammatory infection and infertility if untreated. However, CDC official
Samaritans Risk HIV Exposure: Richmond Times-Dispatch (12/10/98) P. A20; Officials at the Seattle-King County Department of Public Health in Washington report that several good Samaritans may have been exposed to HIV when they helped passengers--one of whom was HIV-positive--involved in a serious bus accident on November 27. About 20 people helped out at the scene, in which a passenger shot
FDA Approves Drug to Combat Hepatitis B: Washington Post (12/10/98) P. A42; The Food and Drug Administration has approved the use of lamivudine, also known as 3TC , to help protect against the liver damage caused by chronic hepatitis B virus infection. Lamivudine , which has already been approved for use against HIV, blocks the production of an enzyme that is used by bo
States Asked to Track HIV Cases: Los Angeles Times--National Edition (12/10/98) P. A12; Cimons, Marlene; Marquis, Julie; With the publication today of new guidelines, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will urge states to institute mandatory reporting of HIV in order to track the disease. While the CDC advocates name-based reporting, individual states will be able to decide what sort of reporting system they wish to use. To e
New AIDS Czar Aims to Sharpen France's AIDS Effort: Science (12/04/98) Vol. 282, No. 5395, P. 1799; Balter, Michael; With the appointment of France s new AIDS czar, Michel Kazatchkine, the National Agency for AIDS Research (ANRS) will narrow its research focus to studies designed to lead to new therapies. Kazatchkine replaced Jean-Paul Levy as the head of the French agency in October amid rumors that ANRS would be disbanded after Lev
A Controlled Trial of Itraconazole to Prevent Relapse of Penicillium Marneffei Infection in Patients Infected With the Human Immunodeficiency Virus: New England Journal of Medicine (12/10/98) Vol. 339, No. 24, P. 1739; Supparatpinyo, Khuanchai; Perriens, Joseph; Nelson, Kenrad; et al.; Secondary treatment with oral itraconazole can help prevent relapse in patients co-infected with Penicillium marneffei and HIV, report researchers from Thailand and elsewhere. The scientists investigated relapse rates of P. marneffei among 71 HIV-positive patients in Thailand. P. marneffei is a potentially fatal system
Seth Berkley Plans to Stop AIDS in Its Tracks: Wired (11/98) Vol. 6, No. 11, P. 126; Scanlon, Jessie; Seth Berkley formed the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative in 1996 in an effort to promote AIDS vaccine research. At the time, vaccine research was beginning to lag; Berkley responded by pushing the vaccine agenda to health officials, asserting that HIV is still a problem that needs to be confronted. Thus far, he ha
Care of HIV-Positive Patients Does Not Raise TB Risk for Providers: Reuters Health Information Services (12/08/98); Research published in the November issue of Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology indicates that health care providers working with HIV-infected patients do not have increased tuberculosis infection rates. A multicenter team of investigators, led by Dr. Fred M. Gordin of the VA Medical Center in Washington, D.C.,
Female Health Secures $6 Million Financing: Reuters (12/08/98); Female Health, the manufacturer of the female condom, announced Tuesday that it has secured a $6 million equity- based line of credit with a single institutional investor. The financing will help to make the product more widely available. The company owns patents on the female condom in the United States ,
Swiss Doctor Guilty in HIV Case: Newsday Online (12/08/98); Alfred Haessig, the former director of the Swiss central laboratory of the Red Cross, was found guilty Tuesday by a Geneva court of supervising the distribution of HIV-infected blood products to hemophiliacs. The 77-year-old man was given a one-year suspended prison sentence. The prosecutor in the case argued that Haes
Known Protective Polymorphisms Lose Influence in Late HIV Infection: Reuters Health Information Service (12/08/98); According to research by Dr. Jean-Francois Zagury of the Universite Pierre et Marie Curie in Paris and colleagues, the advantageous CCR5, CCR2, and SDF1 alleles lose their protective benefit against HIV progression after about eight years. The researchers examined a cohort of 200 slow- or nonprogressors and 90 fast pro
(ADS) ************************************************************** ** GENERAL MEDIA ************************************************************** ** "Past Boasts of Sexual-Disease-Free Status Buried by Soaring Cases: South China Morning Post Online (12/09/98); The National Sexually Transmitted Disease Control Center in China reports there are now between 2 million and 4 million cases of STD infection in the country. Gonorrhea is the most common STD. Last year, the number of STDs increased 15 percent from 1996, with 461,510 reported cases. China boasted low rates of STDs for
The Enigmas of Kaposi's Sarcoma: Science (12/04/98) Vol. 282, No. 5395, P. 1837; Gallo, Robert C.; Dr. Robert C. Gallo, of the Institute of Human Virology in Baltimore and co-discoverer of HIV, discusses Kaposi s sarcoma (KS) and certain questions concerning the disease. He states that KS could be either a malignancy or a proliferative inflammatory response, or both. Gallo notes evidence that suggested that most or
Genetic Acceleration of AIDS Progression by a Promoter Variant of CCR5: Science (12/04/98) Vol. 282, No. 5395, P. 1907; Martin, Maureen P.; Dean, Michael; Smith, Michael W.; et al.; Researchers, led by Maureen P. Martin of the National Cancer Institute, report that individuals homozygous for a multisite haplotype of the CCR5 regulatory region with the CCR5P1 promoter allele progress to AIDS faster than individuals with other promoter genotypes. The researchers examined CCR5 promoter genotypes amon
Effective Medical Treatment of Opiate Addiction: Journal of the American Medical Association Online (12/09/98) Vol. 280, No. 22, P. 1936; The National Consensus Development Panel on Effective Medical Treatment of Opiate Addiction reviewed opiate therapy options, making recommendations for treatment of the addiction. The panel stated that all persons dependent on opiates should have access to methadone hydrochloride maintenance therapy under legal supervi
Effective Medical Treatment of Opiate Addiction: "Genetic Acceleration of AIDS Progression by a Promoter Variant of CCR5" "The Enigmas of Kaposi's Sarcoma" GENERAL MEDIA "Past Boasts of Sexual-Disease-Free Status Buried by Soaring Cases" "Known Protective Polymorphisms Lose Influence in Late HIV Infection" "Swiss Doctor Guilty in HIV Case" "Female Health Secures $6 Million Financing" "Care of HIV- Positive Patients Does Not Raise TB Risk for Providers" "Seth Berkley Plans to Stop AIDS in Its Tracks" ************************************************************** *; PEER-REVIEWED JOURNALS ************************************************************** *
Miracle Vaccines: U.S. News & World Report (11/23/98) Vol. 125, No. 20, P. 57; Schrof, Joannie M.; Now that plagues such as smallpox, polio and diphtheria are not the strong threats they once were, many Americans are becoming blase about such fears. Indeed, less than half of the children under age two in the nation have received all recommended vaccinations, and roughly 70,000 people die annually from vaccine-preven
Anti-Hepatitis Push Raises Ethical Issues: Modern Healthcare (11/30/98) Vol. 28, No. 48, P. 2; Jaklevic, Mary Chris; As part of a hepatitis management program, Schering-Plough has enlisted the help of a Georgia physicians network. Under the three-year agreement, Georgia Primary Care Network will administer questionnaires designed to detect people who are at risk for hepatitis C. The deal raises ethical concerns as to whether drug co
New HIV Strain Could Pose Public-Health Concerns: AIDS Alert (11/98) Vol. 13, No. 11, P. 126; A new HIV strain detected in a woman in Cameroon may not immediately affect public health, but it may provide some insight into the origin of the disease. The new strain, dubbed YBF 30 or HIV-1 group N, is distinct from group M (the major HIV group) and group O HIV strains. Dr. Harold W. Jaffe, associate director for H
Surgeon General Pushes Sex Education: United Press International (12/06/98); Susman, Ed; Surgeon General David Satcher called for the use of sex education to teach responsible sexual behavior to children. Speaking at an interim meeting of the American Medical Association s House of Delegates in Honolulu on Sunday, Satcher said that Americans have to get real about sex education. He added that sex education
Children in Romania Bear an AIDS Legacy: Philadelphia Inquirer (12/06/98) P. A25; Fleishman, Jeffrey; While there are no accurate statistics available, an estimated 8,000 children are believed to be infected with HIV in Romania . International health officials estimate the country to have the highest rate of juvenile AIDS in Europe. Policies instituted by Nicolae Ceausescu, the leader of Romania in the 1980s, are partl
A Remedy Required Around the World: Dignity: Boston Globe Online (12/06/98) P. D3; Mann, Jonathan; The Boston Globe published excerpts of an essay written by Jonathan Mann, an renowned AIDS researcher and advocate who died in September in the crash of Swissair Flight 111, as a commemoration of the 50th anniversary Thursday of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The article consists of excerpts from Mann s las
Many Firms Pushing Search for AIDS Drugs: Wall Street Journal (12/07/98) P. B9C; Middleton, Otesa; A survey by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) found that there are 113 treatments for AIDS and HIV-related illnesses now under development by 78 U.S. pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. The Food and Drug Administration has approved 54 drugs for HIV and related conditions to date.
Syphilis Epidemic Beginning to Wane: Baltimore Sun (12/07/98) P. 1A; Bor, Jonathan; Sugg, Diana K.; The number of new syphilis cases appears to be declining in Baltimore, according to projected statistics from the city Health Department. Although Baltimore still has the highest syphilis rate of any major U.S. municipality, based on data collected through September the city is projected to have no more than 500 cases
Eradication Efforts Fail to Stop STDs in Cities: USA Today (12/07/98) P. 1D; Fackelmann, Kathleen; While syphilis and gonorrhea rates have reached all-time lows in the United States , a report to be released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention today indicates that the diseases are still widespread in 15 cities. The CDC reports high rates of syphilis and gonorrhea in Atlanta; Richmond, Va.; Baltimore; B
Barriers to Self-Care in a Cohort of Low-Income White Women Living With HIV/AIDS: Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care (11/98- 12/98) Vol. 9, No. 6, P. 22; Leenerts, Mary Hobbs; Dr. Mary Hobbs Leenerts, of the Medical College of Georgia , reports on barriers to self-care among a cohort of 12 low- income white women infected with HIV. The author delineates five categories that contribute to disconnection from self- care among the women: a failure to mobilize resources by health care providers (
TB Guidance: Aviation Week and Space Technology (11/09/98) Vol. 149, No. 19, P. 27; The World health Organization will soon publish global guidelines for the notification of airline passengers and crewmembers who may have been exposed to people infected with tuberculosis. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has determined that the transmission of TB on board an airline is possible, although
Efavirenz Added to Antiretroviral Agent Treatment Guidelines for HIV Infection: Reuters Health Information Service (12/03/98); Efavirenz ( Sustiva ), which received U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval nearly three months ago, has been included in the Guidelines for the Use of Antiretroviral Agents in HIV-Infected Adults and Adolescents. A U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Panel on Clinical Practices f
AIDS Deaths Plunge in Metro Area [of Denver]: Rocky Mountain News Online (12/01/98); Carnahan, Ann; The AIDS mortality rate declined in the Denver metro region last year, according to reports from local health centers. The Denver Health Medical Center, the largest AIDS care center in Colorado, reported that AIDS deaths fell 47 percent between 1995 and 1997. The second largest AIDS care center in the state, University
Man Accused of Injecting H.I.V. in Son: New York Times (12/04/98) P. A16; Thomas, Jo; Prosecutors contend that a hospital laboratory technician in St. Charles, Mo., deliberately injected his now seven-year-old son with HIV when he was 11 months old. Brian Stewart is charged with first-degree assault. Stewart s defense lawyer claims that the charges are based on circumstantial evidence, pointing out that
Nonprofit Cleared for D.C. Needle Exchange: Washington Post (12/04/98) P. A22; Goldstein, Avram; An independent non-profit group will be allowed to run a needle-exchange program in Washington, D.C. The group, Prevention Works, was given clearance by D.C. Corporation Counsel John M. Ferren, the city s top lawyer. The program, which relies solely on private funding, was created following a congressional ban on the u
AIDS Is Everywhere, But Africa Looks Away: New York Times (12/04/98) P. A1; Daley, Suzanne; While some areas of Africa have extremely high rates of HIV infection, many individuals will not admit to their infection due to the attached social stigma. Additionally, many people who are at risk for the disease refuse to get tested for HIV because they are reluctant to accept the shame and burden that often accompa
For Unlucky Few, Gene Sends H.I.V. on Wild Stampede: New York Times (12/04/98) P. A1; Kolata, Gina; According to a study in today s issue of Science, progression to AIDS can be accelerated by a certain allele of the CCR5 promoter gene. Approximately 10 percent of people have the variant of the gene, which regulates the activity of the gene that encodes for a protein used by HIV for cellular entry, report Dr. Stephen
HIV's Early Home and Inner Life: Science (11/27/98) Vol. 282, No. 5394, P. 1630; Balter, Michael; Biochemist Wesley Sundquist of the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, and associates recently reported that they were able to replicate--for the first time--cone-shaped structures similar to HIV s core. The scientists, who explained their experiments at the recent Colloquium of the Lemanique Center for AIDS Research i
Vpx Is Required for Dissemination and Pathogenesis of SIV(SM) PBj: Evidence of Macrophage-Dependent Viral Amplification: Nature Medicine (12/98) Vol. 4, No. 12, P. 1401; Hirsch, V.M.; Sharkey, M.E.; Brown, C.R.; et al.; The SIV(SM) PBj 6.6 viral accessory protein Vpx appears to be necessary for productive in vivo SIV infection of macrophages. Researchers from the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and elsewhere intravenously or intrarectally inoculated pigtailed macaques with either wild- type SIV(SM) PBj, SIV(SM)
Evidence for a Newly Discovered Cellular Anti-HIV-1 Phenotype: Nature Medicine (12/98) Vol. 4, No. 12, P. 1397; Simon, James H.M.; Gaddis, Nathan C.; Fouchier, Ron A.M.; et al.; Researchers investigated the function of the HIV-1 virion infectivity factor (Vif), finding that the protein appears to counteract a newly discovered activity in human cells that otherwise inhibits virus activity. They analyzed HIV- infectivity in cells that support the replication of Vif- deficient HIV-1 (permissive c
Updated Guidelines for the Use of Antiretroviral Agents in HIV -Infected Adults and Adolescents: The Panel on Clinical Practices for Treatment of HIV Infection; The Panel on Clinical Practices for Treatment of HIV Infection has recently updated the Guidelines for the Use of Antiretroviral Agents in HIV-Infected Adults and Adolescents (The Living Document). The Guidelines are available through the HIV/AIDS Treatment Information Service Web site at http://hivatis.org and from th
Urine Test Finds HIV When Blood Test Can't: Salt Lake Tribune Online (12/03/98); A large-scale study of HIV screening found that in some cases urine tests showed antibodies against HIV-1 in some low-risk individuals, while blood tests from the same individuals did not. According to the Clinical Reference Laboratory in Kansas, one of the largest testing labs in the country, approximately one of ever
Across the USA: Montana: USA Today (12/03/98) P. 22A; With over 100 reported AIDS cases in southwest Montana, the region has the most reported cases in the state since 1985. Statistics show that Deer Lodge had 12 cases, while Helena and Butte had 33, and Bozeman had 19 cases.
Region Sees AIDS Cases Decline: Post-Tribune Online (12/03/98); Taylor, Mark; The Aliveness Project of Northwest Indiana has announced that the region showed a decline in the number of new HIV/AIDS cases, with levels falling in Lake, Porter, and LaPorte counties in 1997 and 1998. The numbers were verified through the Indiana Department of Health s Division of HIV. According to project president
Officials Scramble to Contact Inmates Put at Risk by Messy Dentist: Boston Globe Online (12/02/98); Breen, Cristina C.; Almost 200 former inmates in Albany, N.Y., may have been placed at risk for HIV by a dentist who used dirty drill bits on their teeth. Officials are trying to contact the former Albany County jail inmates who received care from Dr. David L. Weinstein. Jail superintendent Edward Szostak expressed his surprise and confus
Transfusion Recipients Warned of Faulty AIDS Tests: Baltimore Sun (12/03/98) P. 2A; The New York Blood Center, the largest independent blood bank in the United States , has issued warnings to thousands of transfusion recipients in Chicago, Pittsburgh, and Memphis, notifying them that the transfused blood may have been improperly tested for HIV and hepatitis. Two supervisors for the blood bank were con
STD Rate Higher Than Previously Believed: USA Today (12/03/98); Painter, Kim; A report released Wednesday by the American Social Health Association and Kaiser Family Foundation indicates that there may be as many as 3 million more new sexually transmitted disease infections in the United States than previously estimated. According to the study, there were 15.3 million new STD infections in 1996,
Structure of a Covalently Trapped Catalytic Complex of HIV-1 Reverse Transcriptase: Implications for Drug Resistance: Science (11/27/98) Vol. 282, No. 5394, P. 1669; Huang, Huifang; Chopra, Rajiv; Verdine, Gregory L.; et al.; A team of Harvard University researchers discovered the structure of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT) while covalently trapped in a complex with a DNA template:primer and a deoxynuclease triphosphate (dNTP). HIV-1 RT is composed of two chains with four common domains, referred to as fingers, palm, thumb, and connection
Global Perspective From International AIDS Society President Mark Wainberg: Journal of the American Medical Association Online (12/02/98) Vol. 280, No. 21, P. 1811; In an interview with the Journal of the American Medical Association , Dr. Mark Wainberg, president of the International AIDS Society (IAS), comments on current AIDS prevention and treatment strategies. Wainberg believes that a vaccine against HIV is possible, but there is no certainty that such a vaccine will be avail
An HIV-Resistant Allele Is Exceptionally Frequent in New Guinean Highlanders: Journal of the American Medical Association Online (12/02/98) Vol. 280, No., P. 1830; Su, Bing; Chakraborty, Ranajit; Jin, Li; et al.; In a letter to the Journal of the American Medical Association , researchers from the University of Texas-Houston School of Public Health and Fudan University in Shanghai, China , report the high frequency of the SDF1-3 A allele in two populations of non-Austronesian-speaking New Guinean highlanders.
Ignorance Fuels HIV/AIDS Epidemic in China: Inside China Today Online (11/30/98); China could face serious problems because of AIDS, according to officials. Wu Zunyou, an AIDS expert at the Chinese Academy of Preventative Medicine, predicted Monday that the number of HIV cases will increase significantly over the next few years, while the World Health Organization s Alan Schnur estimated that ther
Despite Epidemic, South Africa Cuts AZT Project: Boston Globe Online (12/01/98) P. A17; Knox, Richard A.; Dr. Nkosazana Zuma, South Africa s health minister, canceled in early October a pilot project that tested the feasibility of providing AZT to 2,500 pregnant women infected with HIV. One of Zuma s aides explained that the program was cut primarily because of cost reasons, but the decision was not easy. Speaking for Zuma
AIDS' Tragic Toll: Washington Post (12/02/98) P. A29; Brown, Lester R.; A report released recently by the United Nations indicates that there are extremely high rates of HIV infection in sub- Saharan Africa and that some countries there will see a major drop in their average life expectancy. According to Lester R. Brown, president of the Worldwatch Institute, the problem is becoming a huma
City Blocks Needle Exchange Effort: Washington Post (12/02/98) P. B7; Goldstein, Avram; Washington, D.C. s Whitman-Walker Clinic had planned to circumvent federal budget measures preventing it from funding needle-exchange programs with government money by establishing a privately financed program. However, District officials are now preventing the clinic from creating the private group, asserting that the
Brundtland Calls for Youth-Friendly Health Services: PANA Wire Service (12/01/98); Dzisah, Melvis; On Tuesday, the director-general of the World Health Organization , Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland, called on health services to become more youth-oriented in order to help stop the spread of HIV. She cited a study of pregnant South African teenagers aged 15 to 19 that found 13 percent of participants were infected with HIV
Officials Announce New HIV Initiatives: Washington Times (12/02/98) P. C2; The District of Columbia Administration for HIV/AIDS announced at a World AIDS Day event at Howard University that it will spend $900,000 on HIV prevention initiatives. Specifically, the money will go to programs for African-American women, African-American and homosexual men, and young people. The AIDS rate in the cit
A Deadly Disease That Is Getting Deadlier: Los Angeles Times--National Edition (12/02/98) P. A15; Gore, Tipper; Tipper Gore, mental health policy advisor to President Clinton, states that high-intensity anti-HIV efforts must continue and that people must not become complacent, even though advancements in treatment have helped to curb the epidemic. In a commentary, Gore reminds that an estimated 33 million individuals worldwide c
$10 Million Pledged for AIDS Orphans: Washington Times (12/02/98) P. A7; President Clinton announced on Tuesday, World AIDS Day, $10 million in grants for the care of AIDS orphans and spotlighted a 30 percent increase in funding to the National Institutes of Health for global HIV prevention research. The grants will likely have the greatest effect on Africa, where there are nearly 8 million
Treating External Genital Warts: U.S. Pharmacist (11/98) Vol. 23, No. 11, P. 117; Small, Ralph E.; Hobnaker, Marsha R.; Kennedy, Daniel T.; The 1991 Annual Report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that there were about 24 million people in the United States with genital warts, making it the most common sexually transmitted disease in the country. Experts estimated in 1994 that approximately 750,000 new cases of genital warts are r
Declining Seroprevalence in a Very Large HIV Epidemic: Injection Drug Users in New York City, 1991 to 1996: American Journal of Public Health (12/98) Vol. 88, No. 12, P. 1801; Des Jarlais, Don C.; Perlis, Theresa; Friedman, Samuel R.; et al.; Researchers, led by Dr. Don C. Des Jarlais of Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City, report that there was a decrease in the HIV seroprevalence among injection drug users in New York City between 1991 and 1996. The researchers combined data from five studies of IDUs, evaluating 11,334 serum samples for HIV infect
Rise in HIV Infections: Irish Times Online (12/01/98); O'Connor, Alison; The Dublin AIDS Alliance reports that the number of HIV infections in Ireland has increased steadily, with people aged 10-to-24 accounting for half of all new infections. Department of Health figures show that heterosexuals have the highest rate of new infections, at 35 percent. Rates of sexually transmitted diseases
AmFAR Poll Shows Cavalier AIDS Attitude: United Press International (11/30/98); A Harris poll by the American Foundation for AIDS Research ( AmFAR ) indicates that most Americans are not particularly concerned with their risk of contracting HIV. According to Mithilde Krim, chairman of AmFAR, Most Americans think they are more likely to be shot by a total stranger or go completely deaf rather than
Saudi Arabia: 349 With HIV Deported: New York Times (12/01/98) P. A10; Between June 1997 and June 1998, 349 HIV-positive foreigners were deported from Saudi Arabia , according to the Okaz newspaper in Jiddah. The deported people--maids, drivers, and laborers--were all discovered to be infected through the mandatory HIV testing that is required for work permits.
Mandela Wills South Africans to End Silence Over AIDS: Reuters (12/01/98); Baker, Luke; Speaking at a World AIDS Day rally, President Nelson Mandela urged South Africans to speak out about HIV and AIDS. South Africa has one of the highest rates of HIV infection in the world. According to a report released by UNAIDS , the disease threatens to reverse progress in human development and the promotion of democ
AIDS Serious Threat to South Africa: Washington Times (12/01/98) P. A12; Dr. Peter Piot, head of the joint UN Program on HIV/AIDS, announced Monday that HIV poses a grave threat to South Africa . Two-thirds of the estimated 33 million HIV-infected people worldwide live in sub-Saharan Africa. Approximately 2 million people are expected to die of AIDS in the region this year--four times the t
AIDS Blamed for Reversing Health Gains in Poor Nations: New York Times (12/01/98) P. A15; Crossette, Barbara; The United Nations Children s Fund asserts that the AIDS crisis in many poorer nations threatens to eliminate 50 years of progress. In 23 countries, including many in sub-Saharan Africa, the crisis is already reversing gains in child survival. Carol Bellamy, executive director of UNICEF, explained that more children ar
AIDS Funding to Get a Boost: USA Today (12/01/98) P. 11A; Page, Susan; President Clinton will announce today measures to increase funding for HIV research as part of World AIDS Day. The funding will include $200 million for AIDS vaccine research at the National Institutes of Health this year, $164 million for global AIDS treatment and prevention research, $10 million in emergency relief f
New TB Guidelines: Journal of the American Medical Association Online (11/25/98) Vol. 280, No. 20, P. 1735; New guidelines for the protection of health care workers exposed to Mycobacterium tuberculosis have been released by the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. The new guidelines endorse the use of effective respiratory protection, optimal ventilation in clinical spaces, and the regular update of
Improving Patient Compliance With HIV Treatment Regimens: Journal of the American Medical Association Online (11/25/98) Vol. 280, No. 20, P. 1745; Ungvarski, Peter J.; Wainberg, Mark A.; Friedland, Gerald; In a letter to the editor, Peter J. Ungvarski of the Visiting Nurse Service of New York responds to a recent article on patient adherence to anti-HIV regimens, noting that clinicians play a major role in treatment success through their prescription of medication. Ungvarski cites a study of 202 HIV-infected patients whi
Postexposure Prophylaxis After Nonoccupational HIV Exposure: Journal of the American Medical Association Online (11/25/98) Vol. 280, No. 20, P. 1769; Lurie, Peter; Miller, Suellen; Hecht, Frederick; et al.; Dr. Peter Lurie and others consider clinical, ethical, and policy issues pertaining to the use of postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) for individuals possibly exposed to HIV. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advocates the use of PEP for people occupationally exposed to HIV; however, there are an increasing num
Risk of Transmitting HIV to Patients Is Small, CSA Says: American Medical News (11/23/98-11/30/98) Vol. 41, No. 44, P. 23; Stapleton, Stephanie; The American Medical Association House of Delegates will review in December a Council on Scientific Affairs (CSA) report on the risk of HIV and hepatitis B transmission from health care workers to patients. The CSA report found that the risk of transmitting HIV to patients is small, but that the risk of hepatitis B tra
World AIDS Day Is Drawing Renewed Enthusiasm, Advocates Say: New York Times (11/28/98) P. A15; Richardson, Lynda; AIDS advocates assert that the designation of December 1 as World AIDS Day, now in its 11th year, is receiving renewed attention. As the public increasingly perceives the AIDS crisis as less of an issue, advocates and HIV-infected people have increased attention on the disease, according to some activists. The heighten
Wake-Up Call Is Sounded for Hepatitis C: Los Angeles Times--National Edition (11/27/98) P. A1; Marquis, Julie; The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recently targeted hepatitis C, which is believed to infect 4 million people in the United States . However, despite the fact that hepatitis C virus (HCV) may infect more than four times as many Americans as HIV, no new funds have been allocated to support the campaign.
Swiss Voters Reject Proposal That Would Legalize Heroin: USA Today (11/30/98) P. 14A; A measure that would legalize heroin and other narcotics was voted down Sunday in Switzerland by almost a three-to-one margin. While the measure was designed to reduce drug- trafficking and eliminate the black market, many voters were afraid that the measure would entice drug tourists and traffickers to the nation whil
AIDS Research Grants Tied to Pledge on Vaccines' Costs: Washington Post (11/26/98) P. A6; Brown, David; The International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) has agreed to provide a total of about $9 million in funding for AIDS vaccine research conducted by AlphaVax of Durham, N.C., and a research team in Oxford, England. AlphaVax is attempting to fashion a vaccine using a modified form of the Venezuelan equine encephalitis v
Study: Drugs Cut European AIDS Deaths: Washington Post (11/27/98) P. A35; A study by Amanda Mocroft and colleagues at the Royal Free Hospital and University College Medical School in London indicates that the AIDS-related mortality rate in Europe has dropped 80 percent since anti-HIV combination treatments were introduced four years ago. Mocroft noted that there is nothing else we could find
New FDA Rules Force Drug Makers to Detail Youth-Specific Effects: Wall Street Journal (11/30/98) P. B8; Pharmaceutical companies will be required to provide physicians with specific information on the effects of medications on children, according to new rules from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The regulations also permit the FDA to require pediatric testing of certain drugs under compelling circumstances. The
Technique Uses Plant Cells to Grow Herpes Virus: Los Angeles Times--National Edition (11/30/98) P. C5; Jacobs, Paul; Researchers report in the December issue of Nature Biochemistry that they have been able to design a soy plant that can produce antibodies to the genital herpes virus. In experiments with mice, the antibodies appear to have a protective effect against the disease. The antibodies have yet to be tested in humans and are
Mandatory Name Reporting of HIV Infection: Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care (11/98- 12/98) Vol. 9, No. 6, P. 80; Bloomer, Susan; Susan Bloomer of the Johns Hopkins University AIDS Service in Baltimore, Md., discusses the complex issues surrounding name reporting of people with HIV in the Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care. While traditional surveillance methods --which are used to track diseases such as syphilis--involve counselin
HIV/AIDS Risk in the College Population: Modifying the Culture in a Private Religious University: Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care (10/98- 12/98) Vol. 9, No. 6, P. 72; Sharts-Hopko, Nancy C.; Bonas Jr., Gary H.; Villanova University researchers examined the success of the AIDS Task Force HIV/AIDS intervention among the student population at a private religious university. The program was established in 1991 to address HIV/AIDS related issues in the student body, which is considered an at-risk population. The organization never
Why It's Really Hard to Draw Blood in China: U.S. News and World Report (11/09/98) Vol. 125, No. 18, P. 44; Fang, Bay; In an effort to reduce the spread of blood-borne diseases, such as HIV, the Chinese government is attempting to stop the sale of blood with a law that went into effect on Oct. 1 requiring that all blood products come from volunteers. Many countries banned the practice of payment for blood donation long ago, since there
FDA Approves Nevirapine for Pediatric HIV Infection: Reuters Health Information Services (11/24/98); The Food and Drug Administration approved nevirapine , a non- nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI), for use in HIV-infected children. Nevirapine is the first NNRTI to be approved for children. Clinical trials showed the drug to effectively suppress HIV-1 viral load in children and to be well-tolerated, al
Health Workers Concerned About Loss of Fears of AIDS: Billings Gazette Online (11/24/98); Health officials worry that some people may be losing their fear of HIV/AIDS. With the rate of HIV infection increasing among people aged 15 to 24 years and in the rural population, the problem has certainly not disappeared. Wendy Doley, director of AIDS testing and counseling services at the Flathead County health dep
Antiretroviral Therapy During Asymptomatic HIV Infection Saves Immune Function: Reuters Health Information Services (11/24/98); The Swiss HIV Cohort Study has found that the administration of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) to asymptomatic HIV-positive patients early in the course of infection can help preserve pre-therapy levels of immune function. The researchers determined that treatment with zidovudine, lamivudine, and
British Lovers Do Not Fear AIDS: PA News (11/24/98); Raif, Shenai; According to the Durex Global Sex Survey, 50 percent of people surveyed in Britain do not fear AIDS. Comparatively, 20 percent of respondents in France and 25 percent of people surveyed in Germany do not worry about the disease. According to the survey, which was conducted in 14 nations, only participants in
Netherlands: Heroin Experiment Extended: New York Times (11/25/98) P. A13; The Netherlands will extend its trial distribution of free heroin to drug addicts, the Dutch Health Ministry announced. The program will be continued following a three-month trial period that showed no serious or undesired side-effects.
AIDS Drug Makers Say Deaths Down: Las Vegas Sun Online (11/24/98); Pharmaceutical companies launched five new AIDS drugs in 1998 and are developing 113 new medicines to treat the disease, according to figures released Tuesday by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America. The organization, which released the figures in an effort to highlight hope for the future, cited th
'Mad Cow' Fear Leads U.K. to Destroy Parts of All Donated Blood: Wall Street Journal (11/25/98) P. A1; Stecklow, Steve; The United Kingdom will destroy nearly all blood plasma donated in Britain due to concerns about the spread of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), also known as mad cow disease, replacing the blood products with plasma from the United States . The move comes two and a half years after the BSE scare struck the Unite
Updated Estimates of Condom Effectiveness: Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care (11/98- 12/98) Vol. 9, No. 6, P. 88; Pinkerton, Steven David; Abramson, Paul Richard; Turk, Mary Elsie; Dr. Steven David Pinkerton of the Medical College of Wisconsin and colleagues report that condoms are 90 percent to 95 percent effective in preventing the transmission of HIV when used consistently. A 1993 study had shown that condoms were only 69 percent effective in preventing transmission, but the authors note that
HAART and Host: Balancing the Response to HIV-1: Lancet (11/21/98) Vol. 352, No. 9141, P. 1686; Morris, Kelly; While highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has dramatically affected HIV-1 treatment, researchers have begun to investigate alternative immune-based treatment methods. Scientists are exploring the use of interleukin-2 ( IL-2 ) for the expansion of the CD4 T-cell pools. Some studies indicate that the drug may h
Few Fear Large Jump in STD Rates: Advocate (11/24/98) No. 773, P. 20; While some rates of sexually transmitted diseases among homosexual men and women have risen over 70 percent in recent years, a recent survey of more than 2,300 gay men and lesbians in New York City, Los Angeles, Denver, and San Francisco found that many respondents do not appear to worry about infection. According to t
Drugs and Drug Policy: The Case for a Slow Fix: Issues in Science and Technology (Fall 1998) Vol. 15, No. 1, P. 45; Kleiman, Mark A. R.; Current drug policies are causing more harm than good, partly because of the formidable complexity of the problem authorities are attempting to manage, according to Mark A.R. Kleiman, editor of the Drug Policy Analysis Bulletin and a professor at the University of California at Los Angeles. Drugs and drug users cannot
Across the USA: Texas: USA Today (11/24/98) P. 23A; In an effort to determine the hepatitis C rates in Texas prisons, some 3,000 inmates will be tested for the disease. Officials expect infection rates to be higher in units composed of prisoners with a history of drug use.
Upsurge in Hepatitis C Taxes Medical Facilities: Houston Chronicle (11/23/98) P. 1A; Snuder, Mike; An increase in the number of people with hepatitis C and the number of people desiring to get tested for the virus that causes the infection has resulted in a strain on public health agencies and private liver specialists in Texas and across the United States . Media exposure and information concerning the virus has dr
UN Aide Asks Debt Respite to Fight AIDS: Boston Globe Online (11/24/98) P. A4; Knox, Richard A.; Dr. Peter Piot, director of the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS, asked international lending organizations on Monday to forgive debts by developing nations heavily affected by HIV if those countries consent to spend the funds on HIV- fighting programs. Piot called for more support from the international commun
Helping AIDS Patients Have Safer Sex: New York Times (11/24/98) P. D7; Zuger, Abigail; Infection with HIV can cause patients to experience sexual dysfunction, with associated depression often limiting a patient s sexual drive. In men, decreased testosterone levels can cause fatigue and an inability to function sexually. Many male patients receive testosterone treatment to alleviate these problems, and th
World AIDS Report Says Epidemic Is Growing: USA Today (11/24/98) P. 3A; Sternberg, Steve; An annual report released Monday by the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS indicates that the number of HIV-infected people increased 10 percent last year, with over 33 million people worldwide now carrying the virus. According to the World AIDS Day Report, half of the new infections were in people aged 15 years
Peptide Inhibitors of HIV-1 Protease and Viral Infection of Peripheral Blood Lymphocytes Based on HIV-1 Vif: Proceedings of the National Academy of Science Online (11/10/98) Vol. 95, No. 23, P. 13865; Potash, Mary Jane; Bentsman, Galina; Muir, Tom; et al.; Researchers from Columbia University and Rockefeller University in New York conducted experiments to determine whether the HIV-1 virion infectivity factor (Vif) could serve as the basis for the design of new protease inhibitors and treatment for HIV-1 infection. The researchers synthesized peptide derivatives from the
Detection of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis in Nasopharyngeal Aspirate Samples in Children (Research Letter): Lancet (11/21/98) Vol. 352, No. 9141, P. 1681; Franchi, Luis Miguel; Cama, Rosa I.; Gilman, Robert H.; et al.; Luis Miguel Franchi and others from the Institut de Salud del Nino in Lima, Peru , compared the use of gastric aspiration and nasopharyngeal aspiration in children suspected to be infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis to obtain bacterial confirmation of infection. Often, children cannot produce an adequate sputum s
Prick and Tell: POZ (11/98) No. 41, P. 88; Lands, Lark; People concerned about their HIV status can opt for home testing with the Food and Drug Administration-approved Home Access HIV-1 Test System. The test costs $39.95 and includes an easy-to-use lancet for drawing blood, a card for the sample, and a pre-paid shipping envelope. The standard mail-in result will supply resu
Smoking May Impair Protection Against Lung Infection in HIV- Positive Individuals: Reuters Health Information Services (11/20/98); According to a study appearing in the November issue of the American Journal of Respiratory Critical Care, cigarette smoking may suppress the percentage and absolute number of CD4 and CD8 cells in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid in HIV- positive patients, which may in turn cause a decrease in lung defenses against inf
Spread of HIV Tied to Microbe: Bergen Record Online (11/21/98); Mosk, Matthew; New research indicates that the sexually transmitted microorganism Mycoplasma genitalium may have a significant role in the heterosexual transmission of HIV. According to Dr. Donald B. Louria of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, patients co-infected with the microorganism and HIV had three times t
Board OKs HIV Case Reporting: Dallas Morning News Online (11/21/98); Stutz, Terrence; The Texas Board of Health unanimously voted on Friday to require medical providers to report the names of HIV-infected people in the state as of January 1. The chairman of the board, Dr. Walter Wilkerson, said that the measure will improve HIV surveillance, allowing for increased tracking of partners and improving trea
Needle Exchange Programs Spark Heated Battles: Boston Globe Online (11/22/98) P. B9; Cohen, Nancy Eve; In an effort to reduce the spread of HIV, legislators in Holyoke, Mass., are planning to introduce a measure allowing for a needle-exchange program. However, state Rep. Denis Murphy (D-Springfield) is planning to introduce a bill that will deregulate the sale of needles, which may undercut the Holyoke measure. Murphy s
Across the USA: Mississippi: USA Today (11/23/98) P. 13A; Approximately 120 students at Gautier High School in Gautier, Miss., were tested for tuberculosis after a student tested positive for the disease. Some students have asserted that the state Health Department and school officials have been negligent in completely informing them on the situation and argue that the whole
Vietnam Will Require 180 Million Condoms by Early 2000s: Asia Pulse Wire Service (11/23/98); Vietnam will need almost 180 million condoms a year early next century to help prevent the spread of HIV, according to a study by the National AIDS Committee. The committee also reported that the annual expenditure for condoms could double over the next five years, with $2 million being spent next year. The study was
Asia Is Front Line Against Global TB Epidemic, WHO Boss Warns: Boston Globe Online (11/23/98); Mcdowell, Patrick; Gro Harlem Brundtland, the director general of the World Health Organization , has warned that global efforts to combat tuberculosis will be futile unless the disease is contained in Asia. Brundtland urged governments, donors, and international organizations to join in anti-TB initiatives. Her videotaped remarks were p
Oral Thymic Extract for Chronic Hepatitis C in Patients Previously Treated With Interferon: Annals of Internal Medicine Online (11/15/98) Vol. 129, No. 10, P. 797; Raymond, Robert S.; Fallon, Michael B.; Abrams, Gary A.; Researchers from the University of Alabama at Birmingham conducted a study of the over-the-counter herbal dietary supplement, Complete Thymic Formula, which is claimed to be beneficial for people infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV). Dr. Robert S. Raymond and colleagues evaluated the effect of the medication in a grou
Risks for HIV Infection Among Persons Residing in Rural Areas and Small Cities--Selected Sites, Southern United States, 1995 -1996: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (11/20/98) Vol. 47, No. 45, P. 974; This article presents the characteristics of people with HIV who live in rural communities in the Southeast. A survey of HIV/AIDS patients in four Southeastern states found a high risk for HIV acquisition through sexual contact, although, prior to infection, most did not perceive themselves at risk (52 percent of men a
Combination Saquinavir/Zidovudine Delays Zidovudine Resistance: Reuters Health Information Services (11/19/98); The development of viral resistance to zidovudine appears to be delayed by the addition of saquinavir to zidovudine therapy, an Italian group of researchers reports in the December issue of the Journal of Medical Virology. Thirty- seven antiretroviral-naive HIV-positive patients were analyzed for viral resistance after
Reversal of Blood Ruling Sought: Toronto Globe and Mail (11/18/98) P. A9; Claridge, Thomas; The Canadian Red Cross Society lawyers and relatives of people who were infected with HIV through tainted blood transfusions are trying to overturn a trial judge s ruling that the organization s negligence in testing blood donors did not necessarily expose it to damages. Justice Stephen Borins found that inadequate scr
Health: Women Gamble With Holiday Sex: BBC News Online (11/20/98); According to researchers at the University of Cardiff, men are more likely than women to have sex with a new partner when on holiday, but women on holiday are more likely to have unprotected sex with a new partner. The scientists examined sexual habits of 400 people aged 18 years to 34 years who had traveled in the pre
HIV Campaign Targets Young People: ABC News Online (11/20/98); The United Nations is undertaking a worldwide campaign against the spread of HIV in young people. In Australia , the Force for Change Campaign will be coordinated by the AIDS Trust of Australia. The program attempts to raise awareness in young people concerning HIV transmission, treatment, and social issues. According
Women, Minorities With AIDS Less Likely to Get New Treatment: Boston Herald Online (11/19/98); According to a study presented at the AIDS at the Millennium conference on Wednesday, women, minorities, and heterosexuals with AIDS are less likely to get effective, new treatment for HIV. The study, conducted by Dr. Valerie Stone of Brown University School of Medicine, found that 75 percent of men with AIDS received
Nationline: HIV Controversy: USA Today (11/20/98) P. 3A; Bacon, John; The Maine Supreme Judicial Court unanimously upheld a ruling allowing Valerie Emerson to refuse HIV-treatment for her four- year-old son. Emerson will not treat her son with combination therapy, believing the anti-HIV drugs could kill him; her three-year-old daughter died while taking AZT .
