2002

AIDS Foundation Closed Because of Money Problems Burglarized: Associated Press (12.31.02) - Tuesday, December 31, 2002; The Coastal Bend AIDS Foundation, which was forced to stop serving its 400-plus clients in Corpus Christi, Texas, because of a funding shortfall, has been burglarized. CBAF was forced to close after it could no longer pay the bills and care for clients - problems stemming from an ongoing dispute over a $300,000 contrac
Fighting AIDS: Indianapolis Star (12.26.02) - Tuesday, December 31, 2002; The Indiana AIDS Fund has awarded $117,000 in grants to five Indianapolis social service organizations. Damien Center received $44,000 for prevention programming for women of color. Concord Center Association received $10,000 for a program to facilitate risk-reduction behaviors by high-risk clients. The Indiana Youth G
Orphans to Reach Peak in Three Years: Nation (Thailand) (12.28.02) - Tuesday, December 31, 2002; Thailand s national committee on HIV/AIDS said last week that the problem of AIDS orphans is expected to peak in the next three years. Thailand had the highest number of AIDS orphans in Asia in 2001 - approximately 289,000 - and that number is forecast to continue rising, reaching 380,000 in 2005, said committee Chair
Lee Urges United States to Fight Global AIDS Scourge: Oakland Tribune (12.30.02) - Tuesday, December 31, 2002; Lisa Friedman; Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) is leading a charge for a major new US initiative to fight the global HIV/AIDS epidemic. In a letter to President Bush last week, Lee and 31 other members of the Congressional Black Caucus called for $2.5 billion toward global AIDS programs in 2004. In early 2002, the Bush administration mad
In Africa, AIDS Has a Woman's Face: New York Times (12.29.02) - Tuesday, December 31, 2002; Kofi A. Annan; A combination of famine and AIDS is threatening the backbone of Africa - the women who keep African societies going and whose work makes up the economic foundation of rural communities. ... In famines before the AIDS crisis, women proved more resilient than men. ...Because droughts happened once a decade or so, women
Help for Residents with HIV: Boston Globe (12.26.02) - Tuesday, December 31, 2002; John Laidler; Two Gloucester-based nonprofit groups, Action Inc. and North Shore AIDS Health Project, have joined forces to provide affordable housing and other services to low-income Essex County, Mass., residents with HIV/AIDS. The project, funded in part by a US Department of Housing and Urban Development $1.3 million grant to Ac
St. Mary's/Duluth Clinic Doctor Has Tuberculosis: Duluth News Tribune (12.28.02) - Tuesday, December 31, 2002; Melanie Evans; A St. Mary s/Duluth Clinic doctor diagnosed with tuberculosis may have exposed patients and health care workers to the disease, Minnesota health officials said Friday. The doctor s name was not released. Patients hospitalized at two hospitals in Duluth, Minn. - St. Mary s and Miller-Dwan - between Nov. 1 and Dec. 3 may
Effect of a Clinical Practice Improvement Intervention on Chlamydial Screening Among Adolescent Girls: Journal of the American Medical Association (12.11.02) Vol. 288: P. 2846-2852 - Tuesday, December 31, 2002; Mary-Ann B. Shafer, MD; Kathleen P. Tebb, PhD; Robert H. Pantell, MD; Charles J. Wibbelsman, MD; John M. Neuhaus, PhD; Ann C. Tipton, MD; Sharon Brown Kunin, MS; Timothy H. Ko, DrPH, MPH; David M. Schweppe, MPH; David A. Bergman, MD; Chlamydia trachomatis is the most commonly reported bacterial STD in the United States . Three million to four million cases occur annually, disproportionately among adolescent girls. The disease is asymptomatic in more than 75 percent of cases, and an untreated infection may lead to severe reproductive morbidity. Chla
Chlamydia Eyed for Hit List: New Zealand Herald (12.26.02) - Tuesday, December 31, 2002; Bridget Carter; As part of a major review of New Zealand s Health Act, health officials hope to reclassify chlamydia, one of the country s most common STDs, as a notifiable infection. If they succeed, people diagnosed with chlamydia would, by law, have to identify recent partners who would be contacted, and doctors would have to repor
As Rates Decline, TB Doctors Worry About Being a 'Victim of Success': Associated Press (12.30.02) - Tuesday, December 31, 2002; Daniel Yee; Tuberculosis cases are declining in Georgia, falling 17 percent between 2000 and 2001, according to a report released earlier this month by Georgia s Division of Public Health. There were 575 cases in 2001 and 696 cases in 2000. Despite the decrease, health groups worry that the state s TB programs will deteriorate as
FDA Inspection Finds Safety Lapses in Nation's Blood Supply: USA Today (12.31.02) - Tuesday, December 31, 2002; Rita Rubin; The American Red Cross failed to investigate 134 cases of patients diagnosed with hepatitis after receiving blood it distributed, according to a 45-page report released Dec. 20 by the Food and Drug Administration. After a months-long investigation, the FDA found more than 200 violations of its laws and regulations.
HIV Captured on Film in Earliest Stages: United Press International (12.12.02) - Monday, December 30, 2002; Ellen Beck; University of Illinois-Chicago researchers have captured for the first time the very earliest stages of HIV infection in living cells. Using protein dyes from jellyfish and time- elapsed microscopy, they saw color images of individual HIV particles traveling to the nucleus of a human cell and beginning the takeover of
Singapore to Give Out Condoms to Male Travelers: AIDS Weekly (12.23.02) - Monday, December 30, 2002; Singapore plans to distribute HIV prevention packs containing condoms to male travelers heading to what it deems high-risk destinations, the Straits Times reported. The Health Promotion Board will distribute the packs, which will also contain information on the dangers of casual sex, through local travel agents. The
Citing Bias, Parent Files Complaint over Sex Education Program: Contra Costa Times (12.25.02) - Monday, December 30, 2002; Suzanne Pardington; A Concord, Calif. mother has called for the end of a sex education program promoting abstinence, saying it gives students biased and graphic information about abortions. Renee Walker wrote a letter of complaint to the Mt. Diablo district and the state superintendent after discovering the eight-day CryBabies curriculum
Primary HIV-1 Infection in African Children Infected Through Breastfeeding: AIDS (11.22.02) Vol. 16: P. 2303-2309 - Monday, December 30, 2002; François Rouet; Narcisse Elenga; Philippe Msellati; Crépin Montcho; Ida Viho; Charlotte Sakarovitch; Christine Danel; Christine Rouzioux; Valériane Leroy; François Dabis, for the ANRS 049 Abidjan DITRAME Study Group; Little is known about primary HIV infection (PHI) in children. In industrialized countries, infants are infected in utero or perinatally, making it difficult to assess the clinical picture of an acute illness associated with HIV seroconversion. However, in sub-Saharan Africa, where more than 90 percent of infected chil
Hong Kong Experts Help Tackle Mainland China's Growing HIV/AIDS Problem: Lancet (12.14.02) - Monday, December 30, 2002; Mary Ann Benitez; Hong Kong s HIV/AIDS groups are gearing up to help mainland China tackle its AIDS epidemic. Next April, Hong Kong s methadone treatment for HIV-positive intravenous drug users will be discussed at a UNAIDS training workshop for experts in the mainland, India and Southeast Asian count
African AIDS Pills Hit Black Market: Washington Times (12.30.02) - Monday, December 30, 2002; Rajeev Syal, London Sunday Telegraph; Medicines provided cheaply to treat AIDS patients in Africa are being smuggled back to Britain and sold on the black market, and British police believe African officials are making tens of millions of dollars a year on the drugs. British investigators have smashed a smuggling ring in Senegal , West Africa, where a g
Iranian Doctors Ordered Not to Turn Away AIDS Patients: Agence France Presse (12.30.02) - Monday, December 30, 2002; Doctors in Iran have received a health ministry directive not to turn away patients with HIV/AIDS as part of a new effort to control the spread of the disease, medical workers said Monday. Doctors consulted by people with HIV or AIDS-related illnesses have been ordered to catalog the cases and provide immediate treatme
Comedy Show Tackles Risky Subject Matter: Baltimore Sun (12.22.02) - Monday, December 30, 2002; David Zurawik; On the same early December day that Baltimore Mayor Martin O Malley declared a state of emergency in the battle against HIV/AIDS, a group of Hollywood writers and producers finalized a script for One on One, a prime-time television show set in Baltimore, that will treat the HIV/AIDS crisis as an integral fact of life.
Arkansas Sees Drop in Teen Birthrate: Associated Press (12.29.02) - Monday, December 30, 2002; The teen birthrate in Arkansas has reached its lowest level in more than 33 years, but the majority of Arkansas teens say they are sexually active. About 33 out of every 1,000 Arkansas 15- to 17-year-old girls gave birth during 2001, a 10 percent drop from 2000, according to new data from CDC. During the past decade, t
A Dark Christmas for AIDS Patients in South Africa: Times of India (12.25.02) - Friday, December 27, 2002; In South Africa , the National Association of People Living with AIDS declared the holiday season Black Christmas to highlight the plight of nearly 5 million South Africans living with the disease. We have a lot of people who are suffering from the disease but yet most of them cannot obtain antiretroviral drugs, said
Scouts to Get Free Condoms at International Jamboree: Associated Press (12.23.02) - Friday, December 27, 2002; Scouts attending the 20th World Scout Jamboree in Thailand will be provided with free condoms on request, Dr. Pipat Yingseri of the Public Health Ministry said Tuesday. Yingseri said condoms would be supplied at the event because reports of participants engaging in sex had emerged from past scout gatherings. About 20,0
New California Law to Require Referrals to HIV Specialists: Reuters Health (12.26.02) - Friday, December 27, 2002; A California law requiring HMOs to refer HIV-infected patients to AIDS specialists is slated to take effect in mid- January. Gov. Gray Davis signed the legislation in September 2000, but its implementation was delayed as the state and California physicians worked to craft a definition of what constitutes an HIV/AIDS sp
First Healthcare Center Targeted to Injection Drug Users Opens in New York: TB & Outbreaks Week (12.24.02) - Friday, December 27, 2002; Positive Health Project, a New York syringe exchange program, and Diversified Health Systems Management Inc. recently announced the opening of Positive Health Care, the nation s first comprehensive health care center targeting high-risk clients, including current and former injection drug users. Although New York City
Syphilis Outbreak in Los Angeles County Leads to Calls for More Testing: Associated Press (12.27.02) - Friday, December 27, 2002; In Los Angeles, a 62 percent increase in syphilis cases reported by gay men countywide has prompted health advocates to call for more outreach and testing programs. The increase represents about 360 new cases reported this year. It alarms health advocates because many of the syphilis patients were already diagnosed wit
Recreational Drugs Can Reduce Safety, Efficacy of Antiretroviral Agents: Drug Week (12.20.02) - Friday, December 27, 2002; Michael Greer; Canadian researchers warn that illicit drugs can trigger potentially lethal side effects in HIV patients on antiretroviral therapy. Tony Antoniou and colleagues at Toronto General Hospital conducted a study to summarize existing data regarding potential interactions between recreational drugs and drugs commonly used in
Therapeutic AIDS Vaccine Said Promising: Associated Press (12.22.02) - Friday, December 27, 2002; Randolph E. Schmid; An experimental vaccine against simian immunodeficiency virus sharply reduced but did not eliminate the amount of SIV in the blood of test animals. Evidence of SIV in the blood of macaques dropped 50-fold, and its evidence in plasma fell 1,000- fold in a 10-month test, said lead researcher Wei Lu of Rene Descartes Univ
First Safe Injection Site to Open by March: Vancouver Sun (12.18.02) - Friday, December 27, 2002; Frances Bula; Vancouver Mayor Larry Campbell said Canada s first safe injection site for drug addicts will be opened with federal approval in Vancouver by late February or early March. Campbell made the comment after a two-day meeting with Health Canada officials to discuss draft guidelines for what would be the first safe injection
Report: China Plans to Mass-Produce Four AIDS Drugs: Associated Press (12.27.02) - Friday, December 27, 2002; China plans to make four types of low-cost AIDS drugs, the official Xinhua News Agency reported Thursday, citing Health Minister Zhang Wenkang. The news agency did not say which drugs would be made or whether all four would be mass- produced, but it did say the price would be about one-tenth that of imported drugs, w
Catholics to Take on AIDS: Chicago Daily Herald (12.23.02) Teresa Mask - Friday, December 27, 2002; Roman Catholic churches are urging parishioners to respond to the AIDS and poverty crises in Africa. Catholics should also do their part in the United States , Bishop Howard J. Hubbard, episcopal moderator for the National Catholic AIDS Network, said in a letter to US bishops last month. The US Council of Catholic Bish
Non UN-Member Taiwan Makes Donation to Global Fund for AIDS: Agence France Presse (12.17.02) - Thursday, December 26, 2002; Taiwan , a non-member of the UN, has donated EUR1 million (US$1.03 million) to the UN-initiated Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, Taiwan s cultural and economic delegation announced in Geneva recently. Through this donation, Taiwan is showing once again its commitment in the area of world health, c
Simpler Therapy Can Help HIV Patients: Washington Times (12.25.02) United Press International - Thursday, December 26, 2002; A new study concludes that HIV patients with cognitive impairment need simpler drug therapies to prevent them from failing to take their medications, which can lead to the development of drug-resistant strains of the virus. A three- times-daily medication regimen, which is often prescribed for HIV patients, caused pati
Bangladeshi Schools to Have Sex Education from 2004: Agence France Presse (12.25.02) - Thursday, December 26, 2002; On Wednesday, the newspaper Bangladesh Today quoted Education Secretary Mohammad Shahidul as saying the nation will introduce sex education in schools beginning in 2004 in the hope of stemming the spread of STDs. With the alarming rise in incidences of sexually transmitted diseases and the emergence of [the] AIDS pande
Two Groups Seek to Direct AIDS Care: Buffalo News (12.22.02) - Thursday, December 26, 2002; Thomas J. Prohaska; Niagara County, N.Y. s AIDS case management program has been cut out of the 2003 county budget. Two agencies - AIDS Community Services of Western New York and Circle of Hope - have expressed interest in taking over the service. The first group is Buffalo- based; the second a subsidiary of Lockport- based Niagara Hospic
A Day Off Becomes a Day of Charity: Baltimore Sun (12.26.02) - Thursday, December 26, 2002; Stephanie Desmon; On Christmas Day, volunteers from Temple Beth El in Baltimore County, Md., packed and delivered meals for Moveable Feast so that regular volunteers could spend Christmas with their families. Moveable Feast, started in one man s kitchen in 1989, is a nonprofit outreach group that provides meals and groceries for 600 poo
Tenofovir Potent Anti-Hepatitis B Treatment for HIV-Coinfected Patients: Reuters Health (12.16.02) - Thursday, December 26, 2002; The nucleotide analog tenofovir disoproxil fumarate exhibited potent activity against chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in patients coinfected with HIV in a prospective pilot study reported by physicians at the Washington University School of Medicine. Dr. Pablo Tebas and colleagues report on results in six suc
Public Health Impact of Targeted Tuberculosis Screening in Public Schools: American Journal of Public Health (12.02) No. 12; Vol. 92: P. 1942-1945 - Thursday, December 26, 2002; Soju Chang, MD, MPH; Lani S.M. Wheeler, MD, FAAP; and Katharine P. Farrell, MD, MPH; People born where TB is prevalent are at higher risk of contracting the disease. In Anne Arundel County, Md., where only 3 percent of the population is foreign-born, foreign-born persons comprised 40 percent of active TB cases in 1998. In 1987, two foreign-born students in the Anne Arundel County public school system c
Oprah Winfrey Moved to Expose the Plight of AIDS Victims in Africa: Associated Press (12.21.02) - Thursday, December 26, 2002; Oprah Winfrey, who has been traveling in South Africa for the last three weeks, vowed to use her name to help humanize the AIDS pandemic ravaging sub-Saharan Africa. Cuddling children who had lost parents to the disease, Winfrey said in a Saturday Star interview that she feels a higher calling to raise international a
TV Teaches Teenagers About Sex - Media Project Teaches TV: Associated Press (12.20.02) - Thursday, December 26, 2002; Lynn Elber; Without a direct hand in creating or writing any TV series, the Media Project, a nonprofit advisory group, has helped shape the media s handling of sexual topics - particularly those concerning teenagers. Media Project Director Robin Smalley said like it or not, Hollywood serves as a sex education counselor for many yo
AIDS Group Seeks Rejection of Money: Seattle Times (12.23.02) - Thursday, December 26, 2002; Warren King; Washington state s Governor s Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS has written a letter asking Gov. Gary Locke to reject federal money for educational programs that emphasize abstinence as the only prevention for STDs and pregnancy. Such programs do not give students complete information that they need to help them make respon
Sex Education Program Becomes Tongue-Tied: Reuters Health (12.20.02) - Monday, December 23, 2002; Teachers in Texas Leander Independent School District want to be able to answer students questions about the risks of oral and anal sex but they dare not speak the words in the classroom because of parental objections. Educators became concerned after students submitted anonymous questions to their health teachers aski
Unsafe Sex on the Rise: Australian (12.11.02) - Monday, December 23, 2002; Misha Schubert; Sexually transmitted infections in Australia have doubled in five years as young people ignore calls for them to abstain or practice safer sex, according to Sexual Health and Family Planning Australia. A lot of young people who become sexually active are often under the wrong impression that if they have the same partn
Tanzania Urges Clear Vision on Fighting AIDS: Xinhua News Agency (12.16.02) - Monday, December 23, 2002; While officially opening the 2nd National Mutisectoral AIDS conference in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania , Vice President Ali Mohammed Shein criticized some regions for not making progress on reducing the number of HIV/AIDS patients under the circumstances of fast development of medical knowledge, technology and skills. He sa
Sweden Donates Child-Protection Fund to South Nigeria: Xinhua News Agency (12.12.02) - Monday, December 23, 2002; The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency has decided to donate $900,000 to UNICEF s model youth resource learning center in southern Nigeria . Birgitta Alani, Swedish Ambassador to Nigeria, has said the project is part of Sweden s decision to support ongoing efforts in West Africa, and especially in Nig
Singing Group United in Voices, Spirit: Dallas Morning News (12.20.02) - Monday, December 23, 2002; Frank Trejo; At the Turtle Creek Chorale s annual holiday concert in Dallas, Texas, 138 poinsettias decorated the stage. The plants honor each member the group has lost to HIV/AIDS since 1986, when the tradition began. Founded in 1980, Turtle Creek Chorale has become one of the foremost male choral groups in the country. It has mor
Sexually Transmitted Diseases: Report Shows Condoms Provide Inadequate Risk Reduction for STDs: Virus Weekly (12.17.02) - Monday, December 23, 2002; A new scientific report, Sex, Condoms, and STDs: What We Now Know, released by the Medical Institute for Sexual Health, reveals that condoms, even when used 100 percent of the time, fail to reduce the risks of some of the most common STDs to an acceptable level. The report reviewed findings of all significant research
Willingness to Participate and Enroll in a Phase 3 Preventive HIV-1 Vaccine Trial: Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes (12.15.02) Vol. 31, No. 5, P. 521-528; Jacqueline M. O'Connell; Robert S. Hogg; Keith Chan; Steffanie A. Strathdee; Nancy McLean; Steve L. Martindale; Brian Willoughby; Robert Remis - Monday, December 23, 2002; Characterizing high-risk populations who are willing to participate (WTP) in HIV vaccine trials is important for assessing the feasibility of large-scale efficacy trials. This study examined WTP in an HIV vaccine trial among participants in an ongoing prospective study of HIV incidence and risk behaviors among young ga
A Way to Foster Employee Health: Los Angeles Times (12.20.02) - Monday, December 23, 2002; Solomon Moore; A UN report released last month names sub-Saharan Africa as the focal point of the pandemic. Stephen Lewis, UN special envoy for HIV/AIDS for Africa, said the disease has devastated the area s agricultural sector and driven a severe food shortage. Businesses suffer from increased absenteeism and rising recruitment and
A Haitian Doctor's Success in the Fight Against Disease: New York Times (12.22.02) - Monday, December 23, 2002; David Gonzalez; Hope is an elusive commodity in Haiti . But Dr. Jean W. Pape has managed to slow the HIV/AIDS epidemic, by nimbly adapting his medical techniques to the country s political upheaval, withering poverty and crumbling infrastructure. Pape has been so successful that Haiti is the first country in the Western Hemisphere to
FDA Faults Red Cross' Handling of Blood Supply: Los Angeles Times (12.21.02) - Monday, December 23, 2002; Charles Ornstein; Megan Garvey; US Food and Drug Administration regulators on Friday disclosed widespread problems with the screening, storage and distribution of blood by the American Red Cross, calling into question the safety of the nation s blood supply. The FDA cited more than 200 safety violations and deficiencies in its preliminary inspection
U.S. Eases Drug-Patent Rules: Wall Street Journal (12.23.02) - Monday, December 23, 2002; Michael M. Phillips; The Bush administration scrambled to undo the public relations damage caused when it blocked an international agreement to allow developing countries easier access to generic versions of prescription drugs to combat AIDS, malaria, cholera and other infectious diseases. Just hours after World Trade Organization talks in
Mandela Song to Highlight AIDS Benefit Concert: New York Times (12.19.02) - Friday, December 20, 2002; Reuters; Nelson Mandela will be just another prison number again when he hosts an HIV/AIDS benefit concert on Robben Island, South Africa , where he spent 18 of his 27 years in apartheid jails. The Feb. 2 concert - featuring U2 s Bono, Shaggy, Queen, and Macy Gray - will be held within the walls of the island prison, which is n
Hollywood Actor Richard Gere Organizes Celebrity Fundraiser to Fight AIDS in India: Associated Press (12.20.02) - Friday, December 20, 2002; Hollywood actor Richard Gere was in Bombay Friday to host a carnival with actors from India s film industry to raise awareness and funds to help prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission. Gere, who often calls India his second home, has been campaigning against the spread of AIDS in South Asia. Gere s charity also suppo
310 Bangladeshi Children Have HIV: UNICEF: Agence France Presse (12.18.02) - Friday, December 20, 2002; State of the Children Report 2003, a study released by UNICEF in Dhaka this week, reported that at least 310 Bangladeshi children have HIV, and another 2,100 children have been orphaned by the disease. Earlier this month, Bangladesh released official figures saying that 248 people in the nation have HIV, and 20 have d
AIDS Activists Drop Off Condoms at State Prison: Times Union (Albany, N.Y.) (12.18.02) - Friday, December 20, 2002; Brendan Lyons; In Coxsackie, N.Y., Tuesday, several AIDS activists marched to the gates of Coxsackie Correctional Facility and dropped 2,000 condoms at the feet of corrections officers. New York state prohibits inmates from having condoms, and officials say sex between inmates is illegal. But members of ACT UP-NY claim state official
AIDS Housing Coalition Reorganizes: Houston Voice (12.13.02) - Friday, December 20, 2002; Penny Weaver; The nonprofit AIDS Housing Coalition Houston Inc. has reorganized in its attempts to assist people with HIV/AIDS. Executive Director Matt Locklin said organization volunteers recently elected officers for 2003-2004, and these incoming leaders have decided to direct AHCH resources to a new emergency- based housing initi
Surfactant Protein A Heightens Macrophage Mannose Receptor Activity: TB & Outbreaks Week (12.17.02) - Friday, December 20, 2002; Michael Greer; US researchers have shed new light on the early immune response to M. tuberculosis and other bacterial pathogens. Inhaled particulates and microbes are continually cleared by a complex array of lung innate immune determinants, including alveolar macrophages (AMs), explained Alison A. Beharka and colleagues at the Unive
University of Pittsburgh Findings Illustrate How Kaposi Sarcoma- Associated Herpesvirus Causes Cancer: Cancer Weekly (12.10.02) - Friday, December 20, 2002; Findings by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute illustrate how Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus inhibits the body s immune response and causes cancer cells to grow through a technique called immune evasion. KSHV causes Kaposi Sarcoma, a cancer of the blood vessel cells that often occurs in
Can a Film Romance Persuade Nigerians to Practice Safe Sex?: Wall Street Journal (12.20.02) - Friday, December 20, 2002; Michael M. Phillips; The US government, Western aid agencies and two local filmmakers are trying to deliver an anti-AIDS message by combining Nigerians taste for soap-operatic movies with their flair for copyright piracy. The result: a religiously palatable feature film that they hope will persuade Nigerians to avoid risky sex. In just fou
South African Party Now Says AIDS to Top Its Agenda: Reuters (12.19.02) - Friday, December 20, 2002; Manoah Esipisu; The African National Congress, South Africa s ruling party, put AIDS at the top of its development agenda in a statement delivered at a party conference in the university town of Stellenbosch. The move represents a policy shift after what detractors claim has been years of neglect of the deadly pandemic. President Thab
Young Girls, Older Partners Leads to High STD Risk: Reuters Health (12.18.02) - Friday, December 20, 2002; Alison McCook; New research demonstrates that teenage girls who have older partners are more likely than girls their same age with younger partners to report high-risk behaviors that can lead to STDs. Elin Begley of Emory University in Atlanta found that teens who said they were dating someone at least two years older were half as li
AIDS Group Asks Court to Stop AZT Patent Defense: Reuters (12.19.02) - Friday, December 20, 2002; Doug Macron; The AIDS Healthcare Foundation announced Thursday that it has asked a US federal court to stop British drug company GlaxoSmithKline from defending its patent on AZT . AHF has filed a lawsuit against the company alleging patent fraud and price gouging. The largest provider of AIDS care in the
New AIDS Drug Likely to Fall Short of 2003 Demand: Reuters (12.19.02) - Thursday, December 19, 2002; A new AIDS drug will be available to only about 15,000 patients by the end of 2003. Roche Holding AG, a Swiss healthcare group, said its manufacturing plant in Boulder, Col. has been working to meet the challenges to making the complex drug Fuzeon, but initial yields had been lower and cycle times longer than projected
4 Agencies in the City Get HIV/AIDS Funding: Indianapolis Star (12.19.02) - Thursday, December 19, 2002; The Indiana AIDS Fund awarded $85,000 for 13 agencies across the state to provide emergency housing, transportation, food and/or medical care to people with HIV/AIDS. Four Indianapolis agencies will share the grants. This is the second year the fund has awarded the Gregory R. Powers Direct Emergency Financial Assistanc
Housing Education Grant Awarded to AIDS Legal Referral Panel: Bay Area Reporter (San Francisco) (12.12.02) - Thursday, December 19, 2002; Zak Szymanski; The federal Department of Housing and Urban Development has awarded a grant to help the AIDS Legal Referral Panel fight illegal housing discrimination against people with HIV/AIDS. The grant, the second ALRP has received from HUD, consists of $68,000 over 18 months. Certainly having one of [the] tightest housing market
13 Airport Workers Test Positive for TB, but May Not Be Infected: Associated Press (12.19.02) - Thursday, December 19, 2002; Thirteen Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport workers have tested positive for TB, and another 28 workers asked to be tested for the disease, Manatee County health officials said. County epidemiologist Dr. James Ogedegbe said Wednesday the 13 positive tests were not alarming given that 299 employees have been teste
Helping Hands Reach Out to Patients with AIDS: Associated Press (12.14.02) - Thursday, December 19, 2002; Dann Denny; When Sierra Launer was in the first grade, she was taking pills five times daily to help manage HIV, with which she was born. She had trouble remembering to take them when I wasn t with her, said Debra Launer, who adopted Sierra as an infant. So when Debra learned of a project called Secret Santa, in which donors anony
HIV Infections Down 24 Percent Since 1999 in West Baltimore: Baltimore Sun (12.19.02) - Thursday, December 19, 2002; Jonathan Bor; State health officials yesterday declared a possible turning point in Maryland s fight against AIDS: The rate of new infections is declining in a wide swath of West Baltimore, the only area in the state where the infection rate had been rising. The three-year decline in an area riddled with poverty, crime and drug abus
Increasing Hepatitis B Vaccination Among Young African- American Men Who Have Sex with Men: Simple Answers and Difficult Solutions: AIDS Patient Care and STDs (11.02) Vol. 16; No. 11: P. 519-524 - Thursday, December 19, 2002; Scott D. Rhodes, PhD, MPH; Kenneth C. Hergenrather, PhD, MRC, MSEd; Leland J. Yee, MPH; Hepatitis B virus infection continues to be one of the most frequently reported preventable diseases in the United States , despite the licensure of a vaccine in 1982. Currently, an estimated 1.25 million individuals are chronically infected with HBV in the United States. HBV can be spread both parenterally and through
Sex Museum Aims to Break Indian Taboo: South China Morning Post (12.17.02) - Thursday, December 19, 2002; Amrit Dhillon; The organizers of India s first sex museum in Mumbai, who also run a clinic for STDs just one floor below, were incredulous at the level of ignorance about sex when they visited local schools. Male teenagers thought babies came out of a woman s stomach, had no clue what a woman s genitals looked like or how reproductio
Older AIDS Caregivers Face Stigma: AllAfrica.com (12.16.02) - Thursday, December 19, 2002; Namibian; Older people who care for their HIV-infected adult children or orphaned grandchildren also face the harsh realities of stigma attached to the disease, according to a World Health Organization study released last week. The Impact of AIDS on Older People in Africa, based on a case study done in
Budget Cuts Threaten AIDS Funding: Bay Area Reporter (San Francisco) (12.12.02) - Thursday, December 19, 2002; Joe Dignan; California Gov. Gray Davis office has asked a group of HIV/AIDS service organizations to suggest how to cut $20 million to $40 million out of next year s state AIDS budget, according to Dana Van Gorder, director of state and local affairs for the San Francisco AIDS Foundation. Our biggest concern is to protect [the AID
CDC Fact Sheet Not Promoting Condom Use Anymore: Associated Press (12.18.02) - Thursday, December 19, 2002; Laura Meckler; A government fact sheet that long promoted condoms as highly effective in preventing HIV and other STDs now offers a more neutral summary of the pros and cons of condom use, and Congressional Democrats charge that politics are trumping science. They also note that a National Cancer Institute fact sheet now says the evi
World Bank Gives US$12.6 Million to Sri Lanka to Stop Spread of AIDS: Associated Press (12.17.02) - Wednesday, December 18, 2002; The World Bank will provide $12.6 million to Sri Lanka to fight the spread of HIV and reduce the stigma associated with the disease, a bank statement said Wednesday. The island nation of 18.6 million people has a narrow window of opportunity to prevent a nationwide AIDS epidemic, the statement said.
