Washington Blade - April 5, 2002

SAN FRANCISCO -- Outbreaks of syphilis among gay men in large urban areas, particularly in California, are threatening to reverse progress toward eliminating the disease in this country, according to the Los Angeles Times. In San Francisco, the number of new infectious cases grew from a historic low of 26 in 1998 to 139 last year. Officials say the total could easily top 250 this year, which would be the highest in more than a decade. San Francisco health officials are so concerned that last week they mandated a sweeping set of new requirements on sex clubs and adult bookstores, which include handing out condoms and lubricant to every patron. Other major cities -- including New York, Los Angeles, and Miami -- are also seeing increases in syphilis. The cases in these and many other urban areas disproportionately involve gay or bisexual men, including some 61percent in Los Angeles and 82 percent in San Francisco.

Noted AIDS researcher awarded top medical prize

NEW YORK (AP) -- Dr. Anthony Fauci, a leading AIDS researcher and bioterrioism chief at the National Institutes of Health, was awarded the nation's largest prize for medicine and biomedical research March 27. Fauci, 61, became the second recipient of the $500,000 Albany Medical Center Prize. He has directed the NIH's National Institute of Allergy & Infectious Diseases since 1984, making a series of discoveries about the working of the AIDS virus, and has dealt with bioterroism issues in the wake of the Sept. 11 attack and anthrax scare. The award was created in 2000 following a $50 million gift to the medical center from Morris Silverman, a New York City businessman. In accepting the award, Fauci spoke about several health issues, including bioterroism and a possible AIDS vaccine, which he said he hoped would be found in a few years.

Scientists find link in viruses causing colds, hep C, AIDS

MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers have discovered links among three groups of viruses that could lead to a cure for the common cold, hepatitis C and AIDS. Molecular virologist Paul Ahlquist said scientists found evidence that three broad virus groups reproduce in the same way. "We're excited because it's three out of six," Ahlquist said. "There are only six categories into which all viruses fit. à Suddenly, we discover that three of them are linked to each other in ways we didn't understand, didn't even imagine before." Ahlquist and his five co-authors published their findings in the March issue of Molecular Cell. "We do not want to suggest that these discoveries will yield new treatment for viruses tomorrow," Ahlquist said. But understanding the shared properties of the viruses will aid research, he added.

New drugs may fight off non-HIV Infectious diseases

NEW YORK (AP) -- The pharmaceutical industry is developing 256 drugs and vaccines to target infectious diseases ranging from hepatitis to influenza, according to a survey to be released by the Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturers of America. Infectious diseases were responsible for nearly one-third of all worldwide deaths in 1996, the survey said. AIDS is a major contributor to the death toll, but those drugs were considered a separate category and not included in the survey. The industry has 98 drugs in development to fight the disease. Vaccines are the focus of the most attention, the study found, with 96 under development for a broad range of diseases. The survey said there are 32 new antibiotics under development. Of the total agents being developed, 69 are being tested in the lab while the remaining 187 are either in clinical trials or awaiting approval by the FDA.

Drug for tamoxifen-resistant breast cancer shows promise

BARCELONA, Spain -- An anti-estrogen compound has proven effective in combating breast tumors resistant to tamoxifen, according to two animal studies carried out by scientists from Tokyo, Reuters reported. The results were presented at the Third European Breast Cancer Conference on March 22. Yasuji Yamamoto, from the Institute of Molecular & Cellular Biosciences at the University of Tokyo, explained that while the drug, known as TAS-108, fought tamoxifen-resistant breast tumors, it also had a protective effect on the skeleton and cardiovascular system in animal models. A second study, led by Dr. Yahio Shibata, found that TAS-108 halted the growth of breast tumors in rats with no effect on the uterus. One of the secondary effects of tamoxifen is that it increases the risk of endometrial cancer. "TAS-108 accumulated well in tumor tissues and these preclinical results suggest that it would be well tolerated by breast cancer patients, and at a range of effective doses," Shibata's team concluded.

From staff and wire reports
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