Sporadic Hepatitis E in Austria: New England Journal of Medicine (11/19/98) Vol. 339, No. 21, P. 1554; Worm, Harald C.; Wurzer, Herbert; Frosner, Gert; Austrian and German doctors report the case of a 65-year-old man who was diagnosed with sporadic hepatitis E infection in Austria. The man had not traveled outside of the country in more than six months and did not have contact with food or people from abroad. Hepatitis E infection is generally found in tropical or sub
Combination Therapy for Hepatitis C Infection: New England Journal of Medicine (11/19/98) Vol. 339, No. 21, P. 1549; Liang, T. Jake; With about 4 million people in the United States and an estimated 100 million worldwide infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV), the hepatitis C-related death rate is expected to drastically increase in the next few years. Current treatment includes the use of interferon alfa, which produces a normalization of aminotrans
Premature Heart Disease May Be Associated With HIV Protease Inhibitor Use: Reuters Health Information Services (11/18/98); Researchers at the 4th International Congress on Drug Therapy in HIV Infection presented two cases of HIV-infected patients who developed premature coronary artery disease while taking protease inhibitors . The two patients, both males, are believed to have developed the disorders as a side effect of their anti-HIV the
Youth Popping Pills at Alarming Rate, RCMP Says: Toronto Globe and Mail Online (11/18/98); Christie, James; The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) has reported that 20 percent of teenage athletes in Quebec use stimulants to enhance performance and about 1 percent inject substances, often sharing needles. A national study, conducted by the Canadian Center for Ethics in Sport, investigated drug use among 16,000 students in t
Proposal Would Test Live HIV Vaccine on Terminally Ill: Boston Globe Online (11/19/98) P. A5; Knox, Richard A.; A proposed plan by researchers from the University of Massachusetts and Harvard University would test an HIV vaccine in a group of terminally ill cancer patients. Under the proposal, discussed at an AIDS meeting in Boston on Wednesday, the patients would be inoculated with a live attenuated HIV strain. Dr. John Sulliva
Across the USA: Oregon: USA Today (11/19/98) P. 6A; Deaths due to AIDS fell by 62 percent between 1996 and 1997 in Oregon, declining from 238 to 90. The Oregon Health Division reports that 2,497 people in the state have died from AIDS since 1981.
Some States Refuse to Pay for HIV Drug Unless Maker DuPont Agrees to Discounts: Wall Street Journal (11/19/98) P. A8; Waldholz, Michael; A number of large states, including New York and California, have decided not to pay for DuPont s HIV drug Sustiva unless the drug maker agrees to discuss significant discounts. Although the drug, which can be taken just once daily, has been widely accepted since its launch in September, states are balking at the steep
Sexual-Behavior Study Cites HIV Patients: Washington Times (11/19/98) P. A9; A study of 190 HIV-infected individuals in Alabama found that subjects who take protease inhibitors may be less likely to practice safe sex. Subjects receiving the medications reported using condoms less than half the time while having sex. Condom use was less frequent among male homosexual subjects compared to heteros
Study Says AIDS Rate Plummets in 4 Cities: USA Today (11/19/98) P. 4A; According to a study presented at a meeting of the American Public Health Association, HIV infection rates decreased in four cities in the United States among homosexual and bisexual men. The study, conducted by Joseph Catania of the University of California at San Francisco, found that HIV prevalence decreased among a
Rapid HIV Screening During Labor: Journal of the American Medical Association Online (11/18/98) Vol. 280, No. 19, P. 1661; Balano, Kirsten; Minkoff, Howard; O'Sullivan, Mary Jo; et al.; Doctors from the University of California at San Francisco and San Francisco General Hospital discuss the merits and problems with the use of rapid HIV-1 antibody screening during labor. They respond to a suggestion by Drs. Howard Minkoff and Mary Jo O Sullivan that rapid HIV screening can, and should, be systematicall
Interferon Alfa-2b Alone or in Combination With Ribavirin for the Treatment of Relapse of Chronic Hepatitis C: New England Journal of Medicine (11/19/98) Vol. 339, No. 21, P. 1493; Davis, Gary L.; Esteban-Mur, Rafael; Rustgi, Vinod; et al.; According to a study by the International Hepatitis Interventional Therapy Group, ribavirin used in combination with interferon alfa-2b results in greater rates of sustained virologic, biochemical, and histological response in patients with relapse of chronic hepatitis C compared to treatment with interferon alfa-2b al
Interferon Alfa-2b Alone or in Combination With Ribavirin as Initial Treatment for Chronic Hepatitis C: New England Journal of Medicine (11/19/98) Vol. 339, No. 21, P. 1485; McHutchison, John G.; Gordon, Stuart C.; Schiff, Eugene R.; et al.; Researchers for the Hepatitis Interventional Therapy Group present the results of study evaluating treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in a group of 912 patients using either interferon alfa-2b treatment alone or in combination with ribavirin. The patients received one of four regimens: combination t
EU Looks to Help Russia With Tuberculosis Crisis: Reuters (11/17/98); Alison, Sebastian; With the rise of tuberculosis in Russia , European Union aid officials are looking for increased funding to help combat the spread of the disease, particularly in prisons. The European Community Humanitarian Office (ECHO) budgets just $12 million for Russia out of the $500 million it spends on worldwide humanitarian ai
Health--Australia: HIV Researchers Closer to Vaccine: IPS Wire (11/17/98); Australian researchers may be closer to the development of an HIV vaccine after successfully testing the Co-X-Gene vaccine in monkeys. Scientists at the Australian National University, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, and the MacFarlane Burnet Center for Medical Research found that all
Rare HIV Mutation Can Resist All Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors: Reuters Health Information Services (11/17/98); Reidenbach, Faith; Scientists have isolated an HIV-1 strain that reportedly can confer resistance to most or all nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors. Their study, published in the Nov. 15 issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation, isolated 14 strains of HIV-1 containing a six-basepair insert in the reverse transcriptase gene
Digene, MedImmune Seek Tests to Make HPV Vaccine: Baltimore Sun (11/18/98) P. 2C; MedImmune and Digene announced they will collaborate on development of a DNA-based test for human papillomavirus, which MedImmune will use as part of its research into vaccines against the sexually transmitted disease. MedImmune, which is developing the vaccine with SmithKline Beecham, plans to use the tests in preclin
More TB Cases Drug Resistant: Study: CNews Online (11/17/98); Tuberculosis is increasingly becoming resistant to treatment drugs in Ontario, Canada , according to a new study. Analysis of the last 10 years of TB cases showed an increasing number of instances in which infection does not respond to treatment. Dr. Frances Jamieson of Ontario s public health laboratories said that th
Ethics Panel: HIV Treatment Options Not Available to All: Boston Globe Online (11/18/98); Stashenko, Joel; A 44-member panel composed of physicians, medical ethicists, public health experts, and AIDS advocacy group members has concluded that some HIV-infected people in New York do not receive all possible treatment options. The state-sponsored panel, formed last year, found that doctors sometimes advise against certain drug
India Agrees to Conduct AIDS Vaccine Trial: Nature (11/12/98) Vol. 396, No. 6707, P. 102; Jayaraman, K. S.; Following years of resistance, India recently agreed to launch an effort to conduct trials of vaccines against AIDS that are being developed domestically or by an international team of researchers. The decision, which still requires cabinet approval, calls for the establishment of a core group to work with the U.S. Nat
Home Sample Collection Tests for HIV Infection: Journal of the American Medical Association Online (11/18/98) Vol. 280, No. 19, P. 1699; Branson, Bernard M.; An analysis of HIV home sample collection test data collected from manufacturers between 1996 and 1997 in the United States reveals that 0.9 percent of 174,316 tests were positive for HIV and 97 percent of users called to learn their test results. Survey responses from over 70,000 HIV-negative and 865 HIV-positive test
Molecular and Geographic Patterns of Tuberculosis Transmission After 15 Years of Directly Observed Therapy: Journal of the American Medical Association Online (11/18/98) Vol. 280, No. 19, P. 1679; Bishai, William R.; Graham, Neil M.H.; Harrington, Susan; et al.; A 30-month prospective study of all tuberculosis cases in Baltimore, Md., examined TB patterns over the past 15 years. The researchers, led by Dr. William R. Bishai, determined that 46 percent of the 182 patients who had isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis available showed molecular clustering, and 32 percent were d
Equal Protection for All: POZ (11/98) No. 41, P. 40; Hanssens, Catherine; Two recent Supreme Court decisions help to clarify the 1990 Americans With Disabilities Act. In the case of Pennsylvania Department of Corrections v. Yeskey, the court ruled that the ADA extends to prison environments, since they constitute public entities. This means that prisoners who qualify under the ADA are free t
Cases of Tertiary Syphilis Could Increase With Longer Survival of HIV-Infected Patients: Reuters Health Information Services (11/16/98); Rising numbers of syphilis cases, coupled with increased length of survival of HIV-infected patients, could lead to a greater numbers of patients showing tertiary syphilis, according to researchers from Spain . In the November issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases, the researchers report that the rise in syphilis preva
Risk of Acquiring Infection During CPR Is Low: Fox News Online (11/16/98); According to a report published in the Nov. 15 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine, the risk of contracting an infectious disease through the administration of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is very low. Drs. George C. Mejicano and Dennis G. Maki, of the University of Wisconsin Medical School, evaluated over
Central Blood Bank Offers Free Tests: Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Online (11/17/98); Burger, Kim; Pittsburgh residents who received blood transfusions between September 1991 and December 1996 are being offered free HIV, hepatitis B and C virus, and leukemia-related virus testing by the Central Blood Bank following concerns that transfused blood may not have been properly screened. Between 1990 and 1997, the bank se
Across the USA: North Dakota: USA Today (11/17/98) P. 19A; In North Dakota, the state Department of Health launched an HIV prevention and testing campaign in an effort to increase AIDS awareness among young people. There have been 229 reported HIV cases in the state.
Female Condom: a Market Wallflower: New York Times (11/17/98) P. D9; Grady, Denise; The only female condom on the market in the United States , Female Health Company s Reality condom, has been available since 1993 but has yet to receive widespread use. According to Kris Kim, a spokeswoman for Planned Parenthood, the female condom remains unpopular in the United States because of its looks, its reporte
Ligand AIDS Drug Gets FDA Panel Clearance, Not as Main Treatment: Wall Street Journal (11/17/98) P. B9; An advisory panel for the Food and Drug Administration recommended the approval of the Panretin gel, produced by Ligand Pharmaceuticals, for patients with AIDS-associated Kaposi s Sarcoma. However, the skin lesion treatment was not recommended as a primary treatment; the manufacturer is seeking approval for the drug as
Introduction of HIV-2 and Multiple HIV-1 Subtypes to Lebanon: Emerging Infectious Diseases Online (10/98-12/98) Vol. 4, No. 4,; Pieniazek, Danuta; Baggs, James; Hu, Dale J.; et al.; Researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and elsewhere analyzed HIV genetic variability, phylogenetic relationships, and transmission dynamics in 26 HIV-infected patients in Lebanon . They found 25 cases of HIV- 1 falling into six env subtypes (B, A, C, D, G, and unclassifiable) and one case of H
Hepatitis C Notification Will Boost Workload for Doctors: American Medical News (11/09/98) Vol. 41, No. 42, P. 34; Shelton, Deborah L.; The U.S. government is conducting a targeted search for people who may have been infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) through tainted blood transfusions prior to July 1992. As many as 500,000 people may have received blood from donors who later tested positive for the virus. Hospitals and blood banks have begun mailin
The Trouble With Norvir: POZ (11/98) No. 41, P. 31; Horn, Gabi; Abbott Laboratories indefinitely halted in July production of the protease inhibitor Norvir ( ritonavir ) over concerns about crystals in the drug s capsules. The crystals are not contamination, but Abbott does not yet know what caused them or how they can
Russian Death Rate Almost Twice as High as in West: Russia Today Online (11/13/98); The mortality rate in Russia measures almost twice as high as the rate in Western industrialized countries, according to the Interfax news agency. The agency, citing Russia s health minister, Vladimir Starodubov, said that Russians had a 50 percent to 100 percent greater chance of dying prematurely than Westerners. Th
20 Percent of Gay Men Ignore HIV Risk: Sydney Morning Herald Online (11/13/98); Lamont, Leonie; An annual surveillance report published in the Australian journal HIV/AIDS and Related Diseases indicates that up to 20 percent of homosexual men still have unprotected casual sex. The report also found that 85 percent of all HIV transmission occurs among homosexual men. There were 700 new cases of HIV reported in the
Black AIDS Patients at Excess Risk of Cryptococcal Respiratory Failure: Reuters Health Information Services (11/13/98); Dr. Richard J. Hamill of the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Houston, Texas, and colleagues report a 13.8 percent prevalence of acute respiratory failure in 210 AIDS patients with cryptococcal disease. The researchers, who describe their findings in the November issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases, found that Afri
AIDS Summit to Focus on Cross-Border Sex Trade: South China Morning Post Online (11/16/98); Williams, Ceri; The Chinese Health Ministry has invited Hong Kong health officials to a meeting in Beijing to address the problem of HIV transmission between people on the Chinese mainland and visiting Hong Kong residents. Participants will focus in part on how to stem the unsafe sex practices of Hong Kong residents, particularly busi
AIDS Stalking Africa's Struggling Economies: New York Times (11/15/98) P. 1; McNeil Jr., Donald G.; The AIDS epidemic in parts of Africa--especially eastern and southern areas of the continent--could have drastic economic ramifications as companies lose large numbers of employees and educated urban professionals who are at high-risk for the virus. Countries like South Africa , Botswana
Treatment Flushes HIV From Blood: USA Today (11/16/98) P. 1A; Sternberg, Steve; Three HIV-infected patients appear to have had virtually all of the virus cleared from their system following treatment with standard anti-HIV drugs and interleukin-2. The treatment was designed to flush HIV from latently infected cells in order expose it to the anti-HIV medications. Fourteen patients were treated in t
Acupuncture and Amitriptyline for Pain Due to HIV-Related Peripheral Neuropathy: Journal of the American Medical Association Online (11/11/98) Vol. 280, No. 18, P. 1590; Shlay, Judith C.; Chaloner, Kathryn; Max, Mitchell B.; et al.; Researchers for the Terry Beirn Community Programs for Clinical Research on AIDS report on the use of standardized acupuncture regimen (SAR) and amitriptyline hydrochloride for HIV-related peripheral neuropathy pain relief. They conducted a modified, double-blind factorial comparison of SAR, amitriptyline, or the combi
Small Firm MediChem Sees Huge Market for AIDS Drug: Crain's Chicago Business (10/26/98) Vol. 21, No. 43, P. 25; Somasundaram, Meera; MediChem Research recently entered into a joint venture agreement with the government of Sarawak, Malaysia , to research the potential of leaves from the rare bintangor tree as an AIDS drug. MediChem will get some financial support from Malaysia, and will split profits from the partnership, called Sarawak MediChem Phar
Myanmar, Cambodia Face Huge AIDS Problem: Fox Market Wire Online (11/12/98); Speaking at a conference in Bangkok on child development, Kul Gautam, UNICEF s director for East Asia and the Pacific, said that Myanmar and Cambodia could face AIDS epidemics comparable in proportion to the problem in Africa. Gautam said that Thailand , Cambodia, and Myanmar have
Health--Thailand: With HIV, Tuberculosis on the Rise: IPS Wire (11/12/98); Health officials in Thailand were encouraged by the decline of tuberculosis cases in the late 1980s, but rates began to rise again following an increase in HIV and AIDS. Thailand is considered one of the areas in Asia most affected by HIV, and the World Health Organization counts it among one of the biggest spots
Sri Lanka Launches Sex Education Program for Youths: Reuters (11/13/98); The Family Planning Association of Sri Lanka has launched a sex education program in conjunction with the London-based International Planned Parenthood Foundation. The project will cost over $700,000 for two years. A survey by the Family Planning agency estimates that there are 10,000 children living on the streets, 30
AIDS Epidemic in Early Stages in Bangladesh: Expert [Asserts]: Kyodo News service (11/13/98); Bangladesh is in the initial stages of an AIDS epidemic, according to the chairman of the country s Technical Committee of the National AIDS Committee, M. R. Chowdhury. Up to 100,000 people may be infected with HIV in the country and, despite the fact that the number of AIDS cases in Bangladesh is low compared with n
Teen Sex Habits Alarm Experts: Toronto Sun Online (11/13/98); As the teenage population level worldwide is set to reach its highest level ever next summer, developmental organizations have begun to worry about the health ramifications of such a large teen population. They want youths to have access to sex education, including birth control techniques and AIDS education. Liberal M
Zimbabwean Activist Raps Government on AIDS: Washington Times (11/13/98) P. A14; Kamimura, Chiharu; On Tuesday, Priscilla Misihairabwi, director of the Women and AIDS Support Network (WASN) of Zimbabwe , expressed dismay that while an estimated 25 percent of Zimbabwe s adult population is infected with HIV, the government is using resources to wage war in Congo instead of for attacking HIV. The WASN has promoted the
AIDS Virus Lurks Past Undetected Stage: Baltimore Sun (11/13/98) P. 3A; The genetic material of HIV remains in the semen of men taking combination therapy for AIDS, report researchers from Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. Men on the treatment may be able to transmit the provirus through unsafe sex practices. A separate study shows that combination therapy lowers HIV viral level
Mycobacterium Canettii, the Smooth Variant of M. Tuberculosis, Isolated From a Swiss Patient Exposed in Africa: Emerging Infectious Diseases Online (10/98-12/98) Vol. 4, No. 4,; Pfyffer, Gaby E.; Auckenthaler, Raymond; Van Embden, Jan D.A.; et al.; A team of Swiss and Dutch researchers report the isolation of Mycobacterium canettii, a smooth variant of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, from a 56-year-old Swiss patient who was exposed to the pathogen in Africa. The novel taxon was first described last year in a strain isolated in 1993 from a two- year-old Somali child.
Short (and Shorter) Courses of Zidovudine: New England Journal of Medicine (11/12/98) Vol. 339, No. 20, P. 1467; McIntosh, Kenneth; The AIDS Clinical Trial Group Protocol 076 showed that zidovudine monotherapy reduced the risk of vertical HIV transmission. Analysis indicates, though, that maternal HIV titers were only marginally reduced, suggesting that zidovudine exerts its effect through another mechanism, such as postexposure prophylaxis in uter
Record AIDS Funding From Outgoing Congress: AIDS Treatment News (11/06/98) No. 306, P. 6; James, John S.; Congress approved large increases in funding for AIDS and AIDS -related research and programs for fiscal year 1999. The budget included $110 million for AIDS programs in African- American communities, $184.9 million in increases for AIDS research at the National Institutes of Health, and $297 million in increases for s
[Milwaukee] County Won't Finance Needle Exchanges: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Online (11/10/98); Held, Tom; The Milwaukee County Board narrowly voted on Monday to approve an amendment that would disallow a $100,000 allocation to a needle-exchange program. Board members voted 13-11 in favor of killing the proposed funding for the Lifepoint Program, which is run by the AIDS Research Center of Wisconsin. One board member who ha
New Vaccine Enables Monkeys to Fight Off HIV: Reuters (11/11/98); Naughton, Philippe; Australian researchers have created a vaccine that reportedly allows monkeys to combat HIV, as indicated by a study published in the Journal of Virology on Wednesday. The vaccine consists of two separately administered inoculations, one to prime the immune system and another to boost action against the virus. Researche
AIDS Cases on the Rise in Jamaica: Reuters (11/11/98); The Jamaican Ministry of Health s Epidemiology Unit reports that there were 448 new cases of AIDS in the first nine months of 1998, raising the total number of cases to 3,109 since 1982. St. James parish has the highest AIDS incidence, at 285 cases per 100,000 residents. Kingston had the second highest rate, at 195 cas
California Women's Health Survey Points Up Gaps in Care: Sacramento Bee Online (11/11/98); Griffith, Dorsey; A survey of California women found that despite increased health consciousness in some aspects, there are still potential problems. While screening for breast cancer is at record rates, a hidden risk of chlamydia infection exists. According to the Department of Health Services, of the 4,010 women surveyed, only half we
AIDS Crisis in India Looms: Reuters Health Information Services (11/11/98); According to an Indian health official, the country will need 300 percent to 500 percent more bed space in hospitals in order to deal with the spread of AIDS by the year 2000, at which time India will have between 20 million to 50 million HIV-infected people. Speaking at the 10th International Congress of the Society f
Syphilis Rates Fall Sharply in United States: Reuters (11/12/98); New statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicate that the number of new syphilis cases in the United States fell by 84 percent between 1990 and 1997, reaching their lowest recorded level and fostering hopes that the disease could be eliminated in the country. Lyn Finelli, an epidemiologist at
Prediction of Hepatic Inflammatory Activity in Hepatitis B: Lancet (11/07/98) Vol. 352, No. 9139, P. 1555; Ter Borg, Frank; Jones, E. Anthony; Researchers the Academical Medical Center in Amsterdam assert that data presented by Francois Habersetzer and colleagues in the Sept. 12 issue of the Lancet is consistent with their proposals for the assessment of patients with hepatitis B surface antigens (HBsAg) and antibodies to hepatitis Beautgen (anti-HBe). In a l
Abbreviated Regimens of Zidovudine Prophylaxis and Perinatal Transmission of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus: New England Journal of Medicine (11/12/98) Vol. 339, No. 20, P. 1409; Wade, Nancy A.; Birkhead, Guthrie S.; Warren, Barbara L.; et al.; Researchers report that perinatal transmission of HIV can be reduced through the use of an abbreviated zidovudine regimen initiated intra partum or in the first 48 hours of life. Dr. Nancy A. Wade of the AIDS Institute of the New York State Department of Health and others examined the effect of abbreviated zidovudine t
CD8+ Suppression a Key to Nonprogression in HIV-Infected Patients Who Remain Asymptomatic: Reuters Health Information Services (11/09/98); Research conducted by Dr. Jay A. Levy of the University of California at San Francisco and others shows that enhanced CD8+ suppression appears to be an important characteristic of long-term non-progression of HIV. The multicenter team found that 21 HIV-positive subjects who remained disease-free for 10 or more years wi
Condoms for Prisoners Against HIV Risk: PA News Service (11/09/98); Fagan, Gabrielle; British physicians are giving condoms to prisoners who they believe may be at risk for HIV infection. According to a statement by the Home Office Minister of State Lord Williams of Mostyn, prison doctors have already been advised that they can make condoms available to prisoners if, in their judgment, there is a risk o
AIDS Drug by Vertex and Glaxo Shows Results: Reuters (11/09/98); A study of the new protease inhibitor Agenerase , developed by Glaxo Wellcome and Vertex Pharmaceuticals, indicates that the drug can facilitate undetectable HIV viral levels in patients receiving 48 weeks of treatment. The study showed that 63 percent of HIV-infected patients who took Agenerase in combinatio
Position Switch Jeopardizes Needle Exchange: Boston Globe Online (11/10/98); In Springfield, Mass., City Councilor Bud Williams announced that he has switched his position on needle-exchange programs, becoming an opponent of the measure. The move raises concerns that the program will not be instituted in the city. Williams changed his stance following a public vote on the matter in which 60 per
Some Ailments Found Guilty of Sex Bias: New York Times (11/10/98) P. D12; Brody, Jane E.; Scientific researchers are finding that, in a number of cases, women are more susceptible to ailments compared to men. The Society for the Advancement of Women s Health Research released a report last week showing that women are often at increased risks for some diseases, such as autoimmune diseases, osteoporosis, and
Hidden Cases of Hepatitis C Damaging Livers in Millions: USA Today (11/10/98) P. 1A; Fackelmann, Kathleen; A study presented to the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases today indicates that the number of liver transplants in the United States will increase three-fold over the next decade, primarily the result of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections. People who experimented with drugs in the 1970s and 1980s are
Nosocomial Child-to-Child Transmission of HIV (Research Letter): Lancet (11/07/98) Vol. 352, No. 9139, P. 1520; Nielsen, Henrik; Rosthoj, Steen; Machuca, Roberto; et al.; Most cases of pediatric HIV infection are due to vertical infection, tainted blood products, or sexual abuse. Researchers from Aalborg Hospital in Aalborg, Denmark , and Statens Serum Institute in Copenhagen report a case of nosocomial child-to-child transmission of HIV-1. A patient was treated for leukemia at age two
Sex Differences in HIV-1 Viral Load and Progression to AIDS: Lancet (11/07/98) Vol. 352, No. 9139, P. 1510; Farzadegan, Homayoon; Hoover, Donald R.; Astemborski, Jacqueline; et al.; Researchers from the Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease report that HIV-positive women may have a higher risk of progressing to AIDS than HIV-infected men with the same viral load. The researchers studied 812 specimens from 650 HIV-positive inj
Imaging AIDS: TechGazette (11/98) Vol. 1, No. 11, P. 16; Ford, Clyde; Bio-Tech Imaging in Frederick, Md., has devised a method to test for HIV within 24 hours of exposure. Antibody-based tests require several weeks before the virus can be detected since time is needed for sufficient antibodies to be detected to build up. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that peop
AIDS Researcher Hopes for Vaccine: Newsday Online (11/07/98); Robert Gallo, the researcher credited with the co-discovery of HIV, said Friday that he is more confident of an AIDS vaccine than he was a year ago. Speaking at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Gallo said, Recent researches make me confident that we will have something in the form of a preventive vaccine, say, in t
Doctors Who Didn't Tell All: Cleveland Live NewsFlash/Plain Dealer Online (11/08/98); Epstein, Keith; Sloat, Bill; The United States has some of the world s toughest protections for people involved in clinical trials, partially due to previous public exposure of practices that did not always inform patients of their risk in experiments. However, the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports that the government has engaged in scientific partne
Russian Tuberculosis Rate on the Rise: Itar Wire Service (11/08/98); A Russian public health official announced Sunday that the tuberculosis rate in the country has risen by 8 percent this year, to 73 infected people per 100,000 residents. The World Health Organization places the epidemic level at 50 infected people per 100,000, making levels in Russia almost 1.5 times WHO epidemic leve
Advocate Argues for Needle Exchange in N.J.: Bergen Record Online (11/09/98); Groves, Bob; According to a statistical researcher and AIDS advocate, the AIDS problem in New Jersey is largely due to intravenous drug use. Dawn Day, director of the Dogwood Center, said that approximately 12,500 African-Americans and 1,300 Hispanics have injection-related AIDS or have died from it this year in the state. She cont
Fighting HIV, Their Own Way: New York Times (11/08/98) P. 39; Richardson, Lynda; Some people infected with HIV are refusing to start anti-HIV drug regimens until they actually feel ill. As many patients undergoing HIV treatment are experiencing side effects, some infected individuals are choosing to remain drug-naive as long as possible. While there is little disagreement that people with HIV who s
HIV/AIDS Program Approved for Rural Population: Inside China Today Online (11/09/98); In an attempt to reduce HIV transmission rates by 2010, China approved an ambitious anti-HIV campaign on Friday. Details on the program, to be initiated in December, are limited, but the Beijing Morning Post reports that the country hopes to stop all cases of HIV transmission through blood products by 2010 and reduce t
China Faces Increased Spread of HIV: Nature Medicine (11/98) Vol. 4, No. 11, P. 1216; Watanabe, Myrna; While China has downplayed the incidence and prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases and factors leading to STDs in the country for a number of years, the government seems to be making more of an effort to be open about the subject in order to address and prevent the spread of HIV. Some public health experts fear
HIV-1 Drug Resistance Assays in Clinical Management: AIDS Clinical Care (11/98) Vol. 10, No. 11, P. 81; Martinez-Picado, Javier; D'Aquila, Richard; Even thought treatment failure rates are down compared to pre- highly active antiretroviral therapy rates, failures do still occur. Antiretroviral drug resistance assays can help detect cross-resistance in patients and offer information for treatment options. Two general types of assays exist: genotypic and phenotypic.
Program on AIDS Vaccine on the Anvil: Hindu Online (11/06/98); Scientists are attempting to create a national program for the development of an AIDS vaccine in India . At the 10th International Congress on Immunology in New Delhi, scientists are discussing the interaction with scientific groups abroad and the involvement of Indian scientists and facilities in worldwide research.
World: South Asia--Nepal Wages War on TB: BBC News Online (11/04/98); Lak, Daniel; Tuberculosis is threatening to reach epidemic proportions in Nepal , as poor living conditions in many rural areas and the South Asian sex industry help to spread the disease. According to Dr. Ian Smith of the World Health Organization , Over half the people in Nepal have been infected with TB-
Healthcare Provider Attitudes Discourage Minority Participation in AIDS Trials: Reuters Health Information Services (11/05/98); A study conducted by Dr. Valerie E. Stone of Memorial Hospital in Rhode Island and associates indicates that the attitudes and perceptions of healthcare providers may, in part, contribute to the under-representation of women and minorities in AIDS clinical trials. Stone and colleagues report in the Nov. 1 issue of the
China Expects 1 Million to Be HIV-Positive By 2000, Paper Says: Bloomberg News Service (11/06/98); Shanghai-Based Business News reports that over 1 million Chinese are expected to be infected with HIV by the year 2000. Currently, there are an estimated 300,000 cases in the country, although only 11,170 infections have been officially reported to the Ministry of Health. Unless preventative measures are taken, the Uni
Woman Suing Doctor Over AIDS Misdiagnosis: Boston Globe Online (11/06/98); Greenberg, Brigitte; Charlene Riling, a 40-year-old woman from Hartford, Conn., is suing her doctor, claiming that Karen S. Dufour misdiagnosed her with AIDS and treated her for HIV-related problems between November 1989 and May 1992. Riling, who is seeking unspecified damages, claims that Dufour was negligent in her practice and that she
Nationline: AIDS Emergency: USA Today (11/06/98) P. 3A; Bacon, John; Alameda County, Calif., declared on Thursday a public health emergency because of high AIDS rates among the African- American population in the county. The announcement marks the first local disaster declaration concerning HIV in the nation. Eighteen percent of Alameda County residents are African- American; however, 4
Study Says H.I.V. Tests Misstate Women's Risk: New York Times (11/06/98) P. A18; Grady, Denise; Researchers at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health assert that HIV viral load tests may be underrating infection levels in women. The study, to be published today in the Lancet, found that the viral load in women will be lower than that for men at a given stage of infection, although her immune system will have s
Binding of Hepatitis C Virus to CD81: Science (10/30/98) Vol. 282, P. 938; Pileri, Piero; Uematsu, Yasushi; Campagnoli, Susanna; et al.; Scientists report that the hepatitis C virus (HCV) envelope protein E2 binds human CD81. E2 binding was mapped to the major extracellular loop of CD81; binding to CD81 was inhibited by recombinant molecules containing the loop bound HCV and antibodies that neutralize HCV infection in vitro. Human CD81 is widely distrib
Appropriate Antibiotic Use Key to Preventing Spread of Pertussis and TB: Infectious Diseases in Children (10/98) Vol. 11, No. 10, P. 30; Stephenson, Michelle; The development of pertussis and tuberculosis in children can often be combated through the use of antibiotics. For TB, prophylaxis can help to prevent TB infection from progressing to disease. Dr. Dennis L Murray, chief of pediatric infectious diseases at Michigan State University, said that poorly managed control pro
Risk of HIV Infection Linked to Hormonal Contraceptive Use: Reuters Health Information Services (11/04/98); According to a study in the October issue of the Journal of Infectious Diseases, women who receive long-acting progestin- based hormonal contraception may be at increased risk for HIV. Dr. Harold L. Martin of the University of Washington and colleagues evaluated HIV rates in 779 female sex workers in Keny
1,843 Russians Contract AIDS in Last Six Months: Russia Today Online (11/04/98); The Russian government announced this week that 1,843 people in the country contracted HIV during the last six months, increasing the total number of HIV-infected individuals to 8,867, 320 of whom have AIDS. Among the infected, 385 are children, and 111 children have developed full-blown AIDS. The actual number of infe
Court Weighs Guardian's Bid for Custody of HIV-Infected Boy: Boston Globe Online (11/04/98); Sharp, David; Mary K. Brennan, the court-appointed guardian for a Maine boy infected with HIV, has asked that the state Supreme Court mandate that the boy s mother treat the boy with anti-HIV drugs. Brennan argued that a judge who had previously ruled in favor of Valerie Emerson s decision not to treat her four- year-old with the dr
Nationline: California County Appeals for Help in AIDS Fight: USA Today (11/05/98) P. 20A; Sternberg, Steve; The California county of Alameda, which encompasses Oakland, plans to declare a state of emergency today over the growing AIDS rate among minorities in the area. The county, which has a large African-American population, is appealing to federal, state, and local organizations for help. The AIDS rate among the African-A
Nailing Down Another HIV Target: Nature Medicine (11/98) Vol. 4, No. 11, P. 1232; Richman, Douglas D.; The recent findings that the new T-20 drug significantly reduces HIV RNA levels in patients provide another possible option for HIV treatment of besides the use of potent combination antiretroviral therapy. Douglas D. Richman of the University of California at San Diego, notes that there are still a number of issues to
Potent Suppression of HIV-1 Replication in Humans by T-20, a Peptide Inhibitor of Gp41-Mediated Virus Entry: Nature Medicine (11/98) Vol. 4, No. 11, P. 1302; Kilby, J. Michael; Hopkins, Sam; Venetta, Thomas M.; et al.; Researchers from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and elsewhere report that the peptide inhibitor T-20 can significantly reduce plasma HIV RNA levels in patients. T-20 inhibits HIV from entering into target cells by hindering the gp41 protein on the virus, according to the proposed mechanisms of drug action. Th
Transmission of Human Herpesvirus 8 Infections From Renal- Transplant Donors to Recipients: New England Journal of Medicine (11/05/98) Vol. 339, No. 19, P. 1358; Regamey, Nicolas; Tamm, Michael; Wernli, Marion; et al.; Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) is transmitted through renal allografts and constitutes a risk factor for transplantation- associated Kaposi s Sarcoma, according to Swiss researchers. The researchers, led by Dr. Nicolas Regamey of the University of Basel, investigated the HHV-8 seroprevalence before and after renal-transpl
Using Registries for Follow-Up of Chronic HBV Infection: Infectious Disease News (10/98) Vol. 11, No. 10, P. 15; Young, Evan A.; Research shows that almost one-third of states have registries for people with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections, with most of the states attempting follow-up research. Of 15 surveyed states with registries, the average registry had been in place for approximately 10 years, with a range of two years to 30 years. Analy
Invirase and Fortovase: Potential Confusion Between Two Saquinavir Formulations: Hospital Pharmacy (10/98) Vol. 33, No. 10, P. 1181; Roche Laboratories protease inhibitor saquinavir mesylate, sold as Invirase , has a low bioavailability because of poor absorption and extensive first pass metabolism by the liver. Based on those problems, Roche reformulated the drug as a free base and now sells it as Fortovase. Even though Fortovase s relative bioavai
Stiffer Control Over Imported Blood Plasma: Korea Herald Online (11/04/98); The Korean Food and Drug Administration announced Tuesday that the government will increase measures to control imported blood plasma and the manufacturing of various medical projects. The move follows the discovery of imported blood samples infected with hepatitis C virus in July. An envisioned bill will require the K
Judge Requires Male Prostitute With HIV to Issue Televised Warning: Akron Beacon-Journal Online (11/03/98); In Ohio, a former male prostitute who is HIV-positive issued a televised warning to those he had sexual contact with, urging them to seek medical attention. The warning followed Judge Shirley Strickland Saffold s ruling that the man appear before the public on television. The man, Tony Brown of Cleveland, made a plea b
Dentists Suit Over HIV Issue Lacks License, State Board Says: Boston Globe Online (11/04/98) P. B5; Valdes-Rodriguez, Alisa; According to the Massachusetts dental licensing board, Guillermo R. Recinos, a man being sued by the state attorney general for refusing to treat HIV-infected patients, has not had a dentistry license for seven months. Recinos graduated in 1987 from Tufts University Dental School but failed to get his license renewed l
A Tale of Two Churches: New York Times (11/04/98) P. A27; Rich, Frank; Some AIDS activists, such as the former head of the Names Project, Rev. Anthony Turney, are wondering if the shifting demographics of the AIDS epidemic in the United States will result in a drop off of activism. Turney asks, Will the predominantly white gay community in places like San Francisco confront the obligation
Bonuses Proposed for Tuberculosis Cures in Brazilian Health Centers: Lancet (10/31/98) Vol. 352, No. 9138, P. 1454; Csillag, Claudio; In an attempt to try and halve the incidence of tuberculosis in Brazil by the year 2007, the Brazilian Ministry of Health will offer bonus payments to treatment centers for each patient cured of the disease. The amount has not been decided, but ministry sources have mentioned sums of about US$80 per cured patient. The
Effectiveness of Potent Antiretroviral Therapy on Time to AIDS and Death in Men With Known HIV Infection Duration: Journal of the American Medical Association (11/04/98) Vol. 280, No. 17, P. 1497; Detels, Roger; Munoz, Alvaro; McFarlane, Glen; et al.; Potent antiretroviral therapy for HIV infection can extend the time of development of AIDS and time of death in HIV-positive men, according to researchers for the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study. The researchers compared the development time of AIDS and time to death in 536 men with known seroconversion dates over four t
Safe Syringe to End Danger of Infection: London Times Online (11/03/98); A hypodermic needle designed to reduce the spread of infectious diseases such as hepatitis B and C went on sale Monday in Great Britain. The syringe has a built-in mechanism that prevents needle reuse. The syringe, which is already licensed for use in Australia , Canada , and the European Union, ha
Court to Review AF 'Safe Sex' Case: United Press International (11/02/98); Kirkland, Michael; The U.S. Supreme Court announced Monday that it will review a decision by the military s high court that bars the Air Force from dropping Maj. James Goldsmith from its rolls. Goldsmith, who is HIV-positive, refused to obey a superior officer s order to practice only safe sex and to tell any sexual partner of his condit
Nobel Chemist Kary Mullis, Making Waves as a Mind Surfer: Washington Post (11/03/98) P. D1; Carlson, Peter; Nobel laureate chemist Kary Mullis has some distinctive opinions and character traits that set him apart from the average scientist. He defends astrology, surfs, advocates the cloning of dead celebrities DNA, and does not believe that HIV causes AIDS. Mullis asserts that there is zero data that could support the statem
Experimental AIDS Drug Cuts HIV Levels in Preliminary Test: Boston Globe Online (11/03/98); Researchers at the University of Alabama, Birmingham, and elsewhere report in the November issue of Nature Medicine that the experimental drug T-20 appeared to reduce the level of HIV in patients blood by as much as 99 percent. The preliminary results indicate that there was a 99 percent reduction in HIV levels in four
Maintaining Anonymous AIDS Testing: Boston Globe Online (11/03/98) P. A16; Gayle, Helene; Dr. Helene Gayle, director of the National Center for HIV, STD, and TB Prevention at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, comments on a recent Boston Globe article about debates addressing HIV reporting and the type of testing offered. In a letter to the Globe, Gayle states that the article reported that the
An AIDS Drug of Glaxo Gets Backing of Panel: Wall Street Journal (11/03/98) P. B6; Middleton, Otesa; Sharpe, Rochelle; A federal panel recommended Monday that the AIDS drug Ziagen , manufactured by Glaxo Wellcome , be approved for adults and children. The FDA s Antiviral Drugs Advisory Committee recommendation comes amid concerns about serious and sometimes deadly allergic reactions in about 3 percent of patients.