Biotech Company to Slash AIDS Drug Price in Africa: Associated Press (12.18.02) - Wednesday, December 18, 2002; Gilead Sciences announced it will cut the price of its AIDS drug Viread for all of Africa and 15 UN-designated least- developed countries elsewhere. The company will sell the drug at no profit, charging only for production and distribution. Gilead will supply Viread directly to qualified treatment programs.
Companies Agree to Continue HIV Drug Safety Studies: Reuters Health (12.16.02) - Wednesday, December 18, 2002; Richard Woodman; Pharmaceutical companies have agreed to continue studies for at least another year to assess whether HIV medicines increase the risk of heart disease and other complications, an AIDS specialist said Monday. Last month during an HIV congress in Glasgow, HIV/AIDS groups voiced concerns that manufacturers would stop fundi
HIV Test Offer for All Pregnant Women: Scotsman (Scotland) (12.18.02) - Wednesday, December 18, 2002; John Innes; Under a directive issued by the Scottish Executive, all expectant mothers are to be offered routine screening for HIV. The program is to be in operation by April. At present, only a few health boards offer the screening, which women have the option to refuse. It used to be the case that we could do little for the baby
Community Involvement Could Cut Local AIDS Risk, Study Finds: Commercial Appeal (Memphis, Tenn.) (12.14.02) - Wednesday, December 18, 2002; Mary Powers; Future AIDS prevention efforts need more community, police and church involvement, more accountability and more creative strategies for reaching those at greatest risk of becoming infected, according to recommendations outlined Friday by Dr. Jebose Okwumabua of the University of Memphis. We need to get out of our ivory
Columbus High Staff, Students Tested for TB: Columbus Ledger-Enquirer (12.18.02) - Wednesday, December 18, 2002; Mark Rice; Health workers screened 120 students and staff for tuberculosis at Columbus High School in Columbus, Ga., on Tuesday. The testing took place after the Columbus Health Department notified the school that one of its 1,236 students - a male whose name has not been released - has the communicable disease. Only those studen
Isoniazid Safe for Liver Transplant Candidates: Drug Week (12.20.02) - Wednesday, December 18, 2002; Michael Greer; US researchers have reported that the potent antituberculosis agent isoniazid could safely be administered to patients who may undergo liver transplants. Optimal timing of initiation of isoniazid chemoprophylaxis in liver transplant recipients who test positive on the tuberculin skin test has not been defined, accordin
Drug Resistance Doesn't Affect Outcome for Vietnamese Tuberculous Meningitis Patients: AIDS Weekly (12.16.02) - Wednesday, December 18, 2002; Michael Greer; Researchers in Asia and the United Kingdom have found surprising information about the course of tuberculous meningitis in Vietnamese patients. Mycobacterial drug resistance had little effect on the outcome of treatment for infected adults studied by G.W. Thwaites and colleagues at the University of Oxford-Wellcome Tru
More Women Living with HIV/AIDS: Inter Press Service (12.13.02) - Wednesday, December 18, 2002; Abdou Faye; Women in Senegal are finding themselves at the heart of the HIV/AIDS risk pool. In 14 years, the number of women living with HIV/AIDS has almost quadrupled, while the proportion of men having the disease has not even doubled. Recent UNAIDS and World Health Organization reports show that
Association of TB, HIV Linked to Increase in TB Cases in Zimbabwe: Xinhua News Agency (12.16.02) - Wednesday, December 18, 2002; Panganai Dhliwayo, the World Health Organization medical officer in Harare, said Monday the increase in the number of people with TB in Zimbabwe is the result of the association between TB and HIV infection. The number of new TB cases has risen since 1990, and the overwhelming reason for this is the onset of the HIV/AI
US Stance on Abortion and Condom Use Rejected at Population Conference: Associated Press (12.17.02) - Wednesday, December 18, 2002; Vijay Joshi; The United States lost a vote at the end of the UN-sponsored Asian and Pacific Population Conference in Bangkok Tuesday, as Asian Pacific countries rejected the Bush administration s stand against abortion and condom use among adolescents. The conference adopted a plan of action on population policies in a bid to reduc
Combined Vaccine Gets FDA Approval: New York Times (12.17.02) - Tuesday, December 17, 2002; Donald G. McNeil Jr.; A vaccine that protects infants against five diseases has been approved for use in the United States , its manufacturer, GlaxoSmithKline , announced yesterday. The new vaccine, Pediarix, could mean as many as six fewer injections in the first year for many babies. It combines vaccines against diphtheria, pertussis (who
One in 10 Russian Prison Inmates Have Tuberculosis: Justice Ministry: Agence France Presse (12.17.02) - Tuesday, December 17, 2002; Some 90,000 Russian prisoners, or one out of every 10, have tuberculosis, the Interfax news agency reported Tuesday, quoting a justice ministry official. Some 30,000 new TB cases are registered each year, Vladimir Yalunin said, adding that 400,000 inmates, or almost half of all 890,000 Russian prisoners, have health pr
VaxGen's AIDS Vaccine to Be Reviewed by FDA: New York Times (12.17.02) - Tuesday, December 17, 2002; Reuters; VaxGen Inc. said yesterday that the Food and Drug Administration had agreed to an accelerated review of its experimental AIDS vaccine. VaxGen is testing the vaccine for preventing HIV infection in a pivotal stage, or phase III, trial among 5,400 people in the United States ,
HIV Disclosure Claim Costs Rockland $3,000: Bangor Daily News (12.14.02) - Tuesday, December 17, 2002; Leanne M. Robicheau; In Rockland, Maine, city councilors voted last Wednesday to pay $3,000 to settle a potential lawsuit by a John Doe because a former police officer allegedly disclosed the man s HIV status following his arrest. Doe claimed that after his arrest for driving under the influence of intoxicants in December 2000, the officer
Quiet Care to Close: St. Cloud Times (12.13.02) - Tuesday, December 17, 2002; Kirsti Marohn; Last week in Minnesota, nurses at Stearns County s Quiet Care Clinic tested for HIV for the last time, after offering twice weekly HIV/STD testing for 17 years. The St. Cloud area s only public clinic will test until the end of the year for other STDs, then close permanently. Budget problems are forcing Stearns County
Local AIDS Foundation Runs Out of Money for the Moment: Corpus Christi Caller-Times (12.14.02) - Tuesday, December 17, 2002; Joy Victory; The Coastal Bend AIDS Foundation is out of money as the result of a contract dispute that forced it to go without its main source of funding for three months. In September, Bexar County Housing and Human Services agreed to disburse funds of at least $500,000 annually to the foundation. However, a clause in the contract
Correlates of Human Herpesvirus 8 Seropositivity Among Heterosexual Men in Kenya: AIDS (10.18.02) Vol. 16; No. 15: P. 2073-2078 - Tuesday, December 17, 2002; Jared M. Baeten; Bhavna H. Chohan; Ludo Lavreys; Joel P. Rakwar; Rhoda Ashley; Barbra A. Richardson; Kishorchandra Mandaliya; Job J. Bwayo; Joan K. Kreiss; Few studies have examined heterosexual HHV-8 transmission, which is endemic in African populations. Research has implicated HHV-8 as a causal agent of Kaposi s sarcoma. HHV-8 infection is more common in Africa than in Western populations, and studies have found evidence for both sexual and non-sexual transmission. The
Condoms Minor Cause of HIV Decline: Africa News Service (12.16.02) - Tuesday, December 17, 2002; New Vision; A new report says that the decreased level of HIV infection in Uganda resulted mostly from abstinence and faithfulness, and to a lesser extent from condom use. The report, produced by a team of American and Ugandan researchers, is based on analysis of the changes in people s behaviors as seen in demographic and health
Call for TB and HIV Tests on All Immigrants: Times (London) (12.13.02) - Tuesday, December 17, 2002; Anthony Browne; Lord Turnberg, the former chair of Britain s Public Health Laboratory Service, is calling for medical tests for immigrants before they are allowed into the country. Turnberg said the measure is needed to combat the spread of tuberculosis and HIV, since the recent surge in cases is largely the result of increased immigr
Cuts in AIDS Drug Plan Could Be Costly: Austin American Statesman (12.14.02) - Tuesday, December 17, 2002; Mary Ann Roser; Next year, two out of 10 Texans now enrolled in the AIDS Drug Assistance Program will be cut off under a plan to keep the financially drained initiative afloat. Of the 12,500 Texans enrolled in the program, 2,500 clients are expected to be cut from the program. Another 1,700 new clients who would have signed on to the
United States Holds Out on How to Give Poor Nations Access to Affordable Drugs: Associated Press (12.16.02) - Tuesday, December 17, 2002; Naomi Koppel; In Geneva on Monday, the United States held out against other members of the World Trade Organization in negotiations on how to ensure better access to cheap medicines for poor countries. A third draft of an agreement has been produced that would allow some developing countries to ignore patents and buy generic drugs f
Zambia to Share Global Funds on HIV/AIDS: Xinhua News Agency (12.12.02) - Monday, December 16, 2002; At a meeting with Zambian cabinet ministers Thursday in Lusaka, UN Special Envoy on HIV/AIDS in Africa Stephen Lewis said he would get in touch with those responsible for the global fund for HIV/AIDS to ensure the country receives its share. Lewis stressed that HIV/AIDS has further compounded the hunger crisis in Zambi
Uganda - Refugees to Get Free HIV Drugs: Africa News (12.11.02) - Monday, December 16, 2002; New Vision; The UN High Commissioner for Refugees will soon start distributing free nevirapine to expectant mothers in refugee camps in Uganda to curb mother-to-child transmission of HIV/AIDS. Paul Spiegel, a senior UNHCR technical officer, said last week that UNHCR would also carry out several programs with the government and no
2.2 Million Ethiopians Living with HIV/AIDS in 2001: Xinhua News Agency (12.12.02) - Monday, December 16, 2002; The Ethiopian Health Ministry reported on Thursday that an estimated 2.2 million people in the nation are living with HIV/AIDS, including 200,000 children. HIV prevalence had decreased from 7.3 percent the previous year to 6.6 percent. The urban rate (13.7 percent) remained considerably higher than the rural rate (3.7
India's Voiceless Women Are Easy Prey for AIDS: Los Angeles Times (12.01.02) - Monday, December 16, 2002; Meena Seshu; Joanne Csete; The $100 million that Bill Gates philanthropy will add to the battle against HIV and AIDS in India is a welcome expression of concern for what Gates rightly portrays as one of the worst epidemics in the world. But the Gates Foundation s generous support may be undone by factors that neither the government of India nor
SRQ Employees to Be Tested for TB: Bradenton Herald (12.16.02) - Monday, December 16, 2002; Aaron Quinn; All airline employees and skycaps at Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport in Florida are scheduled to undergo TB testing today by Manatee County health officials following news that two skycaps tested positive for the illness. One of the two men has died, but it was unclear whether TB was the cause of death, accord
Computer Education May Bridge Affordability Gap: AIDS Alert (11.01.02) - Monday, December 16, 2002; Researchers from CDC, the University of Washington-Seattle, California State University-Long Beach, and the Indiana University School of Medicine-Indianapolis, are collaborating with Resources Online, a Seattle computer consulting business, to create a computer-assisted, client-centered, educational CD-ROM product to e
Therapy Adherence and Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy: Comparison of Three Sources of Information: AIDS Patient Care and STDs (10.02) No. 10; Vol. 16: P. 487- 495 - Monday, December 16, 2002; John Vincke, PhD; Ralph Bolton, PhD; Patient adherence, a critical component in the management of HIV, has become a behavioral problem since the advent of HAART. Failure to adhere to a therapeutic regimen can dilute beneficial effects of the drugs and cause the emergence of drug-resistant strains of HIV. A central limitation to studying adherence to HAART
Uganda Stands Firm on Health Spending Freeze: Lancet (12.07.02) - Monday, December 16, 2002; Charles Wendo; Uganda s Ministry of Finance is standing firm on its decision that, despite an expected grant from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, the country s total health expenditure will not exceed a pre-determined limit of $107 million for the 2002-2003 financial year. Finance officials maintain that they
Vietnam Needs to Tackle Malnutrition, Trafficking, HIV: UNICEF: Agence France Presse (12.16.02) - Monday, December 16, 2002; UNICEF s annual flagship publication, The State of the World s Children 2003, reported that sexual exploitation, malnutrition, inadequate sanitation and HIV transmission are just some of the problems facing children in Vietnam . Vietnam has made tremendous progress over the past decades in improving the well-being of i
US Isolated at Population Conference over Its Anti-Abortion Stand: Associated Press (12.16.02) - Monday, December 16, 2002; Alisa Tang; At the UN-sponsored Asian and Pacific Population Conference in Bangkok, Thailand , on Monday, the United States was criticized for its rigid stand against abortion and its advocacy of abstinence over condom use for adolescents. Ministers and officials from more than 40 countries are participating in the conference, whi
Health Officials Testing for TB at DeKalb School: Associated Press (12.12.02) - Friday, December 13, 2002; On Friday, DeKalb County, Ga., health officials expect to wrap up TB testing for some 2,000 staff and students at Redan High School. Testing began Dec. 6 when officials learned that a person at the school - who was removed and is currently being treated - tested positive for an active form of the disease. Test results
DNA Analysis Shows Tuberculosis in Britain Predated Roman Armies: Agence France Presse (12.12.02) - Friday, December 13, 2002; Roman armies have been suspected of introducing TB to Britain, but the disease was present in the nation hundreds of years before those armies arrived, the English Heritage association reported Thursday. DNA analysis of part of a skeleton found in the southern English county of Dorset has revealed that a man who died t
Mandela Champions South Africa's AIDS Fight: Associated Press (12.12.02) - Friday, December 13, 2002; Mike Cohen; This is a serious matter, it s war, former South African President Nelson Mandela said of AIDS Thursday during a visit to a clinic in Khayelitsha on the outskirts of Cape Town. Wearing a T-shirt reading HIV-positive, Mandela spoke freely about condoms and the necessity for people to be faithful to their partners and f
One Disease Down - Eradication of River Blindness Offers Hope in Fight Against AIDS: Sarasota Herald-Tribune (12.09.02) - Friday, December 13, 2002; Staff editorial; Just when you thought that good news no longer happens in Africa, along comes this bulletin: West Africa has now been declared officially free of river blindness, according to the UN s World Health Organization . The disease, spread via fly-borne parasites, once ravaged the eyesight of more than 2 million people in We
HIV/AIDS Nephropathy: Mechanisms of Virus-Induced Cell Cycle Disruption Elucidated: AIDS Weekly (10.28.02) - Friday, December 13, 2002; Michael Greer; US researchers have shed new light on the processes that lead to the development of kidney dysfunction in HIV patients. The aberrant cell-cycle progression of HIV-1 infected kidney cells plays a major role in the pathogenesis of HIV-associated nephropathy, explained Peter J. Nelson and colleagues at Mount Sinai School
HIV Trick Helps Explain Failed Vaccine Attempts: Reuters Health (12.11.02) - Friday, December 13, 2002; Amy Norton; Scientists have discovered a new way HIV evades the body s immune response, helping to explain why it has been so hard to develop a broadly effective AIDS vaccine. The finding adds the final piece to the puzzle of how HIV eludes the immune system s infection-fighting antibodies, which are produced in large numbers when
China Urges Safer Sex in Rural Areas and Among Migrant Workers: Agence France Presse (12.11.02) - Friday, December 13, 2002; Family planning associations throughout China will be asked to do a better job of teaching the rural and migrant population about safe sex to prevent HIV/AIDS, the state s China Daily said Wednesday. Most rural branches of the China Family Planning Association lack good education programs on reproductive health and dis
New AIDS Coalition Aims to Boost Access to Drugs: Reuters (12.13.02) - Friday, December 13, 2002; UN agencies joined governments and health groups Thursday in launching a new drive, the International HIV Treatment Access Coalition, to get life-prolonging drugs to millions of AIDS patients in poor countries. Currently, only one person in 20 has treatment in these countries. ITAC, which brings together a host of orga
For 60 Million, the Cure May Kill: USA Today (12.13.02) - Friday, December 13, 2002; Steve Sternberg; About 60 million people in the United States have conditions that leave them essentially defenseless against vaccinia, the live virus used to make smallpox vaccine. They include people with HIV/AIDS or other immune deficiencies, people who have had organ transplants, cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, and people
US Immigrants Not Bringing HIV with Them: Study: Reuters Health (12.04.02) - Friday, December 13, 2002; Charnicia E. Huggins; New research in California found that the prevalence of HIV was similar - less than 2 percent - among US-born and foreign- born patients at Los Angeles-area public health clinics. The research team, led by Dr. Nina T. Harawa of the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, studied the prevalence of HIV among mo
Zambia Needs $270 Million to Tackle AIDS: Official: Reuters Health (12.09.02) - Thursday, December 12, 2002; Zambia needs to spend at least $270 million over the next three years to fight AIDS, which is killing about 200 citizens each day, Finance Minister Emmanuel Kasonde said. His statement noted that the country needed money to provide free antiretroviral drugs, expand existing programs to reduce infection, and care for
Singapore Uses Shocking Images to Turn Students Off Sex: Associated Press (12.11.02) - Thursday, December 12, 2002; Singapore announced a new strategy to put teens off casual sex. In January, the government s Health Promotion Board will distribute a booklet to 15-year-olds featuring color photographs of people infected with, and disfigured by, gonorrhea, chlamydia, and syphilis. The booklet is a departure from the norm in a countr
Celera Diagnostics: Washington Post (12.12.02) - Thursday, December 12, 2002; Celera Diagnostics, an Alameda, Calif., venture supported by Celera Genomics and Applied Biosystems Group, said it received clearance from the US Food and Drug Administration to market a gene-based HIV test. The test is designed to detect mutations in HIV that create resistance to certain drug treatments. Studies have
Bush to Offer Smallpox Vaccine to All: Associated Press (12.12.02) - Thursday, December 12, 2002; Laura Meckler; President Bush will announce a program Friday to make the smallpox vaccine available to all Americans, beginning with the military and health workers who would be front-line defenders against a bioterror attack. The vaccine will be mandatory for about 500,000 military personnel and recommended for another half-million
HIV/AIDS Organization Struggles to Survive: Detroit Free Press (12.11.02) - Thursday, December 12, 2002; Patricia Anstett; Detroit s oldest agency for HIV-positive women and their children, Children s Immune Disorder, is struggling for survival. We need at least $50,000 in committed funds for a couple of years, said Kerry Laycock, board chair of CID. And we have to resolve this by year s end. When it started in 1985, CID was Michigan s fir
Some Question Planned Parenthood-Church Sex-Ed Partnership: Fort Wayne News-Sentinel (Fort Wayne, Ind.) (12.11.02) - Thursday, December 12, 2002; Jennifer L. Boen; Local pastors and pro-life groups are criticizing Planned Parenthood of Greater Indiana after the organization announced last week it will partner with Fort Wayne churches to teach faith-based sexuality classes. Some said Planned Parenthood is jumping on the faith-based bandwagon to grab money available to organization
Late Diagnosis of HIV Infection in the Era of Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy: Consequences for AIDS Incidence: AIDS (09.27.02) Vol. 16; No. 14: P. 1945-1951 - Thursday, December 12, 2002; Jesús Castilla; Paz Sobrino; Luis de la Fuente; Isabel Noguer; Luis Guerra; Francisco Parras; This study assesses the repercussions of late diagnosis of HIV infection on AIDS incidence in the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy, comparing the trend of late testing versus remaining AIDS cases in Spain . The authors also analyze the factors associated with late diagnosis of HIV infection among AIDS cases,
HIV Pregnancies on Rise: Press (Christchurch) (12.04.02) - Thursday, December 12, 2002; Brooker Michelle; An estimated 60 percent of HIV-positive pregnant women in New Zealand do not know they have the virus, and risk passing it on to their babies. The number of New Zealand babies born with HIV is not high. However, AIDS Epidemiology Group Director Nigel Dickson said numbers had been rising since 1995 as more women were be
US Doctor Appears in Canadian Court on Charges Linked to Tainted Blood: Associated Press (12.11.02) - Thursday, December 12, 2002; A US doctor appeared in Canadian court, charged for his alleged role in a tainted blood supply that sickened thousands in the 1970s and 1980s. Dr. Michael Rodell, 70, spoke his name but said nothing more. He is charged with three counts of criminal negligence causing bodily harm, which carries a maximum 10-year prison
AIDS/HIV Housing Earns National Recognition: Associated Press (12.11.02) - Thursday, December 12, 2002; Betsy Taylor; The Doorways interfaith AIDS residence program was named a shining star by the St. Louis office of the Department of Housing and Urban Development. It was one of 11 Missouri programs recognized for spreading light throughout the community. Based on the premise that housing is part of healthcare, Doorways operates five
Disparities in Health Care Plague Minorities in Kansas: Associated Press (12.12.02) - Thursday, December 12, 2002; Roxana Hegeman; Infant mortality among blacks in Kansas is double the statewide average, and black men have the highest rates of prostate cancer, lung cancer and colorectal cancer, according to a study on minorities and health care released Wednesday. The study, Minority Health Disparities in Kansas, prepared by the Kansas Health Inst
New Hampshire AIDS Treatment Program: Associated Press (12.10.02) - Wednesday, December 11, 2002; HIV/AIDS patients in southern New Hampshire have a new place to turn. Manchester and Nashua on Tuesday announced the beginning of the Southern New Hampshire Integrated Care Program to help low-income people living with or at risk of contracting HIV/AIDS. Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center is leading the project with a
Insurance Firms to End Sexual History Questions: Guardian (London) (12.10.02) - Wednesday, December 11, 2002; John Carvel; British insurance firms agreed Monday to stop prying into their customers sexual histories to find evidence of a possible future risk of contracting HIV or other serious infections. In a deal with the British Medical Association, the companies said they would not seek information from doctors that might unnecessarily d