Complexity of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Management in Developing Countries: Epidemiology (11/98) Vol. 9, No. 6, P. 593; White, Alice D.; Andrews, Elizabeth B.; Glaxo Wellcome epidemiologists Alice D. White and Elizabeth B. Andrews discuss some of the problems associated with providing HIV management in developing countries. In an editorial in Epidemiology, the authors state that there are three main hurdles that must be addressed to provide adequate therapy for HIV-infected
In-Vivo Anti-CD3-Induced HIV-1 Viremia (Research Letter): Lancet (10/31/98) Vol. 352, No. 9138, P. 1446; Brinkman, K.; Huysmans, F.; Galama, J.M.D. ; et al.; Researchers from the University Hospital Nijmegen in the Netherlands and the University Hospital Utrecht describe the administration of monoclonal antibodies to CD3 cells in an HIV -1 infected liver transplant patient who had refused antiretroviral therapy. Treatment with antibodies to CD3 cells is considered a possibl
Randomised Trial of Interferon Alpha-2b Plus Ribavirin for 48 Weeks or for 24 Weeks Versus Interferon Alpha-2b Plus Placebo for 48 Weeks for Treatment of Chronic Infection With Hepatitis C Virus: Lancet (10/31/98) Vol. 352, No. 9138, P. 1426; Poynard, Thierry; Marcellin, Patrick; Lee, Samuel S.; et al.; An international team of researchers reports that the use of ribavirin plus alpha-2b interferon for 48 weeks is about twice as effective as treatment with alpha-2b interferon alone. The researchers, from the International Hepatitis Interventional Therapy Group, studied the effects of the treatments in 832 patients over
Prevention and Treatment of Tuberculosis Among Patients Infected With Human Immunodeficiency Virus: Principles of Therapy and Revised Recommendations: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report--Recommendations and Reports (10/30/98) Vol. 47, No. RR-20, P. 1; Villarino, M. Elsa; The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a revised set of guidelines for the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of tuberculosis in HIV-infected individuals. The new guidelines are based on the early diagnosis and treatment of TB among HIV-positive patients, the administration of therapy to prevent the
Protease Inhibitor Use Linked to Development of Peripheral Insulin Resistance: Reuters Health Information Services (10/30/98); A German team of researchers reports that HIV-infected patients who receive protease inhibitor treatment have a significant risk of developing peripheral insulin resistance, possibly leading to oral glucose intolerance or hyperlipidemia. The report, published in the October 22 issue of AIDS, showed the effects of
Massive Fall in AIDS [in Australia] Due to Better Drug Therapies: NineMSN News Online (11/01/98); A study by the National Center in HIV Epidemiology and Clinical Research in Australia indicates that AIDS-related deaths have fallen 80 percent since the introduction of protease inhibitors in the country and that the number of AIDS cases dropped 43 percent. The findings, reported in The Medical Journal of Australia,
Building Boom at Institutes of Health: New York Times (11/01/98) P. 26; Pear, Robert; The National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Md., is building more facilities following increased funding from the federal government. NIH will receive $15.6 billion for the 1999 fiscal year, a 15 percent increase from the previous year. Congress also allocated $30 million for renovation and construction of biomedica
Call of Danger Finds Young Men Willing to Answer: Toronto Globe and Mail (10/30/98) P. A4; Foss, Krista; Data from Statistics Canada indicate that young men aged 20 to 24 engage in more high risk behaviors than all other Canadians in the 15- to 24-year-old age group. Nancy Galambos, a psychology professor at the University of Victoria, surveyed 2,000 males and females aged 15 to 24 years old for high risk behaviors includ
Landmark Study Made Research Resistant to Bias: Washington Post (11/02/98) P. A3; Brown, David; Fifty years ago last Friday, an article entitled Streptomycin Treatment of Pulmonary Tuberculosis was released in the British Medical Journal, introducing the results of the first modern randomized control study in medicine. Randomized controlled trials (RTCs) have become standard practice in research. Prior to the int
The Urgency of an AIDS Vaccine: Boston Globe Online (11/02/98) P. A18; Researchers need to focus their attention on finding a vaccine against HIV, according to an editorial in the Boston Globe. While the number of AIDS-related deaths in the United States has fallen due to successful treatments, many developing nations cannot afford the drugs. In sub-Saharan Africa, the number of deaths is
Patents: Laboratory Reproduction of Patients' Immune Cells Holds Substantial Therapeutic Potential: New York Times (11/02/98) P. C2; Chartrand, Sabra; Drs. Stanley Riddell and Philip Greenberg at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, Wash., have devised a method to isolate specific T-cells from the blood and grow large amounts in the laboratory--without losing the specificity. Riddell said the patented process was similar to ones found in the body wh
Therapeutic Strategies for HIV Infection--Time to Think Hard: New England Journal of Medicine (10/29/98) Vol. 339, No. 18, P. 1321; Cooper, David A.; Emery, Sean; An editorial in the New England Journal of Medicine addresses the therapeutic strategies for treatment of HIV-infection. Drs. David A. Cooper and Sean Emery of the University of New South Wales, Australia , cite three studies--including two in the same issue of the journal--indicating that less intense anti-HIV mainten
Attenuation of Virulence by Disruption of the Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Erp Gene: Science (10/23/98) Vol. 282, No. 5389, P. 759; Berthet, Francois-Xavier; Lagranderie, Micheline; Gounon, Pierre; et al.; French researchers led by Francois-Xavier Berthet of the Pasteur Institute, studied the effect of the deletion of the bacterial erp gene, which encodes the exported repetitive protein (ERP), in Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv (H37Rv erp::aph) and M. bovis Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG erp::aph). They compared the two s
Epidemic of Congenital Syphilis--Baltimore, 1996-1997: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (10/30/98) Vol. 47, No. 42, P. 904; Beilenson, P.; Rose, D.; Dunning, D.; Data from the Baltimore City Health Department, the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, indicate that adequate prenatal care and more timely screening could have reduced the number of congenital syphilis cases in Baltimore, Md., by 90 percent. The rate o
AIDS Activists Disrupt DuPont's New York Offices: Reuters (10/29/98); Members of ACT-UP, the AIDS activist group, stormed DuPont s New York offices Thursday demanding the company cut the price of Sustiva . The group charged that Sustiva costs nearly $5,000 annually at the retail level, at least $2,000 higher than other AIDS drugs in its class. DuPont said wholesalers acquire the drug fo
Interventions Indicated for Young, Asymptomatic HIV-Infected Men: Reuters Health Information Services (10/29/98); Dr. S. T. Sadiq of the Camden and Islington Community NHS Trust and associates report in the October 17th issue of the British Medical Journal that it appears that young, asymptomatic HIV-positive men need intervention in order to reduce the spread of HIV. The researchers used gonorrhea as a marker for HIV transmission
[British] Public to Be Quizzed About Sex: BBC News Online (10/30/98); The British Department of Health plans to conduct a second national survey on sexual attitudes because the previous survey, conducted in 1990, is now out of date. The three-year survey will cost 1.4 million pounds and will involve about 12,000 randomly selected men and women aged 16 to 44. The age range was selected be
Early to Sex, Early to AIDS: Africa News Service (10/29/98); Imathiu, Imanene; A survey of young people in the Meru Central District of Kenya , indicates that drug abuse, pornographic material, and the lack of parental supervision can contribute to early sexual activity. Approximately 80 percent of deaths in the district among people aged 15 to 49 were AIDS-related, according to Dr. John Ogange,
Drop in HIV Reports First in Three Years: Hong Kong Standard Online (10/30/98); Cruz, Tessi; The number of new HIV cases in Hong Kong decreased during the third quarter, marking the first time in three years the figure has fallen. According to the Department of Health s Special Preventive Program, there were 32 reported infections during the quarter, including 10 that progressed to AIDS.
Hepatitis C Cases Increasing in Maine: Boston Globe Online (10/30/98); The number of hepatitis C cases in Maine is increasing as people who were infected with the virus 20 to 30 years ago begin to show symptoms. The rise in cases in the state mirrors the rest of the country, prompting the state Bureau of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to encourage at-risk people
Ethics of Transmission of Hepatitis B Virus by Health Care Workers: Lancet (10/24/98) Vol. 352, No. 9137, P. 1381; Ristinen, Elaine; Mamtani, Ravinder; Elaine Ristinen and Ravinder Mamtani of the New York Medical College comment on the transmission of hepatitis B virus (HBV) from health care workers to patients in an article in the Lancet. In 1991, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that over 300 patients had contracted hepatitis B in association
Quick Updates: Preventing Liver Damage: Journal of the American Medical Association (10/28/98) Vol. 280, No. 16, P. 1393; Voelker, Rebecca; According to a recent study by Dr. Thomas Riley III, head of the liver transplant program at the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center of Penn State Geisinger Health Center, and colleagues, even low-dose ibuprofen can cause liver damage in patients with hepatitis C. The researchers, reporting their findings in the September
Giving Birth to Hope: American Medical News (10/19/98) Vol. 41, No. 39, P. 32; Shelton, Deborah L.; The 1994 AIDS Clinical Trial Group 076 study found that the use of AZT can help reduce mother-to-child HIV transmission by two-thirds. Other studies have shown that the risk of vertically transmitting HIV is reduced by elective cesarean sections. Perinatal HIV transmission has dropped from about 25 percent in 1994 to u
Russia Regions Face Hard Winter, Medicine Scarce: Reuters (10/29/98); Piper, Elizabeth; Gennagy Onishenko, the chief state sanitary physician in Russia , said that there is a severe medicine shortage problem in the country. He noted that imports have dropped dramatically and that many people cannot buy the medicine they require. The number of people with hepatitis B in Russia remains high, at 37,900 patie
Teens More Knowledgeable--But Not Necessarily More Careful-- One Year After Nushawn Williams: Boston Globe Online (10/29/98); While teens in western New York are now more educated about HIV transmission than last year, they may not putting their knowledge into practice. Last year, officials warned that 21- year-old Nushawn Williams may have infected a dozen young women with HIV in western New York. Dr. Neal Rzepkowski, who sees several of the
World Bank: $100 Million for Better Health in Ethiopia: M2 Presswire (10/28/98); The World bank has approved $100 million in support of the first five years of Ethiopia s 20-year health development program. The program is designed to improve health services and increase coverage in the population, developing a comprehensive and integrated primary health care service. Additionally, the program will
World Population Climbs but AIDS Hits Africa Hard: Fox News Online (10/29/98); The U.N. Population Division released a report on Wednesday indicating that while people are expected to live longer overall and family size is expected to shrink, the populations of 29 African nations will be greatly affected by the AIDS epidemic. Overall, the population should increase to 6 billion by October 1999 an
U.S. to Begin Minority AIDS Initiative: Washington Post (10/29/98) P. A3; Goldstein, Amy; President Clinton announced a $156 million initiative focusing on HIV/AIDS issues among minority communities on Wednesday. The campaign is designed to create HIV-prevention programs, increase access to drug treatment programs, and help local health workers more effectively assess the needs of HIV- infected people. At a
Fat Accumulation and HIV-1 Protease Inhibitors: Lancet (10/24/98) Vol. 352, No. 9137, P. 1392; Stricker, Raphael B.; Goldberg, Billi; Martinez, Esteban; In a letter to the editor of the Lancet, two San Francisco researchers respond to a Sept. 5 letter in which Esteban Martinez and Jose Gatell of Spain postulated that HIV-1 protease inhibitors might cause fat accumulation by interfering with two insulin degrading enzymes. However, Raphael B.
A Randomized Trial of Three Maintenance Regimens Given After Three Months of Induction Therapy With Zidovudine, Lamivudine, and Indinavir in Previously Untreated HIV-1-Infected Patients: New England Journal of Medicine (10/29/98) Vol. 339, No. 18, P. 1269; Pialoux, Gilles; Raffi, Francois; Brun-Vezinet, Francoise; et al.; Two-drug maintenance therapy following a three-month regimen of triple-drug therapy for HIV-positive individuals is less effective than continuation of the triple-drug therapy, according to French researchers. To determine whether problems related to compliance and tolerability could be reduced through the administrati
Maintenance Antiretroviral Therapies in HIV-Infected Subjects With Undetectable Plasma HIV RNA After Triple-Drug Therapy: New England Journal of Medicine (10/29/98) Vol. 339, No. 18, P. 1261; Havlir, Diane V.; Marschner, Ian C.; Hirsch, Martin S.; et al.; Researchers for the AIDS Clinical Trials Group Study 343 Team report that triple-drug therapy with indinavir , lamivudine, and zidovudine better sustains the suppression of plasma HIV RNA in HIV-positive patients than maintenance therapy with indinavir alone or a combination of zidovudine and lamivudine. The researcher
Uganda Has 1.5 million Orphans: Africa News Service (10/27/98); Dr. Robert Limlim, a program officer with UNICEF, announced Monday that there are over 1.5 million orphans in Uganda , two- thirds of whom lost their parents to AIDS. He noted that the number of orphans has risen by 300,000 since 1990 due to the disease. Limlim made the announcement at an international conference on or
AG Alleges Dentist Rejected HIV Patients: Boston Globe Online (10/28/98) P. B2; The attorney general for Massachusetts brought suit against a Boston dentist and his office manager on Tuesday, claiming they violated the Americans With Disabilities Act, the Federal Rehabilitation Act, and the Massachusetts Consumer Protection Act by refusing to treat HIV-positive patients and advising employees not
State Public Health Department Approves HIV Reporting: Boston Globe Online (10/28/98); Estrin, Robin; The Massachusetts Department of Public Health will require doctors to report all HIV cases to state health officials starting next year, using age, sex, race, hometown, and mode of transmission as patient identifiers. Physicians will be required to report all current and active HIV cases, not just new cases. The policy
Teens and Safer Sex: Washington Post (10/28/98) P. A19; Kaplan, David W.; According to a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of high school students who abstain from sex has increased 11 percent since 1991. In an editorial in the Washington Post, David W, Kaplan, chief of adolescent medicine at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center and the Childre
Clinton to Cite Black Crisis in New Anti-AIDS Effort: Wall Street Journal (10/28/98) P. B8; President Clinton is expected today to pass an initiative providing $156 million for anti-AIDS efforts, declaring the situation a crisis, particularly among African Americans and other minorities. The Congressional Black Caucus has made increased funding for HIV programs in minority communities a top priority; congress
AIDS Is Slashing Africa's Population, U.N. Survey Finds: New York Times (10/28/98) P. A3; Ibrahim, Youssef M.; A report to be released today by the population division of the United Nations indicates that many African countries will face a significant decline in population and life expectancy over the next 10 years to 15 years because of AIDS. In some areas of sub-Saharan Africa, one-quarter of the population is infected with H
An HIV Vaccine: How Long Must We Wait?: Lancet (10/24/98) Vol. 352, No. 9137, P. 1323; An editorial in the Lancet discusses current initiatives for the development of an HIV vaccine. The U.S. National Institutes of Health only spent $100 million of a $1.3 billion budget on HIV vaccine research in 1995, but the current budget calls for an 80 percent increase in vaccine spending for 1999. Still, there are
Access to Treatment for HIV in Developing Countries; Statement >From International Seminar on Access to Treatment for HIV in Developing Countries, London, June 5 and 6, 1998: Lancet (10/24/98) Vol. 352, No. 9137, P. 1379; The United Kingdom Non-Governmental Organization (UK NGO) AIDS Consortium held a series of workshops and an international seminar in which a consensus statement on access to HIV treatment in developing countries was created. The statement called for a reduction in the inequalities in the availability in treatment for H
Multistate Evaluation of Anonymous HIV Testing and Access to Medical Care: Journal of the American Medical Association (10/28/98) Vol. 280, No. 16, P. 1416; Bindman, Andrew B.; Osmond, Dennis; Hecht, Frederick M.; This University of California, San Francisco study evaluated whether anonymous HIV testing was associated with earlier HIV testing and HIV-related medical care than confidential HIV testing among people diagnosed with AIDS. The study found that HIV-infected individuals who used anonymous testing services got tested and
Effect of HIV Reporting by Name on Use of HIV Testing in Publicly Funded Counseling and Testing Programs: Journal of the American Medical Association (10/28/98) Vol. 280, No. 16, P. 1421; Nakashima, Allyn K.; Horsley, Rosemarie; Frey, Robert L.; This Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study evaluated the impact of the implementation of HIV reporting in six states on test-seeking behavior. The data indicate that HIV reporting by name did not significantly affect the level of HIV testing in publicly funded anonymous and confidential test sites. As an inc
Risk of Disease From Blood Transfusion Cut in Half: Infectious Disease News (10/98) Vol. 11, No. 10, P. 25; The Pan American Health Organization s quadrennial report, Health in the Americas, indicates that the risk of infection from transfused blood products in Latin America dropped by half from 1994 to 1995. The decline comes as all but two Latin American countries passed laws requiring that donated blood be screened for HI
Last Days of the Wonder Drugs: Discover (11/98) Vol. 19, No. 11, P. 76; Martin, Andy; Stuart Levy, a microbiologist at Tufts University School of Medicine, believes that nearly half of the antibiotics used by humans in the United States are unnecessary or inappropriate. In some cases, the incorrect antibiotic is prescribed or the dosage or duration is wrong, resulting in a lot of unnecessary drugs. Anti
Nationwide HIV Seroprevalence Not Declining in Childbearing Women: Reuters Health Information Services (10/26/98); Researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report in the October 1 issue of the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes and Human Retrovirology that the HIV seroprevalence among childbearing women in the United States was stable between 1989 and 1994. While there were regional differences amo
Putting Pig Parts Into Human Bodies: New York Times (10/27/98) P. D8; O'Neil, John; Ferguson, Ronald; Bach, Fritz H.; In the New York Times, John O Neil asks two health experts if the transplantation of pig cells or organs into humans by researchers should be allowed. Dr. Ronald Ferguson, chairman of the surgery department at the Ohio State University Medical Center, notes that the risk of transmission of infection by retroviruses, su
What the Pill Cannot Do: New York Times (10/27/98) P. D3; Ross, Gilbert; In a letter to the editor of the New York Times, Dr. Gilbert Ross of New York comments on an article concerning birth control pills, asserting that the pill never provided women with carefree sexual freedom as an Oct. 20 article mentioned. Ross states that the article is erroneous in its implication that women have the
Disease Lobbies: Washington Post (10/27/98) P. A23; Greenberg, Daniel S.; In a Washington Post editorial, Daniel S. Greenberg, a visiting scholar at Johns Hopkins University, states that the huge increase in funding by Congress for the National Institutes of Health may be misguided. The author feels that there is no reason to believe that the massive NIH will be able to successfully use the
Pre-Hiring Medical Screening Put to Test: Washington Post (10/27/98) P. C1; Grimsley, Kristin Downey; Many employers seek to reduce future health care costs by screening any potential workers for pre-existing medical conditions. Some employers have begun screening for HIV or syphilis infection, while a few are testing for genetic markers for inherited diseases. In surveys conducted earlier this year by the American Man
Boy Battles Karate School for Admission: Washington Post (10/27/98) P. B3; Timberg, Craig; Michael Montalvo, a 14-year-old boy with HIV, is fighting to be allowed to take karate classes at the USA Bushidokan Karate school in Colonial Heights, Va. Montalvo was denied entrance into the school because of his infection, a decision that was upheld in January by U.S. District Judge Richard L. Williams. The boy s f
Randomised Controlled Trial of Self-Supervised and Directly Observed Treatment of Tuberculosis: Lancet (10/24/98) Vol. 352, No. 9137, P. 1340; Zwarenstein, Merrick; Schoeman, Jan H.; Vundule, Caesar; et al.; South African researchers, led by Merrick Zwarenstein of the Center for Epidemiological Research in Southern Africa, studied 216 adults starting pulmonary tuberculosis treatment for the first time or being retreated to determine if directly observed treatment improves completion and outcome of therapy. The scientists f
Bazaar Science: POZ (10/98) No. 39, P. 34; Schoofs, Mark; One of the goals of this summer s 12th World AIDS Conference, which was reflected in the event s Bridging the Gap theme, was to improve the availability of information and AIDS drugs to developing nations, where 90 percent of those with HIV do not have access to potentially life-saving drugs. Many representatives of de
Russian Drug-Resistant TB Will Likely Travel Far: American Medical News (10/19/98) Vol. 41, No. 39, P. 32; Moran, Mark; A group of 10 officials visiting Russia to assess the country s tuberculosis problem there has expressed grave concerns about the spread of multidrug-resistant (MDR) TB there. One member of the group, Dr. Richard O Brien of the TB elimination branch at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, stated: This may b
Genetic Database for Sexually Transmitted Diseases Goes Online: Reuters Health Information Services (10/23/98); The STDGEN Relational Database, a database of genetic information on infectious pathogens that cause sexually transmitted disease, is now available online. The database (www.stdgen.lanl.gov) translates gene sequences from infectious agents into their coded gene products and organizes that data into functional groups. D
U.S., Mexico Plan Border Vaccine Effort: Dallas Morning News Online (10/24/98); Case, Brendan M.; Childhood vaccines will be standardized along the U.S.- Mexico border by next year under a joint program designed to reduce the spread of contagious diseases. The United States currently provides standard vaccines against hepatitis B and an influenza strain that Mexico has not adopted. The new agreement is expected to
Scientists Find Gene That Makes TB Virulent: Reuters (10/23/98); Researchers from the Pasteur Institute in Paris, SmithKline Beecham in Belgium , and the University of Padova in Italy reported Friday in the journal Science that they had found a gene, called erp, that allows the tuberculosis microbe to survive and multiply in the body. Researchers believe that targeting the gene may
Virginia: Heroin Use Reportedly Rising Across State: Washington Post (10/26/98) P. D3; Virginia police and Drug Enforcement Agency officials report that there has been an increase in heroin trafficking arrests and overdoses in the state. The DEA arrested 70 heroin traffickers in Virginia--excluding the suburbs of the District of Columbia--during the last fiscal year, an increase of 39 arrests from the pr
Vietnam Reports 10,560 HIV Cases: Newsday Online (10/26/98); The Vietnamese National AIDS Committee announced Monday that there are 10,560 reported cases of HIV in the country, although the actual number of infections could be up to 10 times as high. The committee also reported that there are 1,901 AIDS cases and that 1,013 people have died of AIDS since the first case was detec
Number of School-Based Health Clinics Growing, Study Finds: Washington Post (10/26/98) P. A18; A biennial survey by the national Making the Grade program indicates that the number of school-based health clinics in the United States has increased substantially over the past four years, rising from 607 in 1994 to 1,154 in 1998. Sixty- three percent of the centers are located in urban areas, although the number of
Effect of Gender, Age, Transmission Category, and Antiretroviral Therapy on the Progression of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection Using Multistate Markov Models: Epidemiology (11/98) Vol. 9, No. 6, P. 605; Alioum, Ahmadou; Leroy, Valeriane; Commenges, Daniel; et al.; French researchers, led by Ahmadou Alioum of Universite Victor Segalen, used time-homogeneous Markov models to estimate the AIDS incubation period distribution (IPD). The researchers estimated the IPD according to gender, age, HIV transmission category, and antiretroviral therapy in 998 patients who progressed to AIDS
The Latest on Early Intervention: POZ (10/98) No. 39, P. 74; Gilden, Dave; The combination of the release of many anti-HIV medications with a lack of long-term research on their effects has resulted in confusion concerning the best course of treatment using the drugs. Some physicians and researchers subscribe to an aggressive regimen, while others adhere to a reactive regimen that initiates m
Science & Health Bulletin: Angola--TB: PANA Wire Service (10/21/98); Gueye, Jules S.; There were 86 cases of tuberculosis reported in the capital of the central Angolan Huambo Province, Huambo town, between July and September. Abrao Samajomba, the administrator of Huambo hospital s sanitarium, said he was worried about the rising number of cases, particularly when there are inadequate diagnostic materia
State Warns Transfusion Recipients About Possible Virus Transmission: New Jersey NewsFlash Online (10/22/98); New Jersey health officials are warning state residents who received blood transfusions between 1991 and 1996 that they should seek free tests for viral infections, including HIV and hepatitis. Recipients of blood transfusions may have received blood handled by the New York Blood Center, which processes about a quarter
HIV-1 Nef Protein May Be Key to Pathogenicity: Reuters Health Information Services (10/22/98); Mitchell, Deborah; A group of Canadian researchers, led by Dr. Paul Jolicoeur of the Institute of Clinical Research of Montreal, has found that the HIV-1 nef protein may be a key factor in HIV progression separate from its role in viral replication. The scientists, who reported their findings in the October 16th issue of Cell, conducted
S. Africa's Soweto Hospital Says Third of Babies HIV-Positive: Bloomberg News Service (10/23/98); In South Africa , the Sowetan newspaper is reporting that one- third of the children born in the main hospital of Soweto are infected with HIV. The newspaper, citing Dr. Glenda Gray of Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, said that 1,200 HIV-positive babies have been delivered at the hospital since January. The paper also
U.S. Team Maps Genes in Venereal Disease Bacterium: Reuters (10/22/98); Researchers from the San Francisco and Berkeley campuses of the University of California and from Stanford University report in the journal Science that they have mapped the genome of Chlamydia trachomatis, the most common sexually transmitted disease in the United States . The team, led by Richard Stephens of UC Berke
Protesters Claim Police Denied Them AIDS Drugs: Bergen Record Online (10/23/98); De La Cruz, Donna; The New York City Gay & Lesbian Anti-Violence Project claims that it knows of at least five protesters arrested following an anti-bias demonstration on Monday who were denied HIV or AIDS medication while detained. Dr. Paul Curtis, an HIV specialist who treats one of the detainees, noted that patients cannot miss ev
Transfusion Transmitted Virus: Lancet (10/17/98) Vol. 352, No. 9136, P. 1310; Sumazaki, Ryo; Gerolami, Victoria; Simmonds, Peter; et al.; In a series of letters in the Lancet, researchers discuss recent findings by Peter Simmonds of the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, and colleagues showing that non-virus inactivated clotting-factor concentrates may transmit transfusion transmitted virus (TTV). Two studies, one led by Ryo Sumazaki of the University
Protecting Patients From Discrimination--The Americans With Disabilities Act and HIV Infection: New England Journal of Medicine (10/22/98) Vol. 339, No. 17, P. 1255; Annas, George J.; Dr. George J. Annas, of the Boston University School of Public Health, provides a legal overview of the recent Supreme Court decision covering HIV infection under the Americans With Disabilities Act. In the case, plaintiff Sidney Abbott, who is HIV-positive, claimed that she had been discriminated against by her dentis
OSHA Seeks Input on Trimming Needlestick Injuries: PropertyAndCasualty.com (10/13/98); The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is requesting information on additional ways to better shield health care employees from contaminated needles or other sharp objects. Injuries of this nature can cause serious illness or fatality from bloodborne pathogens like hepatitis B, hepatitis C, or HIV. Hepatitis
City All but Says No to HIV Testing for 9th Graders: Chicago Tribune Online (10/21/98); Martin, Andrew; Washburn, Gary; Christian, Sue Ellen; Chicago Health Commissioner Sheila Lyne said Tuesday that the city has no plans to pursue a recommendation by 10th Alderman John Buchanan that all high-school freshmen in Chicago submit to sexually transmitted disease and HIV tests as a requirement for public school admission. Buchanan made the proposal after he heard
Soldiers' HIV Risk Behaviors Unaffected by Army's HIV Education: Reuters Health Information Services (10/21/98); A report in the October issue of Military Medicine indicates that the U.S. Army s HIV education program does not affect the self-reported HIV risk behaviors of soldiers, despite reaching large numbers. According to a study of self-reported risk behaviors among 1,368 soldiers, led by Dr. Ellen D. Nannis of the Henry M.
House OKs Prison-HIV Test Bill: Newsday Online (10/21/98); On Wednesday, the House passed a bill requiring that all federal inmates whose bodily fluids come into contact with corrections officers would have to be tested for HIV. The Senate cleared the measure by a voice vote on Tuesday, and President Clinton will likely sign it. The measure also requires HIV testing for high-r
Senate OKs Henney as New FDA Chief: Washington Times (10/22/98) P. A7; Dr. Jane Henney was confirmed as the new head of the Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday by the Senate. Henney was nominated in June by President Clinton and becomes the first woman to head the FDA , succeeding David Kessler as its director.
Budget Forbids Money for Needle Exchange: Washington Post (10/22/98) P. A4; Goldstein, Avram; A ban on the use of federal and city funding for needle exchanges in the District of Columbia was included in the federal budget that was signed into law on Wednesday. The provision, authored by Rep. Todd Tiahrt (R-Kan.), also threatens to withdraw funding for any agency that exchanges needles in the city--even if they
Payment Allowed to Hemophiliacs Who Got HIV From Blood: Philadelphia Inquirer (10/22/98) P. A10; Rizzo, Katherine; The Senate passed a bill Wednesday that would authorize the compensation of hemophiliacs who contracted HIV through tainted blood products. Under the Ricky Ray bill, which now goes to President Clinton, infected hemophiliacs would receive $100,000 each. However, Congress has not yet appropriated the roughly $750 millio
A European Centre for Infectious Disease?: Lancet (10/17/98) Vol. 352, No. 9136, P. 1308; Giesecke, Johan; Weinberg, Julius; In a letter to the Lancet, Johan Giesecke of the Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control, and Julius Weinberg, of the Public Health Laboratory Service Headquarters in London, comment on the creation of an infectious disease center in Europe. While the topic has been discussed recently, the authors state that a
Mycoplasma Hominis Parasitism of Trichomonas Vaginalis (Research Letter): Lancet (10/17/98) Vol. 352, No. 9136, P. 1286; Rappelli, Paola; Addis, Maria Filippa; Carta, Franco; et al.; Italian researchers isolated Trichomonas vaginalis from Italian, Mozambican, and Angolan women, culturing the parasites and monitoring them to make sure that they were Mycoplasma-free. The isolates were cultured for three months in Mycoplasma-free conditions and were then tested for Mycoplasma group-specific PCR. Only
Hepatitis C Alert: American Medical News (10/12/98) Vol. 41, No. 38, P. 29; The Hepatitis Foundation Center and the hepatitis branch of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has sent out free audio cassettes and printed material on hepatitis C to 200,000 physicians. The project attempts to address hepatitis C risk assessment, diagnostic tests, and treatment. The viral infection affect
Glaxo Submits HIV Protease Inhibitor Amprenavir for FDA Approval: Reuters Health Information Services (10/20/98); Glaxo Wellcome has submitted a New Drug Application to the Food and Drug Administration for the protease inhibitor amprenavir . The drug, designated as a fast-track product by the FDA , has shown significant activity in clinical trials and has been successful in combination r
No Money to Fight Childhood TB in Russian Republic: Russia Today Online (10/20/98); According to the Itar-Tass news agency, the Russian republic of Altai in central Siberia does not have the funds to adequately treat tuberculosis in children. The region has a high TB rate, measuring 1.6 times normal levels among the adult population. The region also has a birth rate that is four times greater than the
Swedish Authorities Hunt American in AIDS Scare: Baltimore Sun (10/21/98) P. 14A; Swedish police are looking for an HIV-positive California man suspected of having unprotected sex with women he picked up in Stockholm nightspots. The man, who is aware of his infection, has reportedly been in Sweden since 1992. Police are currently trying to contact 190 women listed in the man s address book.
Herpes Found in Brains of MS Patients: Washington Times (10/21/98) P. A9; Researchers from the Institute for Viral Pathogenesis in Milwaukee have found circumstantial evidence that multiple sclerosis may be associated with a form of the herpes virus. The scientists found human herpes virus-6 (HHV-6) in the brains of eight of 11 multiple sclerosis patients. HHV-6 was also detected in the bloo
EU Reports AIDS Toll in Thailand Is 9 Times Official Death Figure: Baltimore Sun (10/21/98) P. 14A; Brunnstrom, David; A joint study released Tuesday by the European Union found that the number of people who have died from AIDS in Thailand is nine times greater than had previously been reported. According to the study, over 222,000 Thais have died of AIDS since 1985, compared to the Public Health Ministry report of 24,667 deaths. The s
Blood Center Ads, Meant to Be Calming, Prove to Be Alarming: New York Times (10/21/98) P. A28; Steinhauer, Jennifer; An advertising campaign by the New York Blood Center designed to make people feel safer about blood transfusions is causing concern, prompting a flood of calls from fearful blood recipients. The ads said that there may have been a problem in viral testing of blood used for transfusions between January 1991 to December
Incidence of Dilated Cardiomyopathy and Detection of HIV in Myocardial Cells of HIV-Positive Patients: New England Journal of Medicine Online (10/15/98) Vol. 339, No. 16, P. 1093; Barbaro, Giuseppe; Di Lorenzo, Gabriella; Grisorio, Benvenuto; et al.; Italian researchers report that dilated cardiomyopathy in HIV- positive patients may be related to the action of HIV. The scientists conducted a prospective, long-term study of 952 asymptomatic HIV-infected patients, with 76 patients (8 percent) diagnosed during the follow-up period as having dilated cardiomyopathy. Th
Concern Voiced Over 'Dry Sex' Practices in South Africa: Lancet (10/17/98) Vol. 352, No. 9136, P. 1292; Baleta, Adele; Some researchers are warning against the practice of dry sex used in parts of Africa. Many women, particularly prostitutes, will insert substances, such as household detergents or antiseptics, in their vagina prior to intercourse in order to prevent wetness of the vagina during intercourse. They claim that this produce
While Stocks Last ...: New Scientist (09/26/98) Vol. 159, No. 2153, P. 20; Day, Michael; Hoffmann-La Roche has said that it will donate saquinavir, ddC , and AZT to hospitals in Kenya , Tanzania , Uganda ,
India's Efforts to Check HIV Spread Lauded: Hindu Online (10/17/98); Dr. Peter Piot, the executive director of the Joint UN Program on HIV/AIDS, said Friday that while he is satisfied with India s efforts to combat AIDS, the country should take greater help from non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Piot commended the initiation of the safe blood transfusion policy and said that he app
Tuberculosis Spreads to 2.5 Million Russians: Russia Today Online (10/19/98); A senior Russian Health Ministry official announced last week that 2.5 million Russians are infected with tuberculosis. There has been an 8.5 percent increase in the number of infected people so far in 1998. TB prevalence has risen from 7.7 cases per 100,000 Russians in 1990 to 17.7 cases per 100,000 in 1998, with rate
Drug Adherence Overestimated by HIV-Positive Patients: Reuters Health Information Services (10/19/98); Dr. Kathleen M. Melbourne of the University of Rhode Island in Providence and colleagues have concluded that when used alone, self-reports of drug adherence do not provide an accurate assessment of compliance among HIV-infected individuals. The researchers compared self-reported rates of adherence with an electronic mo
HIV/AIDS Funding Increases Included in Congressional FY99 Budget: Reuters Health Information Services (10/19/98); The fiscal year 1999 budget passed last Thursday by Congress will include a $350 million increase for HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment, U.S. Newswire has reported. The Ryan White Care Act will provide $1.6 billion--with a 61 percent increase for the AIDS Drug Assistance Program--while the Centers for Disease Control a
Film on AIDS to Honor Crusading Doctor: Los Angeles Times--National Edition (10/20/98) P. D3; Berger, Leslie; Renowned AIDS researcher Jonathan Mann had been working on a documentary based on his book, AIDS in the World II, before he and his wife, Mary Lou Clements-Mann, died in the crash of Swissair Flight 111 in early September. The epidemiologist s work will be continued by a group that is beginning production of the film n
AIDS Has Killed 250,000 Kenyans--Health Ministry: Reuters (10/20/98); The Kenyan health ministry reports that at least 256,750 people in the country have died from AIDS since 1980. The National AIDS Control Program also said that an estimated 1.5 million Kenyans--5 percent of the total population of the country--have HIV or AIDS.
Congress Ready to Vote on DC Spending Plan: Washington Times (10/20/98) P. C7; Ferrechio, Susan; Congress will vote today on a $5.2 billion spending package for the District of Columbia that includes a ban on the use of city funds for needle-exchange programs. A number of District activists and leaders have raised objections to the ban of the use of funds for needle exchanges; however, congressional leaders would
Temporal Trends in the Progression of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Disease in a Cohort of Drug Users: Epidemiology (11/98) Vol. 9, No. 6, P. 613; Webber, Mayris P.; Schoenbaum, Ellie E.; Gourevitch, Marc N.; et al.; To examine changes over time in the progression to AIDS among intravenous drug users in a methadone maintenance program, researchers from Montefiore Medical Center and the Albert Einstein School of Medicine evaluated 524 HIV-positive IDUs between 1986 and 1995. After controlling for CD4 cell counts and age, the hazard
Self Help: New Scientist (09/26/98) Vol. 159, No. 2153, P. 4; Holmes, Ben; A team of scientists in Montana have succeeded in immunizing mice against chlamydia. Harlan Caldwell and associates at the Rocky Mountain Laboratory of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases added heat-killed chlamydia to cultured dendritic cells from female mice. They then replaced the cells in the
Mayor vs. Drug Czar: US News and World Report (10/12/98) Vol. 125, No. 14, P. 31; Marks, John; Drug czar Gen. Barry McCaffrey and New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani have been at odds recently over the use of methadone to treat heroin addicts. While McCaffrey supports the use of methadone, arguing that the medication is essential for heroin addiction treatment, Giuliani claims that the medication merely substit
Blood Transfusion Scare Hits Hong Kong: Reuters (10/18/98); The Hospital Authority in Hong Kong has reportedly found that 547 blood donors in the city were infected with hepatitis C virus through the Hong Kong Red Cross Transfusion Service between 1985 and 1991. Authorities are tracing up to 200 patients who may have received the tainted blood via transfusions.
Too Late on Health: New York Times (10/19/98) P. A20; Ferrari Jr., George P.; George P. Ferrari, Jr., the executive director of AIDS Work of Tompkins County, New York, agrees with a recent New York Times article that discussed the challenges of HIV-infected individuals in rural areas of the United States . In a letter to the editor of the Times, Ferrari notes that confidentiality, transportation
HIV Patient Taken Off Drugs in Experiment: Boston Globe Online (10/19/98); Scientists at Massachusetts General Hospital have taken one HIV-infected patient off combination therapy to determine if his immune system will be able to actively control his infection. The volunteer has been receiving anti-HIV medication for about a year and a half, beginning treatment almost immediately after infect
Good News About Teens and Sex: Washington Times (10/19/98) P. A19; Fields, Suzanne; In a commentary in the Washington Times, columnist Suzanne Fields cites recent data from the National Center for Health Statistics indicating that the teen birth rate in the United States dropped almost 3 percent last year and that the number of abortions also declined. According to the Alan Guttmacher Institute, the d
Across the USA: Kansas: USA Today (10/19/98) P. 22A; An oral vaccine against HIV appears to have given long-term protection against the sexual transmission of the virus in monkeys. Scientist Bill Naryan, of the University of Kentucky, is hoping that the results of his experiment, scheduled to be published in the November issue of the Journal of Virology, will also work i
Hepatitis C Epidemic Lurks in the Afflicted, as Blood Tracing Lags: Wall Street Journal (10/19/98) P. B1; Chase, Marilyn; A lookback program to investigate and track people who received hepatitis C virus-infected blood transfusions has been delayed six months by the Food and Drug Administration, pushing it back to March 1999. The delay is meant to allow hospitals and blood banks time to get ready for the task of notifying up to 400,000 pe
AIDS Dissidents Wage Lonely Battle: Toronto Globe and Mail (10/13/98) P. D5; Gilbert, Sky; An international AIDS dissident group has recently opened chapters in Toronto and Vancouver, with 500 supporters in the two cities and 10,000 supporters worldwide. The group, Health Education AIDS Liaison (HEAL), asserts that HIV is not the cause of AIDS. Instead, they believe that drug use--both anti -HIV drugs and il
AIDS Education Program Improves Knowledge in Middle, High School Students: Reuters Health Information Services (10/15/98); University of Rochester researchers led by Dr. David M. Siegel report that the Rochester AIDS Prevention Project for Youth (RAPP) significantly increases HIV knowledge in middle school and high school students. The scientists examined changes in students knowledge, self-efficacy, and safe behavior actions following edu
TB Cases Rising by 200 a Year: Hong Kong Standard Online (10/16/98); Moy, Patsy; Lee Shiu-hung, chairman of the Chinese University s Department of Community and Family Medicine, announced that tuberculosis has reappeared in Hong Kong and in other countries. Lee said that the number of tuberculosis cases in Hong Kong has increased by about 200 per year over the past three years.
Budget Bill Bans Needle Exchange Funds: Washington Post (10/16/98) P. B3; Vise, David A.; Wheeler, Linda; Strauss, Valerie; et al.; The District of Columbia budget bill was approved yesterday as part of the federal budget agreement. Under the bill, the use of District or federal funds for needle exchange programs is prohibited.
AIDS-Related Deaths: New York Times (10/16/98) P. A24; Fogiel, Max; In a letter to the editor of the New York Times, Max Fogiel comments on the steady rate of new HIV infections in the United States , despite the decline in AIDS deaths. With 40,000 new HIV infections annually, Fogiel reminds that new anti-HIV drugs are not a cure. He asserts that the number of AIDS-related deaths will
Zuma Defends AZT Policy: Africa News Service (10/15/98); Barrell, Howard; Hess, Stuart; South Africa Minister of Health Nkosazana Zuma is defending her decision not to make AZT generally available to HIV- positive pregnant women because of expense and the possibility of low success rates. Zuma says she is more interested in putting South Africa s resources into preventing HIV in the first place and pla
First in New England Receive AIDS Vaccine in Clinical Trial: Boston Globe Online (10/16/98); Two New England men were the first in the region to be inoculated with VaxGen s AIDSvax in a clinical trial. The trail, which will involve 5,000 subjects in the United States , began in June in Philadelphia. The Fenway Community Health Center, the only New England center to recruit volunteers for the study, is seeking
Blood Recipients to Get Alert About Hepatitis C: Washington Times (10/16/98) P. A8; The United States government is sending out thousands of warnings about possible infection with hepatitis C, starting with people who may have contracted the virus from blood transfusions before 1992, when purity tests of the blood supply began screening for the virus. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention sai
Vaccine-Induced Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes Protect Against Retroviral Challenge: Nature Medicine (10/98) Vol. 4, No. 10, P. 1193; Hislop, Andrew D.; Good, Michael F.; Mateo, Luis; et al.; Australian researchers conducted vaccination studies in which 12 sheep were inoculated with a minimal ovine cytotoxic T- lymphocyte (CTL) peptide epitope identified within gp51 of the bovine leukemia virus (BLV), a member of the human T-cell leukemia virus (HTLV)/BLV genus of retroviruses. Some of the sheep were contro
HIV Spreads in Vietnam, Death Toll Rises Sharply: Reuters (10/14/98); An official from the National AIDS Protection Committee in Vietnam said that HIV has spread to all but one province in the country and that the AIDS mortality rate has risen by 50 percent in the past month. The official said that there were 10,335 reported HIV cases as of last Saturday, with over 1,890 people with AIDS
State May Require Doctors to Report Names of People With HIV: Oregon Live Online (10/15/98); The Washington State Board of Health voted seven-to-zero in favor of drafting a rule adding HIV to the list of communicable diseases that must be reported. The board will review the draft rule on November 12. Washington currently reports the names of people with AIDS and debates are underway concerning the reporting of
Cel-Sci's AIDS Vaccine Is Successful in Tests: Baltimore Sun (10/15/98) P. 2C; A Cel-Sci Corp. study of a vaccine candidate shows that 78 percent of mice inoculated with the experimental vaccine did not develop HIV. Further studies among a small human cohort are underway in the Netherlands . The results of the study were published in the journal Vaccine.
Fight to Compensate HIV Tainted-Blood Victims Goes Down to Wire: Boston Globe Online (10/15/98); Rizzo, Katherine; Sens. Mike DeWine (R-Ohio) and James Jeffords (R-Vt.) are both pushing a vote near the end of the Congressional session in an effort to pass bills for the compensation of people who were infected with HIV through tainted-blood transfusions. One bill, backed by DeWine, would compensate hemophiliacs who contracted the vi
Fewer Teen Girls Getting Pregnant: USA Today (10/15/98) P. 1D; Painter, Kim; New data from the Alan Guttmacher Institute shows that teen pregnancies have hit a 20-year low with 101 pregnancies per 1,000 girls aged 15 years to 19 years--a 14 percent drop from 1990 levels. The use of birth control and increase in teen abstinence have been credited with the decline in the birthrate. Sarah Brown, d
Mutating Strains of AIDS Virus Can 'Compartmentalize' in Body: Washington Post (10/15/98) P. A4; A study of 11 HIV-infected men in North Carolina and Switzerland indicates that HIV can mutate into different strains in the blood and semen of a patient. Pietro Vernazza of St. Gall Cantonal Hospital in Switzerland and Joseph J. Eron of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, report in the October 22 issue of t
Medical Panel Urges HIV Test for All Pregnant Women: New York Times (10/15/98) P. A24; Leary, Warren E.; A panel of experts from the Institute of Medicine, an affiliate of the National Academy of Sciences, has recommended that HIV testing be required for all pregnant women. The institute conducted a Congressionally mandated study of the issue; currently, Federal guidelines suggest that doctors counsel women about HIV and
Zidovudine and Confusion in Urinary Metabolic Screening: Lancet (10/10/98) Vol. 352, No. 9135, P. 1227; Sewell, Adrian C.; In a letter to the editor of the Lancet, Adrian C. Sewell of the University Children s Hospital in Frankfurt, Germany , reports that there were large amounts of thymine in the urine of three neonates born to HIV-positive mothers receiving zidovudine. The excessive thymine appears to be due to zidovudine treatment. Sewe
US AIDS Research Office Chief: Intensify Vaccine, Prevention Research: Journal of the American Medical Association (10/14/98) Vol. 280, No. 14, P. 1211; Stephenson, Joan; Dr. Neal Nathanson, the new director of the National Institutes of Health s Office of AIDS Research, recently said the agency will step up vaccine research. With an estimated 30 million HIV-infected people in the world, Nathanson said prevention of infection, including vaccination, is a primary concern. NIH s AIDS vacc
Antiviral Coffee: New Scientist (09/26/98) Vol. 159, No. 2153, P. 23; Edward Robinson of the University of California at Irvine reported in 1996 that green coffee beans contain chicoric acid, which may stop HIV from replicating. They asserted that the acid works by blocking the enzyme integrase--which inserts the virus into human DNA. The idea was perceived with some skepticism by resear
Treating an AIDS Cancer: Maclean's (10/05/98) Vol. 111, No. 40, P. 65; Health Canada has approved Schering Canada s Caelyx for the treatment of Kaposi s sarcoma. In clinical trials, use of the drug--which is the 23-year-old cancer medication doxorubicin enclosed in a shell that carries it directly to tumor sites-- resulted in a significant improvement in condition for up to 65 percent of
Technique Can Remove HIV From Semen: Pathfinder Online (10/13/98); Dr. Augusto E. Semprini of the University of Milan, Italy , and colleagues announced that they successfully removed HIV from semen taken from infected men. The researchers used processed semen from HIV-infected partners of 513 HIV-negative women. They inseminated the women between 1989 and 1998, resulting in 178 delive
State Fights Efforts to Open Boy's AIDS Report: St. Louis Post-Dispatch (10/13/98) P. B2; Munz, Michele; Brian Stewart is accused of injecting his son, age seven, with HIV-tainted blood. The Missouri Department of Health began an investigation in 1996 into how the boy acquired HIV and now Stewart s lawyer, Joseph Murphy, is attempting to obtain a copy of that investigation. State officials are trying to block the attorney
Across the USA: New Hampshire: USA Today (10/14/98) P. 11A; The Dover, N.H., school board voted five-to-one against making condoms available in schools. Discussions over the measure, which dragged on for months, were brought to the fore by Dr. Leonard Small, who suggested that students be offered condoms in the interest of public health.
Venezuela: AIDS Cases, Deaths Double in Four Years: Miami Herald (10/13/98) P. 11A; The Venezuelan Health and Social Welfare Ministry reports that there were 7,000 new AIDS cases and 4,000 AIDS-related deaths in the country between 1994 and 1998. AIDS cases and AIDS- related deaths rose 100 percent during the four year span; prior to 1994, there were 3,690 AIDS cases and 2,116 deaths associated with A
HIV, Risky Behavior Prevalence Still High Among Young San Francisco Men: Reuters Health Information Services (10/13/98); Dr. Mitchell Katz of the San Francisco Department of Public Health and fellow researchers report that the rate of high- risk sex practices among young gay and bisexual men in the city stayed at elevated levels. The researchers sampled and serotyped 675 men aged 17 years to 22 years between May 1994 and September 1995,
San Francisco Begins New AIDS Awareness Campaign: Nando Times Online (10/13/98); Quinn, Andrew; San Francisco public health officials will begin a free new anti-HIV program offering morning after treatment to people who believe that they may have been exposed to HIV. The treatment, called post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), involves the administration of anti-HIV medications within 72 hours of possible exposure. Th
Digene Will Market Virus-Detecting Kit: Washington Post (10/14/98) P. F3; Gillis, Justin; Digene Corp. announced that it has received approval by the Food and Drug Administration to market a kit that genetically tests for cytomegalovirus infection. The virus affects people with AIDS, sometimes even blinding them, and can kill organ- transplant recipients. The new kit is less expensive and labor intensive th
Antiretroviral Treatment: Lancet (10/10/98) Vol. 352, No. 9135, P. 1224; Boelaert, Johan R.; Sperber, Kirk; In a letter to the editor of the Lancet, Johan R. Boelaert of Algemeen Ziekenhuis St-Jan in Belgium and Kirk Spencer of Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City, call for less expensive antiretroviral therapies in the developing world. They suggest that the combination of hydroxyurea, didanosine, and chloroquine
Man Sues University Over Alleged Release of HIV Status: Postnet Online (10/11/98); An unidentified man is suing Saint Louis University and others, claiming that his HIV-status was leaked to his ex- wife. The plaintiff, known as John Doe , also said that once his ex-wife received information about his HIV status, she filed for custody of his children; Doe is the custodial parent of the children. The U
Still Living With AIDS, and Endless Jokes About Bananas: New York Times (10/13/98) P. D3; Dreifus, Claudia; The New York Times conducted an interview with Jeff Getty, an AIDS patient who persuaded the Food and Drug Administration to grant him an experimental bone marrow transplant from a baboon. Two years later, Getty feels that the radiation therapy he received may have extended his life, although the graft did not take. Ge
Across the USA: Louisiana: USA Today (10/13/98) P. 23A; The trial of Dr. Richard Schmidt, who is accused of injecting an ex-girlfriend with HIV-tainted blood, begins today. Janice Trehan claims that Schmidt, who is married, infected her with the tainted blood when she tried to break off their ten-year affair. Schmidt is charged with second-degree murder.
US HHS: Scientists Report New Lead in the [Fight Against AIDS]: M2 Presswire (10/12/98); Scientists in the October issue of the Journal of Immunology report that a switch in the HIV strain from M-tropic to T- tropic in the body may be due to cytokine regulation. M-tropic stains are associated with early HIV infection and use the CCR5 protein as their coreceptor, while T-tropic strains become prevalent afte
AIDS Patients Face Loss of Drugs When HMOs Quit Medicare: Washington Post (10/10/98) P. A14; Hilzenrath, David S.; Antiretroviral treatment for HIV patients may no longer be covered by some HMOs as they stop serving Medicare beneficiaries in the District of Columbia area. Some HMOs are halting Medicare coverage in certain areas because they feel the government is paying them too little for the coverage. Medicare recipients can reve
High Chlamydia Rates Found in Teen-Agers: New York Times (10/13/98) P. D10; Grady, Denise; The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that there are 4 million chlamydia infections in the United States annually, with high rates among teenage girls. Some doctors are recommending that girls be screened twice a year for the disease, instead of once annually, which is recommended by current guidelin
Teen Birthrate in 1997 Decreased Almost 3 Percent: Washington Times (10/13/98) P. A3; Wetzstein, Cheryl; Early 1997 data released last week by the National Center for Health Statistics indicates that the teen birthrate decreased by 2.7 percent, marking the sixth year of decline. The number of births to unmarried women, which has been increasing for years, also leveled off. There were 52.9 births per 1,000 girls aged 15- t
Clarifying AIDS Vaccine Trial Guidelines: Nature Medicine (10/98) Vol. 4, No. 10, P. 1091; Cohen, Jon; Ivinson, Adrian J.; In a letter to Nature Medicine, Jon Cohen notes that an article he wrote for Science may have been misinterpreted in an article by Nature Medicine editor Adrian J. Ivinson. Cohen s article focused on ethical debates at the recent meeting in Geneva concerning HIV vaccine trials. He states that Ivinson is misled in belie
Lack of T-Cell Proliferative Response to HIV-1 Antigens After 1 Year of Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy in Early HIV-1 Disease [Research Letter]: Lancet (10/10/98) Vol. 352, No. 9135, P. 1194; Plana, Montserrat; Garcia, Felipe; Gallart, Teresa; A team of Spanish researchers investigated virus-specific CD4 T-cell helper responses in patients receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). The responses are not usually detected in people with early HIV infection. CD4 T-cell proliferation and response is associated with viremia control in a few long-term
Cleveland AIDS Research Will Continue Under Grant: Crain's Cleveland Business (09/21/98) Vol. 19, No. 38, P. 7; The Center for AIDS Research in Cleveland will receive a $5 million grant over five years from the National Institutes of Health. The center, one of 12 in the country funded by NIH, is based at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and affiliated with AIDS programs at University Hospitals of Cleveland. An
Syphilis Cases Reach Epidemic Proportions in Nashville: MSNBC Online (10/09/98); Health department officials in Nashville, Tenn., report that syphilis cases have reached an epidemic level in the city due to unprotected sex, drugs, poverty, and apathy. Health department director Stephanie Bailey says, It s a whole social issue, poverty, drugs, sex for drugs. The disease is most prominent in African-
AIDS Office's Woes Persist: Washington Post (10/12/98) P. D3; Goldstein, Avram; AIDS activists in the District of Columbia are complaining that the District s AIDS office is having trouble processing grant money due to staffing problems. The last director of the office was replaced one year ago after failing to spend grant money. The new director, Ron Lewis, asserts that the office has been quick
Doctors Blast South Africa for Withdrawing AIDS Campaign Money: Boston Globe Online (10/11/98); Physicians have spoken out against a decision by the South African government to cut funding for a treatment program serving HIV-infected pregnant women. Five pilot programs supplying AZT to HIV-positive pregnant women were shut down, and Health Minister Nkosazana Zuma announced that the $14 million campaign would be b
NJ Tracks Graying of AIDS: Bergen Record Online (10/12/98); Layton, Mary Jo; New Jersey began tracking AIDS cases among people over 50 in 1985, finding that 5.5 percent of cases occurred in older people. Currently, people over 50 account for 14 percent of AIDS cases in New Jersey, up 10 percent from two years ago. There are 4,341 reported cases of AIDS among people aged 50 or older in the state
In Small Town, USA, AIDS Presents New Set of Hardships: New York Times (10/12/98) P. A1; Belluck, Pam; AIDS cases are increasingly becoming a problem in rural areas of the United States , as social taboos and lack of knowledge about the disease can make treatment and prevention difficult in these areas. The number of reported HIV rural cases is small--constituting only 7 percent of the total cases in the United States i
An Antimicrobial Activity of Cytolytic T Cells Mediated by Granulysin: Science (10/02/98) Vol. 282, No. 5386, P. 121; Stenger, Steffen; Hanson, Dennis A.; Teitelbaum, Rachel; et al.; Cytolytic T lymphocytes use a granule-dependent mechanism to eliminate intracellular pathogens. Granulysin, a protein contained in granules of CTLs, negatively impacted the ability of many pathogens--bacteria, fungi, and parasites--to survive and grow in vitro. Granulysin is able to eliminate extracellular Mycobacteriu
Hepatitis C Viral Dynamics in Vivo and the Antiviral Efficacy of Interferon-Alpha Therapy: Science (10/02/98) Vol. 282, No. 5386, P. 103; Neumann, Avidan U.; Lam, Nancy P.; Dahari, Harel; et al.; An international group of researchers used a mathematical model to analyze viral decline in 23 patients being treated for hepatitis C infection with interferon-alpha-2b (IFN). According to the analysis, IFN initially prevents virion production or release, with a blocking efficacy of 81 percent for a daily dose of 5 mil
Disney Inhibits AIDS Ads: CNN Online (10/08/98); A complaint by Walt Disney Co. has resulted in the withdrawal of an AIDS prevention campaign in France involving Cinderella and Snow White. The ads depicted the characters making love with their respective Prince Charmings in an attempt to show that women are at greater risk for contracting HIV than men in a heterosexu
Patient Participation in HIV Treatment Plans Recommended to Improve Adherence: Reuters Health Information Services (10/08/98); Dr. Barron H. Lerner, of Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City, and fellow researchers report in the October 1st issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine that anti-HIV drug regimen adherence may be increased by personalizing patient medication plans. The researchers recommend that pati
Two Million Zambians Expected to Die of AIDS in 2010: African National Congress Daily News Briefing Online (10/08/98); Peter Chintala, deputy minister for religious affairs in Zambia , warned Wednesday that about 20 percent of people in the country will die from AIDS in the next 10 years, with at least 2 million dead by the year 2010. He said that the deaths would leave 1 million orphans. Furthermore, over 25,000 children contract HIV
Three Children Contract HIV at Moscow Hospital: Russia Today Online (10/09/98); Interfax news agency reports that three children contracted HIV at the children s clinical hospital in Moscow, Russia , following blood transfusions with tainted blood. One of the children died of leukemia in July. The other two children were diagnosed as HIV-positive at the Moscow AIDS prevention center. According to
China Seizes 1.5-Tonne Cache of Illegal Blood: Reuters (10/09/98); According to the Procuratorial Daily, Chinese police have seized 1.5 tonnes of illegally collected blood from dealers who pay poor rural donors for their blood and then resell it to hospitals for large profits. In all, the police arrested 11 suspected blood dealers. A ban on the sale of blood in China we
Botanists, Chemists Join AIDS Fight: MSNBC Online (10/09/98); Esposito, Joan; Botanists and chemists are searching for naturally occurring HIV treatments. Five years ago, Dr. Djaja Soejarto and others from the University of Illinois at Chicago shipped hundreds of plant clippings to the United States to be tested for anti-HIV properties; one of the plants, Calophyllum, completely inhibited HIV in
Huge Gains, and Huge Worries, on AIDS: New York Times (10/09/98) P. A28; The medical advances that led to a 47 percent decline in the AIDS mortality rate last year are remarkable, yet there are still many HIV-infected individuals, according to an editorial in the New York Times. As many as 900,000 people in the United States carry the virus, with the rate of new infections steady at about 4
Private Doctors in India Prescribe Wrong Tuberculosis Drugs: British Medical Journal Online (10/3/98) Vol. 317, P. 904; Mudur, Ganapati; A study by a government tuberculosis center in the Maharashtra state of India found that many doctors were prescribing the wrong combinations and dosages for TB treatment. According to the data, published in the Indian Journal of Tuberculosis, there were 71 faulty prescriptions out of 100 written by doctors with a post
Direct Visualization of Antigen-Specific Cytotoxic T-Cells--A New Insight Into Immune Defenses: New England Journal of Medicine Online (10/08/98) Vol. 339, No. 15,; Schwartz, Robert S.; Several laboratories have recently devised methods to count antigen-specific T-cells directly using a florescence- activated cell sorter, reagents, and knowledge of the patient s human leukocyte antigen (HLA) type. In the New England Journal of Medicine, Robert S. Schwartz notes that two years ago, Altman et al. devise
OI Prophylaxis in Antiretroviral Responders: Stay the Course or Bite the Bullet?: AIDS Clinical Care (10/98) Vol. 10, No. 10, P. 73; Currier, Judith; With increases in CD4 cell counts and reductions of HIV viral loads associated with antiretroviral therapy, studies have been initiated to determine whether patients who successfully undergo this treatment can discontinue prophylaxis against opportunistic illness, such as Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) and Pneumocys
Cytokines Upregulate Expression of HIV Coreceptor CXCR4 on Dendritic Cells: Reuters Health Information Services (10/07/98); A report in the October 1st issue of the Journal of Immunology indicates that CXCR4 expression is affected by cytokine levels. Researchers from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration report that cultured Langerhans cells expressed CXCR4, CCR5, and CD4 on their surfaces; and the addition of cytokines to the cell culture
Zimbabwe Cannot Afford Antiretroviral Therapy: Africa News Service (10/07/98); Viriri, Fanuel; According to a report released by Dr. Tsungai Chipato of the University of Zimbabwe and Theresa McCann, a coordinator in the Ministry of Health for UNICEF for AIDS, zidovudine treatment to prevent mother-to-child HIV infection is not affordable in Zimbabwe. The authors contend that the use of Zidovudine in this regime
Kansas City to Take Part in Trials of New AIDS Vaccine: Topeka Capital-Journal Online (10/08/98); The Kansas City AIDS Research Consortium will begin accepting this week applications from people at high risk for HIV, but not infected with the virus, for upcoming trials of the AIDSvax vaccine. The vaccine is designed to stimulate an antibody response by the body s immune system, although some opponents doubt that th
UNAIDS Leader Says HIV Epidemic Poses Increasing Threat: Reuters Health Information Services (10/07/98); Dr. Peter Piot, executive director of the Joint UN Program on HIV/AIDS, said Tuesday that the HIV epidemic is increasingly threatening children worldwide. Piot, speaking at a convention in Geneva organized by the Committee on the Rights of the Child, asserted that governments must be responsible and accountable for imp
County Leaders Debate Needle Exchange Fund: Journal Sentinel Online (10/08/98); Held, Tom; In Wisconsin, Milwaukee County officials began discussions concerning the use of tax money for a needle-exchange program. County Executive F. Thomas Ament proposed that $100,000 of the 1999 budget be allocated for a needle-exchange program, helping to fund the AIDS Resource Center of Wisconsin s Lifepoint program. Whil
AIDS Deaths in U.S. Drop by Nearly Half as Infections Go On: New York Times (10/08/98) P. A1; Holmes, Steven A.; The AIDS mortality rate in the United States decreased by 46.4 percent in 1997, according to new data from the National Center for Health Statistics. There were 16,865 deaths due to AIDS in 1997, as compared to 31,130 deaths in 1996. The mortality rate decreased by a much greater margin than the previous record decreas
Efficacy of Risk-Reduction Counseling to Prevent Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Sexually Transmitted Diseases: Journal of the American Medical Association (010/07/98) Vol. 280, No. 13, P. 1161; Kamb, Mary L.; Fishbein, Martin; Douglas Jr., John M.; et al.; A simple change in HIV and STD counseling across the nation could make a tremendous difference in slowing the spread of HIV and other STDs, suggests new data from CDC. Researchers found that when counselors encourage and discuss prevention strategies with people at risk, rather than simple providing a lecture on HIV pr
HIV-Infected Subjects With the E4 Allele for APOE Have Excess Dementia and Peripheral Neuropathy: Nature Medicine (10/98) Vol. 4, No. 10, P. 1182; Corder, Elizabeth H.; Robertson, Kevin; Lannfelt, Lars; et al.; HIV infection can result in the over-expression of glial cytokines in the central nervous system, a process which is also implicated in Alzheimer s disease pathogenesis. Risk of Alzheimer s is associated with the E4 allele for apolipoprotein E (APOE). Researchers from Sweden ,
What New Spermicides Are in Development?: AIDS Alert (10/98) Vol. 13, No. 10, P. 119; Penelope Hitchcock, head of the sexually transmitted diseases branch of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, reports that a NIAID initiative has been developed to explore new microbicides for women. A naphthalene sulphonate polymer, called Pro 200 is in the works; it has been found to be active ag
State May Soon Require HIV Reporting: Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Online (10/06/98); Wilson, Lillie; The Pennsylvania Department of Health is considering mandating the reporting of all HIV infections in the state. But health department spokesman Jack McGettigan noted, We re not at a point yet where we ve taken a position or even a direction. We re looking at all options, be that names reporting or any other system of
Drug-Sensitive TB Outbreak in Tennessee Linked to Drug- Resistant New York Strain: Reuters Health Information Services (10/06/98); According to research by Dr. David W. Haas of Vanderbilt Medical center and fellow scientists, a drug-sensitive Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain that was transmitted from an AIDS patient in a Tennessee hospital to another HIV-positive patient and a staff member in 1992 is similar to the W-variant responsible for drug-
Health Notes: Anti-HIV Spermicide Developed: United Press International (10/06/98); Wasowicz, Lidia; A new spermicide for women, developed by Dr. Osmond D Cruz and colleagues at the Hughes Institute, reportedly is active against HIV. Human trials are expected to get underway within the next year. The sole current microbicide being considered for use against sexually transmitted HIV infection in women contains nonoxyno
Whitman Quietly Adds Allies to AIDS Council: Newsday Online (10/06/98); Two new members have been added to New Jersey Gov. Christine Whitman s Advisory Council on AIDS, both of whom share Whitman s stance against needle-exchange programs. Chiropractor Seriah L. Rein, and Len Deo, the president of the New Jersey Family Policy Council, were added to fill two of the 13 empty spots in the coun
FDA Panel Backs Glaxo Wellcome Drug for Use in Treating Chronic Hepatitis B: Wall Street Journal (10/07/98) P. B20; Sharpe, Rochelle; A Food and Drug Administration panel unanimously recommended the approval of Glaxo Wellcome s Epivir-HBV, a reverse transcriptase inhibitor, for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B virus infection. If cleared by the FDA , the drug- -which was approved for use against HIV in 1995--would be the first approved for the tr
Men in India Respond to HIV-1 Education: Lancet (10/03/98) Vol. 352, No. 9134, P. 1124; Wunsch, Hannah; Researchers from the National AIDS Research Institute in India , and the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health report that HIV-1 education has positive effect on Indian men. The researchers conducted the study at two sexually transmitted disease clinics in Pune, providing 1628 heterosexual, HIV- seronegative men with c
Efficacy of Risk-Reduction Counseling to Prevent Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Sexually Transmitted Diseases: Journal of the American Medical Association (10/07/98) Vol. 280, No. 13, P. 1161; Kamb, Mary L.; Fishbein, Martin; Douglas Jr., John M.; et al.; Researchers for the Project RESPECT Study Group, led by Dr. Mary L. Kamb of the National Center for HIV, STD, and TB Prevention at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, report the efficacy of counseling in the prevention of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. The researchers compared the effects of t
Stamping Out Syphilis: Science News (09/26/98) Vol. 154, No. 13, P. 202; Fackelmann, Kathleen; Many health officials say that now is the time to eradicate syphilis in the United States , as levels have reached an all- time low of 3.2 cases per 100,000 people. Last year, 85 percent of new syphilis cases were recorded in only 6 percent of counties, making it easier to target problem areas. Additionally, the recent
UNAIDS Stresses Need for Sex Education: PANA Wire Service (10/05/98); Dr. Peter Piot, executive director of the Joint UN Program on HIV/AIDS, has called for the end of sex education restrictions for children. Piot, speaking at a meeting on children and AIDS in Geneva on Monday, said that restricting access to sexual health education aimed at postponing first sexual intercourse and practi
AIDS Rate Among Connecticut Women Is Double National Average: Boston Globe Online (10/06/98); A Connecticut Department of Public Health report released on Friday indicates that the AIDS rate among women in the state is double that of the national average. Just under 24 women per 100,000 have AIDS in Connecticut, compared to 12.2 women per 100,000 nationally. According to Aaron Roome, the program coordinator for
Methadone Is Just Another Drug: New York Times (10/06/98) P. A30; Pace, Nicholas A,; Levine, Alan; Gorman, Michael J.; et al.; In a letter to the editor of the New York Times, Dr. Michael A. Pace argues that methadone treatment is morally unsound because it replaces one drug with another. He states that heroin addicts can be detoxified over the course of a few days, making methadone treatment unnecessary. In separate letters, Michael J. Gorman
Across the USA: New Jersey: USA Today (10/06/98) P. 12A; In New Jersey, a bill introduced in the Assembly would require the state Department of Health and Human Services to notify the partners of people with HIV or AIDS.
Kids and Sexuality: Talk Open, Early and Often: USA Today (10/06/98) P. 10D; Thomas, Karen; According to new studies, teens who discuss sex openly with their parents are more likely to postpone having sex. Researchers suggest that parents discuss sexual issues, including the mechanics of reproduction and the risks of having sex, with their children. Richard Gallagher, director of the Parenting Institute at Ne
Across U.S., Sexual Diseases Become a Growing Problem: Washington Times (10/06/98) P. A2; Wetzstein, Cheryl; Rep. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.), a practicing doctor, is calling for increased sexual abstinence and monogamy over concerns about the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. On the House floor, Coburn recently warned that unless rates of STDs are reduced, they will complicate the lives, if not take the lives, of our young p
Holding AIDS at Bay, Only to Face 'Lazarus Syndrome': New York Times (10/06/98) P. D7; France, David; Protease inhibitor therapy has helped to increase the lifespans of many HIV-infected people, only to leave them attempting to adjust to what is--for many--life after death. A number of patients have seen their friends die from AIDS, and they face a harder life with the virus. Patients may face financial difficulties du
The Evolving Epidemiology of Chlamydial and Gonococcal Infections in Response to Control Programs in Winnipeg, Canada: American Journal of Public Health (10/98) Vol. 88, No. 10, P. 1496; Blanchard, James F.; Moses, Stephen; Greenaway, Christina; et al.; Researchers from the University of Manitoba and the Public Health Branch of Manitoba Health surveyed chlamydia and gonorrhea infection in Winnipeg, Canada , and other regions in Manitoba using case reports from 1988 through 1995 and contract-tracing reports from 1991 through 1995. They divided Winnipeg into 34 sections
$7 Million Grant to Fund IU Study of Teen-Agers, Sexual Diseases: Indianapolis Star News Online (10/03/98); Labalme, Jenny; The National Institutes of Health has awarded a $7 million grant for the creation of a sexually transmitted disease center at the Indiana University School of Medicine. The center, which will focus on adolescents, will be the only one of its kind in the United States . The National Institute of Medicine recently identi
Protease Inhibitors Promote Weight Gain in HIV-Infected Patients: Reuters Health Information Services (10/02/98); Dr. Marisela Silva of the Tufts University School of Medicine and associates report in the September 10th issue of AIDS that protease inhibitor treatment is associated with significant increases in weight and body mass index. The researchers state that the weight gain is accompanied by an improved quality of life for t
Paradox of Knowledge Revolution Shows Up in India: Boston Globe Online (10/05/98); Misra, Neelesh; According to a World Bank report released Sunday, preventable diseases like leprosy and tuberculosis account for almost half of all reported illnesses in India , with a mortality rate of 470 deaths per 100,000 people. India is technologically advanced, yet still has problems with many preventable diseases. There are a
New AIDS-Prevention Program Aimed at Teen-Age Girls: Boston Globe Online (10/05/98); Chiu, Alexis; With HIV increasingly affecting teenage girls, particularly among minorities and low-income families, they have become the focus of more education and prevention efforts. A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study indicates that AIDS cases increased by 103 percent among women between 1990 and 1995, with 49 perc
Health Notes: Protein Kills TB Microbe: United Press International (10/05/98); Wasowicz, Lidia; An international team of researchers report in the journal Science that the protein granulysin, which is made by killer T cells, can eliminate as much as 90 percent of the tuberculosis bacteria in lab cultures within three days. The discovery marks the first time an isolated T-cell molecule has been shown to directly d
Tests Predict HIV Drugs' Effect on Children: Boston Globe (10/03/98) P. A13; Researchers from Harvard Medical School and the National Cancer Institute revealed Friday that a series of four tests given to children immediately after they begin taking anti-HIV drugs can determine within a week whether the treatment will be effective. The tests, which may also be used in adults, could cut months of
The Need for Improved Data on HIV Is Critical: Boston Globe (10/03/98) P. A16; Gayle, Helene; Dr. Helene Gayle, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention s National Center for HIV, STD, and TB Prevention, asserts that some people have misinterpreted recent data on the HIV/AIDS epidemic. In a letter to the Boston Globe, Gayle notes that while the number of AIDS cases and deaths have declined, th
Teen-Agers in Turmoil: USA Today (10/05/98) P. 1D; Sternberg, Steve; Many teenage deaths each year are avoidable, with approximately 10,000 of the 37,000 deaths among young people related to murder, suicide, or AIDS complications. HIV is increasingly becoming a problem among young people in the United States ; according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, around 50 percen
Tuberculosis Control Is a Team Sport: Chest Online (09/98) Vol. 114, No. 3,; Griffith, David E.; Dr. David E. Griffith, of the Center for Pulmonary Infectious Disease Control at the University of Texas Health Center, discusses the issue of tuberculosis control, asserting that TB specialists are the key to effective control of the disease. He notes that Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines mandatin
Screening by Specialists to Reduce Unnecessary Test Ordering in Patients Evaluated for Tuberculosis: Chest Online (09/98) Vol. 114, No. 3, P. 681; Divinagracia, Ruth M.; Harkin, Timothy J.; Bonk, Stanley; et al.; Researchers report that the screening of chest radiographs and clinical histories by tuberculosis specialists can aid in the reduction of the number of sputum acid-fast bacilli (AFB) smears performed. The researchers presented to two TB specialists the radiographs and histories for 97 patients who received AFB tests. T
Rakai Trial Showers Sparks Over STD-HIV Link: AIDS Alert--International (10/98) Vol. 13, No. 10, P. 1; Data from a recent study in Rakai, Uganda , on the treatment of sexually transmitted diseases and its effect on HIV incidence seems to contradict an earlier study in Mwanza, Tanzania . The Rakai study provided wide-ranging STD treatment to both symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals, while the Mwanza study involved S
Local Breakthrough a New Weapon in War Against TB: Melbourne Age (09/24/98) P. 6; Spinks, Peter; A new test designed by researchers from Australia s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) can detect the tuberculosis bacterium in a number of primates, including humans. Unlike standard TB tests, which work by antibody detection, the CSIRO test screens for the white blood cells that are
New HIV Vaccine Candidate Identified: Reuters Health Information Services (10/01/98); Dr. Frank Y.-T. Tung and colleagues at the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania have developed a new potential HIV vaccine candidate. In mice, tests of the candidate--a replication-defective HIV psuedotyped with vesicular stomatitis virus G protein--showed that three major viral proteins were detected two months fo
Alarming Increase in STDs in San Francisco: United Press International (10/01/98); The San Francisco Department of Public Health has reported that the rate of sexually transmitted diseases in the city increased last year from 1996 levels. The rise in STDs marks the first increase in years in the area. The report indicates that the rate of chlamydia rose 24 percent and the rate of early syphilis incre
Infected Docs Get Okay: Ottawa Sun Online (10/02/98); Artuso, Antonella; The Canadian College of Physicians and Surgeons council ruled Thursday that HIV-infected doctors will be allowed to practice in anonymity unless their condition puts patients at direct personal risk. The council reviewed a draft policy that would have placed physicians under ethical obligation to divulge their HIV, hep
Citing Privacy Rules, Wilson Vetoes Bill on HIV Reporting System: San Francisco Examiner Online (10/01/98) P. A18; Salladay, Robert; California Gov. Pete Wilson has vetoed legislation that would require the creation of a statewide HIV reporting system. San Francisco AIDS activists and public health officials expressed dismay at Wilson s action, asserting that the system would have been beneficial to public health. Wilson contends that the measure wa
Natural Way to Tackle Viruses: Financial Times (10/02/98) P. 10; Firn, David; A team of Norwegian and American scientists report that the glycoprotein lactoferrin, a natural antibiotic secreted in many bodily fluids, can prevent the transmission of HIV in laboratory-grown human cell cultures. Dr. Rolando Viani, of the University of California, San Diego, and colleagues found that concentrations
People Must Prove Exposure to HIV Before Suing, Supreme Court Says: Postnet Online (10/02/98); O'Connor, John; The Illinois Supreme Court has ruled that patients who groundlessly feel they were put at risk for HIV due to medical care are not entitled to monetary damages. The court ruled against a woman who was cut by a scalpel in the office of an HIV-infected podiatrist. The woman, who worked as an aide in the office and cut he
Patterns of Condom Use Among Adolescents: The Impact of Mother -Adolescent Communication: American Journal of Public Health (10/98) Vol. 88, No. 10, P. 1542; Miller, Kim S.; Levin, Martin L.; Whitaker, Daniel J.; et al.; Frank discussions between mothers and their adolescents about condoms can lead teens to adopt behaviors that will prevent them from becoming infected with HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases, according to a study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The findings are from interviews condu
Letter From Russia: A Colder War: POZ (10/98) No. 39, P. 44; Gessen, Masha; In post-Soviet cities, there has been a wave of HIV infections, intravenous drug use, and treatment problems, writes Masha Gessen in POZ. The Kaliningrad region is considered the AIDS capital of Russia , but there may be a larger HIV-positive population in cities like Moscow and St. Petersburg. Kaliningrad contains th
New Drug Proves Potent Against Infections: AIDS Alert--International (10/98) Vol. 13, No. 10, P. 2; Cotrimoxazole has been shown by a team of Ivory Coast researchers to be a safe and relatively inexpensive treatment against opportunistic infections, cutting illness and death by half among patients co-infected with AIDS and tuberculosis. The drug--also known as Septra, Bactrim, and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole--is al
Syringe Exchanges Expand Despite Government Ban: AIDS Alert (10/98) Vol. 13, No. 10, P. 115; A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study found that the number of syringe-exchange programs (SEPs) has expanded significantly over the past several years. The results of the comparative study found that of 100 SEPs surveyed, there was a 3.5 million increase in the number of syringes dispensed between 1996 and
Patient Factors Linked With HAART Failure: Reuters Health Information Services (09/30/98); According to research reported in the September 10 issue of AIDS, highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) is about 70 percent effective in antiretroviral-experienced HIV patients. The Italian research team found that treatment failure was associated with poor patient compliance and AIDS diagnosis. Over a median of
Botswana to Give Allowance to AIDS Sufferers: Reuters (09/30/98); Botswana President Festus Mogae announced plans on Wednesday to supply HIV-infected people in the country with a monthly allowance of 90 pula (US$20). Mogae also said that pregnant women with the virus will receive AZT and breast-milk substitutes. According to Mogae, the Ministry of Health has allocated 16.
Group Stops Needle Exchange After Leader Is Rearrested: Bergen Record Online (10/01/98); Campbell, Carol Ann; An AIDS activist group in New Jersey will cease operating its needle-exchange program following the arrest of its director, Diana McCague. McCague, who runs the Chai Project, was arrested Tuesday after she handed a packet of syringes to an undercover police officer. She was previously convicted for a similar offense an
California Governor Signs Law Making it a Crime to Knowingly Pass AIDS Virus: Nando Times Online (09/30/98); California Gov. Pete Wilson signed a bill Wednesday making it a felony for an HIV-infected person to knowingly expose an uninfected person to the virus. Wilson noted, This is a deadly act that the state has the right and responsibility to deter. The bill makes intentional HIV exposure punishable by up to eight years in
Hoping to Control Spread of AIDS, China Bans the Sale of Blood: New York Times (10/01/98) P. A7; Eckholm, Erik; China has banned the sale of blood in an effort to help reduce the spread of HIV. Most other countries have already banned the sale of blood because it encourages the spread of infectious diseases, such as HIV and hepatitis. Paid donors tend to be at high risk for diseases at unhygienic centers that buy and sell the
Uganda AIDS Vaccine Test: Urgency Affects Ethics Rules: New York Times (10/01/98) P. A1; Specter, Michael; While HIV-infected individuals in wealthier countries have access to potent antiviral drugs, many infected people in poorer nations cannot get treatment. The main hope of controlling the disease in Africa is through the creation of an HIV vaccine. Vaccines have been traditionally developed in nations with excellent hea
As HIV Spreads Among Injection Drug Users, Treatment Lags Behind: AIDS Alert (10/98) Vol. 13, No. 10, P. 109; As HIV rates increase among injection drug users, two studies indicate that there is a deficiency of antiretroviral therapy among this population. A study of patients who received care at Johns Hopkins University and the University of Maryland-- considered to be premier AIDS care centers--found that only half of IDUs r
Japan's Health Ministry Announces AIDS Campaign: Kyodo News Service (09/29/98); Japan s Health Ministry will launch in October a six-month AIDS education campaign aimed at the nation s youths. The effort will feature presentations and educational materials that will be distributed at high schools and universities throughout Japan. AIDS education kits will also be available to help teach younger st
AIDS Death Rate Drops in Portugal for First Time: Reuters (09/29/98); Portugal s National Statistics Institute announced Tuesday that AIDS-related deaths in the country have declined for the first time since the disease appeared. Last year, 972 people died from AIDS, compared to 1,111 in 1996--a 12.5 percent drop. The majority of the deaths were among males aged 20 to 39 years, officials
Herb Extract Fights Herpes Virus: Fox News Online (09/29/98); A compound extracted from the stem of a woodland herb, Prunella vulgaris, that contains a carbohydrate researchers have labeled 000PVP may help fight the herpes simplex virus. Halifax researchers found that cells infected with herpes simplex type 1 and type 2 that came in contact with 000PVP stopped growing. The compou
MDs Should Report HIV, Hepatitis Infection: Report: Vancouver Sun Online (09/30/98); Blackwell, Tom; In Canada , a proposed new rule for Ontario physicians would ethically obligate them to report their HIV or hepatitis status to authorities if they test positive, although it would not require them to notify Ontario s College of Physicians and Surgeons. The proposal will be debated by the college s council, which gover
Researchers Studying Possible 'Switch' for Immune System: Washington Times (09/30/98) P. A3; Scientists at Britain s Chiroscience Group said Tuesday they may have found the gene responsible for regulating the body s entire immune system. The gene, which was named scurfy, could be used in developing drugs for a number of diseases, ranging from cancer to AIDS to rheumatoid arthritis. The researchers said the gen
A Proposal to Expand Methadone Is Welcomed: New York Times (09/30/98) P. A19; Wren, Christopher S.; General Barry R. McCaffrey, the nation s drug policy director, detailed his new policy to expand access to methadone treatment before the American Methadone Treatment Association in Manhattan on Tuesday. The policy changes make methadone more accessible by improving the quality of clinics and allowing selected doctors
Faster HIV Tests Expected on Market in 1999: Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel Online (09/30/98); Marchione, Marilynn; New HIV tests that could tell whether someone is infected in less than 10 minutes--offering consumers more control over learning HIV status--are currently awaiting approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and will likely be out on the market in about a year, according to an official from the Centers for Diseas
AIDS Notification Measure Praised, and Attacked by Prominent Groups: Washington Times (09/30/98) P. A4; Wetzstein, Sheryl; At a House hearing on Tuesday, the HIV Partner Protection Act- -which would require HIV-infected people to be reported confidentially by name instead of anonymous codes--was both praised and criticized. The bill, co-sponsored by Rep. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) and Gary L. Ackerman (D-N.Y.), would also require doctors to supp
New Developments in the Biology and Treatment of HIV: Proceedings of the National Academy of Science Online (09/15/98) Vol. 95, No. 19, P. 11041; Bushman, Frederic; Landau, Nathaniel R.; Emini, Emilio A.; The advent of protease inhibitors has dramatically increased treatment options for HIV-infected individuals. Combination therapy, generally involving two reverse transcriptase inhibitors and a protease inhibitor, has decreased the chance of drug-resistance development compared to earlier protease inhibitor monotherapy.
HIV Genotyping Appears Useful in Directing Therapy: Reuters Health Information Services (09/28/98); Visible Genetics of Toronto, Ontario, sponsored a study that compared drug selection based on genotyping with standard triple therapy in patients with HIV infection. Preliminary results show that after six months of treatment, almost 40 percent of patients randomized to the genotyping approach had undetectable HIV leve
HIV Seronegativity Reported in Infant With AIDS: Reuters Health Information Services (09/28/98); According to a report published in the September issue of the Southern Medical Journal, a 10-month old infant with progressive HIV infection also had persistent seronegativity. In this case, the infant had Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia at four months and tested HIV positive by HIV-1 deoxyribonucleic acid PCR; however,
Breaking the AIDS Silence: Detroit Free Press Online (09/25/98); Gerritt, Jeff; The AIDS epidemic is increasingly affecting the African- American community. In Michigan, African-Americans represent 14 percent of the population, yet they make up almost 60 percent of the state s HIV cases. Despite the spread of the disease, many people have remained silent on the matter. Just over half of HIV cases
Hepatitis C Virus Survives for Three Weeks: NineMSN News Online (09/28/98); New research by scientists at the Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory in Australia suggests that the hepatitis C virus can survive outside of the body for up to three weeks at room temperature. According to lab senior scientist Rhonda McCaw, the finding certainly verifies the need for needle exchanges.