Second TB Scare for Drinkers: BBC News (12.09.02) - Wednesday, December 11, 2002; Three regulars at a British Legion club in Cumbernauld, Scotland, have been struck by tuberculosis. The cases emerged just days after health officials confirmed that two men had died after contracting TB in a Glasgow pub. Dr. George Venters, National Health Service Lanarkshire s public health consultant, said on Monday
Juvenile Hall Detainees to Be Tested for STDs: Los Angeles Times (12.10.02) - Wednesday, December 11, 2002; Teenagers accused of committing crimes in Kern County, Calif., will be asked for a urine sample to test for STDs. The county has the state s third-highest rate of chlamydia and fourth- highest rate of gonorrhea. Both diseases are prevalent among 15- to 24-year-olds, said Dr. Boyce Dulan, director of disease control at
'Mistakes' Rile AIDS Activists: Miami Herald (12.11.02) - Wednesday, December 11, 2002; Andrea Robinson; Dozens of families may be in jeopardy of losing their homes or their utility services, activists say, because the city of Miami misused federal housing funds meant to assist patients with utility and mortgage payments. Now the city may award $3.3 million in new contracts, without a bidding process, to the same agencies
Antiretroviral Therapy Restores Some Anti-TB Immune Activity: Drug Week (11.22.02) - Wednesday, December 11, 2002; Michael Greer; Researchers report that antiretroviral therapy (ART) for HIV infection restores some immune defense against tuberculosis. Neil W. Schluger and colleagues at Columbia University in New York City evaluated antituberculosis T-cell activity in a group of ART-treated patients. Researchers measured T-cell activity in 10 HIV
Study Looks at Condoms, Wart Virus Transmission: Reuters Health (12.10.02) - Wednesday, December 11, 2002; While condoms can help prevent other sexually transmitted diseases, evidence remains inconsistent as to whether or not they will prevent transmission of the human papillomavirus (HPV), a new report suggests. HPV, which can cause genital warts and increase the risk of cancers of the cervix, vulva, vagina, anus, and peni
Study: Screening Teen Girls for Chlamydia Could Lower Infertility: Associated Press (12.10.02) - Wednesday, December 11, 2002; Margie Mason; Changing physicians behavior to give sexually active teenage girls a urine test for chlamydia during routine doctor visits is an effective way of detecting chlamydia and helping prevent infertility problems later in life, according to a new study. University of California-San Francisco researchers worked with physician
Outdated Contraceptive May Help in Third World: San Jose Mercury News (12.10.02) - Wednesday, December 11, 2002; Barbara Feder Ostrov; Some researchers and activists are making a concerted push to resurrect the diaphragm to prevent AIDS among the people now most threatened by the disease: women in developing countries. More than half of the world s people now infected with HIV are women, most of them in developing countries, epidemiologists at the UN
Canada Panel Pushes 'Safe' Drug Injection Sites: Reuters (12.10.02) - Wednesday, December 11, 2002; Randall Palmer; The Canadian House of Commons Special Committee on the Non- Medical Use of Drugs recommended Monday that Canada establish safe injection sites as a way to cut the spread of diseases such as HIV among drug addicts - a proposal that generated criticism from police and opposition politicians. The safe site proposal draws
Web Filters Block Safe-Sex Sites: Wall Street Journal (12.11.02) - Wednesday, December 11, 2002; Yochi J. Dreazen; The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention s Web site on sexually transmitted diseases does not make the cut. Neither do the Food and Drug Administration s site on birth control failure rates, Princeton University s site on emergency contraception, or dozens of other health, safe sex and pregnancy sites. They are b
Omaha AIDS Benefit Raises $250,000: Associated Press (12.09.02) - Tuesday, December 10, 2002; The 10th Annual Night of a Thousand Stars in Omaha over the weekend raised an estimated $250,000 for AIDS prevention efforts. Sponsored by the Nebraska AIDS Project, 80 dinner parties were held throughout Omaha for the event, where hosts charged guests for attending and then donated the proceeds to NAP, said Tim Sulliv
Planned Parenthood Looks to Form Sex-ed Partnership with Churches: Associated Press (12.05.02) - Tuesday, December 10, 2002; Planned Parenthood wants to work with churches and clergy in two Indiana cities to form a faith-based program on sexual education. The group hopes to begin the program in Fort Wayne and Indianapolis, cities chosen because the teen birth rates are higher than the national average. We believe a faith- based setting is id
Stigma of AIDS: Washington Times (12.03.02) - Tuesday, December 10, 2002; James Morrison; South African Ambassador Sheila Sisulu criticized African governments and businesses for contributing to the stigma people with AIDS suffer along with the disease. Sisulu, speaking last week at an AIDS Forum at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said some African mortgage companies require loan applica
Old Court Middle Pupils, Teachers to Be Screened: Baltimore Sun (12.10.02) - Tuesday, December 10, 2002; Jonathan D. Rockoff; A seventh-grader at Old Court Middle School has tested positive for tuberculosis, the Baltimore County school system said yesterday. County health workers are preparing to test classmates and teachers who might have come in contact with the pupil, said Charles A. Herndon, a school system spokesperson. The pupil, who wa
Self-Respect Key to AIDS Prevention, Activist Says: Oakland Tribune (12.01.02) - Tuesday, December 10, 2002; Suzanne Bohan; Paulette Hogan, who has performed in musicals since she was a child, said her favorite role yet was Evileen in the The Wiz, when she sang Nobody Bring Me No Bad News. But the 39- year-old Oakland resident got almost more bad news than she could bear in February 2001. Hogan learned she was HIV- positive. There s this wo
Inupiat Woman Shares Story of AIDS Tragedy: Associated Press (12.01.02) - Tuesday, December 10, 2002; Health officials trying to stem the spread of AIDS among Alaskan Natives are hoping an Inupiat woman will help to crack the wall of silence about the virus in rural Alaska. Selina Moose is traveling from village to village telling the story of her 40- year-old brother, who discovered he was in the advanced stages of AI
Pownal Woman Will Open Home to People with AIDS: Associated Press (12.07.02) - Tuesday, December 10, 2002; Anne Wallace Allen; Revolutionary, innkeeper, caregiver: Sunshine Wohl is taking on all those roles as she fearlessly opens her spruced-up Pownal, Vt., farmhouse to AIDS patients who are facing the end of life. Residents will stay free at Wohl s Chrysalis Community, which has five guest bedrooms. While there, Wohl says, they will experien
Efficacy of Strategies to Reduce Mother-to-Child HIV-1 Transmission in Argentina, 1993-2000: Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes (11.01.02) Vol. 31; No. 3: P. 348-335 - Tuesday, December 10, 2002; Ana Ceballos; María de Los Angeles Pando; Diana Liberatore; Mirna Biglione; Patricia Coll Cárdenas; Marina Martínez; María Luisa Celadilla; María M. Avila; Liliana Martínez Peralta; In Argentina , the National Program on Human Retrovirus of the Health Ministry reported 3,526 cases of AIDS in women older than 12 from 1988 to 2000. During that time, the male-to- female ratio of AIDS decreased from 20:1 in 1988 to 3:1 in 2000. During 2000, 166,133 pregnant women were tested for HIV; the prevalence of
Battling AIDS, a Song at a Time: Philadelphia Inquirer (12.09.02) - Tuesday, December 10, 2002; Peter Sigal; For nine years, Nomusa Mpanza lived with a secret. In 1993, her newborn daughter was diagnosed with AIDS, and the South African woman realized that she herself was HIV-positive. Yet it was only after her daughter died of the disease this year that she publicly acknowledged her own status. It was a brave step in a count
$2.5 Million Pilot Program Set Up in AIDS Fight: St. Petersburg Times (Russia) (12.03.02) - Tuesday, December 10, 2002; Robin Munro; A comprehensive, two-year program to reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS and STDs among young adults in the Altai and Volgograd (formerly Stalingrad) regions started Monday. The $2.5 million program is intended to serve as a national model for dealing with the AIDS epidemic. The HIV epidemic had a late start here, UN Residen
Researchers to Study Florida's Public Health Role in Control and Prevention: TB & Outbreaks Week (12.03.02) - Tuesday, December 10, 2002; STDs remain one of the most preventable yet highly prevalent types of disease in Florida, but the state-run STD clinics, which provide low-cost diagnosis and treatment services, are seeing fewer patients. In order to determine problems associated with diagnosis and STD reinfections in Florida, University of Florida nur
AIDS Dead Could Be Buried in Mines: New Scientist (12.02.02) - Monday, December 09, 2002; In an effort to accommodate the increasing numbers of people dying of AIDS, the Johannesburg City Parks agency could turn disused mineshafts into catacomb-style cemeteries. This year we will bury about 20,000 people. In 2010, unless someone develops a cure for AIDS, we expect that figure to be about 70,000, said Alan B
China to Lift Ban on Condom Advertisements: Agence France Presse (12.02.02) - Monday, December 09, 2002; China s State Administration of Industry and Commerce, whose 1989 regulations banned the advertisement of all products related to sexual activity, announced on World AIDS Day it will begin allowing condom ads next year. The ban should have been lifted a long time ago because condoms are the most effective tools not onl
Mandela to Host Concert for AIDS Victims: Associated Press (12.07.02) - Monday, December 09, 2002; Former South African President Nelson Mandela announced in Cape Town Friday that he will host a Feb. 2nd concert featuring some of the world s leading entertainers to raise funds for Africa s millions affected by AIDS. U2 star Bono, Macy Gray and Shaggy had already agreed to perform at the show, to be held on Robben Is
UN: West's Response to AIDS Inadequate: Associated Press (12.08.02) - Monday, December 09, 2002; The Western world s response to Africa s unfolding humanitarian crisis caused by AIDS and hunger is woefully inadequate, Stephen Lewis, the UN top advisor on AIDS in Africa, said Sunday. While people in developed countries who contract HIV can live for years, Africans contracting HIV are condemned to death, Lewis said.
A House for People with AIDS Will Close at the End of the Month: Wichita Eagle (12.04.02) - Monday, December 09, 2002; Karen Shideler; A Wichita, Kan., house for people with AIDS will close at the end of the month, the victim of financial woes and the changing nature of the disease. We were losing money hand over fist because funding sources have dried up, said Joe Kelly, executive director of ConnectCare, the AIDS service organization that runs the h
AIDS Message Delivered in Poetry: South Florida Sun-Sentinel (12.04.02) - Monday, December 09, 2002; Nicole T. Lesson; A media campaign sponsored by a federally funded program called Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health, also known as REACH 2010, recently launched public service announcements targeting Broward County residents ages 18 to 39 who are African-, Caribbean- or Hispanic-American. The PSAs are being exposed throug
Campaign Personalizes Numbing HIV Statistics: Houston Chronicle (12.01.02) - Monday, December 09, 2002; Leigh Hopper; In Harris County, Texas, black women account for 77 percent of all HIV-infected women. They represent a particularly vulnerable population, contracting the virus from undiagnosed partners, potentially passing it to children, and becoming sick from lack of treatment. That is why Amanda Johnson, 41, and three other women
HIV Infection and Pregnancy Status Among Adults Attending Voluntary Counseling and Testing in 2 Developing Countries: American Journal of Public Health (11.02) Vol. 92; No. 11: P. 1795-1800 - Monday, December 09, 2002; Andrew D. Forsyth, PhD; Thomas J. Coates, PhD; Olga A. Grinstead, PhD, MPH; Gloria Sangiwa, MD; Donald Balmer, PhD; Munkolenkole C. Kamenga, MD; Steven E. Gregorich, PhD; The effect of an HIV diagnosis on reproduction planning in developing countries is not well understood. Clinical symptoms of disease, coexisting sexually transmitted infections, and HIV- induced amenorrhea are associated with reduced fertility. HIV infection may also result in pregnancy complications such as decreased
Pint-Sized Public Health Ambassadors; Babies on HIV-Screening Posters Help Raise Awareness, Ease Stigma: Record (Ontario) (12.04.02) - Monday, December 09, 2002; Anne Kelly; When Amanda Mandawoub s obstetrician recommended she be screened for HIV, she was shocked and a little offended. But it didn t take her long to agree to test while pregnant with her daughter Maegan, now almost two. Anything that s going to protect me and my daughter, I ll do, the first-time mother said on Dec. 3 at the
Haiti Receives Assistance to Fight AIDS Epidemic: Miami Herald (12.06.02) - Monday, December 09, 2002; Tim Johnson; The Geneva-based Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria agreed last week to give $24.7 million to combat AIDS in Haiti , which has the worst AIDS epidemic in the Americas. The fund may disburse as much as $70 million there over the next six years. It s going to make a dramatic impact, said Anil Soni, an a
Supreme Judicial Court OK's Programs' Needles: Boston Globe (12.07.02) - Monday, December 09, 2002; Kathleen Burge; The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled Friday that people who receive clean syringes through a state-sanctioned needle exchange program in one community cannot be arrested for carrying them in another. The SJC decided the case involving Maria Landry, a member of Cambridge s needle exchange program who was charg
Massive Charity Gift Drive Targets Kids with HIV/AIDS this Year: Associated Press (12.04.02) - Friday, December 06, 2002; Tim Whitmire; Whether to reach out to people affected with HIV/AIDS has been a tough issue for many Christian groups. But Franklin Graham said Wednesday it was an obvious decision for his Operation Christmas Child gift drive, an outreach effort of his Samaritan s Purse Christian Relief agency. In its 10th year, OCC says it will deli
Nebraska Wesleyan Administrators Veto Condoms in Vending Machines: Associated Press (12.05.02) - Friday, December 06, 2002; The administrative council of Nebraska Wesleyan University in Lincoln on Monday voted to reject a plan to make condoms available in residence hall vending machines, according to Sara Boatman, vice president for student affairs. That leaves in place a policy that provides condoms through the student health center and wo
Manhattan: Fewer AIDS Cases: New York Times (12.03.02) - Friday, December 06, 2002; Stacy Albin; According to the New York Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the number of newly diagnosed cases of AIDS dropped by more than 17 percent last year, to 4,677. As recently as 1997, new cases totaled 7,316. The department said AIDS data are continually restated because of new reporting requirements and changes in cl
New Headquarters for Quilt: Atlanta Journal-Constitution (12.03.02) - Friday, December 06, 2002; Richard L. Eldredge; On Monday in Atlanta, about 75 NAMES Project Foundation supporters, including founder Cleve Jones, attended the dedication ceremony of the new national headquarters for the AIDS Memorial Quilt. The quilt s new home in the city s Inman Park neighborhood includes a massive warehouse in which to store the more than 48,000
Long Before AIDS Crisis Was Declared, She Was on the Case: Baltimore Sun (12.05.02) - Friday, December 06, 2002; Erika Niedowski; One of Benita Paschall s first reactions when Baltimore Mayor Martin O Malley declared a state of emergency in the city s fight against AIDS this week was: Well, it s about time. It s been an emergency. It s been an emergency for over 10 to 15 years, she said Wednesday. The wreckage has already reached mammoth proporti
Heroin Addicts' Infection Rate High: Baltimore Sun (12.05.02) - Friday, December 06, 2002; Jonathan Bor; Nearly half of heroin addicts in Baltimore s drug treatment programs are unaware that they suffer from chronic blood infections such as HIV and hepatitis, according to a study by the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health. Despite the disturbing picture of health problems associated with addiction, the researchers said
Vaginal Contraceptive/HIV Fighter Seems Promising: Reuters Health (12.05.02) - Friday, December 06, 2002; An experimental vaginal gel appears to be a safe, effective contraceptive, according to animal studies. The compound, SAMMA, blocked HIV and two strains of herpes simplex virus in laboratory testing. Investigators believe the encouraging results justify further testing. The tests performed so far suggest a high degree
High Relapse Rate Seen After 'Successful' Drug-Resistant TB Treatment: TB & Outbreaks Week (12.03.02) - Friday, December 06, 2002; Michael Greer; Researchers warn that the long-term success of treatment for drug-resistant tuberculosis may be lower than previously believed. G.B. Migliori and colleagues at the World Health Organization in Geneva; the WHO Collaborating Center for Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases in Tradate, Italy ; the Iv
All-Out Effort Fails to Halt AIDS Spread: Washington Post (12.02.02) - Friday, December 06, 2002; Michael Grunwald; Two years into the five-year African Comprehensive HIV/AIDS Partnership, Botswana is learning what big money, free drugs and strong leadership can and cannot do to halt the epidemic. We re making astounding progress, and it s astoundingly inadequate, said Ernest Darkoh, a physician and former management consultant for
AIDS Higher Among South African Children: Associated Press (12.05.02) - Friday, December 06, 2002; Sahm Venter; South Africa s first nationally representative study on HIV/AIDS, commissioned by former President Nelson Mandela, shows a higher than expected level of HIV infection - 5.6 percent - among children ages two to 14. This is a serious and urgent problem, said Mandela at the launch of the Nelson Mandela/HCRSC Study of HIV/
Analysis Shows Cost-Effectiveness of Screening Immigrants for Latent TB Infection: Associated Press (12.05.02) - Friday, December 06, 2002; Stephanie Nano; Screening and treating immigrants from developing countries for dormant TB infections would prevent thousands of cases and save tens of millions of dollars, according to a new study. The number of US TB cases has been dropping, but immigrants account for a growing proportion of them. Of the nearly 16,000 US cases last
World Bank Gives Tanzania US $136 Million Grant: Associated Press (12.03.02) - Thursday, December 05, 2002; The World Bank has given Tanzania $136 million for AIDS and poverty reduction projects, said Rosalie Ferrao, a bank spokesperson. About half of the money, $70 million, will be used in the fight against AIDS and the balance will be spent on reducing poverty. The bank has earmarked these resources with a clear sense of u
Nigeria's President: At Least 4.2 Million HIV-Infected in Africa's Most Populous Nation: Associated Press (12.02.02) - Thursday, December 05, 2002; Haruna Bahago; In a strongly worded speech the day after World AIDS Day, Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo declared his nation is on the edge of a precipice as a result of the worsening AIDS epidemic. A minimum of 3.5 million Nigerian adults and 700,000 children are living with HIV, he said, but he noted that incomplete records an
Students to Get Free Treatment for STDs: USA Today (12.02.02) - Thursday, December 05, 2002; Philadelphia s public high school students will be offered free STD screenings and treatment after tests showed girls at two schools were twice as likely as other teens in the city to have chlamydia. The voluntary, confidential testing is part of a citywide Health Department plan to cut the rate of STDs in teens. The m
AIDS Sufferers Face a World of Hostility: Boston Herald (12.01.02) - Thursday, December 05, 2002; Ray Hammond; Not since an Indiana community ran off a 13-year-old hemophiliac - shaming itself and prompting national soul searching - has overt discrimination against people with AIDS been socially acceptable. Yet more than a decade after the death of Ryan White, AIDS-related stigma continues on a more subtle, but still painful,
Residents Celebrate World AIDS Day: Associated Press (12.02.02) - Thursday, December 05, 2002; A group of about 100 people joined the World AIDS Day observance at Spalding University in Louisville, Ky., over the weekend, spreading a message of compassion, hope and understanding. Participants in Sunday night s ceremony heard inspirational songs by Voices of Kentuckiana, a choral group that includes gay and lesbia
Initiation of Services in the Boston HAPPENS Program: Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Positive, Homeless, and At-Risk Youth Can Access Services: AIDS Patient Care and STDs (10.01.02) Vol. 16; No. 10: P. 497- 510 - Thursday, December 05, 2002; Elizabeth R. Woods, MD, MPH; Cathryn L. Samples, MD, MPH; Maurice W. Melchiono, RN, MS, C-FNP; Peter M. Keenan, RN, MS, PNP; Durrell J. Fox, BS; Sion Kim Harris, PhD; Boston HAPPENS Program Collaborators; HIV-positive, homeless, and other youth at-risk for HIV present a challenge to those who would connect them to health care. There is a need for more youth-friendly services and street outreach so that hard- to-reach youth will have access to health care, and for early HIV case identification. Of the 793,026 cases of AI
AIDS Takes Center Stage on World Awareness Day: News Mexico (Mexico City) (12.02.02) - Thursday, December 05, 2002; Safe sex and AIDS prevention were the main items on the agenda Sunday in World AIDS Day commemorations in Mexico City - where disease is now the third-leading cause of death. Some 25,000 people attended a rock concert in the city s main square, organized by the government s AIDS program and the Institute for Youth. Me
AIDS Risk for Latinas Climbs Still: Philadelphia Inquirer (12.02.02) - Thursday, December 05, 2002; Marina Walker; While the number of new US AIDS cases has been declining since the mid-1990s, the proportion of new cases that occur among Latino women is rising. Their risk is significantly higher than that of white women, though much lower than that of African-American women. In 2001, women made up 23 percent - 1,894 people - of new
TV 'Roadblock' Serves AIDS Fight: Wall Street Journal (12.03.02) - Thursday, December 05, 2002; Vanessa O'Connell; At precisely 7:59 p.m. on Sunday, a group of about 100 cable outlets voluntarily showed Kids, a 30-second AIDS awareness commercial. This Madison Avenue version of a television roadblock intended to force a large number of viewers to watch the commercial. The idea was that you can t change the channels to miss the mess
Report: South Leads Country in New HIV Infections, AIDS: Associated Press (12.04.02) - Thursday, December 05, 2002; Rachel La Corte; Officials at a regional AIDS conference in Tampa, Fla., said on Wednesday that the South leads the country in new HIV infections and overall AIDS cases - yet lags in the amount of federal funding when compared to other regions. In the South, more than 130,000 people have AIDS, compared to just over 100,000 in the North
Official: Russia's AIDS Problem Exploding Despite Dip in Official Data: Associated Press (11.27.02) - Wednesday, December 04, 2002; Eric Engleman; Some 43,000 new HIV cases were registered in Russia in the first 11 months of 2002, down more than 50 percent from the 87,000 cases registered last year. But these official statistics are misleading, said Vadim Pokrovsky, the country s top AIDS expert and director of the Center for AIDS Prevention and Treatment. Pokrov