Steady Increases in STDs Among Young People: Irish Times Online (09/28/98); Boland, Rosita; Sexually transmitted diseases are reportedly rising among Irish people in their 20s and 30s. Doctors at a clinic at Limerick Regional Hospital note that 11 years ago, there were about 400 patients, compared with almost 3,000 patients annually now. The average age of the patients is about 25, with an almost even ratio o
Technology Puts DNA to Work to Fight Disease-Causing Genes: New York Times (09/29/98) P. D1; Fisher, Lawrence M.; Although few were sure the technology could be used effectively, and some still express doubts, the potential for antisense drugs entered the spotlight again in August, when the FDA approved Isis Pharmaceutical s fomivirsen for the treatment of CMV retinitis, a viral infection that often leads to blindn
Canadian Blood Supply: Red Cross Hands Over Control: Financial Times (09/29/98) P. 12; Alden, Edward; Canada s blood supply will now be controlled by Canadian Blood Services, an agency set up by federal and provincial governments, ending the Canadian Red Cross nearly six-decade role in collecting and distributing blood in the country. The Canadian Red Cross was forced to seek bankruptcy protection recently because of t
Federal Proposal Would Provide Methadone to More Drug Addicts: New York Times (09/29/98) P. A1; Wren, Christopher S.; Gen. Barry R. McCaffrey, the White House s top drug official, is expected to announce today a policy that recommends that doctors be allowed to administer methadone to heroin addicts in their private offices. The move would make the treatment more widely available to the estimated 810,000 opiate addicts in the
Atorvastatin and Gemfibrozil for Protease-Inhibitor-Related Lipid Abnormalities (Research Letter): Lancet (09/26/98) Vol. 352, No. 9133, P. 1031; Henry, Keith; Melroe, Holly; Huebesch, Jacquelyn; et al.; Scientists from Minnesota report the treatment of HIV-positive patients with both protease inhibitors and the lipid-reducing agents gemfibrozil and/or atorvastatin. Of 133 patients receiving protease inhibitors, those who took saquinavir and ritonavir were significantly more likely
Postexposure Treatment Not Easy to Swallow: AIDS Alert (09/98) Vol. 13, No. 9, P. 107; According to research by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately one-third of health care workers who undergo HIV postexposure prophylaxis treatment (PEP) do not complete their regimen. Seventy-five percent of the workers who halted treatment cited side effects as the determining factor. Side effe
Hepatitis C: New Treatment Overview: AIDS Treatment News (09/04/98) No. 302, P. 5; Stoia, Jeffery; The Food and Drug Administration recently approved a new hepatitis C medication, Schering-Plough s Rebetron, for patients who relapse after interferon therapy. Hepatitis C affects 4 million people in the United States--only one- quarter of whom are aware they are infected--and up to 40 percent of the HIV-positive popul
Protease AIDS Drugs Seen Cutting HIV Medical Costs: Bloomberg News Service (09/27/98); Researchers this weekend told participants of the 38th Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Therapy that the use of new AIDS drugs, such as Crixivan by Merck, cuts hospital, laboratory, and other medical costs. Clinical Partners, which conducted a study in conjunction with Merck, said monthly drug costs
Lower-Dose Regimen Works for Protease Inhibitor: Reuters (09/25/98); Patients with AIDS may soon be able to take two doses of the protease inhibitor Viracept instead of three, Agouron said Friday. The drug maker said 80 percent of 238 patients taking a higher, twice-daily dosage of Viracept as part of a drug cocktail were able to lower the levels of the virus to a level that was almos
Chances of Error Increase With More HIV-Related Drugs: Boston Globe Online (09/28/98); Jordan, Jennifer; A study by researchers at the Albany Medical Center indicates that prescription mistakes are more common for HIV patients as compared to other hospital patients. Many of the wrongly prescribed medications are not dispensed, however, because they are caught by pharmacists. Among 2,117 patients studied, only one potentia
AIDS on Rise Among 50-and-Overs: Miami Herald (09/27/98) P. 2B; Leisner, Pat; According to the Florida Department of Elder Affairs, 10 percent of all AIDS cases in the United States occur in people over the age of 50 years, with rates reaching 12 percent to 14 percent in Florida. Of 67,282 AIDS cases in Florida, 8,400 patients are age 50 or over. Despite these numbers, older people are often not
Vertex Claims Positive Data for HIV Drug: Financial Times (09/28/98) P. 22; Griffith, Victoria; Vertex Pharmaceuticals, which has a partnership agreement with Glaxo Wellcome , announced that clinical trials of a new protease inhibitor, Agenerase , proved positive. In Phase III trials, 59 percent of patients taking the drug showed HIV levels below those at which HIV drug-resistance is likely to develop.
African Growth Slows as Deaths Multiply: Philadelphia Inquirer (09/27/98) P. A4; Briscoe, David; United Nations demographers report that the effect of the AIDS epidemic on the population in some areas of Africa will be unbelievable, according to one. Revised UN estimates for population growth will be released at the end of October, and some population experts believe that several countries in the region will reach
Glendening Promises Funding for New AIDS Programs: Baltimore Sun (09/28/98) P. 7A; Dresser, Michael; Maryland Gov. Parris N. Glendening vowed Sunday to provide funding for any increases in costs for the state s AIDS treatment programs that may result from the introduction of new anti-HIV drugs. Glendening previously pledged to provide an additional $500,000 in order to cover the anticipated costs of an earlier generat
Charges of Research Fraud Arise at a Cornell AIDS Lab: New York Times (09/26/98) P. A1; Bernstein, Nina; Dr. John L. Ho, an AIDS researcher at the Joan and Sanford Weill Medical College and Graduate School of Medical Sciences at Cornell University in New York, has been accused by members of his lab of ordering subordinates to falsify data used in a research grant application. The lab receives more than $2 million in feder
Management of Possible Sexual, Injecting Drug Use, or Other Non-Occupational Exposure to HIV, Including Considerations Related to Antiretroviral Therapy: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (09/25/98) Vol. 47, No. RR-17; In recent years, the Public Health Service (PHS) has recommended the use of antiretroviral drugs to reduce the risk of occupational HIV transmission following workplace exposures (e.g., health care workers exposed through accidental needle- sticks). Scientific studies have shown the drugs to be both safe and effective
Resistance Testing Grows More Prevalent in U.S.: AIDS Alert (09/98) Vol. 13, No. 9, P. 103; HIV drug-resistance tests are becoming available in some countries. Data shows that patients who were deemed to have drug-sensitive HIV by phenotypic testing are 12 times more likely to respond to dual protease inhibitor treatment, while patients who had sensitive viruses detected by genotypic testing were four times m
Early Treatment Access Called Cost-Effective: AIDS Alert (09/98) Vol. 13, No. 9, P. 105; Research presented at the 12th World AIDS Conference indicates that early access to treatment for poor or uninsured people with HIV is cost-effective and could be covered more extensively by Medicaid. One study by Stanford University s John Hornberger and others found that early treatment in asymptomatic patients with
AIDS Group Protests DuPont's Pricing of New Drug: Boston Globe Online (09/25/98); Spangler, Todd; AIDS activists are protesting DuPont s decision to price its new AIDS drug, Sustiva , between $4,000 and $5,000, which some say could push individual drug therapy costs to about $30,000 per year. Members of ACT UP Philadelphia rallied outside DuPont s Wilmington, Del., headquarters, dumping empty pill bottles from a bl
State Agency Backs Off HIV Names Proposal: Chicago Tribune Online (09/25/98); Parsons, Christi; Christian, Sue Ellen; The Illinois Public Health Department has reversed a decision to require the names of HIV-positive people and will instead track HIV cases using non-name-based identifier codes. The decision came after months of public hearings and discussions with AIDS advocacy groups. AIDS advocates had expressed concern that the con
Asians in Unhealthy Crisis: Washington Times (09/25/98) P. A16; Barber, Ben; Many people in Asia are slipping back into poverty as a result of the region s economic woes. The decline is accompanied by widespread privation and malnutrition, with the collapse of health care systems. There have been reports of an increase in AIDS among female sex workers and an increase in drug- resistant diseases
Sudan Needs TB Drugs: New York Times (09/25/98) P. A26; Tenebaum, Dan; In a letter to the editor of the New York Times, Dan Tenenbaum comments on the recent decision to strike the Al Shifa chemical factory in the Sudan . Tenenbaum notes that the factory made rifampicin, a medication for the treatment of tuberculosis. He points out that tuberculosis is rampant in the Sudan and that people
Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.: Wall Street Journal (09/25/98) P. B6 Bristol-Myers Squibb is expected to present findings at the 38th; Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy in San Diego, Calif., Friday on new AIDS drugs that may be more powerful than existing protease inhibitors . The company hopes to begin human trials soon to determine if the medication can be taken just once a day.
Wave of Laws Aimed at People With H.I.V.: New York Times (09/25/98) P. A25; Richardson, Lynda; Nationwide, laws that affect people with HIV are being passed following public fears about the spread of the disease. For example, at least 29 states now have laws making it a criminal offense to knowingly transmit HIV; one-third of the states adopted those laws within the last two years, and 16 states introduced such
Liver Worst: POZ (09/98) No. 39, P. 82; Roehr, Bob; While HIV has taken a national spotlight, another blood-borne disease, the hepatitis C virus, has quietly infected an estimated 4 million Americans. Co-infection with both HIV and HCV has been estimated to be anywhere from 10 percent among homosexual men to 90 percent among intravenous drug users. About 8,000 to 10,000
Reporting HIV Cases Discussed: Augusta Chronicle Online (09/23/98); Corwin, Tom; Health officials in Augusta, Ga., met Wednesday to discuss the use of HIV reporting in the state. The state will hold a series of meetings on the issue that are expected to conclude on Oct. 8 in Athens, Ga., and a decision on the matter is expected to be ready by summer 1999. Georgia is one of 11 states that does not c
U.S. Gives $10 Million to WHO to Fight Major Diseases: Reuters (09/23/98); The World Health Organization has been given $10 million designated for use against major infectious diseases from the United States . Specifically, the funds are to go toward a cooperative effort against tuberculosis and other airborne diseases. The funds were provided by the U.S. Agency for International Development
Chlamydia Treatment Promising Among Mice: Boston Globe Online (09/24/98) P. A5; New research in New Scientist magazine reveals that researchers at the Rocky Mountain Laboratory of the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Disease have developed a technique to immunize mice against chlamydia. The scientists, led by Harlan Caldwell, cultured dendritic cells taken from the bone marrow of fema
Mission Says It Needs TB Drugs for Endangered Brazil Indians: New York Times (09/24/98) P. A10; A Roman Catholic mission in Brazil said Wednesday that treatment for a tuberculosis outbreak among the Yanomami Indians is threatened by a shortage of medication. TB and other diseases have resulted in the deaths of 43 of the endangered Indians. While most of those affected have been infants, the medicine shortage may
Senate Panel Approves Compensation for AIDS Victims: Baltimore Sun (09/24/98) P. 6A; The Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee approved Wednesday a bill that would provide 7,200 hemophiliacs who contracted HIV early in the AIDS epidemic with $100,000 each. The committee also approved an alternate bill that includes other people who contracted the disease due to tainted blood transfusions. Committe
Addressing Emerging Infectious Disease Threats-- Accomplishments and Future Plans: Emerging Infectious Diseases Online (07/98-09/98) Vol. 4, No. 3,; Hughes, James M.; Sir McFarland Burnet wrote in 1962 that the middle of the 20th century can be viewed as the end of one of the most important social revolutions--the eradication of infectious disease as a significant element in social life. According to James M. Hughes, of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, that statement
US Report Blasts UNAIDS: Nature Medicine (09/98) Vol. 4, No. 9, P. 993; Birmingham, Karen; The U.S. General Accounting Office (GAO) conducted a study of the Joint U.N. Program on HIV/AIDS at the request of the U.S. House Committee on International Relations (IR). The report stated that UNAIDS has made limited progress towards generating worldwide support for AIDS projects and that the organization failed to
Are the Kids Alright?: POZ (09/98) No. 39, P. 70; Fuentes, Annette; According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one-quarter of the estimated 40,000 new HIV infections in the United States may occur in people under the age of 20 years. With 95 percent of all children aged five to 17 years in public schools, school may be the best place to educate adolescents about HIV a
PAHO Details Success in Fight Against Communicable Diseases: Eureka Alert Online (09/21/98); The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) released a report Monday which indicates that about half of the known AIDS cases in the world are in the Western Hemisphere. According to the Health in the Americas report, the high proportion of AIDS cases in the region may be due to excellent surveillance systems in the Ame
AIDS Rate Has Dropped by Half in Springfield: Boston Globe Online (09/22/98) P. A22; Powell, Karen; In a letter to the editor of the Boston Globe, Karen Powell-- of Citizens Against Needle Exchange in Springfield, Mass.-- argues against the need for a needle-exchange program in Springfield. She cites a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that indicates over a 50 percent drop in the AIDS rate in Greater
Glaxo Wellcome Making HIV Drug Available: Reuters (09/21/98); An early access program by Glaxo Wellcome will provide the investigational protease inhibitor Agenerase ( amprenavir ) to certain HIV-positive patients. The medication will be made available for patients who are failing current protease inhibitor re
Zulu Virgins Celebrate Their Bodies, Themselves: New York Times (09/22/98) P. A4; McNeil Jr., Donald G.; While the traditional reed dance practiced by young Zulu and Swazi women every spring celebrates virginity and purity, the dance has taken on increased significance in light of AIDS. In the dance, girls give reeds as an offering to the king, while showing off their virginity and purity by presenting the gifts without w
Uganda Leader Links Western Values to AIDS in Africa: Boston Globe Online (09/22/98) P. A8; Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni said Monday that the rise of HIV and its spread through Africa can be tied to Western values. Museveni, who made the comments at an AIDS conference, asserted that Africans began imitating Western promiscuity and that extramarital sex had previously been shunned among Ugandans. Accordin
The 'Morning-After' Kit: Washington Post--Health (09/22/98) P. 13; Boodman, Sandra G.; The Food and Drug Administration recently approved the first emergency contraception kit available by prescription. The kit, manufactured by Gynetics, will sell for about $20 and will include a pregnancy test, four blue birth control pills, and a booklet advising the user not to talk the pills if already pregnant. Over
Caution: Should We Be Treating HIV Infection Early?: Lancet (09/19/98) 352, No. 9132, P. 982; Levy, Jay A.; In a Lancet commentary, Jay A. Levy, of the University of California School of Medicine in San Francisco, questions the need for early treatment of HIV infection. Would we not serve infected people better by reserving certain therapies and administering them at a time when their use is clearly required? Levy asks, noti
Heading Up the American Dream of Health: Lancet (09/19/98) 352, No. 9132, P. 978; Frankel, David H.; Rovner, Julie; U.S. Surgeon General Dr. David Satcher discusses various AIDS- related issues, among other topics, in an interview with the Lancet. Satcher notes that over the years, science has shown that needle-exchange programs reduce the spread of HIV without increasing drug abuse, the programs help to get people into treatment, a
Human Rights = Public Health: Village Voice (09/15/98) Vol. 43, No. 37, P. 18; Schoofs, Mark; Peter Piot, head of the Joint UN Program on HIV/AIDS, has said he is convinced that if anyone other than Jonathan [Mann] had been the first director of Global Program on AIDS, the whole response would have been different. ... We may have gotten into a repressive approach, perhaps using quarantine. Jonathan Mann and his
State Licensing Board Accuses Chiropractor of Promoting False HIV Cure: Postnet Online (09/20/98); Missouri s Administrative Hearing Commission will decide whether to suspend or revoke the license of Gary Edwards, a chiropractor accused by the Missouri Board of Chiropractic Examiners of incompetency, misconduct, gross negligence, fraud, misrepresentation, and dishonesty, after reportedly telling a patient he was cur
Merck Ends Studies of Twice-Daily Usage of AIDS Drug: Bloomberg News Service (09/18/98); Merck announced Friday it was halting research on a twice- daily regimen of the AIDS drug Crixivan and said that patients currently taking the drug as part of cocktails involving Glaxo Wellcome s 3TC and AZT should continue to take
AIDS Drug Production Problem Persists at Abbott: Reuters (09/18/98); Abbott Laboratories said Friday supplies of the capsule form of the AIDS drug Norvir will run out within the next month because the firm has been unable to fix production-related problems first announced in July. Melissa Brotz, a spokeswoman for the firm, said internal supplies of the drug were exhausted about three
Mucosal Transmission of GBV-C/HGV Reported Among HIV-Positive Individuals: Reuters Health Information Services (09/18/98); Researchers from the University of Hawaii report a high prevalence of GB virus C/hepatitis G virus among HIV-1- positive homosexual men. The study, published in the September 17 issue of the Journal of Medical Virology, indicates that GBV-C/HGV is transmitted more efficiently than the hepatitis C virus by the mucosal r
Heroin Use Seen Dropping Among Young Suspects: New York Times (09/21/98) P. A20; Wren, Christopher S.; A survey presented at a conference of policy specialists, historians, and medical experts at Yale University revealed that heroin use and the injection of drugs have decreased among young suspected offenders in urban centers such as Manhattan. The study--conducted by Dr. Bruce D. Johnson, of the nonprofit National Deve
DuPont Gets FDA Clearance For AIDS Drug: Wall Street Journal (09/21/98) P. B4; Waldholz, Michael; DuPont s pharmaceuticals division received FDA approval Friday to market its once-daily AIDS drug Sustiva , which the company says is as effective as the protease class of medicines when used with AZT and
What Can South Africa Contribute to the AIDS Epidemic?: Nature Medicine (09/98) Vol. 4, No. 9, P. 987; Birmingham, Karen; South Africa is attempting to remedy its AIDS research problems and recently appointed Malagapuru William Makgoba the president-designate of the Medical Research Council (MRC). He will assume the position on January 1, 1999, and will be co- governor of the agency until then with MRC president Walter Prozesky. Suppor
The Core Protein of Hepatitis C Virus Induces Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Transgenic Mice: Nature Medicine (09/98) Vol. 4, No. 9, P. 1065; Moriya, Kyoji; Fujie, Hajime; Shintani, Yoshizumi; et al.; New research from a team of Japanese scientists indicates that the core protein of hepatitis C virus (HCV) induces hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The researchers observed the development of HCC in two lines of mice transgenic for the HCV core gene. The mice developed hepatic steatosis early in life as a histological f
Recommendations for Prevention and Control of Tuberculosis Among Foreign-Born Persons: Report of the Working Group on Tuberculosis Among Foreign-Born Persons: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report--Recommendations and Reports (09/18/98) Vol. 47, No. RR-16; An estimated 10-15 million Americans are already infected with the tuberculosis bacteria and have the potential to develop active disease in the future. Of these, an estimated 7 million are people born in areas of the world where TB is prevalent. Nearly 40 percent of TB cases in the United States now occur among fo
Acquired Multi-Drug Resistant Tuberculosis--Buenaventura, Colombia, 1998: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (09/18/98) Vol. 47, No. 36; This article presents the findings of the first investigation of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) in Colombia . The study found high rates of drug resistance among TB patients who had a history of treatment for an average of 3.5 years. Sixty-seven percent of patients had resistance to two first-line therapies
Trends in Sexual Risk Behaviors Among High School Students-- United States, 1991-1997: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (09/18/98) Vol. 47, No. 36; The percentage of sexually experienced high school students decreased from 54.1 percent in 1991 to 48.4 percent in 1997, while the proportion of sexually active teens using condoms increased from 46.2 percent to 56.8 percent in the same time period. These finding represent a reversal in the trend toward increased sexua
AIDS: Productive People Most Affected: Africa News Service (09/17/98); Waihenya, Kariuki; Lyall, Sylvia; According to the State of the World 1998 report by the United Nations Population Fund, over three-fourths of AIDS cases in Kenya occur in people aged 20- to 45-years-old. The report also found that 70 percent of the Kenyan population is under the age of 24. The authors of the report warned that the population explosion
US Leads Industrialized Countries in HIV/AIDS Mortality: Reuters Health Information Services (09/17/98); A report appearing in the August issue of the International Journal of Epidemiology shows that the United States has the highest HIV/AIDS-related mortality rate among 11 industrialized countries. Using data reported by the World Health Organization and the individual nations, Dr. Robert S. Hogg of the University of Van
Fighting HIV in Developing Countries: Washington Post (09/18/98) P. A28; Packel, Laura; In a letter to the editor of the Washington Post, Laura Packel responds to an op-ed piece in the Post on mother-to-child HIV infection in developing nations. Packel states that every effort should be made to treat infected mothers and their children. She notes that while AZT alone given to infected mot
In Zambia, the Abandoned Generation: New York Times (09/18/98) P. A1; Daley, Suzanne; The AIDS epidemic has resulted in a dramatic increase in orphans in Zambia and many other African nations. According to the United Nations, 40 percent of children in rural parts of East Africa who have lost a parent by age 15, lost their parent due to AIDS. Last year, AIDS orphaned 1.7 million children, the overwhelmin
U.S. Adds $4.9 Million to Funds Aimed at AIDS and Minorities: Baltimore Sun (09/18/98) P. 3A; Texeira, Erin; Federal health officials announced on Thursday $4.9 million in additional funds for programs designed to address HIV among minorities. Over 2,000 state legislators met at the 28th annual Congressional Black Caucus in Washington praised the news, but noted that they wanted guarantees for sustained funding next year. In
Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy, HIV, and Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy: New England Journal of Medicine (09/17/98) Vol. 339, No. 12, P. 848; Cinque, Paola; Casari, Salvatore; Bertelli, Davide; et al.; Italian scientists report the effect of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) on progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy in HIV-infected patients with JC virus DNA. In a letter to the editor of the New England Journal of Medicine, the authors report that among 10 AIDS patients with progressive multifocal leuk
Post-Exposure Prevention (PEP); What to Do If the Condom Breaks?: AIDS Treatment News (09/04/98) No. 302, P. 1; James, John S.; While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has published guidelines on the use of post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) for possible inoculation with HIV through needle-stick accidents in health care workers, no such guidelines exist for people similarly exposed through sexual contact or intravenous drug use. PEP t
TB Prophylaxis Protective in HIV-Positive Patients: Reuters Health Information Services (09/16/98); A study published in the September 5th issue of the British Medical Journal indicates that treatment for tuberculosis in HIV-infected adults provides protection. Researchers measured the efficacy of TB prophylaxis in 4,055 HIV-positive subjects in Haiti , Kenya , Uganda , and
Safe Injection Sites Proposal Ignites Heated Debate: CNews Online (09/16/98); Joyce, Greg; In Canada , controversy is brewing around a draft report to a local health board that recommended establishing safe injection sites for intravenous drug users in Vancouver. At the sites, IDUs would receive medical supervision as they inject. City police spokeswoman Constable Anne Drennan said that the police are very o
A Shot of Hope in AIDS Battle: Chicago Tribune Online (09/16/98); Manier, Jeremy; AIDS vaccine testing in Chicago entered large-scale human trials Tuesday, when Brian Etheridge became the first area resident to be inoculated with AIDSvax, an experimental vaccine. An estimated 300 people in the Chicago area will receive the candidate vaccine. Experts note that the vaccine will almost certainly not pr
To Fight AIDS, Help Poor Countries Develop: Reuters (09/16/98); Fox, Maggie; On Wednesday, experts told the House of Representatives International Relations Committee that helping poor countries develop their economies would aid in the fight against HIV. Dr. Peter Piot, head of the Joint UN Program on HIV/AIDS ( UNAIDS ), noted that the problem could not be resolved using medicine alone. Piot
Prize to Honor AIDS Researcher Killed in Crash: Washington Post (09/17/98) P. B5; A new annual prize will be awarded to honor Jonathan Mann, a renowned AIDS researcher and activist who died in the crash of a Swissair flight this month. The National Council for International Health and the group Human Rights Watch will establish the prize, which includes a cash prize designed to help the winner pursu
Health Research Chief Seeks More AIDS Funds: Washington Times (09/17/98) P. A17; Bonabesse, Gaedig; Dr. Anthony Fauci, of the National Institutes of Health, told a congressional panel Wednesday that the United States should increase its financial contribution to the war against AIDS. Fauci called for the integration of international health into U.S. foreign policy, asserting that HIV causes economic and political ins
Prospects for Live Attenuated HIV: Nature Medicine (09/98) Vol. 4, No. 9, P. 982; Desrosiers, Ronald C.; In a letter to the editor of Nature Medicine, Ronald C. Desrosiers of Harvard Medical School discusses the merits of research concerning the use of live attenuated strains of HIV for a prospective vaccine. Research in many areas helps to shed light on the HIV epidemic, and Desrosiers notes that all options should be ke
Practice What We Preach? HIV Knowledge, Beliefs, and Behaviors of Adolescents and Adolescent Peer Educators: Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care (09/98- 10/98) Vol. 9, No. 5, P. 61; Villarruel, Antonia M.; Jemmott, Loretta Sweet; Howard, Monique; et al.; Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing surveyed 33 predominantly African-American adolescents and adolescent peer educators regarding HIV knowledge and behaviors. Both groups of adolescents displayed moderately high knowledge of HIV, confidence in their ability to use condoms, and the belief
Correction to 9/14/98 NCHSTP Daily Update: Report: Illegal Needle Exchange Programs Thrive in New Jersey: Boston Globe Online (09/14/98); Three illegal syringe exchanges provided 52,000 sterile needles to intravenous drug users in New Jersey, according to a report in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Review last month. Most of the needles--48,000--were distributed by the Chai Project based in New Brunswick. The project has been public about its illegal dist
Coffee Bean Compound Inhibits HIV: Pathfinder Online (09/15/98); Researchers at the University of California, Irvine, found that chicoric acid, a compound found in green coffee beans, appears to block an enzyme used by HIV to integrate into cellular DNA. The researchers--who report their findings in the September 11th issue of the Journal of Virology--observed that chicoric acid inh
WHO Reports Declining European Life Expectancy: Reuters (09/14/98); Follett, Christopher; A new World Health Organization report indicates that the life expectancy in Europe is declining for the first time in over 50 years. Specifically, the average life expectancy fell from 73.1 years in 1991 to 72.4 years in 1994. According to the Health in Europe 1997 report, former Soviet Union states are experiencing a
World Bank Lends Brazil $165 Million to Curb AIDS: Reuters (09/15/98); Brazil will receive a $165 million loan from the World Bank for AIDS treatment and diagnosis programs. A World Bank statement acknowledges that improvements against the disease have been made in Brazil and that the loan will allow these efforts to be expanded. There are about 95,000 reported HIV- infected people in t
Kenyans to Die Younger: Africa News Service (09/15/98); Fredric Lyons, the Kenyan representative of the United Nations Development Program, has warned that the life expectancy of Kenyans will drop by one-third to 40 years by the year 2000 if current trends continue. He also said that poverty and deprivation levels would rise if political and economic problems are not addres
Good News in the War Against AIDS: Washington Post (09/16/98) P. C11; Mann, Judy; In the Washington Post, Judy Mann provides commentary on anti- AIDS efforts, stating American efforts addressing the AIDS epidemic have been positive and helpful. Mann cites a recent report by the General Accounting Office calling a U.S. Agency for International Development s Global Program on AIDS project by far the m
Sexually Transmitted Diseases Continue Decline in Bay State: Boston Herald Online (09/16/98); Lasalandra, Michael; Rates of sexually transmitted diseases declined in Massachusetts during the past year, with gonorrhea cases reaching their lowest levels in almost 40 years. The state Department of Public Health reports that gonorrhea levels dropped 4 percent in 1997 to 35 cases per 100,000 residents; the gonorrhea rate has dropped 71
HIV Infection Predicted to Double by 2000: South China Morning Post Online (09/16/98); World Health Organization Western Pacific regional chief Han Sang Tae said Tuesday that the number of HIV infections in the sector will increase to 1.5 million people by the year 2000. HIV infection rates in the region, which are increasing moderately at present, are likely to rise unless measures are urgently taken
Apoptosis of CD8+ T Cells Is Mediated by Macrophages Through Interaction of HIV GP120 With Chemokine Receptor CXCR4: Nature (09/10/98) Vol. 395, No. 6698, P. 189; Herbein, Georges; Mahlknecht, Ulrich; Batliwalla, Franak; et al.; CD8+ T-cell apoptosis appears to be mediated by CXCR4 activation. According to research led by Georges Herbein of the Picower Institute for Medical Research in New York, CD8+ apoptosis is induced by recombinant envelope protein gp120 from HIV strain X4 or by the physiological ligand of the chemokine receptor CXCR4, str
P53 Codon 72 Polymorphism and Risk of Cervical Cancer in the UK: Lancet (09/12/98) Vol. 352, No. 9131, P. 871; Rosenthal, Adam N.; Ryan, Andy; Al-Jehani, Rajai M.; et al.; An early report in the Lancet, conducted by scientists at St. Bartholomew s and Royal London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary and Westfield College in the United Kingdom , indicates that a polymorphism at codon 72 of the human tumor-suppressor gene, p53, does not affect cervical cancer risk. A previous stu
Latin American HIV/AIDS Statistics Updated: Reuters Health Information Services (09/14/98); At the 1998 Meeting of the Institute of Human Virology last month, Dr. Fernando Zacarias of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) reported that there were 232,523 AIDS cases as of June 1998 among the 36 PAHO member countries. The Joint UN Program on HIV/AIDS and PAHO together estimate that there are 1.6 million p
One Percent of Indians in Five States Have HIV: Reuters (09/14/98); Iijima, Masako; One percent of Indians in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Manipur carry HIV, according to new data. J.V.R. Prasada Rao, Project Director of National AIDS Control Organization, announced the statistics, which were compiled through the collection of 400 samples from 180 test centers in every state
WHO Chief Vows All-Out War on AIDS: Hong Kong Standard Online (09/15/98); Gro Harlem Brundtland, the head of the World Health Organization , vowed on Monday to increase anti-AIDS efforts. She said, We will press for research on vaccines, for simple yet effective diagnostic tests, and for more equitable access to prevention and treatment--including antiretroviral therapies. She noted that H
Teen-Agers and Sex: Younger and More Risk: New York Times (09/15/98) P. D7; Brody, Jane E.; Young Americans often begin sexual relations at an early age, increasing the risk of pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV. While the teenage birth rate has declined and condom use is up, there are still many teens having unprotected sex. Studies in New Zealand--where nearly one-third of women and
Infectious Diseases Under Heavy Attack: USA Today (09/15/98) P. 6D; Manning, Anita; There are currently 136 drugs in Food and Drug Administration human clinical trials or awaiting approval. According to the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), these include 27 antibiotics, 12 antifungals, 31 viral infection treatments, five immune system boosters, and 42 vaccines. An additiona
Mother Is Allowed to Withhold AIDS Drug: Washington Post (09/15/98) P. A6; On Monday, a Maine judge ruled that Valerie Emerson of Bangor has the right to refuse drug treatment for her HIV-infected four-year-old son, Nikolas. Emerson denied her son treatment, fearing that the powerful treatment would kill her child. The judge also ruled that Emerson could keep custody of the child, instead of
South African Government Urged to Show More in Tackling AIDS: Lancet (09/12/98) Vol. 352, No. 9131, P. 890; Baleta, Adele; Participants at a recent AIDS conference in Durban called out increased HIV prevention and treatment efforts in South Africa . South Africa has an estimated 1,700 new HIV infections a day, and the United Nations estimates that there were 2.9 million HIV-positive people in the country as of the beginning of 1998. While
Spectrum of AIDS-Associated Malignant Disorders: Lancet (09/12/98) Vol. 532, No. 9131, P. 906; Franceschi, Silvia; La Vecchia, Carlo; Dal Maso, Luigino; et al.; In a letter to the editor of the Lancet, Italian researchers respond to a recent article by James Goedert and colleagues on AIDS-associated malignant diseases in people in the United States . They agree that there is a true association between Hodgkin s disease and HIV, however they note that the authors of the origina
CCR5 Promoter Polymorphism and HIV-1 Disease Progression: Lancet (09/12/98) Vol. 352, No. 9131, P. 866; McDermott, David H.; Zimmerman, Peter A.; Guignard, Florence; et al.; A genetic polymorphism in the CCR5 promoter region plays a protective role in HIV disease progression, according to researchers at the National Institutes of Health and elsewhere. David H. McDermott et al. evaluated 414 HIV-1 infected people for an adenine/guanine (A/G) polymorphism at base-pair 59029 in the CCR5 promo
RCMP Tracks HIV-Tainted Plasma From Arkansas Inmates: Ottawa Citizen Online (09/12/98); Kennedy, Mike; The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) has tracked the sale of HIV-contaminated plasma back to Arkansas inmates. While the RCMP investigates the matter, some Canadians are angry, arguing that the import of the plasma proves that the federal government neglected its regulatory duties regarding the purity of the blood
Safety and Privacy Concerns Clash as HIV Spreads in Prisons: Philadelphia Inquirer (09/12/98) P. A3; Pugh, Tony; Although new inmates in federal prisons and most state prisons are not tested for HIV, in part because of the difficulty of maintaining patient confidentiality, fears about the safety of guards and the high rate of HIV and AIDS in jails could change this policy. South Carolina recently became the 17th state-- and first
Two-Minute TB Review Saves Money: Fox News Online (09/11/98); Dr. Neil Schluger and colleagues at the New York University Medical Center and School of Medicine report that the need for expensive tuberculosis laboratory tests could often be eliminated if pulmonologists conduct two-minute patient histories and x-ray reviews. In the September issue of the journal Chest, the research
In Utah, One-Fourth of Teens Consider Suicide, Survey Finds: Deseret News Online (09/13/98); Toomer-Cook, Jennifer; A survey of 1,400 Utah teenagers found that 91 percent feel they are being educated about AIDS, up from 81 percent in 1993. According to the survey, commissioned by the division of Adolescent and School Health of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 18 percent of students have put themselves at risk for cont
Report: Illegal Needle Exchange Programs Thrive in New Jersey: Boston Globe Online (09/14/98); Three illegal syringe exchanges provided 52,000 sterile needles to intravenous drug users in New Jersey, according to a report in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Review last month. Most of the needles--48,000--were distributed by the Chai Project based in New Brunswick. The project has been public about its illegal dist
Resistant TB Strains Spreading From Russia: Baltimore Sun (09/14/98) P. 1A; Englund, Will; Drug-resistant strains of tuberculosis continue to spread in Russia and beyond, noted a panel of doctors that visited prisons and TB treatment centers in Siberia last week. The physicians asserted that Russian and Western efforts to combat the disease were aiding the problem, and that the disease is spreading rapidly a
HIV's Quiet Accomplice?: Science News (09/05/98) Vol. 154, No. 4, P. 158; Brainard, Jeffrey; Some researchers believe that bacterial vaginosis may contribute substantially to the spread of HIV. While the disease does not always produce noticeable symptoms, it can result in vaginal itching, excessive discharge, and a fishy odor. It has also been implicated in premature birth, one of the leading causes of infant
Expanding Efforts to Prevent Chlamydial Infection: New England Journal of Medicine (09/10/98) Vol. 339, No. 11, P. 768; Stamm, Walter E.; Without an effective vaccine, it is important to create broad screening programs for Chlamydia trachomatis in order to control the spread of the bacteria, asserts Dr. Walter E. Stamm of the University of Washington. In an editorial appearing in the New England Journal of Medicine, Stamm cites a recent study that found
Bargaining Power: POZ (09/98) No. 39, P. 74; Suggs, Donald; With thousands of teenagers in New York City prostituting themselves out for money, HIV prevention is often not the top priority. A 1996 study conducted by epidemiologist Michael Clatts and funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that there were 15,000 to 20,000 homeless adolescents in New Yo
Acute Sinusitis Common Among HIV-Positive Children: Reuters Health Information Services (09/10/98); A report in the September/October issue of Infectious Diseases in Clinical Practice reveals that acute sinusitis affected nearly 40 percent of the 180 HIV-positive children who were outpatients of New Jersey s University Hospital in Newark. Nonspecific symptoms such as cough and rhinorrhea could be resolved after a 21-
Preliminary Findings Indicate Imiquimod May Have Role in HIV Treatment: Reuters Health Information Services (09/10/98); A study published in the September issue of the Journal of Infectious Diseases indicates that oral imiquimod, an immune response modifier, may be useful in the treatment of HIV. Researchers, led by David Goldstein of Prince of Wales Hospital in Sydney, Australia , conducted a phase I trial of the drug in 12 asymptomati
OSHA Seeks to Reduce Needle-Stick Cases: United Press International (09/10/98); The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration is calling on the medical community and the public to help find ways to reduce the approximately 600,000 injuries that occur every year among health care workers from needles and other sharps. The success of the government s 1991 workplace safety standard for bl
Transsexuals Forced Into Risky Business: Reuters (09/10/98); Loney, Jim; New research from the University of Florida concludes that transsexuals and transvestites are often forced into the sex trade because society and their families reject them at an early age, forcing them to make a living as prostitutes. According to the study of male transsexuals in Miami, transsexual prostitutes were i
France's Blood Trial Set for Feb.: Waco Tribune-Herald Online (09/10/98); Three former ministers of France who served under President Francois Mitterrand from 1984 to 1986 will go on trial in February after being charged with involuntary homicide in relation to the deaths of seven hemophiliacs infected with HIV through transfusions. A conviction could bring a maximum penalty of five years an
CDC Unveils $200 Million Plan for Fight Against New Diseases: Boston Globe Online (09/11/98); Bynum, Russ; The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is calling for $200 million in federal funds to help fight the emergence of new diseases and drug-resistant germs. The CDC received $59 million four years ago for programs geared to identify new illnesses and aggressive existing diseases, but officials note that the substa
Correction: Metabolic Abnormalities and Use of HIV-1 Protease Inhibitors: Lancet (09/05/98) Vol. 352, No. 9130, P. 821; Martinez, Esteban; Gatell, Jose; Spanish researchers Esteban Martinez and Jose Gatell respond to an article in the Lancet on the role of protease inhibitors in lipid metabolism. The authors state that protease inhibitors are non-specific and, therefore, may alter proteins including insulin and its substrates. The drugs may cause a reduction in hepati
Cost of Blood Screening: Emerging Infectious Diseases Online (07/98-09/98) Vol. 4, No. 3,; Chang, O. Jaime; In a letter to the editor, O. Jaime Chang of the Instituto Nacional de Salud, Ministerio de Salud in Lima, Peru , comments on an article by G.A. Schmunis regarding the risk for transfusion-transmitted infections in Central and South America. Chang points out that a screening program is used to ensure that blood is safe
Revision of the HIV Center Medical Staging Scale: Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care (09/98- 10/98) Vol. 9, No. 5, P. 19; McCain, Nancy L.; Lyon, Debra E.; Higginson, Robert; et al.; Researchers from the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Nursing and the Medical School of Virginia explain a revision of the HIV Center Medical Staging Scale (HCMSS) for HIV illness. Currently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention classification system is the most widely used system, but the authors n
HIV Spreads to All but Two Provinces in Vietnam: Reuters (09/10/98); According to an official at the National AIDS Protection Committee in Vietnam , HIV has spread to all but two provinces in the country, with 10,119 cases of HIV reported and over 1,240 AIDS cases. However, some people estimate that the number of HIV infections is much larger. The two unaffected provinces are in remote,
AIDS Strain May Cause 'Suicide' of Key Immune Cells: Reuters (09/09/98); A study by a multicenter team published in the current issue of Nature indicates that a particular HIV strain may induce CD8 T-cell apoptosis--cell suicide--in the later HIV progression stages. Eric Verdin of the University of California, San Francisco, and colleagues report that syncytium inducing HIV binds to CXCR4 o
Springfield's Stand Against AIDS: Boston Globe (09/09/98) P. A19; Jackson, Derrick Z.; The city of Springfield, Mass., will institute a needle- exchange program in the coming months, despite the objections of some vocal protesters, notes Boston Globe columnist Derrick Z. Jackson. Mayor Michael Albano said that he does not expect the protesters--who earned a non-binding referendum on the November ballot--
Fitting in Leaves Children Less Fit: Washington Post (09/10/98) P. A1; Branigin, William; While children born to immigrants in the United States tend to be healthier than children of U.S.-born parents, a new National Research Council and Institute of Medicine study shows that the health of the children deteriorates the longer they stay in the United States. Americanization of diet was one reason cited for t
Hopeful Report Released on Drugs: Washington Times (09/10/98) P. A4; Wetzstein, Cheryl; The Service Research Outcomes Study released Wednesday by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration indicates that addicts who underwent treatment are living healthier lives, committing fewer crimes, and spending less time on the street five years after undergoing treatment. The survey of 1,
Ireland's Success With HIV Pregnancies: Lancet (09/05/98) Vol. 352, No. 9130, P. 796; Bichard, Karen; According to Karina Butler, a consultant infectious diseases pediatrician in charge of the Irish national pediatric AIDS program, there have been no reported cases in Ireland of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in infants born to infected mothers who were treated with combination therapy.
Metabolic Abnormalities and Use of HIV-1 Protease Inhibitors: Lancet (09/05/98) Vol. 352, No. 9130, P. 821; Martinez, Esteban; Gatell, Jose; Spanish researchers Esteban Martinez and Jose Gatell respond to an article in the Lancet on the role of protease inhibitors in lipid metabolism. The authors state that protease inhibitors are non-specific and, therefore, may alter proteins including insulin and its substrates. The drugs may cause a reduction in hepati
Identification of a New Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Distinct From Group M and Group O: Nature Medicine (09/98) Vol. 4, No. 9, P. 1032; Simon, Francois; Mauclere, Philippe; Roques, Pierre; et al.; French researchers report the discovery of a new HIV-1 isolate that cannot be categorized in any previous group. HIV strains are categorized in either group M--for major strains--or group O--for outer strains. Group O consists of highly divergent, genetically related strains with no defined clade. The new isolate, desi
Chlamydia Trachomatis Infections in Female Military Recruits: New England Journal of Medicine Online (09/10/98) Vol. 339, No. 11, P. 739; Gaydos, Charlotte A.; Howell, M. Rene; Pare, Barbara; et al.; Researchers investigating the prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis infection among women in the U.S. military report an overall 9.2 percent rate of infection. Charlotte A. Gaydos of Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and colleagues studied more than 13,000 female military recruits from all 50 states. They found that 17-ye
Letters from Nicaragua: Plenty of Nothing: POZ (09/98) No. 39, P. 42; Stern, Richard; Murillo, Guillermo; HIV-infected individuals in Nicaragua face a tough time getting medical attention or treatment services. While official reports indicate that there have been only 170 diagnosed cases of AIDS in the country, some estimate that the number of HIV-infected residents numbers in the thousands. Neighboring
More Mothers Getting AIDS Say Doctors: Irish Times Online (09/05/98); Carolan, Mary; Irish doctors warn that there will be an increase in the number of children born in the country with HIV unless action is taken to stem the increasing number of mothers who are becoming infected with HIV through heterosexual contact. According to statistics released at a seminar in the Rotunda Hospital, 15 children hav
Condom Vending Machines a Hit in China: Reuters (09/09/98); According to the China Daily, the country s first condom vending machines in the southern town of Shenzhen have been so successful that machines will be placed in other cities. In the first month of operation, each of the 50 machines sold 2,000 to 3,000 condoms at 12 cents each. The paper reported that sales have been
Promote Safe Sex, Too: New York Times (09/09/98) P. A28; Siegel, Jessica; In a letter to the editor of the New York Times, Jessica Siegel responds to the Food and Drug Administration s recent approval of emergency contraceptive pills. Siegel, of Berkeley, Calif., states that while she believes the FDA s decision to be sound, she is concerned that the media and manufacturers may not promote t
Hundreds of Women Tricked Into Charlatan's Fake HIV Tests: London Times Online (09/09/98); Jones, Tim; A man who posed as a doctor and conducted hundreds of false tests for sexually transmitted diseases on women in Britain was sentenced to five years in jail on Tuesday. Godwin Onubogu, a 57-year-old London resident, conducted tests for HIV and cancer in hundreds of people and told most of the predominantly female patien
Japanese Officials Were Aware of HIV in Blood Products: Nature Medicine (09/98) Vol. 4, No. 9, P. 991; Saegusa, Asako; Tapes played at the trial of Akihito Matsumura, a former official of Japan s Ministry of Health and Welfare, indicate that the ministry s AIDS study panel was aware of possible HIV contamination in non-heat-treated blood products in 1983. The panel continued to suggest the use of the products, resulting in a possible 1
Long-Term Suppression of Genital Herpes: Journal of the American Medical Association Online (09/09/98) Vol. 280, P. 928; Engel, Jeffrey P.; Dr. Jeffrey P. Engel of the East Carolina School of Medicine comments on the recent finding of the efficacy of famciclovir in treating genital herpes . In an editorial in the Journal of the American Medical Association , Engel states that herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 2 is the most common cause of urogenital disease
HIV-1-Associated Nephropathy and Response to Highly-Active Antiretroviral Therapy [Research Letter]: Lancet (09/05/98) Vol. 352, No. 9130, P. 783; Wali, Ravinder K.; Drachenberg, Cinthis I.; Papadimitriou, John C.; et al.; Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore, present the case of a 37-year-old African- American man with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder who tested positive for HIV-1 antibodies. The man had typical clinical features of HIV-1 nephropathy with heavy proteinurea and absent peripheral ede
Oral Famciclovir for the Suppression of Recurrent Genital Herpes: Journal of the American Medical Association Online (09/09/98) Vol. 280, P. 887; Diaz-Mitoma, Francisco; Sibbald, R. Gary; Shafran, Stephen D.; et al.; Researchers report that oral famciclovir is an effective treatment for the suppression of genital herpes simplex virus in patients who experience frequent recurrences. The scientists conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo- controlled, panel-group study of 455 patients at 30 university, hospital, or private outpa
Action Plans Needed for Willful Transmissions: AIDS Alert (08/98) Vol. 13, No. 8, P. 90; Because of the increasing occurrence of willful HIV transmission, which could just be the result of public health officials becoming more aware of such behaviors, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention has begun developing guidelines to help public health departments establish plans to deal with such situations,
Healthy Change for D.C.'s Poor: Washington Post (09/07/98) P. A25; Offner, Paul; Beginning next month, the District of Columbia government will guarantee health insurance to all families 200 percent below the poverty level, encompassing 15,000 people, approximately half of whom are children. According to data from the Kaiser Commission on the Future of Medicaid, 26 percent of uninsured children are
HIV: France To Treat Mothers: Africa News Service (09/07/98); A French international fund for AIDS in developing countries is initiating a program to provide anti-HIV drugs for 1,000 pregnant women in Uganda to slow the transmission of AIDS to children at birth. Seventeen countries have been selected for the 1998/1999 program, which is supported by drug companies, individuals, th
HIV, Tobacco Are Biggest Killers Worldwide: Reuters (09/07/98); Reaney, Patricia; Epidemiologist and medical statistician Richard Peto of Oxford University in Britain announced Monday that HIV and tobacco use are the leading causes of death worldwide. He noted that the best way to reduce mortality rates is to target these two problem, noting that more lives can be saved by moderately reducing major
A Generation's Future Goes Begging: Washington Post (09/07/98) P. A1; Sullivan, Kevin; Many people in Asia are facing increasing problems in the wake of the continent s financial crisis, with increasing child labor, dropout rates, hunger and malnutrition, crime and prostitution, and family disintegration. Many women are unable to afford adequate or proper prenatal care, while common medications and contr
Condition Critical for Mother and Child: Washington Post (09/08/98) P. A15; Wainberg, Mark A.; UNAIDS recently announced that HIV-infected mothers in developing countries should consider alternatives to breast- feeding, even though many feel that there are no other viable options in many of these areas. The announcement by the UN agency indicates that there is concern about the transmission of HIV from mother
Atlanta Rally Unburdened by Ills of Harlem's: New York Times (09/08/98) P. A13; Sack, Kevin; This past weekend, African-American youth attended a rally in Atlanta supported by the NAACP, the Rainbow Coalition/Operation PUSH, the Nation of Islam, and the Southern Christian Leadership Project. The rally, called the Million Youth Movement, drew about 1,000 people, and speakers addressed a number of different topi
Drugs Taint Annual Gay Revels: New York Times (09/08/98) P. A27; Bruni, Frank; The Gay Men s Health Crisis recently held its annual Morning Party on Fire Island in order to raise money for AIDS-related services. The AIDS advocacy group raised over $450,000 at its August 16th party, which attracted about 4,500 men. However, some people are wondering about the group s endorsement of the dance party
NIH Concocts a Booster Shot for HIV Vaccines: Science (08/28/98) Vol. 281, No. 5381, P. 1271; Cohen, Jon; Neal Nathanson, the new director of the National Institutes of Health s Office of AIDS Research, is making the AIDS vaccine program his top priority. He is attempting to increase the speed of research and discovery by altering some of the programs. Nathanson wants to change the current peer review system for study prop
Hepatitis A Vaccination of Men Who Have Sex With Men --- Atlanta, Ga.: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (09/04/98) Vol. 47, No. 34, P. 708; Outbreaks of hepatitis A among men who have sex with men (MSM) are a recurring problem in many large cities in the industrialized world. Because MSM are at high risk for acquiring hepatitis A, in 1995 the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP)recommended that MSM be vaccinated against hepatitis A. These re
Maternity Mortality--United States, 1982-1996: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (09/04/98) Vol. 47, No. 34, P. 705; While infant mortality has declined in the United States , maternal mortality has not. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention s National Center for Health Statistics, the maternity mortality ratio remained about 7.5 deaths per 100,000 live births between 1982 and 1996. With ratios of between 18 an
Needle Ban Could Halt Some Indirect Research: AIDS Alert (08/98) Vol. 13, No. 8, P. 92; Government agencies are warning the research community that a new congressional ban that prevents the use of federal funds for needle-exchange programs could affect research that is indirectly associated with injection drug use and AIDS. The concerns follow the refusal of the Clinton administration to lift the federal
AIDS Center at UCSF Awarded $5.76 Million Over Four Years: San Francisco Chronicle Online (09/03/98) P. A21; Lynem, Julie N.; The National Institutes of Health awarded a four-year, $5.76 million grant to the University of California at San Francisco Center for AIDS Research. The grant will go towards the center s work in basic, clinical, and behavioral science concerning HIV and AIDS. NIH gives 12 such grants to AIDS research centers across t
Across the USA: Washington: USA Today (09/04/98) P. 8A; In Washington State, Pierce County now requires doctors to report the names of HIV-infected individuals. The county, with an estimated 900 to 1,000 HIV-positive residents, is the first county in the state to require HIV patient name reporting.
More Tuberculosis Screenings in New Zealand Schools: ABC News Online (09/04/98); New Zealand s North Island is conducting widespread tuberculosis screenings following a TB outbreak at Tangaroa College in Otara, south Auckland. Six infections in students have been reported since last December. Another case was recently reported in Whangarei.
HIV Carriers Must Tell Partners, Court Rules: Toronto Globe and Mail Online (09/04/98); Fine, Sean; The Canadian Supreme Court has ruled that HIV-infected people must reveal their HIV status to their partners before unprotected sex or they will face jailing. The ruling also encompassed other sexually transmitted diseases, but does not require HIV-positive individuals to inform their partners if they are using a condo
Prominent Researchers Killed: Washington Post (09/04/98) P. A37; Brown, David; Two AIDS researchers, Jonathan Mann and his wife Mary Lou Clements-Mann, were killed in the crash of Swissair Flight 111 Wednesday night in the Atlantic Ocean off Nova Scotia. Jonathan Mann worked as an epidemiologist in Africa, later concentrating on AIDS activism, focusing on human rights and how they affect the spre
HIV/AIDS in Migrant and Seasonal Farm Workers: Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care (09/98- 10/98) Vol. 9, No. 5, P. 80; Aranda-Naranjo, Barbara; Gaskins, Susan; Barbara Aranda-Naranjo of the University of Texas, Health Sciences Center at San Antonio, and Susan Gaskins at the University of Alabama report on the issue of HIV among migrant and seasonal farm workers (MSFWs). Overall, it is estimated that Hispanics comprise 70 percent of migrant workers, while African-Americans and
Hawaii's Statewide Syringe Exchange Program: American Journal of Public Health (09/98) Vol. 88, No. 9, P. 1403; Vogt, Richard L.; Breda, Mark C.; Des Jarlais, Don C.; et al.; Dr. Richard L. Vogt of the Hawaii Department of Health and colleagues report on Hawaii s statewide syringe exchange program. The program began in 1990 as a pilot study and was permanent in 1993, receiving state funding following political support. By 1994, the program had one fixed site in Honolulu and five vans coveri
Notification Guidelines Finally Being Published: AIDS Alert (08/98) Vol. 13, No. 8, P. 89; Four years after first developing partner notification guidelines, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has finished a draft document concerning HIV partner notification that some critics say is too late because many states have already begun passing their own laws--many of which do not embrace positions simi
Drug Use May Confound HIV Incubation Estimates: Reuters Health Information Services (09/02/98); Dr. Jan C. M. Hendriks of the Department of Public Health in Amsterdam and other researchers report that intravenous drug users with HIV progress to death faster than HIV-infected homosexual men. Published in the August 20th issue of the journal AIDS, the study of 173 HIV-positive IDUs indicates that the median time un
New Biologic Strategies for HIV Therapy Under Way: Reuters Health Information Services (09/02/98); Mitchell, Deborah; AIDS expert Dr. Robert Gallo recently called for new biological approaches for HIV therapy and for a natural way of blocking the virus. Gallo, speaking at a meeting of the Institute of Human Virology last week in Baltimore, also said that he, Dr. Daniel Zagury, and others have developed a protocol to enhance immune res
HIV/AIDS Treatment Campaign: MSNBC Online (09/03/98); Hardin, Brent; The Kansas City, Mo., Health Department is searching for 800 HIV-positive people who are not receiving treatment, according to records. In order to reach these individuals, the city will conduct a media campaign emphasizing that HIV-infected people have treatment options. The effort will include radio and print ads and
TB Bacteria Protein Isolated: Financial Times (09/03/98) P. 22; Houlder, Vanessa; A team of Russian and Welsh scientists have discovered a bacterial growth factor-known as resuscitation growth factor-- that plays an important role in the development of tuberculosis by activating dormant cells. The discovery, reported in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, could lead to new treatment
B&N Condemns Condoms, Pulls POZ: New York Post Online (09/03/98); Kelly, Keith J.; Some Barnes & Noble stores nationwide will pull the magazine POZ, a magazine focusing on AIDS awareness, due to the inclusion of three condoms in the magazine s September issue. The magazine placed the free condoms in the issue in an effort to promote safe sex, wrapping the magazine in a polybag with the words Free
Lives of D.C. Children Improve, Study Finds: Washington Post (09/03/98) P. C5; Mathews, Jay; The fifth annual D.C. Kids Count report indicates that risky behaviors by teen in the District of Columbia have decreased, but that the children still exhibit a high degree of problem behavior. Seventy-one percent of the 1,356 ninth- to 12th- graders surveyed reported having had sexual intercourse, and 38 percent said
Rising Number of Young, Elderly to Strain Resources, U.N. Report Says: Washington Post (09/03/98) P. A17; Goshko, John M.; The United Nations Population Fund released a report Wednesday asserting that while birth rates have declined, the increasing number of young and elderly will cause a strain on health and education resources in many nations. The global growth rate has fallen from 2 percent a year in 1960 to 1.4 percent; however, the ag
Factors Associated With Vaginal Yeast Infections in HIV- Positive Women: Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care (09/98- 10/98) Vol. 9, No. 5, P. 49; Williams, Ann B.; Andrews, Susan; Tashima, Karen; et al.; Yale researchers, led by Ann B. Williams, report that vaginal yeast infections are unlikely to be useful as an HIV marker in early infection among women. However, their study shows that, among women with HIV, Candida vaginitis (CV) may indicate progressive immune decline. The researchers conducted a cross -sectional an
Respondents' Understanding of the Words Used in Sexual Behavior Questions: Public Opinion Quarterly (Summer 1998) Vol. 62, No. 2, P. 190; Binson, Diane; Catania, Joseph A.; Diane Binson and Joseph A. Catinia of the University of California, San Francisco, conducted a telephone survey to determine how well respondents understand the wording of questions designed to measure sexual behavior. The researchers sampled 1,553 18 to 49-year-olds in a national survey, and 6,163 respondents in the s
African States Urged to Take AIDS More Seriously: PANA Wire Service (09/01/98); Masebu, Peter; Dr. Peter Piot, executive director of the Joint UN Program on HIV/AIDS ( UNAIDS ), has called on African countries to take the AIDS epidemic more seriously, investing more resources into prevention. Piot said that although there is a major HIV/AIDS problem on the continent, the solution to the AIDS problem is in Africa
Malawi: Increase in STD Cases Haunts Health: Africa Information Afrique (09/01/98); Health officials in Malawi are worried about the increase in sexually transmitted diseases in the country. Medical treatment is limited, and more resources are needed to address the problem. The National Family Planning Council of Malawi (NFPCM) reports that STD levels among outpatients is high across the nation. Dr.
U.S. HHS: NIAID Announces Funding for 12 Centers for AIDS Research: M2 Presswire (09/01/98); Over $13 million has been awarded in first-year funding for 12 AIDS research centers by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. The centers will get three to five years of continued support. The 12 centers are part of the Centers for AIDS Research (CFAR), which share resources and make them available
Cost of Hepatitis C on the Increase: Age Online (09/02/98); Toy, Mary-Anne; According to an unreleased Australian national report, there are nearly 200,000 people in the country with the hepatitis C virus (HCV)--mainly younger people--with three-fourths of the HCV-positive population chronically infected. The disease could cost Australia A$1 billion over the next 10 years. Comparatively, there
If Senate Approves, the Doctor Will Be in at a Changing FDA: Washington Post (09/02/98) P. A21; Schwartz, John; Jane F. Henney faces a Senate confirmation hearing today concerning her nomination as the next commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The 51-year-old cancer researcher and physician would become the first female head of the agency if she is approved. Henney has the support of the American Cancer Society
Prevention of Tuberculosis in HIV-1: Lancet (08/29/98) Vol. 352, No. 9129, P. 742; Halsey, Neal A.; Coberly, Jacqueline; Chaisson, Richard; Researchers form the School of Hygiene and Public Health in Baltimore, Md., comment on the prevention of tuberculosis among HIV-1-infected people in a letter to the editor of the Lancet. They state that directly observed therapy should be the standard course of tuberculosis treatment. Even with good treatment programs,
Breastfeeding Versus Formula Feeding in HIV Infection: Lancet (08/29/98) Vol. 352, No. 9129, P. 737; Latham, Michael C.; Greiner, Ted; Michael C. Latham of Cornell University, New York, and Ted Griener of Uppsala University, Sweden , co-authored a letter to the editor of the Lancet explaining problems with the current campaign to increase formula-feeding for children born to HIV- positive mothers in developing countries. The authors state that many o
Infection With HIV and Hepatitis C Virus Among Injecting Drug Users in a Prevention Setting: Retrospective Cohort Study: British Medical Journal Online (08/15/98) Vol. 317, No. 7156, P. 433; Van Beek, Ingrid; Dwyer, Robyn; Dore, Gregory J.; et al.; Australian scientists conducted a study of injection drug users at a primary health care facility in Sydney, in order to determine the incidence of new HIV and hepatitis C virus infections in a prevention setting. The retrospective cohort study tested 1,179 patients for HIV-1 antibody and 1,078 patients for hepatitis C
Ritonavir Potentiates Abbott's Second-Generation Protease Inhibitor ABT-378: Reuters Health Information Services (08/31/98); Scientists at Abbott Laboratories said Monday the firm s second-generation protease inhibitor, ABT-378, appears to be safe and effective in patients with HIV when the compound is combined with ritonavir . The researchers found that the combination therapy increased the amount of ABT-378 in tissues.
Immune Restoration Following HAART May Unmask Latent Cryptococcal Infection: Reuters Health Information Services (08/31/98); An Australian team of researchers reported the development of cryptococcal meningitis in three patients with advanced HIV infection following highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). According to the report, published in the August 20th issue of AIDS, all three patients developed clinically apparent meningitis wit
Nonoxynol-9 May Potentiate Rectal Infection by HSV, Possibly HIV: Reuters Health Information Services (08/31/98); Reidenbach, Faith; Drs. David M. Phillips and Vanaja R. Zacharopoulos of the Population Council in New York report in the August issue of Contraception that nonoxynol-9 does not protect mice from rectal infection by herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2). They add that the spermicide may actually increase the risk of HSV-2 infection, since mice
Four Midwestern Universities to Form AIDS Research Center: Minneapolis Star Tribune Online (09/01/98); Four universities--the University of Minnesota, Northwestern, the University of Wisconsin in Madison, and the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor--are coming together to form a joint AIDS research center. The center, funded by the National Institutes of Health, will be called the Great Lakes group, with one core group
Drug Treatment: Cost-Effective and Humane: Washington Post (09/01/98) P. A18; McCaffrey, Barry R.; In a letter to the editor of the Washington Post, director of National Drug Control Policy, Barry R. McCaffrey, argues that the lack of substance abuse treatment centers in Washington, D.C., is indicative of a national problem. While there has been an increase in federal expenditures by one-third since 1993, only 52 pe
A Balance for AIDS Reporting: Los Angeles Times--Washington Edition (08/31/98) P. A10; While tuberculosis and syphilis cases must be reported to county health officials in Los Angeles, Calif., people with HIV have not been monitored. Despite declines in the HIV incidence in the general population, many epidemiologists and public health officials have urged HIV reporting to increase surveillance of the di
New Strain of AIDS Virus Discovered in Africa: Washington Post (09/01/98) P. A2; Weiss, Rick; French researchers have discovered a rare, new HIV strain that can avoid detection with standard screening tests. The strain was found in a 40-year-old Cameroonian women who died of AIDS complications in 1995. The strain has only been found in three other cases, all in Cameroon. According to lead researchers Francois S
Can HCV Infection Be Cleared?: Lancet (08/29/98) Vol. 352, No. 9129, P. 669; Weiland, Ola; Ola Weiland of the Karolinska Institute in Sweden comments on findings by G. Hayden and colleagues regarding the presence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA in the liver--but not in the serum --of 10 out of 12 HCV-antibody-positive patients with chronic hepatitis. The report raises questions concerning the possibility of e
Mother to Child Transmission of Hepatitis C Virus: Prospective Study of Risk Factors and Timing of Infection in Children Born to Women Seronegative for HIV-1: British Medical Journal Online (08/15/98) Vol. 317, No. 7156, P. 437; Resti, Massimo; Azzari, Chiara; Mennelli, Francesco; et al.; Researchers at the University of Florence, Italy , report on the vertical transmission of hepatitis C virus (HCV) to children from HIV-1-negative mothers. They evaluated transmission rates in 403 women with HCV antibodies, 68 percent of whom showed HCV RNA, and found that 5 percent of the children had contracted HCV by
New Abacavir Data Open Door to a Better Treatment Paradigm: AIDS Alert (08/98) Vol. 13, No. 8, P. 85; According to findings released by Glaxo Wellcome at the 12th World AIDS Conference in Geneva, the experimental drug abacavir , a nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor currently in Phase III human trials, is just as effective when used in combination with combivir as
STD Clinics A Potential Site for Vaccinations: Reuters Health Information Services (08/27/98); A study by Dr. Mary Allen Staat of Children s Hospital Medical Center in Cincinnati, Ohio, and other researchers shows that sexually transmitted disease clinics may be useful as potential vaccination sites. The study, reported in the August issue of Sexually Transmitted Diseases, surveyed 288 patients attending an STD
Dual Antiretroviral Therapy Rarely Effective in Suppressing HIV: Reuters Health Information Services (08/28/98); An article in the September issue of the Journal of Infectious Diseases indicates that dual nucleoside treatment does not routinely suppress high viral levels of HIV-1 in infected patients. Dual nucleoside treatment is less costly and easier to tolerate than triple antiretroviral therapy. Dr. Julio S.G. Montaner of the
Africa Diseases--WHO Allocates $90 Million: PANA Wire Service (08/30/98); Ejime, Paul; World Health Organization Director General Gro Harlem Brundtland announced that the agency has allocated an additional $90 million for disease prevention and treatment in Africa. She said, Africa is a priority for the WHO. In May, we made a decision to add money on Africa s budget to assist in the fight against AIDS
U.S. Seen Removing White Blood Cells From Donated Blood: Reuters (08/28/98); Pierson, Ransdell; The United States is expected to begin removing all white blood cells from donated blood in the next few years in an effort to reduce the spread of blood-borne diseases, according to blood-collection officials. Britain recently announced that it would remove all white blood cells to prevent the possible transmission of
Censoring Safe Sex: Boston Globe (08/29/98) P. A18; While the American Family Association is upset about advertisements advocating condom use recently aired in New York and Los Angeles, an editorial in the Boston Globe comments that the commercials are appropriate considering the state of television. Sexual situations are already used to sell a wide variety of products
Calif. Bill Requires HIV Tracking: Boston Globe (08/29/98) P. A6; The California legislature passed Friday a bill mandating the tracking of HIV-infected people. Under the bill, the state will compile information on HIV cases using a unique identifier code system, tracking patients identified by an alphanumeric code instead of their names. The measure was undertaken to ensure the priv
Fewer Inmates Dying From AIDS: Chicago Sun-Times Online (08/31/98); Novak, Tim; With the advent of new drug treatments, the AIDS mortality rate in Illinois prisons has decreased. AIDS became the leading cause of death of prisoners in Illinois four years ago, when 35 people died. Rates have declined since then; but 1997 marked the first year since 1994 that AIDS was not the main cause of death in t
Urinary Tract Infections and Condoms: Epidemiology (09/98) Vol. 9, No. 5, P. 582; Foxman, Betsy; Koopman, James S.; Steiner, Markus J.; et al.; In a letter to Epidemiology, Betsy Foxman and associates from the University of Michigan School of Public Health comment on studies linking urinary tract infections (UTIs) with condom use. They state that there is a discrepancy between a study they conducted which found an association between the use of unlubricated co
Success in Implementing PHS Guidelines to Reduce Perinatal Transmission of HIV--Louisiana, Michigan, New Jersey, and South Carolina, 1993-1996: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (08/28/98); Results from a four state study (Michigan, New Jersey, Louisiana, and South Carolina) continue to demonstrate the success of HIV prevention efforts. The Public Health Service (PHS) guidelines for perinatal HIV prevention were issued in 1994 and 1995. The PHS guidelines recommend providing HIV counseling and voluntary t
Tambov Authorities Introduce HIV-Checks for [Foreigners]: Itar Wire Service (08/27/98); With the increasing HIV rates in Russia , the governor of the Tambov region ordered mandatory HIV testing for all foreigners entering the area. Those who test positive will be deported to other regions. According to the Russian national AIDS prevention coordinator, Mikhail Narkevich, Subjecting foreigners to an obliga
Vertical Transmission of Hepatitis G Virus Common in HIV- Infected Mothers: Reuters Health Information Services (08/27/98); A report in the September issue of the Journal of Infectious Diseases indicates that hepatitis G virus (HGV) can be sexually transmitted, is frequently contracted through vertical transmission, and is common among HIV-infected women. Dr. Maurizio de Martino of the University of Chieti and other Italian researchers also
Multiple HIV Subtypes Identified in Regions Nonendemic for HIV: Reuters Health Information Services (08/27/98); Researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and elsewhere report in the October/December issue of Emerging Infectious Diseases on the spread of HIV subtype distribution patterns in nonendemic regions. The researchers analyzed 26 HIV-positive individuals in Lebanon--which is nonendemic for HIV, has a
Needle Exchange Plans Gain Ground: Boston Globe (08/27/98) P. E8; In Massachusetts, Springfield city counselors voted 8-0 to seek a non-binding referendum on a needle-exchange program. The council passed a needle-exchange program one month ago by a vote of 5-4. The referendum still requires the approval of the state legislature.
AIDS Educator Charged for Showing Video: Washington Times (08/28/98) P. A5; An AIDS prevention educator in New Jersey was charged with distributing obscenity to minors after he showed a videotape of homosexual sex acts to teens. The tape, produced by Gay Men s Health Crisis in New York City, was shown to seven teens aged 15 to 17 at a county youth shelter. The program advocates the use of cond
Isis Says the FDA Approved Drug Using 'Antisense Therapy': Wall Street Journal (08/28/98) P. B4; Isis Pharmaceuticals reports that it has received Food and Drug Administration approval to market Vitravene as a treatment for cytomegalovirus retinitis, an eye disease that occurs in some patients with AIDS. The FDA approved Vitravene, which will be marketed by Novartis CIBA Vision unit, under its expedite
HIV Prevention Among Injecting Drug Users: Responses in Developing and Transitional Countries: Public Health Reports (06/98) Vol. 113, Supplement 1, P. 170; Ball, Andrew L.; Rana, Sujata; Dehne, Karl L.; Andrew L. Ball of the World Health Organization and colleagues report on the role of intravenous drug use in the incidence of HIV in developing nations or countries in transition. HIV infection due to intravenous drug use has been reported in 98 countries. Currently, information on the problem is very limited, but it a
Drug Abuse Treatment Success Among Needle Exchange Participants: Public Health Reports (06/98) Vol. 113, Supplement 1, P. 129; Brooner, Robert; Kidorf, Michael; King, Van; et al.; Researchers from Johns Hopkins University report on the efficacy of a drug abuse treatment program among participants referred by a Baltimore-area needle exchange program (NEP). The treatment program--an opioid exchange service--serviced 82 individuals referred from the NEP and 243 patients from other referral sources.
HIV Infection in Disadvantaged Out-of-School Youth: Prevalence for US Job Corps Entrants, 1990 Through 1996: Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes and Human Retrovirology (09/98) Vol. 19, No. 1; Young disadvantaged women, particularly African-American women, are being infected with HIV at younger ages and at higher rates than their male counterparts, according to a new CDC study. The study presents data from 1990 through 1996 on the rates of HIV infection among entrants to the U.S. Job Corps program, a federal
'97 AIDS Claims Under $1B: National Underwriter (08/24/98) Vol. 102, No. 34, P. 1; Levin, Amanda; AIDS-related insurance claims measured an estimated $960 million in 1997, marking the first time in the past nine years that the total claims were under $1 billion. A survey of 303 life insurance, group life insurance, and individual and group accident and health insurance companies was conducted by the American Counci
From Prisoners to Drug-Users, AIDS Runs Rampant in Myanmar: Earth Times Online (08/26/98); Alyanak, Leyla; Prison conditions are reported to favor the spread of HIV in Myanmar . According to one former prisoner, a single needle may be used by up to 200 patients, with a new needle costing too much for the majority of inmates--usually around $1. Government officials deny allegations that guards sometimes use contaminated need
Experts Call for New TB Vaccine: United Press International (08/26/98); Wasowicz, Lidia; A new vaccine against tuberculosis is needed, according to experts. TB affects one-third of the global population and is responsible for more deaths than any other infectious disease. The vaccine would prevent new infection and the development of the disease in those who become infected or re-infected. The current vacc
Cumberland County Jail Medical Staff Defend HIV Drug Policy: Boston Globe Online (08/26/98); In Maine, Cumberland County Jail medical personnel suggest that David McNally, a former inmate, may have been denied anti -HIV drug treatment because he had missed some doses prior to his imprisonment. McNally is suing the jail s medical department--specifically, Prison Health Services, a Tennessee- based organization
Mozambique: Health Care for Sex Workers: Africa Information Afrique (08/26/98); The government of Mozambique will provide counseling, condoms, and medical facilities for sex workers after deciding that it could note end prostitution. The program will begin in the city of Beira, which links the country to Zimbabwe , and in the Nacala corridor, which links the country to
Preliminary Results of Remune Trial in Thailand Are Encouraging: Reuters Health Information Services (08/26/98); Officials of the Immune Response Corp. report that early results of an open-label clinical trial of the experimental immune based HIV therapy Remune indicate that there is a significant increase in the CD4 cell counts as compared to pretreatment levels in 30 Thai patients after 60 weeks of follow-up. The patients, infe
Across the USA: New York: USA Today (08/27/98) P. 8A; A Monroe County, New York, teen abstinence campaign will be bought by the state and distributed in other New York cities. The rights to the media campaign will cost the state $1. Television airtime for the program--characterized by the slogan Not Me, Not Now --will mostly be paid for by the state as well.
Most HIV Positive Women Are Sexually Active: Reuters Health Information Services (08/26/98); According to Canadian researchers, about 75 percent of HIV- infected women are still sexually active. Led by Catherine Hankins of the Montreal Regional Health Department, researchers examined 392 members of the Canadian Women s HIV Study Group and found that 71.2 percent reported sexual activity in the previous six mon
The Outreach-Assisted Model of Partner Notification With IDUs: Public Health (06/98) Vol. 113, Supplement 1, P. 160; Levy, Judith A.; Fox, Susan E.; Dr. Judith A. Levy and Susan E. Fox of the University of Illinois studied partner notification rates among 60 intravenous drug users who tested HIV seropositive. The participants were divided into two notification groups: a self -tell group and a group that was assisted by outreach programs and had the option of choosi
Outreach-Based HIV Prevention for Injecting Drug Users: A Review of Published Outcome Data: Public Health (06/98) Vol. 133, Supplement 1, P. 19; Coyle, Susan L.; Needle, Richard H.; Normand, Jacques; Researchers from the National Institute on Drug Abuse examined 36 publications covering outreach-based HIV risk reduction interventions, observing that the interventions have been effective in changing risk behaviors for intravenous drug users. According to Dr. Susan L. Coyle and colleagues, the majority of the publica
'97 AIDS Claims Under $1B: National Underwriter (08/24/98) Vol. 102, No. 34, P. 1; Levin, Amanda; AIDS-related insurance claims measured an estimated $960 million in 1997, marking the first time in the past nine years that the total claims were under $1 billion. A survey of 303 life insurance, group life insurance, and individual and group accident and health insurance companies was conducted by the American Counci
From Prisoners to Drug-Users, AIDS Runs Rampant in Myanmar: Earth Times Online (08/26/98); Alyanak, Leyla; Prison conditions are reported to favor the spread of HIV in Myanmar . According to one former prisoner, a single needle may be used by up to 200 patients, with a new needle costing too much for the majority of inmates--usually around $1. Government officials deny allegations that guards sometimes use contaminated need
Experts Call for New TB Vaccine: United Press International (08/26/98); Wasowicz, Lidia; A new vaccine against tuberculosis is needed, according to experts. TB affects one-third of the global population and is responsible for more deaths than any other infectious disease. The vaccine would prevent new infection and the development of the disease in those who become infected or re-infected. The current vacc
Cumberland County Jail Medical Staff Defend HIV Drug Policy: Boston Globe Online (08/26/98); In Maine, Cumberland County Jail medical personnel suggest that David McNally, a former inmate, may have been denied anti -HIV drug treatment because he had missed some doses prior to his imprisonment. McNally is suing the jail s medical department--specifically, Prison Health Services, a Tennessee- based organization
Mozambique: Health Care for Sex Workers: Africa Information Afrique (08/26/98); The government of Mozambique will provide counseling, condoms, and medical facilities for sex workers after deciding that it could note end prostitution. The program will begin in the city of Beira, which links the country to Zimbabwe , and in the Nacala corridor, which links the country to
Preliminary Results of Remune Trial in Thailand Are Encouraging: Reuters Health Information Services (08/26/98); Officials of the Immune Response Corp. report that early results of an open-label clinical trial of the experimental immune based HIV therapy Remune indicate that there is a significant increase in the CD4 cell counts as compared to pretreatment levels in 30 Thai patients after 60 weeks of follow-up. The patients, infe
Across the USA: New York: USA Today (08/27/98) P. 8A; A Monroe County, New York, teen abstinence campaign will be bought by the state and distributed in other New York cities. The rights to the media campaign will cost the state $1. Television airtime for the program--characterized by the slogan Not Me, Not Now --will mostly be paid for by the state as well.
Most HIV Positive Women Are Sexually Active: Reuters Health Information Services (08/26/98); According to Canadian researchers, about 75 percent of HIV- infected women are still sexually active. Led by Catherine Hankins of the Montreal Regional Health Department, researchers examined 392 members of the Canadian Women s HIV Study Group and found that 71.2 percent reported sexual activity in the previous six mon
The Outreach-Assisted Model of Partner Notification With IDUs: Public Health (06/98) Vol. 113, Supplement 1, P. 160; Levy, Judith A.; Fox, Susan E.; Dr. Judith A. Levy and Susan E. Fox of the University of Illinois studied partner notification rates among 60 intravenous drug users who tested HIV seropositive. The participants were divided into two notification groups: a self -tell group and a group that was assisted by outreach programs and had the option of choosi
Outreach-Based HIV Prevention for Injecting Drug Users: A Review of Published Outcome Data: Public Health (06/98) Vol. 133, Supplement 1, P. 19; Coyle, Susan L.; Needle, Richard H.; Normand, Jacques; Researchers from the National Institute on Drug Abuse examined 36 publications covering outreach-based HIV risk reduction interventions, observing that the interventions have been effective in changing risk behaviors for intravenous drug users. According to Dr. Susan L. Coyle and colleagues, the majority of the publica
Impotent Potions: Far Eastern Economic Review (08/06/98) Vol. 161, No. 32, P. 64; Forney, Matt; Lawrence, Susan; China is experiencing a problem with bogus salesmen hawking concoctions they claim will cure HIV. Health officials estimate that the number of HIV-infected people in China could reach as high as 10 million by the 21st century. The country does not have a body that governs the sales of medicine, like the Food and Drug
Shut-Out Hepatitis C Victims Step Up Battle for Inclusion in Compensation: London Free Press Online (08/25/98); Murray, Don; Canadians who contracted hepatitis C though tainted blood transfusions but are not covered by the country s C$1.1 billion settlement package are increasing their efforts to get compensation. There are an estimated 20,000 Canadians who contracted the virus, but did not receive their transfusions in the package s window-
The Threat of Chlamydia: Sacramento Bee Online (08/25/98); Twenty percent of sexually active women under the age of 25 in California may have chlamydia, according to public health officials. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association recently found that up to one-third of women in Baltimore, Md., may be infected. The JAMA study investigated rates amo
Replication of Foscarnet-Resistant HIV-1 Strains May Be Impaired: Reuters Health Information Services (08/25/98); According to Australian researchers, foscarnet-resistant HIV-1 strains may have reduced replication ability. Dr. Gilda Tachedjian of the Macfarlane Burnet Center for Medical Research in Fairfield and colleagues found that resistant strains contain reverse transcriptase mutations and, therefore, produce lower titers in
Small Molecule Targets Different Stage of HIV Replication Cycle: Reuters Health Information Services (08/25/98); Scientists examining the effects of the S9a compound, a small molecule, believe that it may act as a novel inhibitor of the cytokine tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha). The molecule may block HIV gene expression by inhibiting the HIV Tat protein and be more effective when used with reverse transcriptase or
Abuse Linked to Later Sex: Toronto Sun Online (08/25/98); Lem, Sharon; A study published by the Canadian Medical Association indicates that women who are sexually abused are more likely to smoke, have sex with more than 20 partners, and contract a sexually transmitted disease. The three-year study, led by Dr. T. Kue Young of the University of Manitoba, also found that women who had been s
Sports Means Sex for Boys, Not Girls: USA Today (08/26/98) P. 1D; Elias, Marilyn; A new survey reveals that high school boys who play sports are more sexually active than their non-sports playing peers, while high school girls involved in sports are less likely to be sexually active when compared with their peers. According to the survey of 611 students, conducted by Kathleen Miller of George Washin
Syringe Exchange Programs: Lowering the Transmission of Syringe-Borne Diseases and Beyond: Public Health (06/98) Vol. 113, Supplement 1, P. 67; Heimer, Robert; Dr. Robert Heimer of the Yale University School of Medicine investigates the factors associated with the success of needle -exchange programs. Heimer cites studies indicating that the HIV prevalence among intravenous drug users is anywhere from 5 percent to 60 percent, while the hepatitis B virus prevalence is between
Drug Abuse Treatment as AIDS Prevention: Public Health (06/98) Vol. 113, Supplement 1, P. 97; Metzger, David S.; Navaline, Helen; Woody, George E.; Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania/VA Medical Center provide an overview on the use of drug abuse treatment as HIV prevention. They cite several studies on the involvement of treatment as a method to reduce the number of injection by intravenous drug users. In one study, 633 male IDUs in methadone treatmen
Neuropathy Complicating Diffuse Infiltrative Lymphocytosis: Lancet (08/22/98) Vol. 352, No. 9128, P. 592; Price, Richard W.; In a Lancet commentary, Richard W. Price of San Francisco General Hospital discusses diffuse infiltrative lymphocytosis syndrome (DILS). The syndrome was first diagnosed as a complication of HIV-1 infection over 10 years ago, yet DILS is still relatively unusual. Price reminds that DILS neuropathy, in isolation, might
Governors Urged to Help AIDS Orphans: Africa News Service (08/23/98); Manyandure, Daniel; Participants in a one-day forum in Harare, Zimbabwe , urged governors to support a community-based orphan care package. They asked that the governors back the programs by granting them part of the $50 million allocated to each province for developmental projects. One participant said, The orphan problem is our nationa
Proviral HIV-1 DNA Persists Following Long-Term Combination Treatment: Reuters Health Information Services (08/24/98); New research published in the August 10th issue of AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses provides further evidence that cellular proviral HIV-1 DNA remains even after long-term reverse transcriptase inhibitor therapy. The scientists, led by Dr. Sylvia M. Bruisten of the Netherlands Red Cross, examined 42 antiretrovi
Sex Education Gets Censored in Some U.S. Schools: Fox News Online (08/24/98); A report in the journal Family Planning Perspectives indicates that sexually-related health information for schoolchildren in the United States is being blocked in some areas due to conservative opposition. National and state polls show that 80 percent to 90 percent of adults support sex education in schools. The repor
Rapes of Children Fueling Spread of AIDS in Africa: Minneapolis Star Tribune Online (08/23/98); An increase in rapes of young African girls--sometimes by family members--is leading to an increase in the number of HIV -infected children. According to police, court officials, social workers, and women s rights activists, the increased violence against the children is becoming a significant reason for the increase o
Teenagers at Risk: Washington Post--Health (08/25/98) P. 5; The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention s 1997 Youth Risk Surveillance Survey indicates that 48 percent of U.S. high school students have had sexual intercourse, with 16 percent having engaged in sexual intercourse with more than four partners. The report also showed that one-third had drank five or more alcohol
Bridging the Gap Between Science and Practice: Insight to Researchers From Practitioners: Public Health (06/98) Vol. 113, Supplement 1, P. 189; Shriver, Mike; De Burger, Ron; Brown, Christopher; et al.; Mike Shriver of the National Association of People with AIDS and colleagues report on the needs of HIV prevention practitioners and ways to incorporate HIV research into field practice. The authors state that there is a need for dissemination of HIV research results. They suggest that researchers should develop newslet
HIV Prevention With Drug-Using Populations--Current Status and Future Prospects: Introduction and Overview: Public Health (06/98) Vol. 113, Supplement 1, P. 4; Needle, Richard H.; Coyle, Susan, L.; Normand, Jacques; et al.; Dr. Richard H. Needle and colleagues at the National Institute on Drug Abuse provide background information and synopses on articles appearing in a special supplement of the Journal Public Health focusing on HIV prevention in drug-using populations. The journal focuses on and is organized into five sections: community-
Vitamin A Supplementation and HIV-1 Mother-to-Child Transmission in Africa: Lancet (08/22/98) Vol. 352, No. 9128, P. 653; Fawzi, Wafaie W.; Msamanga, Gernard I.; Hunter, David J.; In a letter to the editor of the Lancet, Wafaie W. Fawzi and colleagues from the Harvard School of Public Health respond to questions concerning their article on vitamin A treatment and vertical HIV-1 transmission. They note that the results for women receiving vitamin A were not statistically significant when compared
Sexually Transmitted Diseases: Lancet (08/22/98) Vol. 352, No. 9128, P. 649; Brugha, Ruairi; Harry, Tubonye; Pearce, Richard Bowman; et al.; A series of letters published in the Lancet explore current problems concerning sexually transmitted diseases. Ruairi Brugha and Anthony Zwi of the University of London, United Kingdom , contend that there is a lack of emphasis placed on engaging private, for-profit health care providers in developing countries who tre
Late HIV-1 Transmission Via Breastfeeding Is About 5 Percent in Developing Countries: Reuters Health Information Services (08/21/98); A study appearing in the August 22 issue of the Lancet indicates that there is a 5 percent postnatal HIV transmission rate for a group of infants born to HIV-infected mothers in developing countries. Dr. Valeriane Leroy of Universite Victor Segalen Bordeaux, France , and associates studied the transmission rates in inf
Tetracycline-Resistant C. Trachomatis Isolated in France May Be New Phenomenon: Reuters Health Information Services (08/21/98); French researchers report in the August issue of Sexually Transmitted Diseases that a strain of tetracycline-resistant Chlamydia trachomatis that was isolated in Toulouse last year appears to be different from another tetracycline-resistant strain reported in the United States in 1990. The researchers --who tested dru
Ethiopia Facing Grave Risk from Growing AIDS Threat: Addis Tribune Online (08/21/98); According to the Ethiopian National HIV/AIDS Control Program, almost 2.5 million people in the nation have HIV or AIDS, out of a total population of 58 million. The program estimated that 60 percent of the country s male population aged 15 to 49 years could die by 2009. The World Health Organization estimated that
Prisoner With HIV Says Drugs Denied: Boston Globe (08/21/98) P. C11; David McNally, a former inmate at the Cumberland County Jail in Portland, Maine, claims that anti-HIV medication was withheld from him by the prison s medical department. He is suing Prison Health Services, a Tennessee-based agency which runs the medical services in seven Maine jails. McNally says that his treatments w
H.I.V. and Babies: New York Times (08/24/98) P. A18; Wills, Margaret Sabo; In a letter to the editor of the New York Times, Margaret Sabo Wills comments on an August 19 article about HIV transmission and breastfeeding in Africa. She notes that even in the United States--where technologies are readily available to make formula-feeding viable--there is a greater risk of various infections in fo
Nationline: Methadone Treatment: USA Today (08/24/98) P. 3A; Bacon, John; New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani is going ahead with a controversial plan to wean 2,000 patients in methadone maintenance treatment from the medication. Many drug abuse experts have expressed serious concern about the action, with drug Czar Barry McCaffrey predicting: Close down methadone programs and (addicts) wil
Deregulation of Syringes and Needles for Medical Use and to Prevent the Spread of Blood-Borne Pathogens Among Illicit Injection Drug Users: Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes and Human Retrovirology (07/98) Vol. 18, Supplement 1, P. S143; Morse, Leonard J.; In a letter to the editor, Leonard J. Morse of the Greater New Bedford Community Health Center, Mass., asserts that the removal of restrictions requiring syringe customers to have prescriptions for their purchase will help to prevent the spread of HIV and hepatitis B, C, and D among injection drug users. He states that
Needle Hygiene and Sources of Needles for Injection Drug Users: Data From a National Survey: Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes and Human Retrovirology (07/98) Vol 18, Supplement 1, P. S147; Anderson, John E.; MacGowan, Robin; Jones, T. Stephen; et al.; Researchers from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention s Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention note that, according to statistics generated from the 1995 and 1996 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, there are an estimated 2.6 million Americans who use injection drugs. Among those surveyed, 21.9 percent reported
'Single-Use' Needles and Syringes for the Prevention of HIV Infection Among Intravenous Drug Users: Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes and Human Retrovirology (07/98) Vol. 18, Supplement 1, P. S52; Des Jarlais, Don C.; Don C. Des Jarlais of Beth Israel Medical Center in New York interviewed manufacturers, syringe exchange program staff, and intravenous drug users in an investigation of the possible use of single-use or difficult-to-reuse (DTR) syringes. DTR syringes use a number of methods to try and prevent multiple use, including t
Advisory Council for the Elimination of Tuberculosis Recommendations for the Development of New Vaccines for Tuberculosis: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report--Recommendations & Reports (08/21/98) Vol. 47, No. RR-13,; In recommendations released today, the federal Advisory Council for the Elimination of Tuberculosis (ACET) issued a national call for the development of a vaccine for tuberculosis (TB). TB, a potentially fatal airborne disease, now kills more adults worldwide each year than any other infectious disease. CDC strongly su
Postexposure HIV Prophylaxis Use Planned by High-Risk Group: Reuters Health Information Services (08/20/98); A survey of 327 gay men indicates that approximately 26 percent plan to use postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) against HIV. Dr. Seth C. Kalichman of the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee found that the men who planned to use PEP tended to be younger, less educated, were more likely to use illegal drugs, have unprot
Bush's Message One of Restraint: San Antonio Express-News Online (08/20/98); Castillo, Jaime; Texas Gov. George W. Bush encouraged San Antonio students Thursday to abstain from sex, alcohol, drugs, and other risky behaviors. The message is part of his Lone Star Leaders initiative, under which $25 million will go to creating after- school programs designed to steer middle school students away from high-risk beha
Methadone Treatment Increases Zidovudine Levels in HIV- Infected Subjects: Reuters Health Information Services (08/20/98); Research by Dr. Ellinore F. McCance-Katz of the VA Healthcare System in West Haven and associates at Yale University shows that patients who receive treatment with both methadone and zidovudine may be at risk for high levels of zidovudine exposure. The report, published in the August 15th issue of the Journal of Acquir
More Women Using Condoms After Sterilization: Fox News Online (08/20/98); Researchers from the Baylor College of Medicine report in the August issue of Sexually Transmitted Diseases that more women who have undergone tubal sterilization are using condoms to prevent STDs. The researchers found that sterilized women who were at high risk for STDs were more likely to use contraception, while on
Legalizing Drugs Is Wrong: Miami Herald (08/20/98) P. 21A; McCaffrey, Barry R.; According to Barry R. McCaffrey, the director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, the legalization of drugs under the theory of harm reduction would actually do more damage than good. In a commentary in the Miami Herald, McCaffrey states that the legalization of marijuana, cocaine, and heroin will not serve
Spread of Virus Alarms Doctors: Age Online (08/21/98); Gray, Darren; Australian health authorities are concerned about the spread of hepatitis C in some sections of the population. While authorities have been fairly successful in the prevention of HIV among intravenous drug users, hepatitis C prevention has not worked as well. Virus levels are also increasing in former prison inmates.