Amnesty: Rights Crucial in AIDS Fight: Associated Press (12.01.02) - Wednesday, December 04, 2002; Jane Wardell; In a statement on World AIDS Day, London-based Amnesty International called for more efforts worldwide to dispel myths and prejudices surrounding HIV/AIDS. Those who are on the social margins of society, who are denied access to their most basic human rights - to freedom from discrimination, to education, to physical i
Mandela Backs New Treatment Program for AIDS Sufferers: Associated Press (12.03.02) - Wednesday, December 04, 2002; On Tuesday, former South African President Nelson Mandela gave his backing to a new program to supply medication to 9,000 AIDS patients who cannot afford it. Mandela is to act as the patron of the program, a joint initiative between a charitable foundation bearing his name and the South African government. The treatmen
Magic Johnson Says AIDS Medications Should Be Cheaper: Associated Press (12.04.02) - Wednesday, December 04, 2002; During a speech at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, on Tuesday, former Los Angeles Laker Earvin Magic Johnson said affordable medications to treat AIDS should be available to more people, especially minorities living in the inner cities. Johnson gave a brief speech on living with HIV, saying that new cases have be
Churches Join Effort to Give AIDS Alert: Los Angeles Times (12.02.02) - Wednesday, December 04, 2002; Jeff Gottlieb; St. Brigid s Catholic Church in South Central Los Angeles was one of more than 40 predominantly black churches in Los Angeles County that commemorated World AIDS Day on Sunday - some with the message of safe sex, others with abstinence - offering the patients compassion and mercy. St. Brigid s commemorated World AIDS D
Homeless New Yorkers with AIDS on Rise: New York Blade (11.15.02) - Wednesday, December 04, 2002; Steve Weinstein; The recent New York City Council hearing on the HIV/AIDS Services Administration (HSSA) highlighted the city s increase in homelessness among people with AIDS. Over 30,000 New Yorkers with AIDS currently live in shelters, on the streets, or in inadequate and filthy housing, usually single-room occupancy tenement hotels
Mayor Backs Hypodermic Sales over the Counter: Boston Herald (12.03.02) - Wednesday, December 04, 2002; Michael Lasalandra; On Monday, Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino said he will file a controversial bill that would allow hypodermic needles to be sold over the counter in Boston pharmacies. The mayor, who announced the plan at World AIDS Day observances, said he would file the bill in the Legislature on Tuesday. The AIDS crisis is not over,
More Unsupervised Teen Time Means More Sex, STDs: Reuters Health (12.02.02) - Wednesday, December 04, 2002; Alison McCook; New research on US teens who attend urban public schools reveals that teens who spend more time without adult supervision are more likely to have sex and acquire STDs. The study, conducted by Dr. Deborah A. Cohen of the nonprofit RAND Corporation and colleagues, found that 80 percent of teens who spent at least 30 unsu
CDC Study Finds Higher Cervical Cancer Rates Among Hispanic Women and Women over 50: Associated Press (11.28.02) - Wednesday, December 04, 2002; Daniel Yee; Hispanic women contract cervical cancer almost twice as often as other women, indicating that not enough of them are having Pap tests, according to a CDC study. The report, Invasive Cervical Cancer Among Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Women, was published in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (2002;51(47):1067-1070). The
Groups Discuss How to Help Africans Suffering from Famine and AIDS: Associated Press (12.04.02) - Wednesday, December 04, 2002; Angela Potter; Fifteen American humanitarian groups met with a UN envoy on Tuesday in Baltimore to urge governments, citizens groups and private citizens to help Africans plagued by famine and AIDS. If food shipments are not increased in the coming months, millions of Africans will face conditions similar to the Ethiopian famine of t
Powell Urges Foreign Governments to Make AIDS Fight a Top Priority: Associated Press (12.03.02) - Wednesday, December 04, 2002; Eun-Kyung Kim; Secretary of State Colin Powell encouraged ambassadors and other foreign diplomats at the State Department Tuesday to stress to their governments the importance of political leadership in fighting AIDS. The positions we hold in our governments give our voices resonance at home and abroad, he told the gathering. We can
HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis Cases Rise in Prison: Star Phoenix (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan) (11.25.02) - Tuesday, December 03, 2002; Ryan Lorge; Cases of HIV/AIDS and hepatitis C are on the rise in Canada s federal and provincial correctional centers, and governments are doing little to help, according to a bleak report card issued in late November by the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network. Known cases of HIV/AIDS in the federal prison system have increased by 35
Women with HIV a Growing Trend: Toronto Star (12.02.02) - Tuesday, December 03, 2002; Nick McCabe-Lokos; Health Canada statistics show an estimated 5,956 women have tested HIV-positive as of Dec. 31, 2001. The proportion of newly infected women had risen to nearly 25 percent of all new cases between January 1999 and Dec. 31, 2001. Women accounted for 9.7 percent of new cases between 1985 and 1995. Louise Binder, chair of
15 Groups to Discuss Coordinated Africa Hunger/AIDS Response: Associated Press (12.02.02) - Tuesday, December 03, 2002; Foster Klug; Fifteen US humanitarian groups are meeting Tuesday with a UN envoy to discuss how to help millions of Africans plagued by famine and AIDS. The relief groups, which include the American Red Cross, Save the Children and Catholic Relief Services, say more than 34 million people in Africa face death by starvation in the ne
Cook Inmates Hear HIV Message: Chicago Tribune (12.02.02) - Tuesday, December 03, 2002; Jon Yates; Rainbow/PUSH Coalition leader the Rev. Jesse Jackson spoke to about 200 inmates at Cook County Boot Camp in Chicago to observe the 15th annual World AIDS Day on Sunday. Jackson took the oral HIV test along with 20 of the inmates and delivered a message that jails are the breeding ground for the disease because inmates
World AIDS Day Draws Small Crowds for Big Plight: New York Times (12.02.02) - Tuesday, December 03, 2002; Jennifer Medina; Hundreds of people gathered across New York City Sunday at rallies and memorials for World AIDS Day, though advocates said the sparse attendance reflected a need to refocus attention on the disease. It is hard to grasp that we can be this far in the crisis and still have this far to go, Brent Nicholson Earle, a veteran
At Meeting, Community Asked to 'Break the Silence' on AIDS: Baltimore Sun (12.02.02) - Tuesday, December 03, 2002; Childs Walker; At New All Saints Roman Catholic Church in Forest Park, Md., on Sunday, before a group of religious leaders gathered to discuss AIDS in Baltimore s black community, Melanie Reese, 50, rose to reveal she is HIV-positive. She had known she was infected since earlier this year but kept the news secret from everyone but he
Mayor Declares an AIDS 'State of Emergency': Baltimore Sun (12.03.02) - Tuesday, December 03, 2002; Jonathan Bor; On Monday, Baltimore Mayor Martin O Malley declared a state of emergency in the city s battle against AIDS and called for a coordinated assault by public and private interests on the disease, which disproportionately affects the black community. His declaration, which promised little money and few initiatives, came aft
HIV Dynamics and Behavior Change as Determinants of the Impact of Sexually Transmitted Disease Treatment on HIV Transmission in the Context of the Rakai Trial: AIDS (11.08.02) No. 16; Vol. 16: P. 2209-2218 - Tuesday, December 03, 2002; Eline L. Korenromp; Roel Bakker; Sake J. de Vlas; Ronald H. Gray; Maria J. Wawer; David Serwadda; Nelson K. Sewankambo; J. Dik F. Habbema; STDs, co-factors in HIV transmission, are quite prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa. Two community-based trials have tested the notion that improved treatment of STDs may be a strategy for HIV prevention. Over a two-year period, improved clinical management of symptomatic STD treatment in Mwanza, Tanzania , sho
One Million China Students to Lead AIDS Fight: New York Times (12.01.02) - Tuesday, December 03, 2002; Reuters; Long criticized for ignoring a potential explosion of the epidemic, China marked World AIDS Day by launching new prevention and awareness campaigns. At Beijing s Great Hall of the People, the government announced it would send 1 million students into the countryside during the next year to promote HIV prevention and to
Drug Treatment Advocates Urge Use of 'Harm Reduction' Techniques at Seattle Conference: Associated Press (12.03.02) - Tuesday, December 03, 2002; Kristen Gelineau; The Fourth National Harm Reduction Conference in Seattle has drawn more than 1,000 clinicians, public health workers and researchers interested in harm reduction strategies for fighting drug addiction, such as drug substitution, needle exchange programs, and compassionate counseling for addicts. During Monday s session
Report: Women's AIDS Risk from Heterosexual Sex Rises: Boston Herald (12.02.02) - Tuesday, December 03, 2002; Michael Lasalandra; Heterosexual sex has passed intravenous drug use as the primary way women in Massachusetts are being infected with HIV, according to a state Department of Public Health report released Monday. Since 1999, when the MDPH started tracking HIV cases, more women have been getting infected through sex than drug use. Accordin
Gates Foundation Selecting Areas for Anti-AIDS Projects in India: Associated Press (11.28.02) - Monday, December 02, 2002; A team of experts from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation arrived in India last week to select areas where the foundation can put its money to work preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS, officials said. The team is surveying areas of southern Andhra Pradesh state, where the foundation has already allocated $25 million
Brazilian Students Commemorate World AIDS Day: Associated Press (11.29.02) - Monday, December 02, 2002; As part of commemorations for World AIDS Day, 800 high school students placed 15,000 red ribbons before Brazil s Health Ministry Friday to symbolize the number of Brazilians who became infected with HIV this year. Dr. Paulo Roberto Teixeira, coordinator of Brazil s AIDS program, said the number of people infected annua
WTO Negotiations on Drug Access Stall: Associated Press (11.29.02) - Monday, December 02, 2002; Alexander G. Higgins; Negotiators in the current World Trade Organization talks failed Friday to resolve differences between the United States and developing countries over access to essential medicines, but hope to renew efforts in early December, trade officials said. The United States, wanting to protect its pharmaceutical industry paten
Stigma Major Barrier to Fighting AIDS, Says Piot: New York Times (11.30.02) - Monday, December 02, 2002; Reuters; On the eve of World AIDS Day, UNAIDS head Peter Piot said that stigma and discrimination remain major barriers to controlling the pandemic in Africa, where close to 30 million people are infected. Speaking to an audience in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia , Piot said the social prejudices suffered by people with AIDS could be a
AIDS Is Not a Death Sentence: New York Times (12.01.02) - Monday, December 02, 2002; William Jefferson Clinton; Historians will look back on our time and see that our civilization spends many millions of dollars educating people about the scourge of HIV and AIDS.... But what they will find not so civilized is our failure to treat 95 percent of people with the disease. Given that medicine can turn AIDS from a death sentence into
Mobile Clinic to Fight TB in Cook: Chicago Tribune (11.25.02) - Monday, December 02, 2002; Colleen Mastony; The Suburban Cook County, Ill., Sanitarium District will soon start a mobile clinic to reach immigrants who contracted TB in their native countries and have settled in Chicago suburbs, far from traditional clinics set up to treat them. In suburban Cook County, immigrants make up a higher percentage of active TB cases e
Risk of HIV Infection Attributable to Oral Sex Among Men Who Have Sex with Men and in the Population of Men Who Have Sex with Men: AIDS (11.22.02) Vol. 16; No. 17: P. 2350-2352 - Monday, December 02, 2002; Kimberly Page- Shafer; Caroline H. Shiboski; Dennis H. Osmond; James Dilley; Willi McFarland; Steve C. Shiboski; Jeffrey D. Klausner; Joyce Balls; Deborah Greenspan; John S. Greenspan; Since HIV was identified as being sexually transmitted, there has been considerable interest in the risk associated with performing fellatio. Although early studies found no independent risk for fellatio, the high correlation among multiple sexual practices raised the possibility that risk existed but could not be dete
Global Fund to Fight Illnesses Issues Checks to Three Nations: Wall Street Journal (12.02.02) - Monday, December 02, 2002; David Bank; The $2.2 billion Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has issued its first checks, for programs in Ghana , Haiti and Tanzania , as officials try to demonstrate the effectiveness and accountability necessary to attract the billions more needed to stem the devastating epidemics.
Millions Observe World AIDS Day: Washington Post (12.02.02) - Monday, December 02, 2002; On Sunday, millions of people around the world marked World AIDS Day with marches, prayers and hope - even as grim statistics show the epidemic is outpacing efforts to control it. *In China , officials instructed 1 million students to launch a national AIDS campaign. *Officials in Britain warned that the country is lik
Powell Plans AIDS Message for Envoys: Associated Press (11.29.02) - Monday, December 02, 2002; George Gedda; The entire diplomatic corps is invited to the State Department Tuesday to hear Secretary of State Colin Powell deliver a message he hopes they will convey to their governments: Political leadership is an essential component in the fight against HIV/AIDS. It is believed to be the first time all ambassadors from governme
Americans Observe World AIDS Day with Songs, Stars and Prayers: Associated Press (12.02.02) - Monday, December 02, 2002; Leon Drouin Keith; With songs, stars and prayers, Americans recognized World AIDS Day as a time to focus on a cure, on making treatment more available around the world, and on remembering the millions who have already died. *In New York City, the HIV+ Sinikithemba Choir, composed of HIV- positive South Africans, raised their voices in Zu
Emory Center Receives More than $7 Million for AIDS Research: Associated Press (11.26.02) - Wednesday, November 27, 2002; The National Institutes of Health on Tuesday awarded more than $7.3 million in a five-year grant to Emory University s Center for AIDS Research. It will help AIDS research efforts at Emory College, the university s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and four teaching and research institutions at Emory s Woodruff Hea
Teacher Sues Brooklyn School: Associated Press (11.25.02) - Wednesday, November 27, 2002; On Monday, teacher Loretta Abraham filed a lawsuit charging that Our Lady of Lourdes School in Brooklyn knowingly allowed dozens of students to become infected with tuberculosis earlier this year. The suit claims that officials opened the school even after they knew it was contaminated with TB bacteria, and that they f
Number of AIDS Deaths in Cuba Down Following Creation of New Treatments: Associated Press (11.26.02) - Wednesday, November 27, 2002; AIDS-related deaths in Cuba have dropped significantly over the past 1.5 years following the development of several local treatments, according to Dr. Jorge Perez, director of the nation s leading AIDS center. It was a political decision by Cuba to start the generic production of these medicines to save the lives of hu
Brazilian President Calls for No Let Up in Fight Against AIDS: Associated Press (11.26.02) - Wednesday, November 27, 2002; Brazil should not give an inch in its fight against AIDS, President Fernando Henrique Cardoso said Tuesday at a ceremony commemorating World AIDS Day. Despite a prediction a decade ago by the World Bank that Brazil would have 1.2 million HIV- infected people by 2000, we have arrived at 2002 with 600,000 cases, so we
Canada Can't Be Complacent About AIDS: Edmonton Journal (11.24.02) - Wednesday, November 27, 2002; Diana Davidson; Many people believe that AIDS is over in places like Canada and that new drugs exist which make AIDS a manageable condition. These mistaken beliefs are costing lives. ...Compared to the rest of the world, Canada does have a relatively low HIV prevalence rate. We also have affordable, accessible, and effective medical
Banquet for HIV Population to Go On - Aid by Red Sox Saves Tradition: Boston Globe (11.25.02) - Wednesday, November 27, 2002; Corey Dade; Two thousand people were expected at Monday evening s 15th annual Celebration of Life Thanksgiving banquet at Boston s Hynes Auditorium. Hosted by the Boston Living Center, a South End agency that provides services for about 1,700 people with HIV, the banquet reconnects old friends who swap enduring tales and reaffirm
Multivitamins Improve Weight Gain in HIV-Infected, Pregnant Women: Women's Health Weekly (11.28.02) - Wednesday, November 27, 2002; More than 13 million women of childbearing age are infected with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa. Infected pregnant women are at serious risk for low-birth-weight infants or preterm delivery. As HIV infection progresses, patients lose weight due to opportunistic infections, diminished dietary intake, and nutrient malabsorpti
Perception of Punishment Undermines Adherence: AIDS Weekly (11.25.02) - Wednesday, November 27, 2002; New research shows that although advances in drug therapies have made HIV a manageable illness, patients negative attitudes about the disease may undermine treatment. Many people with HIV feel that their infection is punishment. The report, Predictors of Psychological Well-Being in a Diverse Sample of HIV-Positive Pati
How AIDS Brings Famine Nearer: Christian Science Monitor (11.15.02) - Wednesday, November 27, 2002; Danna Harman; Southern Africa s massive food crisis is not the same old story of drought equals famine in Africa. This time, there is hunger in the huts for reasons that have little to do with the weather. In the months to come, aid organizations will work overtime to help keep the food flowing into southern Africa. Sadly, much of i
Women Make Up Half of HIV Cases; Milestone Explains Effects of Epidemic: Washington Post (11.27.02) - Wednesday, November 27, 2002; David Brown; Marking the arrival of a milestone experts had predicted for years, the UN and the World Health Organization announced Wednesday that about half the HIV-infected people worldwide are women. The continued spread of AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa, where the majority of new infections have occurred in women for several years,
Protesters Take AIDS Message to White House; 31 Arrested in Scenario Coordinated with Police: Washington Post (11.27.02) - Wednesday, November 27, 2002; Manny Fernandez; Several hundred AIDS activists marched in downtown Washington yesterday to call on President Bush to increase funding for global and domestic AIDS treatment, prevention and education, in a spirited protest that ended with planned arrests in front of the White House. Demonstrators boarded buses from New York, Philadelph
Poll: Israelis Still Avoid Social Contact with HIV Carriers: Jerusalem Post (11.24.02) - Tuesday, November 26, 2002; Judy Siegel; The Israeli public still stigmatizes people with HIV/AIDS, with 48 percent of respondents in a new Israel AIDS Task Force poll saying they would not go to a dentist who also treats such patients, and 53 percent demanding that carriers make their condition known. The findings, said IATF, show that despite better drug tr
International AIDS Experts Say HIV Skyrocketing in Ukraine: Associated Press (11.23.02) - Tuesday, November 26, 2002; HIV rates are skyrocketing in the former Soviet republic of Ukraine , and experts estimate that 1 percent of the nation s 48 million people are currently infected, organizers of an international AIDS conference in Kiev said Saturday. Officials have registered 49,873 HIV cases in Ukraine. However, the actual number of c
Fifteen Lawsuits Filed in Hepatitis C Outbreak: Associated Press (11.25.02) - Tuesday, November 26, 2002; Fifteen lawsuits have been filed in Dodge County District Court on behalf of patients infected with hepatitis C at a clinic leasing space at the Fremont Area Medical Center in Fremont, Neb. Eighty-one patients of Dr. Tahir Javed s clinic have tested positive for hepatitis C. Nebraska health officials have said a vial o
Herpes Vaccine Trial Needs 7,500 Women: Detroit Free Press (11.26.02) - Tuesday, November 26, 2002; For a new vaccine trial, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases is working with GlaxoSmithKline to find a rare population of women - those who have never been infected with genital herpes or the cold sore virus, both of which are incredibly common. Researchers hope the new vaccine will win approval b
Management of Metabolic Complications Associated with Antiretroviral Therapy for HIV-1 Infection: Recommendations of an International AIDS Society-USA Panel: Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes (11.01.02) Vol. 31, No. 3, P. 257-275 - Tuesday, November 26, 2002; Morris Schambelan; Constance A. Benson; Andrew Carr; Judith S. Currier; Michael P. Dubé; John G. Gerber; Steven K. Grinspoon; Carl Grunfeld; Donald P. Kotler; Kathleen Mulligan; William G. Powderly; Michael S. Saag; Alterations in glucose and lipid metabolism, lactic acidemia, bone disorders, and abnormal fat distribution have been recognized recently as frequent complications associated with HIV-1 infection and potent antiretroviral therapy, but limited data are available regarding the appropriate management of these disorders.
AIDS in Asia - AIDS Spreads as Vietnam Targets 'Social Ills': San Francisco Chronicle (11.24.02) - Tuesday, November 26, 2002; Ben Schnayerson; Vietnam s government estimates there are 107,000 HIV cases - local AIDS workers say the figure is at least 200,000 - in this country of 78 million, and concedes the number will double by 2005. The government contends the epidemic s chief source is heterosexual sex, and points to the nation s estimated 40,000 prostitute
Japanese Woman Infected with HIV Through Artificial Insemination: Agence France Presse (11.25.02) - Tuesday, November 26, 2002; In Tokyo Monday, a researcher announced that a woman who was incorrectly given an artificial insemination treatment using sperm from her HIV-positive husband has been infected with the virus. The case is the first in Japan in which artificial insemination has caused HIV infection. The woman, whose name and age were n
International Response to AIDS in Africa 'Shameful' - UNICEF: Agence France Presse (11.25.02) - Tuesday, November 26, 2002; On Monday at a Namibia meeting of African officials considering the plight of AIDS orphans, a UNICEF representative called the international response to the sub- Saharan epidemic shamefully short of what is needed. Despite expressions of commitment from so many countries, the actual response has been very limited in sc
AIDS Quilt May Return to Washington: Associated Press (11.25.02) - Tuesday, November 26, 2002; Mike Recht; Angry at the Bush administration s response to the world- wide AIDS epidemic, the founder of the AIDS Quilt plans to bring it back to Washington to call new attention to the disease. The quilt was last in the nation s capital in 1996, but activist Cleve Jones is hoping to bring it back on Columbus Day weekend in 2004.
AIDS Leaders Meet Top Bush Officials: Southern Voice (Atlanta) (11.22.02) - Tuesday, November 26, 2002; Lou Chibbaro Jr.; On Oct. 30, President Bush s chief domestic policy advisor, Margaret Spelling, hosted an unannounced meeting at the White House with leaders of 10 of the nation s most prominent AIDS advocacy groups. On the day following their meeting, leaders of the groups attended another unannounced meeting with Department of Health
Study: AIDS Prevention Saved Up to 1.5 Million: Reuters (11.25.02) - Tuesday, November 26, 2002; Maggie Fox; AIDS prevention efforts across the United States , including programs to promote the use of condoms and focus groups aimed at drug users, have saved hundreds of thousands of lives, researchers said on Friday. Although the number of new infections has stayed level at about 40,000 a year for the past decade, many more pe
In First, China Allows AIDS-Infected Woman to Marry Healthy Man, State Media Say: Associated Press (11.25.02) - Monday, November 25, 2002; A woman with HIV will marry an uninfected man in a ceremony in Beijing on Sunday to mark World AIDS Day, according to the Xinhua News Agency. It is the first time China will allow such a union. The woman, 28, is a former drug addict who contracted HIV from dirty needles. She has lived for four years with her fiancé. Th
Minister Takes HIV Test in Front of Congregation: Associated Press (11.25.02) - Monday, November 25, 2002; In Buffalo, N.Y., yesterday, True Bethel Baptist Church Pastor Darius G. Pridgen endured the needle prick of an HIV test in front of his congregation during Sunday worship. He then implored his assembly to get tested for HIV after services, the Buffalo News reported. The effort for mass HIV screening through a church i
Names & Faces: Washington Post (11.23.02) - Monday, November 25, 2002; Six months after traveling to four African countries with Treasury Secretary Paul O Neill, U-2 singer Bono is teaming up with actress Ashley Judd on a one-week bus tour of seven US cities and towns to spread the message about Africa s HIV/AIDS plight. The tour will start on World AIDS Day, Dec. 1, in Lincoln, Neb., the
P. Diddy Up in Arms About AIDS 'Genocide': Associated Press (11.23.02) - Monday, November 25, 2002; Mike Cohen; On Saturday, rapper Sean P. Diddy Combs and singer Alicia Keys performed in a Cape Town, South Africa , concert taped for global broadcast by MTV on World AIDS Day, Dec. 1. I don t think you see enough of this story in your face, an indignant Combs told reporters. There are millions and millions of people that are dyin
Syphilis Outbreak Raises HIV Fears: Chicago Tribune (11.19.02) - Monday, November 25, 2002; Jimmy Greenfield; In an attempt to cope with a syphilis outbreak among gay and bisexual men, Chicago Department of Public Health workers utilize a mobile unit to persuade men to get tested for syphilis and HIV. Sometimes we ve had 10 people in the van trying to get tested, said Yvonne Cruz, field operations manager for the mobile unit.
Controlling Tuberculosis in India: New England Journal of Medicine (10.31.02) Vol. 347; No. 18: P. 1420-1425 - Monday, November 25, 2002; G.R. Khatri, MD, DPH; Thomas R. Frieden, MD, MPH; Tuberculosis is the leading cause of death in India , killing close to 500,000 people a year. A review of India s tuberculosis program in 1992 found that less than half of TB patients received an accurate diagnosis, and less than half of diagnosed cases received effective treatment. The current study analyzed the ef
Drug-Resistant Gonorrhea on the Rise in 2 States: Reuters Health (11.21.02) - Monday, November 25, 2002; Gonorrhea resistant to the commonly used class of drugs fluoroquinolones, which includes ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin, is on the increase in California and Hawaii, raising the concern of federal health officials. The drugs are often used to treat the STD because they are relatively inexpensive, require only a single
South African Prison Gangs Use Rape as Punishment: Reuters (11.21.02) - Monday, November 25, 2002; South African prison gangs are using HIV infection as punishment, ordering infected members to rape disobedient inmates in a ritual known as slow puncture, officials said Thursday. A spokesperson for the Judicial Inspectorate of Prisons confirmed that the new practice first came to light about six months ago and was be
AIDS Imperiling African Armies, Key to Stability of Many Nations: New York Times (11.24.02) - Monday, November 25, 2002; Henri E. Cauvin; For better or worse, no institution is more central to the stability of African nations than the military, and few institutions in Africa are more threatened by AIDS. At Angola s military base in the capital city of Luanda, AIDS is the leading cause of death, and after the long civil war, the situation will almost cert
Political Shift Felt as CDC Endures Change: Atlanta Journal-Constitution (11.23.02) - Monday, November 25, 2002; M.A.J. McKenna; Pressure from conservative politicians and advocacy groups is weakening CDC programs, according to CDC staff members and agency-funded groups. AIDS prevention is one of the major points of contention. Staff members point to the recent removal from CDC Web sites of AIDS prevention information, while groups receiving AID
HIV in US Military Down, Navy Doctor Says: Baltimore Sun (11.24.02) - Monday, November 25, 2002; Knight Ridder/Tribune; HIV infections among US military personnel have declined this year because of education programs, a Navy physician told representatives of 28 foreign militaries, who were in Monterey, Calif., last week to learn how to slow the spread of AIDS. Education has been key to the US military s strategy, said Capt. Glenn A. Sch
Actor Danny Glover Filming Television Program on HIV/AIDS and Children in Trinidad: Associated Press (11.20.02) - Friday, November 22, 2002; Michael Smith; On Wednesday, actor Danny Glover began a three-day visit to Trinidad to film a TV program on HIV/AIDS and children, a UN spokesperson said. Glover will host the first episode of Showtime s Hot Spots, which will focus on the struggles children face around the world. The Trinidad episode will feature Glover talking with
UN Agency Appeals to Private Donors for Help in Hunger Crisis in Africa: Associated Press (11.21.02) - Friday, November 22, 2002; For the first time, the UN World Food Program is appealing to private citizens and organizations for donations to fight hunger in Africa. Some 38 million Africans risk starvation, a situation the Rome-based agency blames on shifting climate conditions, the AIDS epidemic, and, in some countries, political instability an
Board Rejects Agreement with Accused Nurse: Associated Press (11.21.02) - Friday, November 22, 2002; The Oklahoma State Nursing Board rejected a proposed consent order Thursday for James Hill, 55, a nurse anesthetist accused of reusing needles and exposing patients to hepatitis C. More than 50 former patients of Norman Regional Hospital s pain management clinic, where Hill worked, have tested positive for exposure to
Nevada Teen Birth Rate Dropping, Study Shows: Associated Press (11.21.02) - Friday, November 22, 2002; In the mid- to late-1990s, Nevada had the most teen pregnancies in the United States per capita. But since 1999, its teen birth rate has dropped from 61 per 1,000 girls ages 15 to 19 to 56 per 1,000 girls in 2001, according to a study released this week by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. The new study
Less Expensive HIV Progression Test as Effective as Current Tests in Use: Virus Weekly (11.11.02) - Friday, November 22, 2002; Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the University of Zurich, Switzerland , have developed a less-expensive test for monitoring the progression of HIV during the early stages of the disease. The test, HIV-1 protein 24 (p24) antigen, predicts disease progression and CD4 lymphocyte coun
National Institutes of Health Awards $1.95 Million to Study New Treatments for Drug Side Effects: Heart Disease Weekly (11.24.02) - Friday, November 22, 2002; Protease inhibitors dramatically improve the long-term survival of HIV patients, but they also pose the risk of a serious side effect, lipodystrophy. Characterized by the loss of body fat from the face, arms, and legs, lipodystrophy can cause extremely high cholesterol, diabetes, an increased prevalence of insulin resi
AIDS Leading Cause of Death Among South African Women: Associated Press (11.21.02) - Friday, November 22, 2002; Ravi Nessman; AIDS is the leading killer of women in South Africa and is claiming increasing numbers of lives every year, according to a government survey released Thursday. AIDS-related illnesses were responsible for 9.8 percent of female deaths in South Africa in 2001, up from 5.6 percent in 1997, the Statistics South Africa surve
Against the Odds, Company Works on AIDS Vaccine: Reuters (11.13.02) - Friday, November 22, 2002; Maggie Fox; VaxGen s AIDSVAX vaccine is based on some of the earliest knowledge of HIV and is the only HIV vaccine currently in Phase III clinical trials - the last step before a vaccine or drug maker can seek approval from the Food and Drug Administration. About 30 other vaccines are in earlier stages of human testing. Unlike tho
Hospital Launches Study of Smallpox Vaccine That's Safe for AIDS Patients: Associated Press (11.21.02) - Friday, November 22, 2002; Researchers at University Hospitals in Cleveland are set to test a new smallpox vaccine in a study to measure side effects and immune response in people with AIDS. If results are favorable, millions of immune-compromised individuals could be vaccinated against smallpox. The current vaccine, Dryvax, is not recommended f
Judge Backs Drug Users in Needle-Exchange Plans: New York Times (11.21.02) - Friday, November 22, 2002; Benjamin Weiser; A federal judge in Manhattan ruled Wednesday that the police department may not arrest drug addicts who are carrying syringes containing drug residue if the addicts are participating in a needle exchange program. The ruling stemmed from a lawsuit that accused police of wrongly arresting program participants, while conf
Lawsuit Says HIV Inmate Facility Inadequate: Associated Press (11.21.02) - Friday, November 22, 2002; A lawsuit contends that Alabama s Limestone Correctional Facility in Capshaw, where HIV-positive prisoners are held, does not provide adequate medical care. The suit, filed against the state by Miami attorney David Lipman, claims 12 HIV-positive inmates have died in the 240-person HIV unit of LCF this year. Alabama iso
Expectant Fathers Should Get HIV Test - Researchers: Reuters Health (11.20.02) - Thursday, November 21, 2002; Richard Woodman; A significant proportion of women found to have HIV during pregnancy do not disclose their status to their male partners, according to British researchers. The team from London s North Middlesex Hospital called for both men and women to be tested simultaneously to prevent this problem. Of 59 expectant mothers testing H
Student, 10, Tests Positive for Tuberculosis: Associated Press (11.21.02) - Thursday, November 21, 2002; A fourth-grader at Treasure Island Elementary Community School in Miami Beach, Fla., has tested positive for TB, school officials said. The 10-year-old boy, whose identity has not been released, has been out of school since Nov. 4. It was not known early Thursday if other students have been tested for, or become infect
Mixed News for Michigan Teens in New Report: Associated Press (11.21.02) - Thursday, November 21, 2002; Dee-Ann Durbin; Fewer Michigan teens are getting pregnant or dying violent deaths than a decade ago, but researchers are seeing a troubling increase in the number of high school dropouts, according to the Kids Count in Michigan report, published by the Michigan League for Human Services and Michigan s Children. The report, which exami
New Dr. Peter Centre Will Serve up to 1,700 Clients: Vancouver Sun (11.18.02) - Thursday, November 21, 2002; Andrew Petrozzi; Ten years after the death of Dr. Peter Jepson-Young from AIDS, his mission to care for people living with the disease is still carried on by 35 staff members and 50 volunteers. The recent groundbreaking for a new $9.2 million (US $5.8 million) facility to house Vancouver s Dr. Peter Centre represents the continuous evo
Comprehensive Health Care for People Infected with HIV in Developing Countries: British Medical Journal (10.26.02) Vol. 325: P. 954-957 - Thursday, November 21, 2002; Mari M. Kitihata; Mary K. Tegger; Edward H. Wagner; King K. Holmes; Developing countries healthcare systems are generally ill equipped to cope with HIV infection. In 2001 in the United States , more than 55 percent of the 900,000 people infected with HIV received antiretroviral therapy. Of the 28 million HIV- infected people in sub-Saharan Africa, slightly more than 0.1 percent receive
Bangladesh: Anti-HIV/AIDS Efforts Follow Men to Mosques: Inter Press Service (11.15.02) - Thursday, November 21, 2002; Qurratul Ain Tahmina; These days, Imam Maulana Athikur Rahman s Friday sermons at a mosque in Dhaka, Bangladesh , touch on religion, life - and risky sex. I tell my congregation, Never engage in sex with any woman other than your wife. Never engage in homosexual activities either, said Rahman. As the Holy Koran says, both are strictly forbi
Police File Criminal Charges Decades After Canadian Tainted- Blood Scandal: Associated Press (11.20.02) - Thursday, November 21, 2002; Tom Cohen; Police filed charges Wednesday in a tainted blood scandal that infected thousands of people in Canada with HIV and hepatitis C. The Canadian Red Cross, four doctors and an American pharmaceutical company were all charged after a five-year investigation by a Royal Canadian Mounted Police task force. About 1,200 people w
State Runs Out of AIDS Money: Associated Press (11.20.02) - Thursday, November 21, 2002; Wyoming s state AIDS Drug Assistance Program and the HIV/AIDS Care Program that help people with the disease pay for medication and health care are nearly out of money and cannot accept any more participants, officials said. Kurt Galbraith, the state Department of Health s care coordinator, said Wyoming has nearly depl
New Herpes Vaccine May Help Prevent Infection in Women: Wall Street Journal (11.21.02) - Thursday, November 21, 2002; Reuters; An experimental vaccine for genital herpes may help limit the spread of the incurable disease, which afflicts one in five adult Americans. The vaccine prevented infection in 74 percent of women exposed for the first time to the genital herpes virus, known as herpes simplex virus type 2, according to the article, Glyco
Vaccine Appears to Prevent Cervical Cancer: New York Times (11.21.02) - Thursday, November 21, 2002; Denise Grady; Scientists say they have created the first vaccine that appears to be able to prevent cervical cancer by making people immune to the sexually transmitted virus that causes most cases of the disease. The experimental vaccine will not be available to the public for several years, but if it is successful, it could sharply
Pregnant Women Tested for HIV/AIDS Without Consent: Inter Press Service (10.25.02) - Wednesday, November 20, 2002; Paul Weinberg; This article, summarized in the PNU on Oct. 29, stated that almost 40 percent of surveyed pregnant women in Calgary recently told health officials they were given an HIV/AIDS test without their knowledge during a prenatal exam. This is incorrect, according to Dr. Laura McLeod, associate medical officer of health for th
Church to Host AIDS Seminar: Macon Telegraph (11.20.02) - Wednesday, November 20, 2002; Anika Rodgers; Union Grove Missionary Baptist Church in Warner Robins, Ga., is hosting a seminar Saturday, Nov. 23, to educate attendees about HIV/AIDS. Our focus is to educate the public on statistics and keep them informed of new strategies against the disease, said church Deacon Jerome Stephens. It is vital, especially for the Afr
Ethiopia Ready to Start Nevirapine Trials for AIDS Treatment: Agence France Presse (11.18.02) - Wednesday, November 20, 2002; Ethiopia s government is ready to begin testing nevirapine , used to prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission, the daily Addis Zemen reported. Health officials said initial trials of the drug would take place in five cities, including the capital Addis Ababa, following work to boost hospital capacity and ensure patient
Vietnam HIV Carriers Estimated to Exceed 154,000 by End of Year: Associated Press (11.20.02) - Wednesday, November 20, 2002; The estimated number of HIV-infected people in Vietnam will exceed 154,000 by the end of this year, a Ministry of Health official said Wednesday. The actual figure of those testing HIV- positive is 56,495 people. The number of people with AIDS is expected to surpass 23,600, with an estimated 20,000 AIDS- related deaths
Denver College Campus Tests Foreign-Born Students for TB: Associated Press (11.19.02) - Wednesday, November 20, 2002; Forty percent of foreign-born students screened on Denver s Auraria campus tested positive for dormant tuberculosis, but none had active TB. This rate of dormant, or latent, TB was expected and is slightly lower than the foreign-born population nationally, Auraria Health Center Director Steve
New Ideas on Bleach and Needles: New York Times (11.19.2002) - Wednesday, November 20, 2002; Eric Nagourney; Encouraging injection drug users to clean their needles with bleach was discredited when studies showed that the practice was not effective in reducing the spread of HIV. However, new evidence suggests bleach may help curb the spread of hepatitis C. The report, Does Bleach Disinfection of Syringes Protect Against Hepat
Low-Dose Etoposide Effective Against High-Risk Kaposi Sarcoma: Drug Week (11.22.02) - Wednesday, November 20, 2002; Michael Greer; US researchers have discovered a safe and effective treatment for HIV patients with advanced Kaposi sarcoma. Liposomal anthracyclines and paclitaxel are considered the best available cytotoxic therapies for Kaposi s sarcoma, but relapse is common, according to Scott R. Evans and colleagues at the Harvard School of Publ
Taiwan HIV Cases Exceed 4,000 - Official Figures: Reuters Health (11.14.02) - Wednesday, November 20, 2002; Yu-Tzu Chiu; The number of people in Taiwan who have become infected with HIV since 1984 was 4,590 by the end of October, according to figures released last week by the Cabinet s Department of Health. The department shows 603 new cases reported this year. Of the cumulative total, 4,217 cases were Taiwanese nationals and 373 were fo
Namibia Joins the League of Condom Producers in Africa: Inter Press Service (11.15.02) - Wednesday, November 20, 2002; Rosemary Nalisa; Namibia has become the second country in Africa - after South Africa - to start producing condoms to reduce the incidence of HIV/AIDS. Commodity Exchange, a Namibian-owned firm that began operating Nov. 7, says it aims to make the condoms affordable. Company Director Sabina Maritz said
81 People Treated at Nebraska Cancer Clinic Test Positive for Hepatitis C: Associated Press (11.19.02) - Wednesday, November 20, 2002; Scott Bauer; Eighty-one people treated at a Nebraska cancer clinic have tested positive for hepatitis C, health officials said Tuesday. Letters were sent in October to 612 patients of the clinic run by Dr. Tahir Javed, advising them to seek voluntary testing. The patients, suffering from cancer or blood disorders, were treated at t
HIV-Education Grant Awarded: State (Columbia, S.C.) (11.20.02) - Wednesday, November 20, 2002; Jaymi Freiden; A $5.2 million grant establishing the nation s only HIV prevention institute at the University of South Carolina- Columbia will help educate people on the front lines of prevention. The three-year grant will help USC s Norman J. Arnold School of Public Health train people from community prevention groups across the cou
Crusading Mayor Aims to Change Vancouver: Globe and Mail (Toronto, Ontario) (11.18.02) - Tuesday, November 19, 2002; Jane Armstrong; Vancouver Mayor-elect Larry Campbell, a former Royal Canadian Mounted Police drug squad officer and British Columbia s chief coroner, won the weekend election in a landslide and said he will move swiftly to make good on a promise to help Vancouver s drug addicts. Campbell said his number one priority is to set up the c
AIDS and Malaria Cost Uganda a Billion Dollars, Says President: Associated Press (11.18.02) - Tuesday, November 19, 2002; AIDS and malaria cost Uganda over a billion dollars a year in lost wealth, President Yoweri Museveni said Monday. The AIDS epidemic costs Uganda $702 million a year while malaria costs $348 million a year, Museveni told a meeting of African health ministers. Uganda s gross domestic product is about $6 billion. All the
Women's Low Status Spreads HIV in India: San Francisco Chronicle (11.17.02) - Tuesday, November 19, 2002; Siddharth Dhanvant Shanghvi; Many of India s pregnant women with HIV are monogamous housewives who acquired the virus from their husbands. In his book, Sex, Lies and AIDS, Siddharth Dube wrote that the major reasons for AIDS spread into India s general population are poverty, illiteracy, high rate of STDs, and government apathy. But unlike in Afri
Pap Test Needed Only Every 2-3 Years - Cancer Group: Reuters (11.14.02) - Tuesday, November 19, 2002; The American Cancer Society announced Thursday that most women over 30 can forgo the annual Pap test for cervical cancer, and instead safely have the check only every two to three years. Cervical cancer grows so slowly that women have plenty of time to be tested and have any preventive treatment, the organization advis
Grant to Fund AIDS Outreach in Black Neighborhoods: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (11.15.02) - Tuesday, November 19, 2002; Ervin Dyer; The Pittsburgh AIDS Task Force is using a $148,000 grant from the US Office of Minority Health to assist grassroots organizations battling HIV/AIDS in the black community. The task force will use the grant funds to build partnerships with community collaboratives in the Hill District and Homewood, and with the Seven Pr
Test Shows a Wider Use for Fuzeon: News & Observer (Raleigh, N.C.) (11.19.02) - Tuesday, November 19, 2002; David Ranii; New test data for the AIDS drug Fuzeon, presented at an AIDS conference in Scotland Monday, show the drug is most effective in patients still benefiting from at least two other medications. The new results support those from a previous trial, issued Sept. 30, showing that the earlier Fuzeon is prescribed, the more effe
Impact of Intensified Dental Care on Outcomes in Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection: AIDS Patient Care and STDs (10.02) Vol. 16; Number 10: P. 479- 486 - Tuesday, November 19, 2002; Jonathan Betz Brown, MPP, PhD; David Rosenstein, DMD, MPH; John Mullooly, PhD; Maureen O'Keefe Rosetti, MS; Steven Robinson, DMD; Gary Chiodo, DMD; To test whether aggressive dental care would improve outcomes among persons with AIDS, the authors designed and carried out a randomized clinical trial with subjects from the Portland, Ore., metropolitan area. Researchers recruited 376 HIV- infected patients, ages 19 to 61, with CD4 counts between 100 and 750. The two-
Decision on Safe Injection Project Expected Soon from Health Canada: Canadian Press (11.17.02) - Tuesday, November 19, 2002; Greg Joyce; Safe injection sites for drug users could be a fixture in some Canadian cities as early as next year. A spokesperson for Health Minister Anne McLellan said the ministry is shaping guidelines under which cities could propose by year-end to open safe injection centers. If approved, the sites would be the culmination of a
Fear on the Front Line in India - AIDS Prevention Workers Say Police Harass Them as Crisis Spirals: San Francisco Chronicle (11.17.02) - Tuesday, November 19, 2002; Juliette Terzieff; Human rights groups say police in India routinely harass, beat and arrest AIDS workers, citing the colonial era Section 377 of the Penal Code criminalizing unnatural acts, to justify their actions. Health workers say the police also regularly extort money from female prostitutes and bisexual or gay men. J.V.R. Prasada
US HIV Groups Reach Beyond Borders: New York Times (11.18.02) - Tuesday, November 19, 2002; David Kirby; Some US AIDS groups have begun extending their services overseas. Their efforts include: *The San Francisco AIDS Foundation diverted $1 million of its funds to help establish Pangaea, an affiliate in Uganda with its own board and Pat Christen, SFAF executive director, as president.