Designing HIV Vaccination Policies: Subtypes and Cross- Immunity: Interfaces (06/98) Vol. 28, No. 3, P. 167; Porco; Blower; We developed and used mathematical models to assess vaccine programs for controlling two subtypes of HIV, both for developing countries where more than one subtype is present and for countries where only one subtype is present but other subtypes may invade. We began by formulating a model of the intrinsic transmission
A Dynamic HIV Transmission Model for Evaluating the Costs and Benefits of Vaccine Programs: Interfaces (06/98) Vol. 28, No. 3, P. 144; Edwards; Shachter; Owens; We developed a dynamic model of HIV transmission to evaluate the costs and benefits of HIV-vaccine programs in a population of homosexual men. We examined how changes in high-risk sexual behavior and the growth pattern of the epidemic influence the cost-effectiveness of preventive vaccines and of therapeutic vaccines.
The Mover-Stayer Model for the HIV/AIDS Epidemic in Action: Interfaces (06/98) Vol. 28, No. 3, P. 127; Rossi; Schinaia; Short- and medium-term projections of the HIV/AIDS epidemic indicators are of great interest to those evaluating the needs for health care and prevention interventions. We developed a simulation procedure to obtain forecasts of the HIV/AIDS epidemic and used it to estimate the characteristic regional parameters of the
In New York City, Syringe Laws and Regulations Deter Physicians and Pharmacists From Prescribing and Selling Syringes to Persons Who May Be Injecting Drug Users: Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes and Human Retrovirology (07/98) Vol. 18, Supplement 1, P. S141; Lazzarini, Zita; Schoenbaum, Ellie E.; O'Neill, Catherine H.; Scientists at the Harvard School of Public Health and Tufts University comment on the restrictions New York state law places on providing sterile syringes to injecting drug users in a letter to the editor. In most parts of New York, it is a crime to purchase syringes without a valid medical prescription. Additionally,
Oregon's Exclusion of Syringes From Its 1987 Drug Paraphernalia Law Was an HIV Prevention Measure: Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes and Human Retrovirology (07/98) Vol. 18, Supplement 1, P. S144; Wright, Lester N.; Gebbie, Kristine, M.; Lester N. Wright and Kristen M. Gebbie explain the circumstances surrounding the exclusion of needles and syringes from the 1987 Oregon drug paraphernalia law. Both authors--who were both involved as state health officers at the time--state that the exclusion of the devices was not an oversight, but a planned HIV preve
U.S. Surgeon General David Satcher, M.D., Ph.D.: Journal of the American Medical Association (08/19/98) Vol. 280, No. 7, P. 590; Mitka, Mike; Dr. David Satcher took over the position of Surgeon General on February 13, after the post had been vacant for over three years. The former head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention listed a number of health issues that he wanted to tackle as the new Surgeon General. One of these, the prevention of HIV and
U.S. Government Collaborates on HIV Vaccine: Reuters (08/18/98); The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases announced Tuesday that it would join the VaxGen HIV vaccine trial. The trial is the first large-scale test of an HIV vaccine in the United States , involving over 5,000 volunteers in 30 U.S. cities. VaxGen s vaccine uses the gp120 molecule to produce an immune
Most STD Clinic Patients Do Not Receive HIV Test Results: Reuters Health Information Services (08/18/98); Researchers from the University of California at Los Angeles report that the majority of patients at sexually transmitted disease clinics who are screened for HIV do not receive their test results. Dr. D.J. Wiley and colleagues report in the August issue of Sexually Transmitted Diseases that only half of 4,383 patients
Little Evidence to Back Mayor on Drug Plan: New York Times (08/19/98) P. A31; Halbfinger, David M.; New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani s plan to convert methadone treatment programs for 2,000 patients into abstinence programs may not be effective, according to some scientific evidence. Evidence from a few methadone-to- abstinence programs in the city indicates that the process is not as successful and can often be
Virginia Says 'Yes' to Saying 'No': Washington Times (08/19/98) P. C3; Ferrechio, Susan; Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia have received a total of $1.48 million in grants to initiate education programs advocating sexual abstinence until marriage. The programs are designed to help reduce the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV, among young people in middle school and high
Naval Hospital Gradually Reopens Blood Bank: Washington Post (08/19/98) P. A11; Goldstein, Avram; After closing its blood bank in November due to errors which may have exposed people to contaminated blood, the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., will gradually reopen its blood services. Hospital officials report that there have been no infections caused by any of the transfusions. The Food and Drug Admi
Breast-Feeding and HIV: Weighing Health Risks: New York Times (08/19/98) P. A1; Specter, Michael; The United Nations took initial steps to reverse its position on the use of breast-feeding to nurse infants recently, stating that HIV-infected women should consider feeding their children with formula to reduce the risk of mother-to-child transmission of the virus. In many parts of Africa, however, water sources are c
Effect of Relapse to High-Risk Behavior on the Costs and Benefits of a Program to Screen Women for Human Immunodeficiency Virus: Interfaces (06/98) Vol. 28, No. 3, P. 52; Owens; Brandeau; Sox; We carried out an analysis to determine the effect of women s relapse to high-risk sexual and needle-sharing behavior on the costs and benefits of a voluntary program to screen women of childbearing age for HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. The analysis is based on a dynamic model of the HIV epidemic, combined with an e
The Cost-Effectiveness of Preventing Cytomegalovirus Disease in AIDS Patients: Interfaces (06/98) Vol. 28, No. 3, P. 34; Paltiel; Freedberg; To examine the costs and consequences of prophylaxis against cytomegalovirus ( CMV ) infection, we developed a compartmental model of the natural history of late-stage HIV disease. We used data on the progression of illness, economic costs, the incidence of infections, the efficacy and toxicity of therapy, and patient
Can Difficult-to-Reuse Syringes Reduce the Spread of HIV Among Injection Drug Users?: Interfaces (06/98) Vol. 28, No. 3, P. 23; Caulkins; Kaplan; Lurie; et al.; Sharing of syringes by injection drug users is a principal means by which the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is spread. Some have suggested that distributing syringes that are difficult to reuse (DTR) would slow the spread of HIV. We developed a simple mathematical model that describes how changes in the numbers of
OR Modeling and AIDS Policy: From Theory to Practice: Interfaces (06/98) Vol. 28, No. 3, P. 3; Kahn; Brandeau; Dunn-Mortimer; The AIDS epidemic is a serious, growing public health problem worldwide, but resources for treating HIV-infected patients and for combating the spread of the virus are limited. Governments, public-health agencies, and health-care providers must determine how best to allocate scarce resources for HIV treatment and preve
Maine Removed Criminal Penalties for Syringe Possession in 1997 After Allowing Sale of Syringes Without a Prescription in 1993: Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes and Human Retrovirology (07/98) Vol. 18, Supplement 1, P. S145; Beckett, Geoffrey A.; Galena, Richard; Shields, Deborah; et al.; In a letter to the editor, researchers from the Maine Bureau of Health and the Maine HIV Advisory Committee comment on two law changes which affect sterile syringe availability and use in the state. In 1993, the Maine legislature enacted a law allowing pharmacists to sell syringes to customers aged 18 or over without a
Access to Sterile Syringes in Maine: Pharmacy Practice After the 1993 Repeal of the Syringe Prescription Law: Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes and Human Retrovirology (07/98) Vol. 18, Supplement 1, P. S94; Case, Patricia; Beckett, Geoffrey A.; Jones, T. Steven; In October 1993, Maine changed its laws concerning the sale of syringes at pharmacies, allowing for the sale of syringes without a prescription to people aged 18 and over. Researchers surveyed 208 Maine pharmacists in 1995 and 1996 to determine their practices concerning the sale of syringes following the change. They
Adolescents and Illicit Drug Use: Journal of the American Medical Association (08/19/98) Vol. 280, No. 7, P. 597; Bruner, Ann B.; Fishman, Marc; The prevalence of drug use among adolescents in the United States is increasing. While tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana are the most commonly used drugs among adolescents, there has been an increase in the number of teens using harder drugs. According to a 1996 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, the estimated numb
Measuring HIV Treatment Adherence in Clinical Practice: AIDS Clinical Care (08/98) Vol. 10, No. 8, P. 1; Hecht, Frederick M.; Physicians know that patient adherence to drug regimens is a primary factor in determining whether patients develop undetectable HIV viremia or drug-resistant HIV, but they are limited in their options to measure adherence. Only a few methods have documented effectiveness. Measuring plasma drug levels is not effective
Needle-Exchange Activists Arrested: The Progressive (08/98) Vol. 62, No. 8, P. 15; Green, Sarah; Diana McCague--founder of the Chai Project, a needle-exchange program in New Brunswick, N.J.--was arrested in 1996 for giving clean hypodermic needles to an undercover county detective and found guilty of illegal distribution of drug paraphernalia. Nearly two years later, another member of the group was arrested and ch
Aphios Receives NIAID Grant for HIV Vaccine Development: Reuters Health Information Services (08/17/98); Aphios Corp. received a phase I SBIR grant from the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases for the development of an HIV vaccine. The company will investigate HIV vaccines that elicit immune responses from the introduction of recombinant proteins as well as through other methods. The therapy will involv
State Sees Few AIDS Deaths in Prisons: Rochester Democrat and Chronicle Online (08/18/98); Craig, Gary; The New York state AIDS mortality rate for prisoners reached a 14-year low in 1997, with 58 inmate deaths from the disease. In 1996, comparatively, there were 181 deaths. A total of 57 AIDS deaths were recorded in 1984; however, there were fewer prisoners in the system then, so the rate of decline in AIDS deaths is sig
Tailoring a Health Message to Blacks: New York Times (08/18/98) P. C7; Villarosa, Linda; Mortality from serious diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and stroke is higher among the African-American population than in the white community. The African-American infant mortality rate is also higher, while the average lifespan is shorter. Despite the decline in the economic gap between whites and African-Am
Mayor Steps Up His Criticism of Methadone: New York Times (08/16/98) P. 33; Swarns, Rachel L.; New York City Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani said Saturday that methadone treatment enslaves former drug users and does not help in ridding them of their dependence. His statements came after he detailed a plan to get 2,000 patients off methadone treatment in the city. Giuliani s assertion goes against the belief held by ma
The Mayor's Crusade Against Methadone: New York Times (08/18/98) P. A24; According to an editorial in the New York Times, New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani s plan to wean methadone patients from their treatment, eliminating city controlled methadone therapy, is contrary to the medical advice offered by scientific panels, including panels at the National Institutes of Health and the Insti
New Britain Poised to Debate Needle-Exchange Issue: Boston Globe Online (08/18/98); Douthat, Strat; New Britain, Conn., is set to debate whether the city should institute a needle-exchange program. The city s mayor, Lucian Pawlak, notes that drugs are the biggest law enforcement problem in the city--with heroin as the drug of choice. New Haven established a needle-exchange program seven years ago, but political consi
Harnessing Research to Control AIDS: Nature Medicine (08/98) Vol. 4, No. 8, P. 879; Nathanson, Neal; In a commentary to the August issue of the journal Nature Medicine, the new director of the Office of AIDS Research at the National Institutes of Health, Neal Nathanson, explains his strategy for allocating the nation s $1.7 billion research budget to develop new weapons against the AIDS epidemic. Nathanson proposes th
Hard-Won Consensus on AIDS Vaccine Trial Guidelines: Nature Medicine (08/98) Vol. 4, No. 8, P. 874; Ivinson, Adrian; An ad hoc group convened by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS in late June finalized the recommended guidelines concerning HIV vaccine trials after an intense discussion between members of very mixed backgrounds and agendas. While a consensus was reached easily on many issues, the meeting was dominated by
Potent Antiviral Therapy Lowers Seminal HIV Level: Reuters Health Information Services (08/14/98); A late-breaking abstract from the 12th World AIDS Conference in Geneva by Dr. Pietro I. Vernazza and other Swiss researchers indicates that treatment with potent antiretroviral agents can reduce the cell-free HIV RNA in semen by a significant amount. The scientists measured the seminal shedding rate in 85 HIV-positive
No AIDS Obits Is News for Gay Paper: Washington Post (08/16/98) P. A7; In San Francisco, the gay weekly Bay Area Reporter reported no AIDS deaths this week, marking the first time in 17 years that the paper has not had any HIV-related deaths to report. Obituaries in the paper began to decline noticeably two years ago with the advent of protease inhibitor treatment. However, the lack of de
Ethiopia Warns of Dire AIDS Threat by 2009: CNN Interactive Online (08/15/98); An official statement released on Saturday by the Ethiopian National HIV/AIDS Control Program indicates that there are almost 2.5 million people infected with HIV in the country, which has a population of 58 million. According to the statement, almost 60 percent of the nation s male population aged 15 to 49 could die o
China: '94 Marriage Law Based on Genetics to Be Amended: Chicago Tribune (08/16/98) P. 1-11; According to the Xinhua News Agency, China will clarify a 1994 law that discourages people who have genetic diseases from marrying and having children. The law has been considered ineffective since it does not state which disorders are covered. Some officials feel that the law should also include the right for people w
Pa. Considers Tracking HIV Cases: Philadelphia Inquirer (08/15/98) P. B3; Wright, Aliah D.; The Pennsylvania state Health Department is considering initiating surveillance of HIV cases, monitoring HIV levels in the population in an effort to increase treatment. Deputy Health Secretary Gary Gurian said that the state would track HIV infections, although when the surveillance would begin is not clear. According
AIDS Predictions Dismissed by Health Ministry: Jerusalem Post Online (08/17/98); Siegel, Judy; The head of the Israeli Health Ministry s AIDS steering committee is disputing predictions that there will be 25,000 HIV-infected people in the country by 2005. Dr. Zvi Ben- Yishai said that the prediction was a manipulation of statistics and that the infection rate in Israel remains stable, barring a small increase du
Peer Education of Pharmacists and Supplying Pharmacies With IDU Packets to Increase Injection Drug Users' Access to Sterile Syringes in Connecticut: Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes and Human Retrovirology (07/98) Vol. 18, Supplement 1, P. S146; Weinstein, Beth; Toce, Patricia; Katz, Debra; et al.; Researchers in Connecticut investigated the use of peer education techniques and syringe distribution among pharmacists in the state, reporting their findings in a letter to the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes and Human Retrovirology. In Connecticut, pharmacists are allowed to dispense up to 10 syringes
Pharmacists' Attitudes About Pharmacy Sale of Needles/Syringes and Needle Exchange Programs in a City Without Needle/Syringe Prescription Laws: Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes and Human Retrovirology (07/98) Vol. 18, Supplement 1, P. S89; Gleghorn, Alice A.; Gee, Gilbert; Vlahov, David; Researchers from the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health surveyed 46 pharmacists in Baltimore, Md., in an attempt to assess their views concerning the sale of needles and syringes. Baltimore does not have laws against the non- prescription sale of needles or syringes. Fifty-four percent of the subjects responded that
Impact on the Change in Connecticut Syringe Prescription Laws on Pharmacy Sales and Pharmacy Managers' Practices: Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes and Human Retrovirology (07/98) Vol. 18, Supplement 1, P. S102; Wright-De Aguero, Linda; Weinstein, Beth; Jones, T. Stephen; et al.; Linda Wright-De Aguero of the Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and others report on the impact of the change of Connecticut law concerning the sale of syringes without a prescription. Connecticut changed its laws in 1992 to make non-prescription sale of needles legal at
Managed Public Health in a County Jail: American Journal of Public Health (08/98) Vol. 88, No. 8, P. 1265; Alemagno, Sonia A.; Wolfe, Stephanie A.; Pace, Robert B.; et al.; In a letter to the American Journal of Public Health, Dr. Sonia A. Alemagno of Cleveland State University and colleagues report on the use of an automatic interactive screening system for infectious diseases among inmates in Cuyahoga County, Ohio. Using a telephone questioning system in which the respondents answer que
Update: Syringe Exchange Programs--United States, 1997: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (08/14/98) Vol. 47, No. 31,; A national survey conducted by New York s Beth Israel Medical Center finds continued growth in the number, geographic coverage, and public health activities of Syringe Exchange Programs (SEPs) in the United States . The survey summarizes the activities of 100 SEPs operating in 80 cities in 30 states, Washington D.C. an
NIH Awards Progenics $2.7 Million for Investigational HIV Drug: Reuters Health Information Services (08/13/98); Progenics Pharmaceutical has been awarded $2.7 million by the National Institutes of Health so that it may continue PRO 542 trials. The drug would inactivate HIV by preventing its binding to host cells and by detaching gp120 from the HIV envelope. Phase I/II trials have shown favorable early results.
Russia Testing New Anti-AIDS Medicine: Itar Wire Service (08/13/98); Russian researchers are running clinical tests on the efficacy of phosphazide, a new anti-HIV medication. According to the director of the Republican AIDS Center, Vadim Pokrovsky, the drug may be superior to foreign analogs since it is less toxic. Researchers are still trying to determine the best regimen in which to u
High Plasma Concentrations of Protease Inhibitors Speed HIV Load Decline: Reuters Health Information Services (08/13/98); Dr. Richard M. W. Hoetelmans of Slotervaart Hospital in Amsterdam and associates report in the July 30th issue of AIDS that higher levels of protease inhibitor exposure are correlated with a higher initial plasma HIV-1 RNA clearance rate in antiretroviral-naive HIV-1-infected individuals. The researchers found eliminat
Russia's HIV Growth Rate Down 20 Percent Compared [to Last Year]: Itar Wire Service (08/13/98); The rate of AIDS growth has decreased one-fifth for the first half of 1998, as compared to the same time period last year. Health officials note that preventative measures implemented in areas highly affected by HIV, such as the Kaliningrad, Nizhny, Novgorod and Tver region, may be responsible for the decreased inciden
More Deadly Than AIDS: Washington Post (08/14/98) P. A25; Hiatt, Howard; Tuberculosis kills more people worldwide than AIDS, striking down over 3 million adults annually. In a commentary in the Washington Post, Howard Hiatt--a professor of medicine at Harvard and head of the Initiatives for Children Program of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences--notes that while many people who contr
Across the USA: South Dakota: USA Today (08/14/98) P. 10A; South Dakota recorded 25 cases of HIV and 11 cases of AIDS in 1997--the lowest AIDS rate in the nation. According to officials, the rate is continuing to drop, with five HIV cases and three AIDS cases in the first half of 1998.
Survey: Youths Finding Sex, Drugs Too Tempting to Resist: USA Today (08/14/98) P. 11A; Sternberg, Steve; New research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that 48 percent of more than 16,000 students aged 10 to 24 surveyed have had sex. According to the report, titled Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance, 1997, 7 percent of the sexually active students were under the age of 13 and 16 percent reported
Revisiting the Intersection Between Domestic Abuse and HIV Risk: American Journal of Public Health (08/98) Vol. 88, No. 8, P. 1267; Molina, Liza D.; Basinait-Smith, Carla; Liza D. Molina of the Harvard School of Public Health and Carla Basinait-Smith of Cambridge College report in a letter to the editor of the American Journal of Public Health that subjects in battered women s sheltered may have a high exposure risk for HIV. The researchers studied 40 women at battered women s shelters i
Strict Syringe Laws in Rhode Island Are Associated With High Rates of Reusing Syringes and HIV Risks Among Injection Drug Users: Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes and Human Retrovirology (07/98) Vol. 18, Supplement 1, P. S140; Rich, Josiah D.; Dickinson, Brian P.; Liu, Kai-Lih; et al; In a letter to the editor of the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes and Human Retrovirology, Josiah D. Rich of Miriam Hospital and Brown University, and associates report the findings of a study of 477 subjects enrolled in a needle- exchange program (NEP) in Rhode Island. State law protects against the pos
Ending an Era: Maclean's (07/27/98) Vol. 111, No. 30, P. 17; Canada s provinces and territories have agreed to pay nearly C$133 million for the Canadian Red Cross Society s blood system assets, which include 17 regional transfusion centers, a national laboratory, and the distribution network. The charity will use about C$100 million to compensate individuals who contracted hepat
Zidovudine Cost-Effective in Preventing Vertical HIV Transmission: Reuters Health Information Services (08/12/98); Researchers in the United Kingdom report in the April 30th issue of AIDS that zidovudine therapy, elective cesarean delivery, and avoidance of breast-feeding may be cost effective in the reduction of the risk of mother-to-child HIV transmission. The researchers, led by Dr. Julie Ratcliffe of Brunel University in Uxbrid
TB Tests Show San Quentin Mostly Clean: San Francisco Chronicle Online (08/12/98) P. A20; Fimrite, Peter; In California, over 2,500 prisoners at San Quentin were tested for tuberculosis last week after an inmate was diagnosed with TB symptoms and 195 prisoners on the same cell block tested positive for exposure. The tests found that 23 inmates had been exposed; however, only one prisoner is suspected of having active tuber
Science & Health Bulletin: Angola--AIDS: PANA Wire Service (08/12/98); AGNOP, Angola s news agency, reported that there were 2,666 new AIDS cases in the country in the first half of 1998. Officially, there have been an estimated 300,000 Angolans infected with HIV and 2,000 deaths as a result of AIDS since 1985. People aged 30 to 39 years were most affected by the virus, with 734 AIDS case
Smear Campaign: Wall Street Journal (08/13/98) P. A1; Johannes, Laura; A new, more expensive Pap test is raising concerns over whether the additional $15 to $20 per test is worth the cost. While a study by manufacturer Cytyc Corp. indicates that the test, called ThinPrep, can detect 55 percent more high grade pre-cancerous lesions as compared to traditional tests, some doctors and health
Africans and H.I.V.: New York Times (08/13/98) P. A26; Barkai, Arye; In a letter to the editor of the New York Times, Arye Barkai responds to an August 6 front-page article indicating that less than 1 percent of adults in northern Africa--including Morocco , Mauritania , Algeria , Tunisia , Libya ,
High-Tech Transfusion Saves Red Cross: USA Today (08/13/98) P. 6D; Manning, Anita; The American Red Cross has improved substantially in the past number of years, changing from a pre-World War II infrastructure to a modern organization, according to Red Cross director Elizabeth Dole. She states that the agency has gone from 28 separate computer systems to one and that the Red Cross currently boasts th
Blood Safety: Emerging Infectious Diseases Online (07/98-09/98) Vol. 4, No. 3,; Chamberland, Mary E.; Epstein, Jay; Dodd, Roger Y.; et al.; Although the blood supply in industrialized nations is much safer now than it had been in the past, blood remains a natural medium for the transmission of infectious agents. Numerous pathogens have emerged in recent years and threaten to disturb the safety of blood supply. While the transfer of blood and blood products
Operation Red Box: A Pilot Project of Needle and Syringe Drop Boxes for Injection Drug Users in East Baltimore: Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes and Human Retrovirology (07/98) Vol. 18, Supplement 1, P. S120; Riley, Elisa; Beilenson, Peter; Vlahov, David; et al.; Researchers from the Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health and others report on the use of drop boxes for dirty needles at four locations in East Baltimore. The boxes- -converted mail boxes painted red--were designed as safe disposal sites for used needles by intravenous drug users. The researchers estimate
Community-Based Programs for Safe Disposal of Used Needles and Syringes: Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes and Human Retrovirology (07/98) Vol. 18, Supplement 1, P. S111; Macalino, Grace E.; Springer, Kristen W.; Rahman, Zeenat S.; et al.; A multicenter research team lead by Grace E. Macalino of the Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health investigated needle disposal techniques other than syringe exchange programs. The researchers found 15 syringe disposal programs-- 11 in the United States , two in Canada , one in both C
Zimbabwe Cannot Afford Antiretroviral Therapy: Africa News Service (08/11/98); Viriri, Fanuel; A report by Dr. Tsungai Chipato of the University of Zimbabwe and Teresa McCann of the Ministry of Health has concluded that 90 percent of the HIV infections among Zimbabwe neonates and children result from mother-to-child transmission. The report also notes that the national health system cannot afford the recommended
Initial HIV Decline Predicts Long-Term Response to Protease Inhibitors: Reuters Health Information Services (08/11/98); Spanish researchers report in the July 30th issue of AIDS that early reductions in patient HIV load within the initial three months of protease inhibitor treatment is strongly associated with response. The researchers, lead by Dr. Jose L. Casado of Ramon y Cajal Hospital in Madrid, also found that higher baseline HIV l
UNAIDS Urges Focus on HIV/AIDS Epidemic Among Youth: Reuters Health Information Services (08/11/98); Mitchell, Deborah; Sally Cowal, Director of External Relations for the joint United Nations program on the HIV/AIDS, recently told members of the World Conference on Ministers Responsible for Youth that increased emphasis should be placed on tackling the HIV/AIDS epidemic among young people. Speaking at a conference in Lisbon,
Fiddling While D.C. Implodes: Washington Post (08/12/98) P. A15; Kelly, Michael; According to a 1997 Children s Rights Council ranking of all 50 states and the District of Columbia, Washington, D.C. ranks last in infant mortality rate, child death rate, teenage pregnancy, and several other categories. In a commentary in the Washington Post, National Journal editor Michael Kelly notes that the Distr
Canada Considers Prescription Heroin: USA Today Online (08/12/98); Authorities in Vancouver, British Columbia, are considering the use of prescription heroin for some of the city s drug addicts. Dr. John Millar, provincial health officer, recommended last month that trials be set up to determine if heroin distribution can help solve Vancouver s drug overdose problem. Already this year
Barriers to Use of Free Antiretroviral Therapy in Injection Drug Users: Journal of the American Medical Association (08/12/98) Vol. 280, No. 6, P. 547; Strathdee, Steffanie A.; Palepu, Anita; Cornelisse, Peter G.A.; et al.; Antiretroviral drug therapy is provided free to all HIV- infected individuals in British Columbia, Canada , with CD4 cell levels under 500 and/or HIV-1 RNA levels above 5,000 copies/mL. Investigators studied 177 HIV-infected injection drug users who met these conditions to determine how much they avail themselves of th
Self-Reported Antiretroviral Therapy in Injection Drug Users: Journal of the American Medical Association (08/12/98) Vol. 280, No. 6, P. 544; Celentano, David D.; Vlahov, David; Cohn, Sylvia; et al.; To determine the level of antiretroviral therapy (ART) use among HIV-infected injection drug users, researchers studied 404 IDUs in Baltimore, Md., between July 1996 and June 1997. The findings--based on self-reported ART use--showed that 49 percent reported no recent ART, 14 percent had monotherapy, 23 percent used co
Irish Try to Track Women Infected With HCV: Lancet (08/08/98) Vol. 352, No. 9126, P. 466; Birchard, Karen; Ireland s blood agency is trying to identify thousands of women who may have become infected with hepatitis C through tainted anti-D immunoglobulin. The country has already been testing women who may have received the contaminated blood product; however, it wants to track another 3,500 who may have been given anti-D be
Revised Estimates of Hepatitis C From Tainted Blood Published: Lancet (08/08/98) Vol. 352, No. 9126, P. 466; Kondro, Wayne; An expert panel commissioned by the Canadian government has released revised estimates of how many people contracted the hepatitis C virus from contaminated blood. According to the new data, some 210,000 to 275,000 Canadians became infected with HCV from all sources between 1960 and 1992. The study substantially reduce
Incident Chlamydia Trachomatis Infections Among Inner-City Adolescent Females: Journal of the American Medical Association (08/12/98) Vol. 280, No. 6, P. 521; Burstein, Gale R.; Gaydos, Charlotte A.; Diener-West, Marie; et al.; Researchers from Johns Hopkins University and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases report a high prevalence and incidence of Chlamydia trachomatis among inner- city adolescent females. The study used data from over 3,200 sexually active females between the ages of 12 and 19 in Baltimore, Md., compr
Number of Tuberculosis Prisoners Increase in Russian Prisons: Itar Wire Service (08/10/98); Penitentiary authorities report that the number of prisoners in Russia who contracted tuberculosis while in legal captivity has risen from 74,000 to 76,000 since the beginning of the year. Treatment for common TB costs about $50, while the drug- resistant form of the disease costs about $7,000. Anti- tuberculosis sett
Health Notes: Scientists Develop HIV Risk Screening Tool: United Press International (08/11/98); Wasowicz, Lidia; Researchers at the University of California at San Francisco, have developed a 10-item questionnaire to help health care providers identify patients at risk of contracting HIV due to risky behavior. UCSF psychologist Barbara Gerbert, who published the study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, says the quest
French Clinicians Adopt Triple-Combination Therapy for HIV Infection: Reuters Health Information Services (08/10/98); Doctors at the Universite Victor Segalen Bordeaux used data on 1,500 HIV-infected patients from the Groupe D Epidemiologie Clinique du SIDA en Aquitiane in Southwestern France to evaluate the use of triple-combination antiretroviral therapy between 1995 and 1997. Published in the July issue of the Journal of Acquired I
Young Still Practising Unsafe Holiday Sex: BBC Online (08/10/98); New research from Britain s Health Education Authority indicates that 16 percent of 400 people between the ages of 18 and 32 reported having sexual intercourse with a new partner while on vacation. According to the report, only 50 percent of those individuals used a condom each time they had sex and just 12 percent cit
Should NIH Weigh Disease Prevalence in Allocating Funds?: Washington Post--Health (08/11/98) P. 15; Istook, Ernest; Porter, John Edward; Rep. Ernest Istook (R-Okla.) and Rep. John Edward Porter (R- Ill.) debate in a Washington Post Health forum whether the National Institutes of Health should consider disease prevalence when allocating funds. Istook, a member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health & Human Services, and Education,
Shifts in Sex Ed: Talking Abstinence: Christian Science Monitor (08/11/98) P. B1; Gardner, Marilyn; An increasing number of educators claim that abstinence is the only way in which teenagers can avoid such problems as sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy. As a result, there is growing controversy between those who advocate abstinence and those who teach about contraception. Debra Haffner, president of the Sexu
Needle Stick Risk: Washington Post--Health (08/11/98) P. 10; Phalen, Kathleen F.; The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that approximately 800,000 U.S. health care workers will be injured by patient needles this year; and about 2,000 of those workers will test positive for new infections of hepatitis C, 400 will get hepatitis B, and 35 will contract HIV. Public health officials be
Health Policy Implications of Emerging Infections: Emerging Infectious Diseases Online (07/98-09/98) Vol. 4, No. 3,; Hein, Karen; Solid science, politics, and policy issues are all involved in the solutions to emerging disease infections. The National Academy of Sciences Institute of Medicine, for instance, relies on the expertise of elected members, and others in the United States and other countries to make recommendations on policy. Groups mee
Cost-Effectiveness of a Community-Level HIV Risk Reduction Intervention: American Journal of Public Health (08/98) Vol. 88, No. 8, P. 1239; Pinkerton, Steven D.; Holtgrave, David R.; DiFranceisco, Wayne J.; Researchers with the Center for AIDS Intervention Research at the Medical College of Wisconsin investigated the cost- effectiveness of a community-level HIV prevention intervention at two gay bars in Biloxi, Miss. The three-part study, conducted in 1989, consisted of training bartenders to observe social interactions a
Restoration of Cytomegalovirus-Specific CD4 T-Lymphocyte Responses After Ganciclovir and Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy in Individuals Infected With HIV-1: Nature Medicine (08/98) Vol. 4, No. 8, P. 953; Komanduri, Krishna; Viswanathan, Mohan; Wieder, Eric; et al.; Previous studies of individuals infected with HIV-1 have produced ambiguous findings concerning the ability of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) to improve the level of CD4 lymphocytes. Whether HAART is able to reduce the incidence of opportunistic infections likely depends on the reconstitution of antigen-s
Five HIV Drugs More Effective Than Three: Reuters Health Information Services (08/07/98); Dr. Joep M.A. Lange and colleagues at the University of Amsterdam report in the July 30th issue of AIDS that they were able to suppress HIV-1 RNA load below detectable levels using a five-drug combination regimen instead of the standard three- drug therapy. The 12-week study of 24 subjects found that viral suppression
Occupational Exposure to HIV Among Health Care Workers May Not Be Entirely Preventable: Reuters Health Information Services (08/07/98); The August issue of AIDS Care reveals that among 99 Dutch health care workers working in AIDS endemic areas, 61 percent reported potential occupational exposure to HIV infection over an average of about 21 months. In the article, Dr. R. DeGraff of the Netherlands Institute of Mental Health and Addiction estimates that
House Passes D.C. Spending Bill With Vouchers: Washington Times (08/08/98) P. A9; Ferrechio, Susan; The House approved early Friday morning a $6.8 billion 1999 spending bill for the District of Columbia. The budget includes an amendment that forbids the city from using federal or city funds for needle-exchange programs. The provision won with a vote of 250 to 169.
HHS Announces $17.5 Million in Grants for HIV/AIDS: U.S. Newswire (08/08/98); Health and Human Services Secretary Donna E. Shalala announced that $17.5 million in new grants through the Ryan White CARE Act would provide critical health and dental care for women, children, and families with HIV/AIDS in underserved areas and racial and ethnic minority communities. The awards are part of President
Tulsa to Test AIDS Vaccine: Tulsa World Online (08/09/98); Volunteers from the city of Tulsa, Okla., will participate in VaxGen s phase III test of its gp120-based AIDS vaccine. To be studied are homosexual men considered at high risk of contracting HIV and women whose partners are HIV-positive. Under the three-year, blinded trial --which nationwide will include 5,000 particip
NGOs Say Russia Home to Incurable Strain of TB: Russia Today Online (08/07/98); Three non-governmental organizations are warning that a new incurable form of tuberculosis is spreading through Russia . According to Interfax news agency, the Belgian branch of Medecins Sans Frontieres, the British health group Merlin, and the New York-based Public Health Research Institute told Russian President Bori
Spreading HIV Threatens Cambodia: Washington Post (08/09/98) P. A21; Richburg, Keith B.; HIV is spreading rapidly in Cambodia , the country in Asia with the highest number of HIV infections. According to the World Health Organization , Cambodia will have 12,000 new AIDS patients in 1998 and 1999, reaching a total of 40,000 by the year 2000. Statistics show that 10 percent of university students there are i
For HIV Counselors in the District, a Test of Courage: Washington Post (08/10/98) P. B1; Gray, Steven; HIV counselors at clinics in the District of Columbia discuss the emotional toll and challenge of delivering HIV-positive results to clients. Some say the news of an HIV-positive result is not as bad as it was two decades ago when the first cases of HIV were diagnosed, because more people are aware of combination drug
Injection and Syringe Sharing Among HIV-Infected Injection Drug Users: Implications for Prevention of HIV Transmission: Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes and Human Retrovirology (07/98) Vol 18, Supplement 1, P. S76; Diaz, Theresa; Chu, Susan Y.; Weinstein, Beth; et al; Theresa Diaz from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and colleagues examined syringe sharing practices among HIV-infected intravenous drug users in 12 cities or states between June 1990 and August 1995. Of 1,527 intravenous drug users with HIV who had ever shared syringes and reported injecting in the past
Pregnant Women as a Reservoir of Undetected Sexually Transmitted Diseases in Rural South Africa: Implications for Disease Control: American Journal of Public Health (08/98) Vol. 88, No. 8, P. 1243; Sturm, A. Willem; Wilkinson, David; Ndovela, Nomfanelo; et al.; To assess the prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases among pregnant women in rural South Africa , investigators conducted a cross-sectional study of more than 300 patients attending prenatal clinics in 1996. The women, located in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, had a mean age of 25.2 years and were primarily single.
Adverse Events May Accompany HIV Combination Treatment in Pregnant Women: Reuters Health Information Services (08/06/98); Pregnant HIV-positive women and their neonates may be adversely affected by the combination antiretroviral therapy that is administered to prevent vertical HIV transmission. As reported by Dr. Patrizio Lorenzi and colleagues at the 12th World AIDS Conference in Geneva, 21 of 37 women and 17 of 30 babies studied develop
Superiority of Combination HIV Treatment Confirmed: Reuters Health Information Services (08/06/98); A research team at Albany Medical College in New York report in the August issue of the Journal of Infectious Diseases that using combination antiretroviral therapy to avoid the development of drug resistance in HIV-positive patients is critical for effective treatment. The research involved five 24-week studies in whi
Namibia: AIDS Becomes Major Problem in Prisons: Africa Information Afrique (08/06/98); The Ministry of Prisons and Correctional Services in Namibia is trying to educate its prisoners about the growing problem of HIV in jails by employing two AIDS health workers to counsel and educate prisoners and training some of its prisoners as peer educators. Although prisoners have responded positively to the progra
Prostitution Boosts Female Condom Sales in Zambia: PANA Wire Service (08/06/98); Chilufya, Henry; Among an estimated 5,000 commercial sex workers in Lusaka, Zambia , the majority are said to use the female condom, in large part because of its naturalness and ability to go unnoticed by male clients. According to a survey conducted by the Society for Family Health, female condom sales have increased from 2,000 per mo
Cel-Sci Herpes Vaccine Helps Mice: Reuters (08/06/98); Cel-Sci Corp. announced that mice infected with the herpes virus demonstrated reduced symptoms and mortality after being immunized with three experimental herpes vaccines. The vaccines, based upon the company s Ligand Epitope Antigen Presentation System of L.E.A.P.S. technology, consists of two peptides--one which is a
Docs Add HIV Tests to Prenatal Routine: Edmonton Sun Online (08/06/98); Pilon, Bernard; Beginning September 1st, Alberta Health will require obstetricians, gynecologists and other health professionals to add prenatal HIV screening to their regimen of routine exams for mothers-to-be, unless the women specifically ask their doctors not to. The idea for non-mandatory HIV testing is the result of studies cond
Treating Prisoners Helps Public, U.S. Study Shows: Reuters (08/06/98); A new report from the Department of Justice and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has concluded that treating prisoners with sexually transmitted diseases--including HIV-- and tuberculosis is beneficial both to the inmates and to the public. The report showed that inmates have higher rates of HIV, AIDS, ST
Congress Debates [DC] Budget: Funds Cut for ANCs and Needle Exchanges: Washington Times (08/07/98) P. C7; Ferrechio, Susan; On Thursday, Congress debated the District of Columbia s 1999 budget, which included an amendment to prohibit the use of public funds for needle exchanges. That measure, by Rep. Todd Tiahrt (R-Kan.), would ban the use of federal and D.C. funds for any programs that supply clean hypodermic needles to drug users. While T
Role of Community-Based Organizations in Control of Sexually Transmitted Diseases: Journal of the American Medical Association (08/05/98) Vol. 280, No. 5, P. 419; Gunn, Robert A.; Rolfs, Robert T.; Greenspan, Joel R.; et al.; In response to a letter to the editor by officials from the State of New York Department of Health, experts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention agree that community-based organizations (CBOs) are important in the prevention and control of sexually transmitted diseases. These groups have led the way in p
Declining Morbidity and Mortality Among Patients With Advanced Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection: New England Journal of Medicine (08/06/98) Vol. 339, No. 6, P. 405; Michaels, Stephanie H.; Clark, Rebecca; Kissinger, Patricia; Researchers from the Louisiana State University School of Medicine report in a letter to New England Journal of Medicine significant decreases in the rates of several opportunistic processes and mortality in individuals treated with protease inhibitors . The authors, who studied more than 3,000 patients in the Centers
When Children Harbor HIV: Scientific American (07/98) Vol. 279, No. 1, P. 94; Wilfert, Catherine; McKinney, Ross; Even though HIV is more aggressive in children and causes the destruction of the immune system quicker than in adults-- killing up to 16 percent of HIV-infected infants before the age of four years--researchers are slowly coming to a more complete understanding of how HIV affects children that could lead to the develop
Science & Health Bulletin: Zimbabwe--AIDS: PANA Wire Service (08/05/98); Hagos, Ghion; Anne Charles, Canada s High Commissioner to Zimbabwe , urged high school students over the weekend to make choices that would keep them safe from HIV infection and give them a chance at long, productive lives. Charles was speaking at the finals of an AIDS quiz in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, that had been planned to help slow t
Low Seroprevalence of HIV in Seattle's Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Patients: Reuters Health Information Services (08/05/98); Researchers report in the August Annals of Emergency Medicine a fairly low seroprevalence of HIV in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients in Seattle. The researchers, who studied about 1,500 adults between 1989 and 1993, found a 0.8 percent rate of seropositivity among men; none of the women were HIV- seropositive.