System to Remove HIV from Donated Blood Planned: Associated Press (11.19.02) - Tuesday, November 19, 2002; Florida Blood Services in St. Petersburg, Fla., is planning to test a system that would remove HIV, other viruses and bacteria from donated blood. Medical Director Dr. German Leparc said Monday that he hopes the experimental project will begin by April. The announcement comes four months after two people contracted HIV
Hollywood Actor Richard Gere Wants Western Nations to Do more to Prevent AIDS in Asia: Associated Press (11.16.02) - Monday, November 18, 2002; Actor Richard Gere wants Western nations to do more to prevent HIV/AIDS in Asia, where many fear the disease is spreading fast. I think we in the West can do much more to help, and we re talking about hundreds of millions of dollars, Gere said in an interview with the BBC World Service Friday. Calling
South Africa Mining Company Rolls Out Anti-AIDS Treatment: Reuters Health (11.14.02) - Monday, November 18, 2002; South Africa s largest gold miner, AngloGold, began distributing AIDS drugs on Thursday to its HIV-positive staff, who make up about a quarter of its regional workforce. AngloGold announced earlier this year that it would treat the HIV-positive employees among its 40,000 strong workforce. The pandemic costs it around $
Rising Violence Against AIDS Patients in India: Rights Group: Agence France Presse (11.13.02) - Monday, November 18, 2002; New York-based Human Rights Watch warned on Nov. 13 that increasing violence against HIV-infected persons in India is threatening the international aid effort. Referring to Microsoft founder Bill Gates $100 million AIDS grant to India, HRW s AIDS program Director Joanne Csete said, Bill Gates is right that the AIDS ep
Pastor Bringing HIV Testing into the Pews: Buffalo News (11.16.02) - Monday, November 18, 2002; On Nov. 24, the Rev. Darius G. Pridgen will introduce an HIV/AIDS awareness program in True Bethel Baptist Church in Buffalo, N.Y., with a Bible story to show how a community shunned an individual who had been stricken with an illness. And then Pridgen, in the presence of the congregation, will be tested for HIV in the
STD Screening, Testing, Case Reporting, and Clinical and Partner Notification Practices: A National Survey of US Physicians: American Journal of Public Health (11.02) Vol. 92, No. 11, P. 1784-1788; Janet S. St. Lawrence, PhD; Daniel E. Montaño, PhD; Danuta Kasprzyk, PhD; William R. Phillips, MD, MPH; Keira Armstrong, MPH; Jami S. Leichliter, PhD - Monday, November 18, 2002; More than 15 million STDs occur annually in the United States . Rates of curable STDs in the United States, the highest in the developed world, are higher than in some developing countries. STDs account for 87 percent of the diseases most frequently reported to public health authorities in the United States; of the 10
AIDS Treatment and Prevention of HIV Go Together, Expert Says: Seattle Post-Intelligencer (11.15.02) - Monday, November 18, 2002; Tom Paulson; One of the world s leading advocates for providing AIDS drugs to the poorest people on the planet spoke at the University of Washington Thursday, challenging those who contend it is unworkable and unwise to use complex HIV drug regimens under Third World conditions. Dr. Paul Farmer, a medical anthropologist and Harvard
Black Britain Urged to Accept Gay Men: BBC News (11.14.02) - Monday, November 18, 2002; Dominic Casciani; The Terence Higgins Trust, the United Kingdom s leading HIV/AIDS charity, is launching a campaign to tackle homophobia within black communities. It warns the long-term impact of persistent homophobia will be a worsening HIV/AIDS situation, as men remain afraid to come out. Simon Nelson of the trust said it is difficult
Africa Bloc Wants to Produce Cheap AIDS Drugs: Reuters (11.18.02) - Monday, November 18, 2002; Shapi Shacinda; Africa s major free trade bloc has applied to the World Trade Organization for the right to manufacture cheap AIDS drugs, saying the disease is the biggest threat to regional economic development. We have applied for licensing from the WTO to allow us to manufacture AIDS drugs, and we would like to see this happening b
WTO Meeting Fails to Resolve Major Issues on Generic Drugs: Wall Street Journal (11.18.02) - Monday, November 18, 2002; Phillip Day; Trade ministers from 25 rich and poor countries talked up the prospect of reaching a deal to give developing countries access to inexpensive drugs to fight AIDS and other diseases after a two-day meeting ended Friday in Sydney. But the major questions - which countries will qualify and which diseases will be covered -
First Human Trial of 'Global' HIV Vaccine Launched: Reuters Health (11.14.02) - Monday, November 18, 2002; Alan Mozes; The first trial of the so-called global vaccine - a single vaccine designed to prevent infection with the three most common forms of HIV - was launched Thursday by the National Institutes of Health under the supervision of the Vaccine Research Center. The trial vaccine incorporates parts of four different HIV genes. Th
Pennsylvania Business News in Brief: Associated Press (11.13.02) - Friday, November 15, 2002; Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh has been awarded a $1.05 million grant by the Department of Health and Human Services to provide early treatment for people living with HIV/AIDS. Allegheny General is one of 27 health care facilities in the country to receive money under the $9.5 million program. The hospital wi
School Board Approves AIDS Program: Times (Gainesville, Ga.) (11.12.02) - Friday, November 15, 2002; Jeff Gill; The Hall County, Ga., Board of Education voted Monday to approve an AIDS awareness program featuring speakers living with AIDS. Sponsored by the Gainesville Rotary Club and the Georgia Rotary AIDS Awareness Program, the program will be presented in one-hour sessions for ninth- and tenth-graders. The program is abstine
US Official Visits Ethiopia over AIDS: Agence France Presse (11.13.02) - Friday, November 15, 2002; US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Health and Science Jack Chow made an AIDS assessment trip on Wednesday to Ethiopia , one of the hardest hit countries in Africa, US diplomats said. Chow and Robert Blair, the State Department s Advisor for International Health, were to meet Ethiopian officials to discuss the l
Zambian Minister Criticized for Suggesting Quarantining AIDS Patients: Associated Press (11.14.02) - Friday, November 15, 2002; On Thursday, AIDS activists criticized a Zambian official for his proposal that everyone with HIV be forced into isolation camps. During a parliamentary debate Wednesday over a bill to form a National AIDS Council secretariat to coordinate Zambia s response to AIDS, Alex Chama, deputy minister for Luapula province, sai
Officials: People at High Risk for TB Haven't Completed Testing: Associated Press (11.15.02) - Friday, November 15, 2002; Only seven of the 23 people in Bayou La Batre, Ala., believed to be at high risk for TB after coming into contact with an infected shrimper have returned for a second round of testing, Mobile County health officials said. The latest tests were scheduled specifically for 23 people who tested negative for the disease in
Report: Town's Teen Birth Rate High: Hartford Courant (11.09.02) - Friday, November 15, 2002; Jim Farrell; A two-year study released Nov. 8 by East Hartford, Conn., officials shows that the rate of pregnancy and STDs among the town s teenagers is substantially higher than in most other Connecticut municipalities. The report will, perhaps, shock some residents, wrote Baker Salsbury, the town s director of health and social s
Opportunistic Infection Prophylaxis Can Be Safely Dropped After CD4 Recovery: AIDS Weekly (11.04.02) - Friday, November 15, 2002; Michael Greer; Therapy to prevent opportunistic infection relapses in HIV patients is often unnecessary after antiretroviral treatment, according to researchers in Europe. They reported their findings in the article Safe Interruption of Maintenance Therapy Against Previous Infection with Four Common HIV- Associated Opportunistic Path
Musculoskeletal Disorders Are Often Associated with HIV Infection: TB & Outbreaks Week (11.12.02) - Friday, November 15, 2002; People with HIV often experience a wide array of musculoskeletal symptoms secondary to HIV infection. Some studies have shown that approximately 70 percent of HIV patients had bone, joint, or muscle involvement. These musculoskeletal diseases can be a direct effect of the virus or a part of the opportunistic infections
Truck Drivers Who Carry More than Cargo: Guardian (London) (11.12.02) - Friday, November 15, 2002; Luke Harding; Outside a small blue-painted clinic in Tughluqabad, India , a group of truck drivers are queuing for treatment. They all have STDs. Several may be HIV-positive, although the chances are that they have no idea they are infected. The clinic is next to a cement factory on the outskirts of Delhi. Behind it is one of India
Health Officials Urge HIV/AIDS Battle: Charlotte Observer (11.15.02) - Friday, November 15, 2002; Mike Stobbe; On Thursday, health officials from across the South urged state and federal legislators to take bolder action against HIV in the 16-state region that is home to nearly 40 percent of US AIDS cases. The three-day conference in Charlotte, N.C., drew health officials from 16 states from Delaware to Texas and such dignitari
'Opt-Out' HIV Tests Could Reach More Pregnant Women: Reuters (11.14.02) - Friday, November 15, 2002; Megan Rauscher; Two different approaches can help ensure that most pregnant women get an HIV test, a step that can reduce the risk of transmitting the virus from mother to child during or after birth, researchers from the CDC reported Thursday. Unfortunately, most states and Canadian provinces currently use a third, less effective app
Oakland to Host Inaugural Asian AIDS Conference: Bay Area Reporter (San Francisco) (11.07.02) - Thursday, November 14, 2002; Matthew S. Bajko; The first national conference to address HIV/AIDS research in the Asian and Pacific Islander communities is scheduled for this weekend in downtown Oakland. The conference, called A&PI SHARE, aims to bring together researchers, health care and service providers, and consumers to examine the status and needs of HIV r
Former University Hospitals Employee Sues State: Associated Press (11.14.02) - Thursday, November 14, 2002; A former employee of University Hospitals in Iowa City is suing the state of Iowa for telling her insurance company she was exposed to HIV while drawing blood from a patient in 2001. The suit states the woman, who was employed as a phlebotomist, was drawing blood from a patient when a glass collection tube shattered. A
Fear Fuels TB Spread: BBC News (11.13.02) - Thursday, November 14, 2002; Dr. Mike Barer, a clinical biologist at the University of Leicester, says some members of the Asian community in Leicester are unwilling to admit they have TB - contributing to a local TB rate four times higher than the United Kingdom s national average. People from the Indian subcontinent suffer a great stigma if thei
Mediators of Social Support and Antiretroviral Adherence Among an Indigent Population in New York City: AIDS Patient Care and STDs (09.01.02) Vol. 16; Number 9: P. 431- 439 - Thursday, November 14, 2002; Jane M. Simoni, PhD; Pamela A. Frick, PharmD; David Lockhart, BS; David Liebovitz, BA; Patients adherence to long-term medications is influenced by many factors: characteristics of the patient, the patient- provider relationship, the illness or treatment regimen, and the context in which medical care is delivered. Nearly all HAART regimens produce significant side effects, some of which alter the quality
HIV Test Kit to Be Sold Cheap: Nation (Thailand) (11.13.02) - Thursday, November 14, 2002; Arthit Khwankhom; The Royal Free Hospital in London has recently agreed to discount the sale of CD4 test kits destined for Thailand , in recognition of the country s efforts to fight HIV by producing the lowest-priced antiretroviral drugs, according to Dr. Thongchai Thawichachart, the director of Thailand s Government Pharmaceutical Org
As AIDS Spreads, India Is Still Struggling for a Workable Strategy: New York Times (11.11.02) - Thursday, November 14, 2002; Amy Waldman; Tamil Nadu has among India s highest rates of HIV infections - nearly doubling to 1,151 cases last month from 613 in October 2001 - and by far the country s highest number of AIDS cases - from March 31 to August 31, cases rose from 16,677 to 22,826. But the southern state of 62 million has also led in prevention effort
UN Agencies Back Microcredit Agencies in Fight Against HIV/AIDS: Agence France Presse (11.12.02) - Thursday, November 14, 2002; Robert Holloway; UN agencies on Tuesday endorsed a call for microcredit institutions - which extend small loans to entrepreneurs too poor to qualify for traditional bank loans - to branch out into adult education to help fight the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Women in the Third World represent more than three-quarters of the estimated 26.8 milli
Progress in Doubt on Drug Patents at WTO Summit: Wall Street Journal (11.14.02) - Thursday, November 14, 2002; Neil King Jr.; Despite optimistic talk from drug-producing countries such as the United States , skepticism runs high that the 144 countries of the World Trade Organization can reach a compromise to provide poor countries with access to inexpensive drugs during the WTO summit this week in Sydney, Austra
Life Expectancy Gap Due to Smoking, HIV, Diabetes: Reuters Health (11.13.02) - Thursday, November 14, 2002; Charnicia E. Huggins; Blacks and the less educated in the United States have life expectancies about 6 years shorter than their white and better- educated counterparts, respectively. This week, a new report suggests that smoking-related diseases are largely to blame for cutting the life expectancy of people with lower levels of education. A
Settlement to Keep Religion out of State's Abstinence Program: Associated Press (11.13.02) - Thursday, November 14, 2002; Kevin McGill; Under a settlement worked out with the American Civil Liberties Union, Louisiana s taxpayer-funded program promoting sexual abstinence for young people will be monitored more closely to make sure none of its money is used to promote religion. In July, US District Judge Thomas Porteous Jr. found that some grants from th
AIDS Rate Doubles in West African State: Study: Agence France Presse (11.12.02) - Wednesday, November 13, 2002; The prevalence of AIDS in Equatorial Guinea has risen from just over 3 percent in 1997 to more than 7 percent in 2001, said a study carried out by local health authorities. The study was released Monday during the first AIDS forum held in the tiny former Spanish colony. Some 11,000 people of the country s population of
Metro in Brief - Maryland: Washington Post (11.13.02) - Wednesday, November 13, 2002; Montgomery County, Md., schools will begin allowing teachers to give condom demonstrations in high school health education classes, school board members agreed in a 4 to 1 vote Tuesday. The vote comes after board members deferred voting in March, saying they needed more information. Since then, school officials learned
Rutgers Gets $11 Million: New York Times (11.13.02) - Wednesday, November 13, 2002; Stacy Albin; Rutgers University was awarded more than $11 million in new federal grants, allowing it to continue AIDS-related studies, including the possible creation of more effective drugs, Joseph J. Seneca, Rutgers vice president for academic affairs, announced yesterday. A unit of the National Institutes of Health awarded $6.5
Oil-Producing Nations Donate US$4 Million to Combat AIDS in Asia: Associated Press (11.12.02) - Wednesday, November 13, 2002; The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is donating $4 million to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to fight HIV/AIDS in Asia. The donation aims to ease the human, social and economic devastation of the disease, according to a press release issued by the federation s
Potential AIDS Preventive Doubles as a Contraceptive: Los Angeles Times (11.11.02) - Wednesday, November 13, 2002; Linda Marsa; A Johns Hopkins University team has devised a microbicide that not only prevents STDs such as AIDS but also acts as a contraceptive. The mechanism of the odorless ointment, called BufferGel, is based on simple chemistry: Alkaline compounds neutralize acid - and other chemicals can reverse that process. The vaginal area
Urine Test Could Make Cervical Cancer Testing Easier: Virus Weekly (11.12.02) - Wednesday, November 13, 2002; Michael Greer; A novel urine screen for human papillomavirus (HPV) could facilitate care for HIV-positive women, US researchers reported. HIV-positive women may represent one of the fastest-growing populations at risk for acquiring cervical cancer and thus require frequent screening, explained Joeli A. Brinkman and colleagues at the
Health Canada to Consider Safe Injection Sites: Toronto Star (11.09.02) - Wednesday, November 13, 2002; Health Canada is reviewing the criteria for safe injection sites for drug addicts and will be ready to accept proposals from interested cities by the end of this year. The Controlled Drugs and Substances Act has already been reviewed to ensure there is no legal impediment to creating centers where intravenous drug user
Faced with AIDS Crisis, Indian State Pushes for Mandatory HIV Screening: Agence France Presse (11.13.02) - Wednesday, November 13, 2002; Savitri Choudhury; The southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh is seeking tough new laws requiring mandatory pre-marriage HIV screening for couples, the health minister said Wednesday. Several women s groups have approached us and demanded we toughen the laws to protect scores of innocent young women who are being married off to men who
Path-Breaking AIDS Activist Tells of Detention in China: San Francisco Chronicle (11.13.02) - Wednesday, November 13, 2002; Sabin Russell; Arrested on Aug. 25 and detained for 31 days at the hands of China s security apparatus, pioneering AIDS activist Dr. Wan Yanhai became the object of worldwide protest that spotlighted the looming AIDS crisis in China. Wan, 38, spoke to the Chronicle Tuesday, his first interview with an American newspaper since the day
Hepatitis Epidemic Looms in Prisons: Capital (Annapolis, Md.) (11.11.02) - Wednesday, November 13, 2002; Christopher Anderson; Maryland prison and health officials say a looming hepatitis C epidemic will be a bigger and potentially more expensive health crisis than HIV/AIDS, but they still do not have a comprehensive policy in place to address it. Officials do not have an accurate account of the number of inmates infected with hepatitis C, but
Californians Support Needle Exchange, Condoms for Prisoners: Contra Costa Times (11.13.02) - Wednesday, November 13, 2002; Taunya English; According to a survey conducted by the state Department of Health Services and the University of California-Berkeley, the majority of Californians support access to clean needles for injection drug users and condoms for prisoners to fight the spread of HIV. These clearly make sense and the survey indicates strong suppo
New AIDS Project Targets the Young: allAfrica.com (10.30.02) - Tuesday, November 12, 2002; Namibian (Windhoek); Namibia has received over N$12 million (US $1.2 million) in funding from the Netherlands government and the United States Agency for International Development to implement Window of Hope, an HIV/AIDS prevention program for 10- to 14-year-olds over the next three years.
Indian State's New AIDS Campaign: BBC News (11.09.02) - Tuesday, November 12, 2002; Omer Farooq; The southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, where officials say there are nearly 400,000 HIV-positive people, is launching a year-long AIDS awareness campaign due to begin Dec. 1. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, speaking with district heads in Hyderabad, directed the officials to especially target schools and col
Education Is the Focus of AIDS Awareness Week: Calgary Herald (11.11.02) - Tuesday, November 12, 2002; The AIDS Calgary Awareness Association is gearing up to raise public awareness about HIV/AIDS. The week of Nov. 24 to Dec. 1 is AIDS Awareness Week, when organizations across Canada join together to increase public education on the disease through information booths and workshops. In Calgary, the local chapter will set
Australia Says Trade Summit Must Agree on How to Provide Cheap Drugs to Poor Nations: Associated Press (11.12.02) - Tuesday, November 12, 2002; Peter O'Connor; The trade ministers meeting in Sydney this Thursday and Friday must agree to give poor nations access to cheap drugs to fight HIV/AIDS and malaria to maintain the confidence from the developing world that they are being included, involved, and their issues are being dealt with, Australian Trade Minister Mark Vaile said
AIDS Epidemic's Next Stop: Eurasia: Indianapolis Star (11.07.02) - Tuesday, November 12, 2002; Our position is: The AIDS epidemic continues to rage, threatening to become a true biological weapon of mass destruction. The AIDS epidemic, already a human catastrophe, is getting worse. Beyond all of the death and misery the disease has wreaked in sub-Saharan Africa where 20 million people have died, AIDS is now sur
Gay Syphilis Cases Triple in County: Tampa Tribune (11.09.02) - Tuesday, November 12, 2002; Susan Thompson; While the total number of reported cases is small, syphilis, an STD in decline for years, is up sharply among gay and bisexual men in Hillsborough County, Fla., prompting county authorities to alert doctors recently to the threat. The three-fold increase in the past year is alarming health authorities because syphilis
HIV Risk Behaviors Among African American Men in Los Angeles County Who Self-Identify as Heterosexual: Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes (11.1.02) Vol. 31: 354-360 - Tuesday, November 12, 2002; Amy Rock Wohl; Denise F. Johnson; Sharon Lu; Wilbert Jordan; Gildon Beall; Judith Currier; Paul A. Simon; The current study examines risk behaviors in a case-control study of 90 HIV-infected and 272 uninfected African American men in Los Angeles County who self-identified as heterosexual. Thirty-one percent of the infected men and sixteen percent of the uninfected men reported having anal sex with men. Among that group, 10
HIV/AIDS Cases Among Young People on the Rise: Jakarta Post (11.09.02) - Tuesday, November 12, 2002; Debbie A. Lubis; The number of young people with HIV/AIDS in Indonesia has soared in the past three years due to increasing IV drug use, activists say. Joyce Djaelani Gordon, chair of Kita Foundation, and Sri Wahyuningsih, coordinator of Pelita Ilmu Foundation, are urging schools, parents and the government to help educate the youth re
South Africa to Train More AIDS-Focused Doctors: Xinhua News Agency (11.10.02) - Tuesday, November 12, 2002; Deputy President Jacob Zuma addressed the National Health Providers Prayer Day celebration in Ermelo, Mpumalanga Province, in eastern South Africa on Sunday, saying the South African government has moved to address the shortage of doctors specifically trained to provide care for people with HIV/AIDS. Currently only
Bill Gates Visits AIDS Patients in India During Controversy- Laced Visit: Associated Press (11.11.02) - Tuesday, November 12, 2002; Beth Duff-Brown; Bill Gates chatted with an HIV-positive patient Monday as he opened his controversy-laced visit to India , where he plans to talk business and give money to help fight AIDS. Coming to India is valuable for me for both business and personal reasons... it s a place where I believe we can make substantive efforts to eradi
A Silent Scourge in Hampton Roads: Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, Va.) (11.10.02) - Tuesday, November 12, 2002; Liz Szabo; HIV is thriving in Hampton Roads - spreading fastest among the poor, and afflicting blacks more than any other group. New HIV infections grew by 27 percent to 335 additional cases a year in the Norfolk metropolitan area during 1998-2001. New AIDS cases increased 30 percent during 1999-2001. New infections among whites
Risk of AIDS Rising for Older Adults: Star-Telegram (Fort Worth, Texas) (11.06.02) - Monday, November 11, 2002; Carolyn Poirot; The number of those 50 and older infected with HIV is increasing at twice the rate of those under 50, according to experts on aging at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston who are targeting older Americans for safer sex education. More and more people in their 60s and 70s are beginning new relationships, says Dr. Robe
HIV, AIDS Patients Get Housing Help: Associated Press (11.07.02) - Monday, November 11, 2002; Eighteen South Dakotans are participating in a new program - Tri-State HELP (Healthy Environments for Living Positively) - that provides housing assistance for people with HIV/AIDS. The program was formed in March to help people in the Dakotas and Montana; it received funding in June from the Department of Housing and
Boston University to Evaluate Springfield AIDS Treatment Program: Associated Press (11.08.02) - Monday, November 11, 2002; Boston University will monitor an HIV/AIDS treatment program for the Springfield, Mass., Hispanic community to determine if culturally sensitive services targeted to Hispanic heroin users increase their entry into drug treatment, testing and prevention programs. It is hoped that the five-year study, funded by a $2.5 mi
TB Case Spurs Tests at Elkhart Area High School: Associated Press (11.09.02) - Monday, November 11, 2002; The Elkhart County Health Department plans to administer TB tests to students and staff at Concord High School in Elkart, Ind., this week following the diagnosis of the disease in a student. The student was being treated with antibiotics and is expected to recover, according to Kathleen Overholt, the department s TB ca
Slowing the Spread of AIDS in India: New York Times (11.09.02) - Monday, November 11, 2002; Bill Gates; ...Having failed to prevent enormous human suffering already experienced in Africa, the international community has an opportunity to support India s efforts to stem its AIDS crisis before it s too late. ...India s leaders are well aware of the risk AIDS poses - they are beginning to speak out, breaking powerful and l
Clinic Marks 15 Years of HIV: Houston Chronicle (10.31.02) - Monday, November 11, 2002; Kristi Rangel-King; On Nov. 8, Bering Omega Dental Clinic in Houston celebrated 15 years of service to low-income people living with HIV/AIDS. It is the only clinic in the Southwest that provides a full range of dental services to uninsured and underinsured people with HIV/AIDS. The clinic is one of six programs provided by Bering Omega C
Tests Find Student Exposure to TB After Teacher Falls Ill: New York Times (11.09.02) - Monday, November 11, 2002; Andy Newman; A teacher at Our Lady of Lourdes Roman Catholic elementary school in Brooklyn contracted TB and may have infected a student, the city s Health Department said. Forty-four other students at the school tested positive for exposure to the disease but did not have active cases, the department added. The 44 children who tes
Parents' Disclosure of HIV to Their Children: AIDS (11.08.02) Vol. 16; No. 16: P. 2201-2207; Martha B. Lee; Mary Jane Rotheram-Borus - Monday, November 11, 2002; Increasing numbers of families are living with a parent with HIV, creating challenges for parents to decide whether, how, and when to disclose their HIV status to their children. Clinicians often encourage serostatus disclosure, yet there are few empirical data on which to base these recommendations. Studies of disclos
Gates Gives India $100 Million to Fight AIDS: Wall Street Journal (11.11.02) - Monday, November 11, 2002; David Bank; Microsoft Corp. Chair Bill Gates traveled to New Delhi to announce his charitable foundation will spend $100 million over the next decade to slow the spread of AIDS among truckers, soldiers and migrant laborers in the hopes of preventing a devastating epidemic in India . The commitment, the Gates Foundation s largest s
Inland AIDS Cases Increase: Report: Press-Enterprise (Riverside, Calif.) (11.05.02) - Monday, November 11, 2002; Matt Surman; The number of new AIDS cases in the southern California Inland area rose 76 percent in the past two years, with minorities, young people and heterosexuals showing higher infection rates than in previous years. A draft report, published by the Inland Empire HIV Planning Council, attributes the jump largely to medical ad
Screening and Education; Most People with STDs Never Show Symptoms, and Annual Physical Exams Don't Test for Them: Detroit News (11.06.02) - Monday, November 11, 2002; Kara G. Morrison; The American Social Health Association estimates as many as one in five Americans has an STD, and that one in four Americans will contract an STD in their lifetime. The most common misconception by far is that STDs cause symptoms, said Dr. Mark Pearlman, vice chair of the obstetrics/gynecology department at the Univers
Ukraine May Have at Least 600,000 HIV-Positive by 2010: ITAR-TASS (11.06.02) - Friday, November 08, 2002; Ukraine may have 600,000 HIV-positive patients by 2010, according to Alexander Yaremenko, director of the Ukrainian Institute for Social Research, who spoke Tuesday at a conference in Crimea. His research, carried out for the British Council, found that annual AIDS deaths would reach at least 43,500 people by 2010. T
Rape Suspects Should Be Tested for AIDS: French Medical Academy: Agence France Presse (11.04.02) - Friday, November 08, 2002; On Monday in Paris, the Academy of Medicine, France s most prestigious medical authority, said rape suspects should be tested for HIV against their will to provide emergency help for victims. The body called on the health and justice ministries to urgently revise the law so rape suspects cannot refuse the test. Roger H
AIDS Group Gets Grant for Syringe Exchange: Bangor Daily News (11.04.02) - Friday, November 08, 2002; The Eastern Maine AIDS Network has been awarded a grant from the Maine Community AIDS Partnership to continue the only syringe exchange-referral prevention program in eastern and northern Maine. The award was granted based on the success of the program last year, according to Denis Cranson, EMAN executive director. Sta
AIDS Housing Grant: Associated Press (11.08.02) - Friday, November 08, 2002; The federal Department of Housing and Urban Development has awarded $900,000 to New Hampshire to help people with HIV/AIDS find and keep affordable housing. The state Department of Health and Human Services will use the grant to expand a program that helps low income people who are homeless or at risk of losing their h
Ministers to Create Center for Homeless HIV/AIDS Patients: Bradenton Herald (11.04.02) - Friday, November 08, 2002; Donna Wright; Phil Polson and Paul Ciucci say they are on a mission from God. They hope to take possession of the former Cabot Point assisted living facility in Bradenton, Fla., and convert it, by the first of the year, into transitional housing for 78 of the area s homeless, specifically for those with HIV/AIDS. The two, who are af
New AIDS Ad Campaign Hits a Nerve: Bay Area Reporter (San Francisco) (10.31.02) - Friday, November 08, 2002; Matthew S. Bajko; The Stop AIDS Project s four new ads - which feature HIV- positive San Francisco men suffering from constant diarrhea, protruding stomach ( Crix belly ), night sweats or facial wasting - are an in-your-face attempt to portray the side effects of HIV and AIDS medications. Don t get me wrong, I m glad to be alive, each m
HIV Cases on Rise Among Children: Los Angeles Times (11.08.02) - Friday, November 08, 2002; Charles Ornstein; Los Angeles County health officials have received 18 new reports of HIV infections among children this year, exceeding the annual total for each of the last three years. County officials received seven case reports in all of last year, 14 in 2000 and 11 in 1999. Thirty-two HIV cases among children were reported in 1998
Herpes May Raise Cervical Cancer Risk, Study Finds: Reuters (11.05.02) - Friday, November 08, 2002; Maggie Smith; Herpes simplex-2, the virus that causes genital herpes , may act as an accomplice to another virus known to cause cervical cancer, making a woman even more susceptible to cancer, according to a new report. The researchers reported their findings in the article Herpes Simplex Virus-2 as a Human Papillomavirus Cofactor i
Changes in HIV Testing After Implementation of Name-Based HIV Case Surveillance in New Mexico: American Journal of Public Health (11.02) Vol. 92; No. 11: P. 1757 - Friday, November 08, 2002; Amy Lansky, PhD, MPH; J. Stan Lehman, MPH; Jill Gatwood, MS; Frederick M. Hecht, MD; Patricia L. Fleming, PhD; New Mexico implemented name-based HIV case surveillance on Jan. 15, 1998. The current study undertook to assess changes in HIV testing patterns after HIV case surveillance was implemented. The timing of the HIV Testing Survey (HITS), developed to gather data on HIV testing patterns among at-risk persons through anonymo
HIV Cases Soaring in State's Prisons: Capital (Annapolis, Md.) (11.06.02) - Friday, November 08, 2002; Christopher Anderson; Maryland had the second-highest percentage of HIV-positive prisoners in the nation in 2000 and the problem is growing, according to a recent US Department of Justice report. Of the state s more than 23,200 prisoners, 4.3 percent - 998 inmates - were known to be HIV-positive in 2000, second only to New York, and up by m
FDA Approves Rapid Version of AIDS Test: Washington Post (11.08.02) - Friday, November 08, 2002; David Brown; On Thursday, the Food and Drug Administration approved a rapid AIDS test that public health officials hope will substantially increase the number of people seeking testing and decrease the number of tested persons who never return for their results. The new OraQuick blood test produces results in about 20 minutes. When
School HIV/AIDS Manual Ready: allAfrica.com (10.30.02) - Thursday, November 07, 2002; New Vision (Kampala); Uganda s presidential advisor on HIV/AIDS, Dr. Jesse Kagimba, said last week at the Kampala AIDS Conference that a manual was ready for primary school teachers to begin educating their pupils about HIV/AIDS. The manual will, among other things, help teachers train school girls to reject the sexual advances of men. It a
Over 60,000 Infected with HIV in Nepal: Study Shows: Xinhua News Agency (11.02.02) - Thursday, November 07, 2002; The number of people infected with HIV in Nepal will exceed 60,000 by the end of 2002, according to a study conducted by the Nepal AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Disease Research Center. AIDS cases in Nepal are estimated to reach 3,000, the Himalayan Times quoted Gopal Raj Shakya, president of the research center, as sa
Iran Identifies 4,200 AIDS Cases, Estimates Total at 20,000: Agence France Presse (11.05.02) - Thursday, November 07, 2002; Iran has identified more than 4,200 AIDS cases, of which 4,048 are men, but estimates the total number of people affected by the disease to be five times higher, Ali Mansuri, a health ministry disease control officer, told the official Islamic Republic News Agency. At the moment, prisons full of drug addicts are the
India Could Soon Have the Highest Number of People with HIV/AIDS, Says US Ambassador: Associated Press (11.06.02) - Thursday, November 07, 2002; At an AIDS prevention conference in Madras Wednesday, US Ambassador Robert Blackwill said, If the disease is unchecked here, India could soon surpass South Africa with the highest number of HIV/AIDS sufferers in the world. UNAIDS says 4 million Indians are infected, second only to South Africa, where 4.
Conferees Resolve to Find New Ways to Fight AIDS: Tennessean (11.03.02) - Thursday, November 07, 2002; Anita Wadhwani; Efforts to control the HIV/AIDS epidemic are failing dismally among Africans and African-Americans, and new ways must be found, said participants from across town and around the globe at last weekend s PanAfrica AIDS Conference at the Millennium Maxwell House Hotel in Nashville, Tenn. The conference, which included loc
$1.1 Million Awarded for False HIV Diagnosis: State (Columbia, S.C.) (11.07.02) - Thursday, November 07, 2002; Rick Brundrett; A Richland County, S.C., jury has awarded $1.1 million to Melinda Medlin, a woman who said Palmetto Health Richland Hospital misdiagnosed her with HIV. Medlin said the diagnosis wrecked her life. I was so depressed thinking I was going to die a horrible death, she said. I gave up hope. Now I m trying to get my life bac
Needle-Exchange Issue Goes to Panel: Press-Enterprise (Riverside, Calif.) (11.06.02) - Thursday, November 07, 2002; Michael Coronado; The top medical official in Riverside, Calif., declared an unofficial state of health emergency Tuesday in the county, warning that the number of reported cases of hepatitis C, hepatitis B and HIV/AIDS has skyrocketed in recent years. Riverside County Health Director Gary Feldman told the county Board of Supervisors th
Two- to Sixfold Decreased Odds of HIV Risk Behavior Associated with Use of Syringe Exchange: Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes (10.01.02) Vol. 31: P. 237-242 - Thursday, November 07, 2002; David R. Gibson; Richard Brand; Kim Anderson; James G. Kahn; Daniel Perales; Joseph Guydish; This community study of the San Jose, Calif. syringe exchange program (SEP) compared the HIV risk behavior of exchange clients with that of nonclients. The researchers followed a prospective cohort of 259 untreated injection drug users a mean of 10.7 months after baseline. The current study corrected for respondents ba
UN Discusses Fortifying Food for Southern African AIDS Victims: Agence France Presse (11.07.02) - Thursday, November 07, 2002; The fortification of maize meal to combat HIV/AIDS and the food crisis in southern Africa topped the agenda at a two-day UN meeting in Johannesburg, UNAIDS officials said on Thursday. Fortifying our maize meal is one of the recommendations we are looking into, said Richard Lee, UNAIDS spokesperson. Fortification, he ex
Activists Give South African Government Ultimatum on AIDS Plan: Agence France Presse (11.06.02) - Thursday, November 07, 2002; AIDS activists in South Africa have given the government a four-month ultimatum to implement a treatment plan and provide AIDS drugs or face a civil disobedience campaign, a spokesperson said Wednesday. Treatment Action Campaign spokesperson Nathan Geffen said the plan, which TAC hoped to finalize by the start of Decem
Rape, How Funny Is It?: Los Angeles Times (11.03.02) - Thursday, November 07, 2002; Fred Dickey; Prison rape may be an acceptable topic of humor on talk radio and elsewhere, but James E. Robertson, a professor of corrections at Minnesota State University-Mankato, who has studied the problem for 15 years, considers it is the most tolerated act of terrorism in the US. The FBI says that 89,107 women reported rapes in
Trade Unions in Two Congos Call for AIDS Programs: Agence France Presse (11.02.02) - Wednesday, November 06, 2002; Trade unionists from Congo-Brazzaville and the Democratic Republic of Congo called Saturday at the end of a conference in Kinshasa for the establishment of teams to fight AIDS in the workplace. We urge trade union bodies of the [DRC] and of Congo to set up committees to fight AIDS as well as health insurance schemes wi
Hepatitis C Treatment May Halve Injections: Washington Post (11.05.02) - Wednesday, November 06, 2002; Michael Barbaro; Early research indicates that Human Genome Sciences experimental hepatitis C treatment, Albuferon-alpha, may require fewer doses and stay in the bloodstream longer than the treatments of its major competitors, the company said Monday. In a test involving 34 patients, researchers found that a single dose of Albuferon-al
Two Who Hired Porn Star Are Fired: St. Louis Post-Dispatch (11.06.02) - Wednesday, November 06, 2002; Michele Munz; On Friday in St. Louis, the eight-member board of Blacks Assisting Blacks Against AIDS voted unanimously to fire Director Erise Williams Jr. and Senior Director James Green. The two had hired porn star Edgar Gaines to speak at a July 20 event promoting safe sex. Gaines was paid $500 from a federal anti- syphilis grant,
Wake Board Votes 5-4 to Expand Sex Education: News-Observer (Raleigh, N.C.) (11.06.02) - Wednesday, November 06, 2002; T. Kueng Hui; In a 5-4 vote, Wake County s school board agreed Tuesday to update and expand the sex education curriculum beyond the abstinence message that has been state-mandated since 1995. Students in grades seven through nine will be given lessons about contraceptives, STDs, tolerance for gays and lesbians, the effects of teen p
New York Veterans Suffer High Rates of Hepatitis C with HIV Infection: AIDS Weekly (11.04.02) - Wednesday, November 06, 2002; Michael Greer; Veterans in New York have an alarmingly high rate of hepatitis C virus (HCV) and HIV infection, according to a study published in American Journal of Gastroenterology ( Prevalence of Hepatitis C and Coinfection with HIV Among United States Veterans in the New York City Metropolitan Area, 2002;97(8):2071-2078). Nor
HIV's Success Might Lie in Its Mutations: United Press International (11.05.02) - Wednesday, November 06, 2002; Joe Grossman; One reason AIDS may progress is that HIV mutates so rapidly within the human body that it confounds the already-weakened immune system s ability to defend against it, researchers report. In addition, conventional tests used to determine how well a person with HIV can mount an immune defense can be misleading, researche
Festive Sex Ads Warn: It Could Be You: Observer (London) (11.03.02) - Wednesday, November 06, 2002; Ben Summerskill; Britain s Department of Health has pledged to spend £2 million (US $3.1 million) during this year s office party season to address the dramatic surge of STDs among people in their 20s. The campaign will include radio advertisements with the slogan: To enter the sex lottery, just sleep with someone without a condom. Adv
Vatican Repeats Opposition to Condoms, Says Chastity Only Surefire Way to Prevent AIDS Spread: Associated Press (11.06.02) - Wednesday, November 06, 2002; The Vatican on Wednesday repeated its opposition to condom use to fight AIDS, saying chastity was the best way to prevent the spread of HIV. The Vatican position may sound ridiculous in the society in which we live, acknowledged Monsignor Javier Lozano Barragan, president of the Pontifical Council for Health Workers. B
Conference Looks at Changing Face of HIV: Las Vegas Review-Journal (11.02.02) - Wednesday, November 06, 2002; Juliet V. Casey; Look at this face, this old, wrinkly, jowled face, said 67- year-old, Jane Fowler, smiling broadly. This is another face of HIV. Fowler s story belies the common impression most people have about HIV/AIDS. She was not an IV drug user and had never had a blood transfusion, but after her divorce in the early 1980s, she
Louisiana Health Workers Challenged as AIDS Changes: Advocate (Baton Rouge, La.) (11.05.02) - Wednesday, November 06, 2002; Laurie Smith Anderson; HIV/AIDS in Louisiana is changing, and public health workers must change their approach to curb the epidemic, officials told local health workers at Prevention Partners, an annual statewide meeting sponsored by the Louisiana Office of Public Health s HIV/AIDS and STD Program. The challenge of the HIV/AIDS epidemic is t
A Town's Night of Reflection, Caring: Hartford Courant (10.29.02) - Tuesday, November 05, 2002; Roberto Gonzalez; Think about being 18 years old and knowing you have a disease that cannot be cured, said Patricia Checko, director of the Bristol-Burlington Health District. Hers was one of many points addressed Oct. 28 in an annual event, AIDS Reflection 2002, held by the Bristol, Conn., Mayor s AIDS Task Force. More than 50 people
Pennsylvania Business News in Brief: Associated Press (11.04.02) - Tuesday, November 05, 2002; Huntingdon Valley, Pa.-based Biosyn Inc. announced Monday that it and five partners - the University of Pennsylvania, Duke University, TherImmune Research Corp., Southern Research Institute and St. George s Medical School in the United Kingdom - have been awarded a $10 million grant from the National Institutes of Heal
AIDS Awareness Is New UN Postal Administration Theme: Associated Press (11.04.02) - Tuesday, November 05, 2002; Syd Kronish; The United Nations Postal Administration has issued a set of three stamps and three semi-postal souvenir sheets on the theme of AIDS awareness to help publicize the UN s almost two- decade long struggle against the disease. The vertical stamps feature a view of the UN building in New York with the AIDS emblem in front.
Group Delivers Compassion: Contra Costa Times (10.30.02) - Tuesday, November 05, 2002; Theresa Harrington; George Gregg has AIDS. And although he has been unable to continue working in his former job as a waiter for a little more than a year, he still wants to stay active and be productive. So he is volunteering at Concord, Calif. s Diablo Valley AIDS Center, where he is also a client. Gregg spends eight hours a week fillin
Hepatitis B Vaccination Among Research Participants, Seattle, Washington: American Journal of Public Health (11.02) Vol. 92; No. 11: P. 1756 - Tuesday, November 05, 2002; Holly Hagan, MPH, PhD; Hanne Thiede, DVM, MPH; James P. McGough, PhD, MPH; and E. Russell Alexander, MD; The authors report on a protocol to increase hepatitis B virus vaccination among participants in two research studies in Seattle. Researchers interviewed and screened injection drug users in a cohort study for blood borne viral infections, including HBV. Participants learned their results at post-test counseling, at wh
AIDS Education Fails to Change Behavior: allAfrica.com (11.02.02) - Tuesday, November 05, 2002; East African Standard (Nairobi)::Wachira Kigotho; HIV/AIDS education in sub-Saharan African schools has failed to effect behavior change despite high levels of knowledge among primary and secondary school pupils, according to researchers at the University of Sussex in Britain. The report on the epidemic s impact on the sub-Saharan education sector has criticized curri
Project to Help Curb Chlamydia: Canberra Times (11.02.02) - Tuesday, November 05, 2002; Danielle Cronin; On Nov. 1, a multi-pronged approach was launched to raise awareness of chlamydia in the Australian Capital Territory. The STD was detected in 298 people in 2001; already this year, 410 cases have been reported. But because 50 percent of infected males and 80 percent of infected females are likely to be undiagnosed, it
How Much Is Too Much?: New York Blade (10.18.02) - Tuesday, November 05, 2002; Steve Weinstein; How much sex is too much? Researchers at the Center for HIV Educational Studies and Training and the Mt. Sinai School of Medicine in New York City have been interviewing gay and bisexual men who see their lives spinning out of control in pursuit of their next conquest. The CDC, which is funding the study, wants to find
MTV Forum Gets Teens Talking About Sex, AIDS: Seattle Times (11.05.02) - Tuesday, November 05, 2002; Tyrone Beason; Young adults have some potentially lifesaving relationship decisions to make. This was the message running through a teen HIV/AIDS prevention forum Monday at the Experience Music Project, which involved hundreds of Seattle high school students. The program, part of MTV s yearlong Fight For Your Rights: Protect Yourself
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Funds Durham, N.C., HIV Prevention Study: Herald-Sun (Durham, N.C.) (10.31.02) - Tuesday, November 05, 2002; Anne Krishnan; Investigators at Family Health International, a Durham nonprofit, will use a $6.5 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to study whether daily doses of tenofovir can prevent HIV transmission in high-risk populations. As opposed to condoms or microbicides that are used - or not used - during sex, a
Casino: TB Results Negative: Clarion-Ledger (Jackson, Miss.) (11.03.02) - Monday, November 04, 2002; Employee TB testing at Treasure Bay casino in Biloxi revealed no further active TB cases, according to a company statement. Selected employees were tested after one employee was diagnosed with TB. Employees who worked in closest proximity to the infected employee s workstation were tested, as were others who volunteere
PWAs Welcome Increased Spending on HIV/AIDS: allAfrica.com (10.30.02) - Monday, November 04, 2002; BuaNews (Pretoria); The National Association of People Living with HIV/AIDS has welcomed the news that the South African government will increase spending on its HIV/AIDS policy by about R3.3 billion (US $333 million) over the next three years. Delivering his Medium Term Budget Policy Statement in Parliament, Finance Minister Trevor Manue
China's AIDS Prevention Work Lagging: Health Minister: Associated Press (11.03.02) - Monday, November 04, 2002; With 1 million Chinese infected with HIV, China s health minister, Zhang Wenkang says prevention work is lagging, and he has issued an urgent call for more trained health workers, state media reported Monday. AIDS in China has entered a critical epidemic level and is spreading from people considered most at risk - such
Valley AIDSWalk Changes Name, Broadens Fund-Raising Focus: Morning Call (Allentown, Pa.) (10.29.02) - Monday, November 04, 2002; Kurt Blumenau; The Lehigh Valley AIDSWalk, faced with declining public interest in AIDS fund-raising and a rising number of reported AIDS cases in the Valley, has changed its name and focus. The new name was announced eight days after the Oct. 6 walk in Bethlehem drew mixed public response. Organizers have changed the event s name to
Analyses of Nursing Home Residents with Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Depression Using the Minimum Data Set: AIDS Patient Care and STDs (09.02) Vol. 16; No. 9: P. 441- 455 - Monday, November 04, 2002; Robert J. Buchannan, PhD; Suojin Wang, PhD; Chunfeng Huang, PhD; Depressive disorders are common among people with HIV disease, with observed lifetime rates as high as 40-48 percent. People with HIV are approximately twice as likely to have had a recent episode of a major depressive disorder than people without HIV. The rate of major depressive disorders in people with HIV disease i
Prevention Cuts Perinatal HIV/AIDS: Inter Press Service (10.25.02) - Monday, November 04, 2002; Marcela Valente; The Argentine-Maltese Aid Program for the Prevention of Perinatal AIDS, implemented in nine public hospitals in Buenos Aires, Argentina , has reduced the rate of mother-to-child transmission of HIV by nearly 90 percent. Perinatal transmission is the cause of 7 percent of HIV/AIDS cases in this Southern Cone country of
Nelson Mandela Announces AIDS Project with Princess Diana Fund: Associated Press (11.02.02) - Monday, November 04, 2002; Former South African President Nelson Mandela has announced that his foundation will work with the fund honoring the late Princess Diana to help South Africans with AIDS and their families. Caring for people who are dying and helping the bereaved was something for which Princess Diana had passion and commitment, Mandel
Oregon Health & Science University Doing Trial of New HIV Drug: Associated Press (11.01.02) - Monday, November 04, 2002; Eighteen Oregonians are participating in the trial of a promising new drug to treat HIV. The experimental drug, T-20, stops individual viruses from reproducing, slowing the disease s progression. In that respect, it works like AZT . But T-20 works by interfering with an entirely different step in the virus life cycle.
A Lesson for Seniors' Lives: South Florida Sun-Sentinel (10.28.02) - Monday, November 04, 2002; Diane C. Lade; Hispanic and black seniors are the fastest-growing segment of older people infected with HIV/AIDS. Last year, Hispanics and blacks accounted for 85 percent, or 101 cases, of the 119 new HIV/AIDS cases among people age 65 and older in Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties, according to the Florida Department of He
Panel Urges Delay in AIDS Cuts: Houston Chronicle (11.02.02) - Monday, November 04, 2002; Polly Ross Hughes; Declaring its horror at the expected loss of life, a health panel on Friday urged Texas to delay any cutback in AIDS drugs as long as possible. The Texas Department of Health board meets Jan. 9 to decide whether to finally adopt a plan to change medication program eligibility requirements that would limit assistance to
Kenya Left Out of AIDS, TB Global Fund: allAfrica.com (10.28.02) - Friday, November 01, 2002; East African (Nairobi); The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria is supporting various programs in Uganda and Tanzania in East Africa but did not fund any programs in Kenya in its first round of disbursements. Kenya s failure to win the fund s support was linked to rampant corruption in the health sector, includin
Routine Hospital Testing Could Eliminate Problem of Undiagnosed HIV: AIDS Policy and Law (10.25.02) - Friday, November 01, 2002; Testing only high-risk or symptomatic patients for HIV is inadequate to identify the one-third of HIV-positive people in the United States who are unaware of their infections, according to a report detailing results of a new pilot study published in Archives of Internal Medicine (2002;162:887-892). Identifying Undiagn
Primary and Secondary Syphilis - United States, 2000-2001: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (11.01.02) Vol. 51; No. 43: P. 971-973 - Friday, November 01, 2002; In 2001, 20 counties and one city accounted for 50.6 percent of all reported primary and secondary syphilis cases in the United States . Following are those locations, their number of reported syphilis cases, and the rate of cases per 100,000 population. 1. Wayne County, Mich. (Detroit) 379; 18.4/100,000. 2. Cook Count
Drug Treatment Best Hope for Meth-Using MSM: AIDS Alert (11.01.02) Vol. 17, No. 11, P. 137 - Friday, November 01, 2002; New unpublished and published research shows that gay and bisexual men who use methamphetamine have a greater HIV prevalence than men who have sex with men (MSM) who do not use the drug, leading some researchers to speculate that methamphetamine use could result in a resurgence of the virus among MSM. The research high
Hepatitis C May Not Progress as Often as Believed: Reuters Health (10.25.02) - Friday, November 01, 2002; Alison McCook; The chances of eventually developing cirrhosis or another serious liver disease from hepatitis C virus (HCV) may be lower than many experts believe, according to a computer simulation based on US liver disease statistics. The news would be better if we could reliably predict which patients will and which will not progr
China's Youngsters Think Mosquitoes Spread AIDS: Agence France Presse (10.31.02) - Friday, November 01, 2002; China s young people are grossly unaware of how HIV is spread, with many mistakenly believing that people can contract the disease from mosquito bites, according to a survey published Thursday. The study was conducted earlier this year by the Beijing University Children and Young Adults Hygiene Research Institute and U
Can Laos Keep AIDS at Bay?: BBC News (10.30.02) - Friday, November 01, 2002; Alice Donald; Though surrounded by some of the highest HIV infection rates in the world, land-locked Laos has largely escaped the epidemic. According to UN data, about 1,500 people, or 0.05 percent of the population, were living with HIV at the end of 2001. About 1 percent of the women in Laos nascent sex industry are HIV- positive
AIDS Agency that Hired Porn Star Loses Aid: St. Louis Post-Dispatch (10.31.02) - Friday, November 01, 2002; Tim O'Neil; The St. Louis Health Department has canceled the remainder of a $96,000 grant with a local AIDS agency that hired a gay porn actor to speak to young men at a safer sex event. In a meeting Thursday, city Health Director Dr. Hugh Stallworth informed representatives of Blacks Assisting Blacks Against AIDS of his action.