Pig Viruses 'Don't Pass to Humans': BBC News Online (08/05/98); A New Scientist review of two U.S. studies has concluded that the possibility of pig viruses being transmitted to humans via xenotransplants may be groundless. The first study, conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and to be announced this week at a meeting of the U.K. Xenotransplantation Interim
Wilson Signs Bill Granting Health Workers Greater HIV Protection: Capitol Alert Online (08/06/98); Henshaw, Jake; California Governor Pete Wilson has signed a bill that specifically provides for the testing of a deceased individual s blood without consent in order to learn whether an emergency health care worker has been exposed to HIV. Noted state senator Jim Brulte, the measure gives them [emergency medical workers] one more lev
Doctors Urge Blacks to Learn More About Health: Reuters (08/05/98); Fox, Maggie; At the conference of the National Medical Association on Wednesday, doctors said African Americans must become more familiar with the U.S. healthcare system and the various treatment options available to them. African-Americans, particularly males, have far lower life expectancies than whites, even from diseases where
Virus Causes AIDS-Related Skin Cancer: Reuters (08/05/98); Reaney, Patricia; Ethel Cesarman and colleagues at Cornell University Medical School have found evidence that the human herpes virus 8 (HHV8) causes Kaposi s sarcoma. The researchers, who published their findings in the journal Nature, were able to isolate HHV8, and found that the virus alters cells in culture in a way very similar to w
Nevirapine May Be Useful Adjunct in Preventing Vertical Transmission of HIV: Reuters Health Information Services (08/05/98); A team of physicians from the Boston Medical Center report in the August issue of the Journal of Infectious Diseases that nevirapine ( Viramune ) may be a useful addition to zidovudine in preventing intrapartum and early postpartum transmission of HIV-1.
Doctors Powerless as AIDS Rakes Africa: New York Times (08/06/98) P. A1; Specter, Michael; The majority of people in Africa have no idea if they are infected with HIV. Four million new cases were reported last year in the countries of sub-Saharan Africa, and a total of 10 million deaths have occurred in the region so far--90 percent of the world s AIDS deaths. Zimbabwe has become the center of the world s A
Enough Sterile Syringes to Prevent HIV Transmission Among Injection Drug Users in Montreal?: Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes and Human Retrovirology (07/98) Vol. 18, Supplement 1, P. S57; Remis, Robert S.; Bruneau, Julie; Hankins, Catherine A.; In early 1995, researchers in Montreal, Canada , estimated the number of syringes needed for intravenous drug users in the city to have access to enough sterile needles for one-time syringe use. Estimating the number of IDUs to be 10,000 and the frequency of injection, the scientists calculated that about 10.68 million
New CDC Program Focuses on Those Already Infected: AIDS Alert (08/98) Vol. 13, No. 8, P. 94; The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently announced a $3.9 million initiative to develop and evaluate up to five long-term demonstration projects that will focus HIV- transmission prevention efforts on those already infected. Gary West, a public health advisor in the CDC s Division of HIV Prevention, said
AIDS Patient Returns to Test U.S. Immigration Ban: Reuters (08/04/98); A New Zealand man with AIDS arrived in San Francisco on Tuesday, planning to test the U.S. prohibition against HIV- infected people entering the country. Although afraid he would be arrested upon arrival, he was permitted to enter the United States as long as he agreed to see a physician from an approved list and r
Lawmaker Wants Viagra Ban for Men With HIV: Birmingham News Online (08/04/98); White, David; Alabama state lawmaker Larry Sims said Monday he was planning to introduce a proposal to ban doctors from prescribing Pfizer s anti-impotence pill, Viagra, to individuals with a sexually transmitted disease, such as HIV, even if the person is married. Even though he does not have access to medical records, Sims said he
Health--Zimbabwe: 'Wife Inheritance' Tradition: IPS Wire (08/04/98); Non-governmental organizations in Zimbabwe are calling on the country s rural communities to end the tradition of men taking over the wives of their late brothers, in an effort to stem the spread of HIV. Officials statistics show that over 10 percent of Zimbabwe s 12 million residents are HIV-infected, with some 700 de
Health--Pakistan: Cracking HIV/AIDS in Lahore Brothels: IPS Wire (08/04/98); A recent survey of the red light district of Lahore, Pakistan , indicates that a large majority of the younger women in the brothels have a high level of awareness of HIV/AIDS and safe sex practices, thanks to peer counselors. The study, commissioned by the non-governmental AIDS Awareness Group UNAIDS-Pakistan, reports
AIDS Takes New Toll on Minorities: Miami Herald (08/04/98) P. 1A; Pugh, Tony; By the end of the decade, the majority of the known AIDS patients in the United States will probably be African American, with Hispanic AIDS patients expected to outnumber white non-Hispanic patients shortly after that. By comparison, more than 60 percent of known AIDS patients in the nation were white non-Hispanics in
Lawmakers Seek to Make HIV Infection a Disability: San Francisco Examiner Online (08/04/98); Holland, Judy; A group of 68 House of Representatives members have sent a letter to Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala, urging her to expand Medicaid benefits so HIV- positive people can have access to expensive protease drug treatments. The drug cocktails, which include the powerful
Link Between Perinatal HIV-1 Transmission and Intrauterine Growth Retardation Strengthened: Reuters Health Information Services (08/04/98); A four-and-a-half year study of more than 600 pregnant women in Butare, Rwanda , reveals significant differences in several birth outcomes between HIV-positive and HIV-negative babies born to HIV-infected women. According to researchers at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine in Albuquerque, who report their
Zidovudine Has Markedly Reduced Vertical HIV Transmission Rate in Europe: Reuters Health Information Services (08/04/98); In the July issue of the British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology was a report from the European Collaborative Study indicating pregnant women infected with HIV have a reduced chance of passing the virus to their children if treated with zidovudine. The study, led by M.L. Newell of the Institute of Child Health in
Global Tuberculosis Challenges: Emerging Infectious Diseases Online (07/98-09/98) Vol. 4, No. 3,; Castro, Kenneth G.; The World Health Organization s Mario Raviglione reported on the epidemiology of global tuberculosis using information from 212 countries, as well as data derived from a recent survey of anti-tuberculosis drug resistance in 32 nations. Countries were grouped according to the degree of the disease directly observed trea
Avoiding Infection After HIV Exposure: Scientific American (07/98) Vol. 279, No. 1, P. 104; Buchbinder, Susan; Despite several studies that show that administering HIV medications soon after exposure to the virus, known as postexposure prophylaxis (PEP), can prevent infection in some situations, doctors and researchers still know very little about this method of treatment, including why it works only in some patients and whethe
Socioeconomic Status Does Not Influence AIDS Survival: Reuters Health Information Services (08/03/98); Researchers studying more than 18,000 diagnosed with AIDS between 1985 and 1995 have found no relationship between socioeconomic status and survival. In the August 1 issue of the American Journal of Epidemiology, the researchers report that the median survival time was 22 months for individuals in impoverished or worki
HAART Quickly Normalizes HIV-Related B Cell Hyperactivity: Reuters Health Information Services (08/03/98); A study published in the July 20 issue of the Journal of Experimental Medicine suggests that B cell hyperactivity caused by HIV infection is rapidly responsive to a combination of antiretroviral therapy. The researchers, led by Dr. Lynn Morris of The Rockefeller University in New York, studied 32 patients who have been
Britain Facing New Heroin Epidemic, Government Says: Reuters (08/03/98); Wheatley, Alan; The British Home Office reported Monday that the country is facing a resurgence of the heroin addiction it grappled with a decade ago, with eight out of 10 police forces and Drug Action Teams finding new pockets of heroin addiction or even full- scale outbreaks. The report does not attempt to determine the number of ne
House Inmate Testing Bill: Fox News Online (08/04/98); The House of Representatives has approved a bill that would mandate HIV testing for any inmate suspected of passing the virus to another person at the prison facility. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Henry Hyde (R-Ill.) observed that the measure would provide extra protection to federal employees working with inmate
HIV Study Should Focus on Women--U.S. AIDS Chief: Reuters (08/03/98); Neil Nathanson, head of the U.S. Office of AIDS Research, is calling on new AIDS research to focus on women, new drugs, and mother-to-child transmission. He notes the large increases in HIV transmission to women over the last few years in calling for further basic biomedical research related to the etiology and pathoge
Progress of HIV Found to Be Faster in Women: Washington Post--Health (08/04/98) P. 5; Boodman, Sandra G.; HIV-infected women develop AIDS quicker then men, according to a study of 650 intravenous drug users by researchers at Johns Hopkins University. The study also reports that HIV-infected women with the same viral load as men will generally be much further along in the progression toward AIDS. Homayoon Farzadegan, lead a
Neurological Efficacy of Stavudine, Zidovudine, and Lamivudine: Lancet (08/01/98) Vol. 352, No. 9125, P. 402; Brew, Bruce James; Gisslen, Magnus; Svennerholm, Bo; et al.; In a May 23 Lancet report, Norbert Foudraine and colleagues wrote about cerebrospinal-fluid (CSF) HIV-1 RNA and drug concentrations after treatment with lamivudine and zidovudine or stavudine . However, in a letter to the editor of the Lancet, Australian researcher Bruce James Brew points out that none of the patients
Following the Blood: Syringe Reuse Leads to Blood-Borne Virus Transmission Among Injection Drug Users: Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes and Human Retrovirology (07/98) Vol. 18, Supplement 1, P. S139; Koester, Stephen; In a letter to the editor of the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes and Human Retrovirology, Stephen Koester of the Center for Research in the Health and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Colorado, Denver, notes how the reuse of drug injecting equipment, in addition to the reuse of needles, can put
Oakland Forum on Prisoners With HIV Alleges Neglect: San Francisco Examiner Online (07/31/98) P. A8; Seina, Robert; Speaking at an open forum on prisoners with HIV, former California inmate Ezra Davis asserted that the California Department of Corrections is neglecting prisoners with AIDS. Davis, who is HIV-positive and served a decade in the state prison system, alleged that fellow inmates died because of medical neglect. State hea
Intravenous Itraconazole Produces Rapid Levels in HIV-Positive Patients: Reuters Health Information Services (07/31/98); Researchers investigated the pharmocokinetics of intravenous itraconazole in 30 HIV-infected men. The scientists, led by Dr. Honghui Zhou of Novartis Pharmaceuticals, gave the patients two 200-mg infusions of itraconazole in 40 percent hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin vehicle for two days, then 200 mg intravenously once
Ministry Panel Feared HIV Patients in '83: Kyodo News Service (07/31/98); The Japanese government s Health and Welfare Ministry s AIDS research panel expressed concern as early as 1983 that hospitalized patients could contract HIV through untreated blood products, a recording has revealed. The audio tape was played at the Tokyo District Court on Friday at a hearing over Akhito Matsumura, for
Health--Russia: HIV/AIDS Infections Rise: IPS Wire (07/31/98); Russian army officials report that in Moscow s military district--which encompasses 18 regions in central Russia--the number of soldiers infected with HIV has quadrupled. Since the beginning of last year, 128 cases of HIV have been reported in the district, a sizable increase over the 32 reported between 1993 and 1996.
UK Fears Over New HIV Strain: BBC Online (08/01/98); Prisoners in the United Kingdom who do not receive the proper medication in a timely fashion could cause a new, drug- resistant strain of HIV to evolve, according to the Terence Higgins Trust. The Trust issued its warning after a survey by the National AIDS and Prisons Forum revealed that some prisoners receive no trea
U.S. Report Criticizes UN AIDS Program: Reuters (07/31/98); The General Accounting Office says UNAIDS , the United Nations agency designed to fight the spread of AIDS around the globe, has been ineffective in its two years of operation. House International Relations Committee chairman Ben Gilman (R-N.Y.) has scheduled hearings for Sept. 16 on the need to improve efforts to figh
Premature Births Prompt New Scrutiny of AIDS Drug Studies: Washington Post (08/01/98) P. A7; Neergaard, Lauran; The National Institutes of Health announced Friday that it has temporarily stopped enrollment of pregnant women into protease inhibitor trials for fear that the HIV-fighting drugs may boost the risk of premature delivery. The agency noted that the concerns are very preliminary and that pregnant women taking drug combin
Tuberculosis Vaccines Show Promise: United Press International (08/03/98); Manning, Elizabeth; Animal studies of two new tuberculosis vaccines developed by researchers at Colorado State University and pharmaceutical maker Merck & Co. indicate that the vaccines significantly lower the risk of infection. Even though the current vaccine, called BCG, provides greater protection against the lung disease, doctors
Prevalence and Incidence of Hepatitis C Virus Infection Among Young Adult Injection Drug Users: Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes and Human Retrovirology (07/98) Vol. 18, Supplement 1, P. S11; Garfein, Richard S.; Doherty, Meg C.; Monterroso, Edgar R.; et al.; Researchers investigated the incidence and prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection among young adult injection drug users aged 18 to 29 years in Baltimore, Md. They found that 37.6 percent of 229 subjects were HCV-seropositive at baseline. Although the figure was lower than previously reported among IDUs with longer
The Importance of Preventing Hepatitis C Virus Infection Among Injection Drug Users in the United States: Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes and Human Retrovirology (07/98) Vol. 18, Supplement 1, P. S6; Alter, Miriam J.; Moyer, Linda A.; Miriam J. Alter and Linda A. Moyer of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report on the incidence of hepatitis C infection among injection drug users. According to the researchers, up to 90 percent of IDUs are chronically infected with HCV. Between 1992 and 1995, injection drug use constituted the largest ri
New Drug Eases TB Treatment: American Medical News (07/27/98) Vol. 41, No. 28, P. 22; Stapleton, Stephanie; The approval by the FDA in June of Hoechst Marion Roussel s rifapentine, which will be sold under the name Priftin, represents the first new treatment for tuberculosis in 25 years, prompting praise from public health experts who believe the drug will improve the success rate of treatment regimens. Despite the excitemen
Chief: Vancouver Has Lost Drug War: United Press International (07/29/98); British Columbia s Vancouver police chief, Bruce Chambers, claims the city has lost its war on drugs and says the matter should be considered a health issue instead of a criminal situation. Chambers unveiled a new report from provincial health officer Dr. John Millar, who proposed giving heroin addicts the drug for fre
Science Feature: AIDS Hits African Children Hard: PANA Wire Service (07/29/98); Menka, Eunice; The HIV/AIDS pandemic appears to be reversing the gains made in child health over the last 50 years and is a particularly strong threat to African children. Dr. Martin Mandara, the World Health Organization representative in Ghana , said seven in every 10 children who are infected with HIV reside in Africa.
Kaposi's Sarcoma-Related Virus Uncommon in Saliva: Reuters Health Information Services (07/29/98); Doctors at the Karolinska Institute in Huddinge, Sweden , used polymerase chain reaction to detect viral DNA in saliva specimens from 44 patients infected with HIV-1 and 15 HIV seronegative control subjects. As published in the July issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases, the researchers found HHV-8 DNA in five of 29 sy
Dr. Peggy Johnston to Lead NIAID's AIDS Vaccine Effort: Reuters Health Information Services (07/29/98); Dr. Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has appointed Dr. Margaret Johnston to the position of assistant director for HIV/AIDS Vaccines at NIAID. Johnston will also take on the position of associate director of the Vaccine and Prevention Research Program in NIAID s Division
Dirty Needles, Gruesome Deaths: Wall Street Journal (07/30/98) P. A19; Givens, Redford; Elrod, Matthew M.; In a letter to the editor of the Wall Street Journal, Redford Givens contends that not allowing needle-exchange programs 10 years ago when their efficacy was proven has resulted in over 200,000 HIV infections among heterosexuals. Givens assertion comes in response to a July 14 letter by Stuart Creque, who Givens says m
Feasibility of One-Time Use of Sterile Syringes: A Study of Active Injection Drug Users in Seven United States Metropolitan Areas: Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes and Human Retrovirology (07/98) Vol. 18, Supplement 1, P. S30; Gleghorn, Alice A.; Wright-De Aguero, Linda; Flynn, Colin; Alice A. Gleghorn of the San Francisco Department of Public Health and colleagues surveyed 593 active intravenous drug users to assess barriers and facilitators of one-time needle use. The researchers found that the median number of injections per most recently used syringe was three and that only 21 percent of respond
Acyclovir for the Prevention of Recurrent Herpes Simplex Virus Eye Disease: New England Journal of Medicine (07/30/98) Vol. 339, No. 5, P. 300; Wilhelmus, Kirk R.; Beck, Roy W.; Moke, Pamela S.; et al.; Previous studies and clinical experience have confirmed that long-term antiviral therapy is effective in preventing recurrences of genital and orofacial herpes simplex virus (HSV) disease, but no evidence has shown whether recurrences of ocular HSV disease can be prevented by prophylactic treatment. The researchers ran
Transmission of Mutidrug-Resistant Human Immunodeficiency Virus--The Wake-Up Call: New England Journal of Medicine (07/30/98) Vol. 339, No. 5, P. 341; Cohen, Oren J.; Fauci, Anthony S.; In an editorial for the New England Journal of Medicine, Oren J. Cohen and Anthony S. Fauci, of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, argue for certain essential changes for long-term control of HIV replication. Appropriate prescription of potent antiretroviral drugs is called for after a recent su
Sexual Transmission of an HIV-1 Variant Resistant to Multiple Reverse-Transcriptase and Protease Inhibitors: New England Journal of Medicine (07/30/98) Vol. 339, No. 5, P. 307; Hecht, Frederick M.; Grant, Robert M.; Petropoulos, Christos J.; et al.; Researchers report a case of primary infection with an HIV-1 variant resistant to multiple reverse-transcriptase and protease inhibitors in a middle-aged homosexual man. The man had one reported recent risk factor for exposure: an episode of receptive anal intercourse without a condom four days prior to the onset of ac
12 Die of TB Outbreak at Elderly Care Home in 1995-1997: Kyodo News Service (07/27/98); The first reported outbreak of tuberculosis in an elderly care home in Japan appears to have occurred in Niigata Prefecture on the Sea of Japan coast between 1995 and 1997. Of the 27 residents and employees diagnosed with TB there, 12 people died, according to prefectural officials.
Partial Immune Restoration Following 12 Weeks of Combination Antiretroviral Treatment: Reuters Health Information Services (07/27/98); Researchers from the AIDS Clinical Trials Group Protocol 315 report that the magnitude of immune reconstitution that HIV- infected individuals can experience following highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) is still uncertain. In the July issue of the Journal of Infectious Disease, the team notes that although co
When Transfusions Became Tragedy: Boston Globe (07/27/98) P. A1; Jacobs, Sally; In the early 1980s, the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston transfused 25 patients with HIV-infected blood, and today all but two of them are dead. The incident occurred before a test for HIV became available in March 1985. The National Academy of Sciences reports that 12,000 people were infected nationwide through
HIV Epidemic in Vietnam Underreported and on the Rise: Reuters Health Information Services (07/27/98); Earlier this month, participants at the 12th World AIDS Conference in Geneva, were told by Vietnamese researchers that the number of HIV infections in their country will increase threefold by the year 2000. It was estimated that HIV seroprevalence was 22,000 to 30,000 at the end of 1996, while the number of AIDS cases
Abbott Lab Finds Flaw in One Form of HIV Drug: Wall Street Journal (07/28/98) P. B5; Abbott Laboratories reported Monday it had met with manufacturing difficulties involving Norvir , a protease inhibitor that is a principal component in the multidrug cocktails that have significantly helped people with AIDS. Abbott, which did not have an explanation for the difficulties, said the problem concerns on
Directly Observed Therapy and Treatment Completion for Tuberculosis in the United States: Is Universal Supervised Therapy Necessary?: American Journal of Public Health (07/98) Vol. 88, No. 7, P. 1052; Bayer, Ronald; Stayton, Catherine; Desvarieux, Moise; et al.; In the late 1970s, it was found that 20 percent to 30 percent of tuberculosis patients did not complete their two-year treatment. Nearly 20 years later, there was an increase in TB rates and a rise in the number of drug-resistant cases. Researchers from the Columbia School of Public Health and others examined whether t
The Fall After the Rise: Tuberculosis in the United States, 1991 Through 1994: American Journal of Public Health (07/98) Vol. 88, No. 7, P. 1059; McKenna, Matthew T.; McCray, Eugene; Jones, Jeffrey L.; et al.; Researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that recent tuberculosis epidemiology patterns indicate treatment and control activity improvement. This has resulted in the reversal of the resurgence of TB in people born in the United States . The scientists evaluated the number of incident cases
A Sterile Syringe for Every Drug User Injection: How Many Injections Take Place Annually, and How Might Pharmacists Contribute to Syringe Distribution?: Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes and Human Retrovirology (07/98) Vol. 18, Supplement 1, P. S45; Lurie, Peter; Jones, T. Stephen; Foley, Jill; Researchers from the University of California at San Francisco, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the University of Southern California investigated injection drug use, estimating the number of injections daily in the United States and the role of pharmacies in providing IDUs with sterile syringes. U
1998 Revision to the British HIV Association Guidelines for Antiretroviral Treatment of HIV Seropositive Individuals: Lancet (07/25/98) Vol. 352, No. 9124, P. 314; Gazzard, Brian; Moyle, Graeme; Anderson, J.; et al.; The British HIV-1 Association (BHIVA) recently released revised guidelines for the treatment of HIV-seropositive patients with antiretroviral drugs. The goal of antiretroviral therapy should be to develop an initial regimen that achieves the best virological responses but allows for possible benefits from future therap
Survey: Patients Not Complying With Regimens: AIDS Alert (07/98) Vol. 13, No. 7, P. 77; A recent survey, published in the Journal of the International Association of Physicians in AIDS Care and sponsored by Dupont Merck Pharmaceutical Co., indicates that 43 percent of 665 HIV -positive patients receiving protease inhibitor treatment admitted to non-adherence in the week prior to questioning. Approximately
3-D Structure of Protein That Inhibits AIDS Virus: Chemical and Engineering News (07/13/98) Vol. 76, No. 28, P. 55; G. Marius Clore and Angela Gronenborn of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases report the discovery of the three-dimensional structure of cyanovirin -N, a protein that inhibits HIV. The researchers found the structure of the protein using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The prote
Immune System's Ability to Recover From HIV Studied: Dallas Morning News Online (07/27/98); Beil, Laura; Researchers are attempting to find ways to help the immune system recover from an HIV infection. While current medications can reduce the viral load to undetectable levels, researchers are seeking a way to foster an immune rebound in patients. Scientists have focused on the thymus, which produces T cells. It was believ
Undiagnosed HIV-Positive New Yorkers Are Fueling Epidemic: Reuters Health Information Services (07/24/98); The Gay Men s Health Crisis (GMHC) reports that there are between 27,000 and 69,000 New York State residents who are unaware of their HIV infection. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about one-third of people infected with HIV have not been screened for the virus. The GMHC also estimated that
Methadone: A Cure or More Addiction?: New York Times (07/25/98) P. A26; Shinderman, Marc; Ng, Darryl; Oppenheim, Bennett L.; In a letter to the editor of the New York Times, Dr. Marc Shinderman, the director of the Center for Addictive Problems, asserts that methadone treatment programs do not promote benzodiazapine and cocaine use. In a separate letter, Darryl Ng, director of New York City government relations-Gay Men s Health Crisis, comme
Medicine Lags Against Addiction: New York Times (07/26/98) P. 16; Grady, Denise; Many drug-abuse experts condemned New York City Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani s recent announcement that the city should try to end methadone treatment by the year 2000. Some argue that the treatment is the best therapy for heroin addiction, allowing users to avoid jail and get jobs. According to the National Institute on
AIDS Brings a Shift on Breast-Feeding: New York Times (07/26/98) P. A1; Altman, Lawrence K.; The United Nations has issued recommendations discouraging women with HIV from breast-feeding, marking a change in their breast-feeding policy. The recommendations come in an effort to help reduce the spread of the virus; however, the agency noted that the individual decision to breast-feed should be made by each mothe
Albright Scores Deteriorating Situation in Myanmar: Kyodo News Service (07/27/98); Myanmar needs to have greater openness in dealing with its deteriorating political and drug situation, according to U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. Albright said that the situation poses a serious threat to the stability in the area, which she noted is becoming the epicenter of the regional AIDS epidemic.
Vitamins in HIV Disease Progression and Vertical Transmission: Epidemiology (07/98) Vol. 9, No. 4, P. 457; Fawzi, Wafaie W.; Hunter, David J.; Scientists at the Harvard School of Public Health report on the effect of vitamin treatment on HIV disease progression and mother-to-child transmission of the virus. Wafaie W. Fawzi and David J. Hunter review studies investigating the role of vitamins A, B, C, D, and E in HIV disease progression and transmission. They
Effectiveness of Short-Course, Intermittent Chemotherapy for Tuberculosis in Young Infants Aged Less Than Six Months: Clinical Pediatrics (07/98) Vol. 37, No. 7, P. 433; Kiper, Nural; Gocmen, Ayhan; Dilber, Embiya; et al.; Turkish researchers investigated the efficacy of short-course, intermittent chemotherapy for tuberculosis in infants aged less than six months. They analyzed treatment in 15 TB- infected infants, treating them with isoniazid, rifampin, with or without streptomycin daily over a 15-day period. The infants then received i
TB Regarded as Biggest Killer for Women: Africa News Service (07/22/98); Mubiana, Sandra; Zambia Tuberculosis and Leprosy Trust executive director David Mundoka reported earlier this week that tuberculosis is the main infectious killer of women in the world. He reported that there were over 900 million people infected with TB worldwide and that 1 million would die from the disease. About 2.5 million would
Health--India: India Announces AZT Trials on [Pregnant Women]: IPS Wire (07/23/98); India will initiate this year trials to determine the efficacy of AZT on pregnant women. The country recently received a $200 million loan from the World Bank which will help support the project. According to officials at the National AIDS Control Organization, trials will be held in Mubai city and in Tamil Nadu and
Scientists Satisfied With Ugandan AIDS Vaccine Trials: Africa News Service (07/22/98); The Uganda AIDS Commission said that it is satisfied with the preparations for the upcoming HIV vaccine trials, noting that various sectors of the society were consulted on the ethics of the trials. Research coordinator John Rwomushana said, We are happy with the ethics. The scientific committee has answered a lot of q
Vertical HIV-1 Transmission Rates May Be Higher Than Predicted: Reuters Health Information Services (07/23/98); According to researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, statistics reported by the joint United Nations project on HIV/AIDS ( UNAIDS ) concerning vertical transmission rates of HIV last year may be too low. The CDC researchers noted that the rates would be higher if transmission via breast-feeding i
Rise in Maryland Infant Deaths Examined: Baltimore Sun (07/23/98) P. 1A; Sugg, Diana K.; Due to an 18 percent increase in the infant mortality rate between 1996 and 1997 in Maryland, health officials are investigating the deaths of infants born with congenital anomalies, infections, and heart disease. Investigators will try to determine if some of the deaths were preventable. Some physicians are worried th
AIDS Among Black Women Seen as a Growing Problem: Los Angeles Times--Washington Edition (07/24/98) P. A1; Fears, Darryl; The number of African-American women infected with HIV is growing. They are eight times more likely to contract the virus than white women and three times more likely than Hispanic women. Almost half of all women in the United States who are infected with HIV are African-American. Some researchers note that the increas
Elimination of Syphilis in the United States: Science (07/17/98) Vol. 281, No. 5375, P. 353; St. Louis, Michael E.; Wasserheit, Judith N.; In a Science policy forum, Michael E. St. Louis and Judith N. Wasserheit of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention s National Center for HIV, STD, and TB Prevention comment on the possibility of the elimination of syphilis from the United States . Last year, syphilis rates in the United States reached the lowes
Maintenance Therapy After Quadruple Induction Therapy in HIV-1 Infected Individuals: Amsterdam Duration of Antiretroviral Medication (ADAM) Study: Lancet (07/18/98) Vol. 352, No. 9123, P. 185; Reijers, Monique; Weverling, Gerrit; Jurriaans, Suzanne; et al.; Even though evidence suggests that highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) improves the condition of patients infected with HIV-1, long-term use of combination drug therapies is often difficult to sustain because of patients compliance and the risk of toxicity. In a randomized open-label study, researchers assesse
Arrests and Incarceration of Injection Drug Users for Syringe Possession in Massachusetts: Implications for HIV Prevention: Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes and Human Retrovirology (07/98) Vol. 18, Supplement 1, P. S71; Case, Patricia; Meehan, Thera; Jones, T. Stephen; Massachusetts law prohibits the possession or purchase of syringes without a prescription and the possession of drug paraphernalia, including syringes. A 1993 amendment allows about 2,000 injection drug users enrolled in a syringe exchange program to legally possess needles; but possession remains illegal for the remai
Botswana Study Says AIDS Problem Costly to Business: Reuters (07/22/98); A study by the Botswana task force on AIDS indicates that the costs associated with the HIV/AIDS problem in the country will increase seven-fold by 2004, accounting for almost 5 percent of the country s wage bill. The study examined lost labor time, medical costs, lost production and other employee benefits in associat
Russian Military Taking Sick Conscripts: General: Toronto Globe and Mail (07/22/98) P. A13; According to news reports, the Russian military is taking sick conscripts--some of whom are infected with HIV--to fill the ranks. General Mikhail Kislitsyn told Russian reporters that the problem had been secret until a mentally ill soldier guarding a former prime minister opened fire on the residence. In the past two
Reluctance to Discuss STDs Seen Raising Risks: Boston Globe (07/22/98) P. A5; Sanchez, Marie C.; Despite the profound effects of sexually transmitted diseases, there is a general reluctance to discuss the issue in public forums in the United States . STDs can cause premature birth and increase the chance of contracting HIV. Dr. Michael St. Louis, chief of epidemiology and surveillance with the Centers for Disease
FDA Panel Recommends Clearing Genetic Drug: New York Times (07/23/98) P. D4; Pollack, Andrew; A Food and Drug Administration Advisory Panel voted Wednesday to allow Isis Pharmaceuticals to market the first antisense drug, which is based on technology that prevents genes from performing their functions. The drug, Vitravene, treats a viral infection that can cause blindness in persons with AIDS, and prevents
Scientists Disturbed by Slow Pace: USA Today (07/23/98) P. D1; Sternberg, Steve; Some scientists are worried about the slow pace of AIDS vaccine development. Sixteen years after the beginning of the epidemic, there are now 30 million HIV-positive people and 11.7 million have died from AIDS. Twenty experimental vaccines have been shown safe in small clinical trials, yet none of the vaccines have fin
A Post-Apartheid Agony: AIDS on the March: New York Times (07/23/98) P. A1; Daley, Suzanne; South Africa now has one of the fastest growing AIDS rates in the world. Some experts assert that the isolationism enforced during apartheid and the country s health care system-- considered the best on the continent--provided an opportunity for South Africa to avoid an explosion of HIV in the population. But politi
HIV-1 in Injecting-Drug Users and Heterosexuals: Lancet (07/18/98) Vol. 352, No. 9123, P. 241; Panda, Samiran; Sarkar, Swarup; Bhattacharya, Sujit K.; et al.; In a letter to the editor of the Lancet, Indian scientists and others comment on the common assumption that HIV-1 subtype B accounts for the majority of infections among intravenous drug users and that the majority of heterosexuals who contract HIV- 1 receive subtype E. The authors note that this assumption led many re
Complete Genome Sequence of Treponema Pallidum, the Syphilis Spirochete: Science (07/17/98) Vol. 281, No. 5375, P. 375; Fraser, Claire M.; Norris, Steven J.; Weinstock, George M.; et al.; Scientists from The Institute for Genomic Research have sequenced the genome for Treponema pallidum, the infectious agent that causes syphilis. The researchers found that the spirochete contains 1,138,006 base pairs, coding for 1041 predicted sequences. Catabolic and biosynthetic activities are minimized, but the syste
Presence of a Newly Described Human DNA Virus (TTV) in Patients With Liver Disease: Lancet (07/18/98) Vol. 352, No. 9123, P. 195; Naoumov, Nikolai V.; Petrova, Elena P.; Thomas, Mark G.; et al.; Researchers at the University College London Medical School report the discovery of the high prevalence of active transfusion-transmitted virus (TTV) in the United Kingdom and Japan . Nikolai V. Naoumov and colleagues examined serum samples from 126 subjects for TTV DNA using semi-nested polymerase chain reaction.
CDC National Prevention Information Network Now Providing CDC NCHSTP Daily News Update Via FAX Service: CDC - July 22, 1998; The CDC NCHSTP Daily News Update will now be available via the CDC National Prevention Information Network (NPIN) FAX, the automated fax-on-demand service. NPIN FAX provides access to numerous reports, fact sheets and other documents related to HIV, STD and TB prevention. To use NPIN FAX, call the main number, 1-800-45
Genital Warts Tied to Sexual Behavior: Fox News Online (07/20/98); Two studies appearing in the July issue of Sexually Transmitted Diseases indicate that men and women face similar risk factors for genital warts. Research by Dr. Janet R. Daling of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, Washington, and colleagues shows that risk for genital warts is directly proportiona
South Africa: Killer TB on the Rise Among Children: Africa Information Afrique (07/21/98); South Africa s Medical Research Council reports that there are about 16,000 new tuberculosis cases among children annually in the country. Physicians are having trouble adequately treating the disease in children because pediatric forms of the medicine are not widely available there. Additionally, crushing adult medica
Council OKs Needle Exchange in Springfield: Boston Globe (07/21/98) P. B7; Dowdy, Zachary R.; On Monday, city councilors in Springfield, Mass., approved a needle-exchange program for the city with a vote of 5 to 4. The program is designed to help prevent the transmission of HIV among intravenous drug users; Springfield has the 25th highest rate of HIV infection in the country, with 56 percent of infections asso
Needle-Swap Activists Seize D.C. Office: New York Daily News (07/21/98); Kiely, Kathy; About a dozen AIDS activists protested President Clinton s refusal to allow federal funding for needle-exchange programs by chaining themselves to the furniture in the White House Office on AIDS Policy on Monday. The protesters chanted Free needles save lives. Lift the ban Now! and claimed they would remain in the offi
100,000 HIV Positive By the Year 2000 in Pakistan: WHO Report: News Network International Online (07/22/98); The World Health Organization and non-governmental organizations estimate that there may be 100,000 HIV-infected people in Pakistan by the year 2000. The Pakistan health ministry does not agree with the estimates, noting that the number of AIDS cases has only risen to 147 from two cases in the past 11 years.
Giuliani's Methadone Drive Has Little Chance, Experts Say: New York Times (07/22/98) P. A18; Fisher, Ian; Many experts say that New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani s campaign against the use of methadone to treat heroin craving in addicts will have little effect on the use of the drug. Methadone has been prescribed in New York City for 30 years, and some 40,000 heroin addicts in the city now receive the drug. However, Giu
HIV-1 Suppression by Early Treatment With Hydroxyurea, Didanosine, and a Protease Inhibitor (Research Letter): Lancet (07/18/98) Vol. 352, No. 9123, P. 199; Lisziewicz, Julianna; Jessen, Heiko; Finzi, Diana; et al.; Julianna Lisziewicz of the Research Institute for Genetic and Human Therapy and colleagues report the suppression of HIV-1 in 11 patients treated with hydroxyurea, didanosine, and indinavir or nelfinavir. The regimen was designed to target actively dividing CD4 cells and latently infected resting lymphocytes and macrop
Detection of a Novel DNA Virus (TTV) in Blood Donors and Blood Products: Lancet (07/18/98) Vol. 352, No. 9123, P. 191; Simmonds, P.; Davidson, F.; Lycett, C.; et al.; Researchers from Edinburgh, Scotland, report the detection of a newly discovered DNA virus, transfusion-transmitted virus (TTV), in blood donors in the United Kingdom . TTV may be a cause of post-transfusion hepatitis. Using extracted DNA from blood donors and patients with fulminant hepatic failure and from blood prod
Infection Control Basis for Recommending One-Time Use of Sterile Syringes and Aseptic Procedures for Injection Drug Users: Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes and Human Retrovirology (07/98) Vol. 18, Supplement 1, P. S20; Gershon, Robyn R.M.; Robyn R.M. Gershon of the Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health reviews current recommendations for sterile use of needles and other drug paraphernalia in injection drug users. Since the sharing of equipment among injection drug users can facilitate the spread of hepatitis C virus, HIV, hepatitis B virus, a
Use of Sterile Syringes and Aseptic Drug Preparation Are Important Components of HIV Prevention Among Injection Drug Users: Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes and Human Retrovirology (07/98) Vol. 18, Supplement 1, P. S1; Jones, Stephen T.; Vlahov, David; T. Stephen Jones and David Vlahov provide an overview of a special issue of the Journal of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndromes and Human Retrovirology focusing on HIV prevention for injection drug users. The issue compiles 21 articles and eight letters, many of which will be featured in upcoming CDC NCHSTP Daily News U
The Opposite of Sex: Time (07/13/98) Vol. 152, No. 2, P. 39; Edwards, Tamala M.; The National Center for Health Statistics recently released data indicating that the birth rate among unmarried African- American women reached a 40-year low in 1996, with the largest decrease in birth rates among 15- to 17-year-olds. African- American teens have had a 20 percent decline in the birth rate since 1990.
HIV Assay May Give False-Positive Result During Acute CMV Infection: Reuters Health Information Services (07/20/98); A report published in the July issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases indicates that acute infection with cytomegalovirus ( CMV ) may produce false-positive results when testing for HIV with the enzyme immunoassay (EIA). Researchers at the University of Tennessee report the case of a 24-year-old man who received a needl
Cel-Sci Shares Award to Develop Test for TB: Baltimore Sun (07/21/98) P. 2C; Dr. Niel Constantine, of the University of Maryland at Baltimore, and Cel-Sci Corp. have received a second Maryland Industrial Partnership award to finance the development of a tuberculosis test. Constantine and Cel-Sci are working in conjunction on the test. Cel-Sci said that it hopes to develop a kit to diagnose TB a
Cutaneous Tuberculosis Undergoing Resurgence, Associated With AIDS: Reuters Health Information Services (07/20/98); A report in the July issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases shows that there has been a resurgence of cutaneous miliary tuberculosis. The spread of the once-rare disease has been attributed to AIDS and drug-resistant mycobacteria. The researchers report that there were only 25 cases of the disease in adults recorded bet
AIDS Virus Can Wait in Body for Years, Study Shows: Baltimore Sun (07/21/98) P. 2A; Researchers at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases report that people infected with HIV quickly establish a latent pool of infected cells that can survive for years. According to the scientists, drug treatment does not easily destroy the infected cells. The study, which involved 10 patients, will
New Leader of WHO Gets Big Grant to Hire Experts: Washington Post (07/21/98) P. A9; Crossette, Barbara; The Rockefeller Foundation will award today a $2.5 million grant to World Health Organization Director General Gro Harlem Brundtland for the hiring of top-level experts. Brundtland plans to revamp upper level management at the WHO and is expected to announce the creation of a cabinet system in the agency. Nine officia
Battle-Scarred Veteran Is General in Global War on AIDS: New York Times (07/21/98) P. C1; Altman, Lawrence K.; Dr. Peter Piot, executive director of the United Nations AIDS Program, now stands as one of the main coordinators in the fight against HIV/AIDS. After pioneering efforts against the Ebola virus, which he co-discovered in 1976, Piot began working for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Shortly thereafter, Pi
AIDS Coalition Urges Voluntary HIV Testing: Washington Times (07/21/98) P. A14; Larson, Ruth; A coalition of advocacy groups called for voluntary HIV testing on Monday, reversing their long-held opposition to testing. When HIV testing originally became available in 1985, many AIDS organizations feared that the results of such tests might be misused. The coalition, made up of more than 30 AIDS groups, also calle
Managing Fever in HIV Disease