Many with AIDS May Lose State Funds: Fort Worth Star-Telegram (10.31.02) - Friday, November 01, 2002; Charlotte Huff; As many as 20 percent of nearly 12,000 Texans who rely on a state program to get lifesaving AIDS drugs will lose their coverage if a proposed regulation goes into effect early next year. The regulation would lower the income eligibility cutoff, now 200 percent of the individual federal poverty line ($17,720), to 140 pe
New Syphilis Cases Rise for First Time in 11 Years: Los Angeles Times (11.01.02) - Friday, November 01, 2002; Charles Ornstein; New syphilis cases rose in 2001 for the first time in 11 years, with large increases among gay men outpacing continued declines among blacks and Southerners, the CDC said Thursday. The CDC reported 6,103 new infectious syphilis cases nationwide in 2001, up 2.1 percent from 2000. The overall increase, albeit slight, rep
Mississippi Casino Workers Tested for Tuberculosis: Associated Press (10.30.02) - Thursday, October 31, 2002; In Biloxi, Miss., about 250 Treasure Bay Casino employees will be tested for TB after a casino employee was diagnosed with the disease. The employee, whose identity is unknown even to the casino, worked in one of the gambling departments, said Bernie Burkholder, chair and CEO of Treasure Bay. The employee has not worke
STD Rates of Teen Girls Higher than for Boys: Star Phoenix (Saskatoon) (10.31.02) - Thursday, October 31, 2002; Canadian Press; The Youth in Canada study of 2.1 million young people released Wednesday shows that while few teenagers between 15 and 19 have AIDS, young women in this age group have the highest rates of gonorrhea and chlamydia in the country: 80 cases of gonorrhea per 100,000 in 1999; 1,139 cases of chlamydia per 100,000. The incid
EU Proposal to Register Cheap Drugs: Wall Street Journal (10.31.02) - Thursday, October 31, 2002; David I. Oyama; The European Union presented plans Wednesday to facilitate the sale of cheaper drugs to treat AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis in poor countries. Under the proposed system, drug makers would register with the European Union drugs for sale at cheap prices in poor nations. Drugs shipped at the lower prices would be identi
WHO Issues 'Wake-Up Call' on Top 10 Risks to Human Health: Agence France Presse (10.30.02) - Thursday, October 31, 2002; Peter Capella; Governments worldwide can improve the health of their citizens and significantly raise life expectancy by tackling the top 10 health risks identified by the World Health Organization in a report released Wednesday. After three years of research, WHO found that as many as 40 percent of the 56 million deaths around the w
Public Service Campaign Targets HIV Awareness: South Florida Sun-Sentinel (10.30.02) - Thursday, October 31, 2002; Nicole T. Lesson; HIV is everyone s business. So say 14 public service announcements aimed at reaching the Broward County groups at highest risk of contracting the virus - residents ages 18 to 39 who are African-American, Caribbean-American or Hispanic- American. The recently launched media campaign, sponsored by the federal program Rac
Mental Health Needs of HIV Sufferers Up as Medications Help Physical Symptoms: Canadian Press (10.30.02) - Thursday, October 31, 2002; Judy Monchuk; Thanks to improved HIV drug therapy, there is a burgeoning demand to treat the mental health needs of those living longer with the disease. And psychiatrists gathering in Banff, Alberta, for the Canadian Psychiatric Association meeting Thursday are being urged to prepare for this need. We can t assume there are enough
Intentional Nonadherence Due to Adverse Symptoms Associated with Antiretroviral Therapy: Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes (10.01.02) Vol. 31: P. 211-217 - Thursday, October 31, 2002; Katherine V. Heath; Joel Singer; Michael V. O'Shaughnessy; Julio S.G. Montaner; Robert S. Hogg; The authors designed a cross-sectional, voluntary annual survey of 638 antiretroviral recipients in a free-of-charge province-wide HIV program in British Columbia. Their objective was to estimate the frequency and possible predictors of patient- mediated intentional alterations in medication regimens in response to sym
Death Results in Record Judgment: Seattle Times (10.31.02) - Thursday, October 31, 2002; Nancy Bartley; The family of a convicted burglar who died in a Washington state prison three years ago because he could not get medical care has been awarded $1 million. The judgment is the largest to date against the state resulting from cases alleging poor medical care in its prisons. Philip Montgomery, 32, had hepatitis C and need
Inmates Will Get Care for Hepatitis: Philadelphia Inquirer (10.31.02) - Thursday, October 31, 2002; Mark Fazlollah; Jennifer Lin; New Jersey, the only major state not currently treating prisoners for hepatitis C, announced Wednesday that it would cover the cost of treating the disease. Under a new agreement with prison medical provider Correctional Medical Services, the state will assume the costs of the expensive treatment beginning Nov. 1, acco
HIV Treatment Guidelines Published: Providence Journal-Bulletin (10.30.02) - Thursday, October 31, 2002; Felice J. Freyer; Rhode Island has become the first state to publish treatment guidelines for people exposed to HIV outside the health care setting. The guidelines specify drug regimens that can prevent infection if administered within 72 hours of exposure. They are intended for people who were exposed to HIV through rape, sex, injectin
South Africa to Cut Taxes, Spend More on AIDS: Associated Press (10.29.02) - Wednesday, October 30, 2002; South Africa plans to cut taxes and increase spending on AIDS and health care in its next budget, Finance Minister Trevor Manuel told Parliament Tuesday. The government also plans to increase spending on social programs, he said. Poverty reduction is the overarching goal of South African economic and social policy,
UNICEF to Spend $9 Million to Fight AIDS in Zambia: Reuters Health (10.29.02) - Wednesday, October 30, 2002; UNICEF announced on Tuesday it would spend $9 million on AIDS programs in Zambia , where it said the pandemic was placing a heavy burden on the country s children. HIV/AIDS is devastating and its impact is adverse on children. HIV/AIDS is totally changing the lives of many children in Zambia... it eclipses everything,
Patients Storm HIV/AIDS Conference: allAfrica.com (10.29.02) - Wednesday, October 30, 2002; New Vision (Kampala); On Monday, about 30 people with HIV/AIDS demonstrated inside Kampala s International Conference Center during the opening of Uganda s National AIDS Conference. When their representative, Agnes Nyamayarwo, took to the podium to address the 1,600 delegates, the AIDS Support Organization clients burst into song and waved
Prisoner's Tuberculosis Prompts Testing Among Scores of Inmates: Associated Press (10.29.02) - Wednesday, October 30, 2002; The discovery of tuberculosis in an inmate at the state prison in Lansing, Kan., has prompted screenings of 154 people for the disease, state health officials said. Of those, 27 tested positive for TB infection, though none have developed contagious, full-blown TB, said DeAnna McClenahan, the TB nurse consultant for th
Tuberculosis Is in Control, Not Us: Vancouver Sun (10.28.02) - Wednesday, October 30, 2002; Dr. Bob Dickson; Dr. Alexander Soucy; If anyone thinks tuberculosis is not a problem, that it has been eradicated or that TB is a problem for poor countries, think again. A recent outbreak near Montreal in September should remind us that the disease, not us, is in control. Deaths resulting from TB are higher this year than any other since anti-TB drugs we
Study Sheds Light on Cause of an AIDS Treatment Side Effect: AIDS Weekly (10.28.02) - Wednesday, October 30, 2002; Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has been associated with the development of lipodystrophy syndromes. Lipodystrophy, a clinical condition characterized by poor or uneven distribution of fat cells, can lead to lower belly obesity and a hump on the upper back. Lipodystrophy side effects also include diabetes
Substance in Saliva Protects Babies from Mom's HIV: Reuters Health (10.29.02) - Wednesday, October 30, 2002; Babies with relatively high levels of a certain compound in their saliva are less likely to acquire HIV from their infected mothers at age one month, a new study shows. The study, Salivary Secretory Leukocyte Protease Inhibitor Is Associated with Reduced Transmission of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Through Breas
India's Shyness Towards Sexual Education Fueling AIDS: Activists: Agence France Presse (10.29.02) - Wednesday, October 30, 2002; Santosh Jha; Social activists say the Indian government s shyness about sex education among young people - who are becoming increasingly promiscuous - is fueling the spread of AIDS. There is a large population of about 300 million young people in the age group between 12 and 24 in India, and recent studies show their growing prefer
Progress Reported on Curbing Disparities: AIDS Alert (11.01.02) - Wednesday, October 30, 2002; Researchers examining the issue of racial disparity in HIV care and treatment have found that some clinics and states have made progress in reducing disparity through a variety of programs and measures. The most promising strategy is to contract with minority community-based organizations to do treatment education and
Sex 101 - College Students Increasingly Casual about Bedfellows, Just as Casual about Condoms: Denver Post (10.24.02) - Wednesday, October 30, 2002; Elana Ashanti Jefferson; Baskets brimming with condoms dot dormitory floors at the University of Colorado-Boulder. Despite the fact that college students can get contraceptives more easily than a case of beer, more than half of all American college students had unprotected sex during the past year, according to a recent poll by CollegeClub.com
Survey: Sex Often Part of Casual Teen Relationships: Reuters Health (10.29.02) - Wednesday, October 30, 2002; A new survey of 15- to 17-year olds has found that, at least in terms of teens perceptions, oral sex and intercourse are nearly as common in casual relationships as they are in more serious, committed relationships. About one-third of the 505 teens interviewed by telephone reported that they had done something sexual
Miss Universe in D.C.: Washington Post (10.26.02) - Tuesday, October 29, 2002; Miss Universe Justine Pasek visited the Global Health Council on October 25 to learn about her role in the observation of World AIDS Day in December. There are so many consequences due to this disease worldwide and here in our Latin community, said the former Miss Panama . One of the s
South Africa to Increase Spending on AIDS: Agence France Presse (10.29.02) - Tuesday, October 29, 2002; South African Finance Minister Trevor Manuel said Tuesday that the nation will increase its spending on AIDS by $100 million a year. He made his announcement to the National Assembly in Cape Town while presenting a mid-term budget that acknowledges the country will not meet its inflation targets. Close to 5 million Sou
Uganda Integrates HIV/AIDS in Poverty Eradication: Xinhua News Agency (10.28.02) - Tuesday, October 29, 2002; Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni said Monday at the opening of the Third National AIDS Conference in Kampala that his government has integrated HIV/AIDS issues in its Poverty Eradication Action Plan. He said that the declining trends of the epidemic are a result of open campaigns and provision of correct information b
AIDS and Hunger Force Zambian Children into Labor: Reuters (10.28.02) - Tuesday, October 29, 2002; AIDS and hunger have forced more than half a million Zambian children to quit school and take up often-hazardous jobs in farms and factories, the International Labor Organization said Monday. Some 800,000 children have been orphaned by the pandemic in the past 18 years. Many children are forced into labor because AIDS
AIDS Fund Hires Its First Executive Director: Bay Area Reporter (San Francisco) (10.17.02) - Tuesday, October 29, 2002; Matthew S. Bajko; The former all-volunteer driven AIDS Emergency Fund in San Francisco welcomed its first permanent executive director earlier this month and is preparing to mark its 20th anniversary in November. Mike Smith, who co-founded the Names Project Foundation in 1987 and has spent the last four years as executive director of th
Evaluation of Human Papillomavirus Testing in Primary Screening for Cervical Abnormalities: Journal of the American Medical Association (10.09.02) Vol. 288; No. 14: P. 1749-1757 - Tuesday, October 29, 2002; Shalini L. Kulasingam, PhD; James P. Hughes, PhD; Nancy B. Kiviat, MD; Constance Mao, MD; Noel S. Weiss, MD, DrPH; Jane M. Kuypers, PhD; Laura A. Koutsky, PhD; Human Papillomavirus (HPV) DNA testing of women having Papanicolaou (Pap) smears showing atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS) has clinical usefulness. Whether HPV DNA testing alone is useful in primary screening remains to be determined. In the current study, researchers evaluated the potential
Ghana - Legal Rights of People Living with HIV/AIDS: Africa News Service (10.28.02) - Tuesday, October 29, 2002; Accra Mail; Representatives of Ghanaian non-governmental organizations met with government leaders in Accra on Friday at a conference for lawyers on the legal rights and social issues facing people with HIV/AIDS. The workshop, organized by AIDS Alert Ghana with support from Ghana AIDS Commission and the British Council, was to bra
Pregnant Women Tested for HIV/AIDS Without Consent: Inter Press Service (10.25.02) - Tuesday, October 29, 2002; Paul Weinberg; Editor s Note: This article, summarized in the PNU on Oct. 29, stated that almost 40 percent of surveyed pregnant women in Calgary recently told health officials they were given an HIV/AIDS test without their knowledge during a prenatal exam. This is incorrect, according to Dr. Laura McLeod, associate medical officer o
Europeans Investigate Resale of AIDS Drugs: New York Times (10.29.02) - Tuesday, October 29, 2002; Gregory Crouch; Police and investigators from the Netherlands , Germany , Belgium and France are scheduled to meet today at Europol, Europe s police agency in the Hague, to exchange evidence about a wide web of trafficking schemes in which deeply discounted AIDS drugs meant for Af
City Investigates Charge Safe Sex Event Featured Gay-Porn Actor: Associated Press (10.29.02) - Tuesday, October 29, 2002; St. Louis health officials are investigating allegations made by two former employees of Blacks Assisting Blacks Against AIDS who say federal money was used to hire a gay porn actor who stripped and engaged in sexual conduct with guests at a safer sex event. Health Department Director Dr. Hugh Stallworth told the St. L
New Studies Highlight Racial Disparity, Treatment Access Among HIV Patients: AIDS Alert (11.01.02) - Tuesday, October 29, 2002; At the 2002 Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency conference, some of the latest research into the differences between minority and white HIV patients and access to HIV treatment indicated that there were not huge disparities within HIV programs. However, When you sum it up across states and programs, you g
HIV Treatment Takes Precedence over Rape Law: allAfrica.com (10.24.02) - Monday, October 28, 2002; BuaNews (Pretoria); On October 23, South Africa s Cabinet approved the Compulsory HIV Testing of Alleged Sexual Offenders Bill, which provides for a speedy and uncomplicated mechanism for victims of sexual offences to apply for the alleged perpetrator to be tested for HIV and the results disclosed to the victim. In April, the government a
AIDS Has Claimed Nearly a Million Lives in Uganda: Agence France Presse (10.24.02) - Monday, October 28, 2002; Almost a million Ugandans have died from AIDS-related illnesses since the disease was first diagnosed in the country 20 years ago, a health ministry annual report released Thursday said. The report said that out of the 947,552 deaths recorded, 427,153 were women, 425,644 men and 94,755 were children under 15. Last year
Uganda Will Need 80 Million Condoms in 2003: Associated Press (10.28.02) - Monday, October 28, 2002; Speaking Monday in Kampala at a three-day conference on preventing the spread of HIV, Vasta Kibirige, coordinator of the condom unit in the Ministry of Health, said that Uganda will need to import 80 million condoms in 2003 to meet the rising demand among the 24.6 million people in this AIDS- stricken country. He said
University of Pennsylvania Students Raise $7,000 for AIDS Research: University Wire (10.24.02) - Monday, October 28, 2002; Daily Pennsylvanian (University of Pennsylvania-Philadelphia); Over the past year, the Penn World AIDS Foundation has raised, through its student discount card, over $7,000 for the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative, which is involved in vaccine research and ensuring access to treatment, and for Doctors Across Borders, a group that provides medical care in developing countries.
Pharmacy Project Assists with Meds Adherence: AIDS Alert (11.01.02) No. 11; Vol. 17: P. 144 - Monday, October 28, 2002; Investigators with the University of Buffalo s School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences found that the 25 patients who received their program s adherence intervention had significantly better viral outcomes when compared with 38 patients who did not go through the program. Both groups were similar at baseline, bu
Sexual History and Epstein-Barr Virus Infection: Journal of Infectious Diseases (09.15.02) Vol. 186: P. 731- 736 - Monday, October 28, 2002; Dorothy H. Crawford; Anthony J. Swerdlow; Craig Higgins; Karen McAulay; Nadine Harrison; Hilary Williams; Kathryn Britton; Karen F. Macsween; Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a tumorigenic herpes virus that is carried as a persistent infection by more than 90 percent of adults. Most persistently infected people produce EBV in their saliva, and transmission is through close contact. EBV infection generally occurs early in life, often spread among family members, a
Literacy Trainers Lend a Hand in HIV/AIDS Care: allAfrica.com (10.25.02) - Monday, October 28, 2002; Mail & Guardian (Johannesburg); The NGO Operation Upgrade has included AIDS as a topic in its training courses for several years. Recently, however, it became evident that a dedicated project was necessary, because tutors found that many of the approaches used to spread AIDS awareness were not effective in poorer communities. About 150 adult basic ed
Australians Lax on HIV: Sunday Herald Sun (Melbourne) (10.27.02) - Monday, October 28, 2002; Kylie Smith; Infectious diseases expert John Dyer told an Adelaide, Australia , medical conference Saturday that improved treatments had made HIV a manageable condition for many patients. However, as a result, people were less worried and more likely to take risks. HIV remains an incurable and potentially fatal infection with major
Syphilis Patients on the Rise in East: Slovak Spectator (Bratislava, Slovak Republic) (10.28.02) - Monday, October 28, 2002; Ondrej Bobik, head of the STD clinic in Trebiov Hospital in the eastern Slovak town of Trebiov, believes the increasing number of syphilis patients in southern Zemplin is a regional phenomenon resulting from the social and political changes after the fall of communism. This is the situation in more places than southern
AIDS Rate Among Females Rising in D.C.: Washington Post (10.27.02) - Monday, October 28, 2002; Bill Broadway; The incidence of AIDS among District of Columbia women has risen sharply in recent years, and women now account for roughly one-third of Washington s new AIDS cases, local health officials said Saturday. Ninety-six percent of those women are African- American or Latino, officials said at the first local Women and Girls
UN to Bankroll $12 Million in HIV/AIDS Prevention in Vietnam: Vietnam News Briefs (10.25.02) - Friday, October 25, 2002; The UN Global Fund for HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has decided to provide $12 million for Vietnam to carry out HIV/AIDS programs in the 2003-2007 period, UN Development Program Representative Jordan Ryan said at a conference held in Hanoi on Oct.
HIV/AIDS Pandemic Set to Knock South African Car Sales: allAfrica.com (10.24.02) - Friday, October 25, 2002; Business Day (Johannesburg); The HIV/AIDS pandemic is set to decrease car sales in South Africa and is blamed in part for a decline in direct foreign investment in the country. At the Auto Africa Expo 2002, industry analyst Neal Bruton said with nearly 5,000 AIDS- related deaths each week, vast numbers of potential new car customers were dying. A
HIV/AIDS Rates Stop Falling: allAfrica.com (10.19.02) - Friday, October 25, 2002; New Vision (Kampala); For the first time in a decade, Uganda s HIV infection rate has not declined, according to the HIV surveillance report compiled by the Ministry of Health. The report says 6.5 percent of women sampled at 20 antenatal clinics countrywide during 2001 have HIV. This represents a slight increase from 6.1 percent in 2000, bu
Fighting AIDS in Asia - In Thailand, the Armed Forces Help Beat Back an Epidemic: Baltimore Sun (10.13.02) - Friday, October 25, 2002; Richard Holloran; Thailand , once a festering sore of people infected with HIV/AIDS because of illicit drugs and a notorious sex trade, has made remarkable headway in beating back that deadly scourge. And it has been the Royal Thai Army that has led the charge as the Thais forged a consensus that HIV/AIDS was not just a medical issue
Local Religious Leaders Speak Out on AIDS Epidemic in Africa: Tennessean (10.20.02) - Friday, October 25, 2002; Brian Lewis; Because of the wealth of the United States , Americans have a moral obligation to help Africans living with AIDS, participants heard at a conference on AIDS in Africa at Vanderbilt University in Nashville last weekend. According to a 2001 survey done by the Barna Research Group, a Christian polling organization, most e
Vitamin Intake Affects Mom-to-Child HIV Spread Risk: Reuters Health (10.10.02) - Friday, October 25, 2002; Alison McCook; Multivitamin supplements may help some HIV-positive pregnant women reduce the risk of transmitting the virus to their children and improve certain aspects of their babies health, according to US and African researchers. However, Dr. Wafaie Fawzi of Harvard School of Public Health and colleagues also found that suppleme
New Strategy Proposed for Fighting HIV: Reuters Health (10.24.02) - Friday, October 25, 2002; Merritt McKinney; RNA interference, an ancient defense mechanism that plants and other organisms use to fight off viruses, holds promise as a strategy for treating HIV and other diseases, scientists report. The mechanism has the potential to revolutionize biology, according to Drs. Moiz Kitabwalla and Ruth M. Ruprecht of the Dana-Farber
Philippines: HIV/AIDS Campaigns Must Not Forget Gay People: Inter Press Service (10.21.02) - Friday, October 25, 2002; Marites Sison; Education campaigns on HIV/AIDS and health care programs among lesbians are badly needed in the Philippines , activists say. Low risk doesn t mean no risk, said Maria Cristina Cristobal, executive director of Lesbian Advocates Philippines (LEAP). Cristobal says most lesbians are unaware that they, too, can acquire HIV/
HIV/AIDS Education Program Targets California Youths: University Wire (10.23.02) - Friday, October 25, 2002; Daily Bruin (University of California-Los Angeles); There are more effective ways to counter the spread of HIV/AIDS beyond simply preaching abstinence and safe sex, according to University of California-Los Angeles Regents lecturer Dr. Loretta Sweet Jemmott. Jemmott, director of the Center for Urban Health Research and a professor at the University of Pennsylvania Schoo
For Gays, Straight Sex Talk - A Health Agency Tests New Outreach Route Online: Boston Globe (10.20.02) - Friday, October 25, 2002; Johnny Diaz; In the America Online chatroom, the outreach worker logs on as his alter ego, bostonhotmale, and introduces himself to the pool of strangers. Interested in chatting with anyone with questions, he types in the room. Instant message us with questions about STDs, HIV risk and staying healthy. Some users promptly pepper hi
High HIV Rates Found in Pregnant Native Women: Edmonton Journal (Alberta, Canada) (10.23.02): - Thursday, October 24, 2002; According to a survey yet to be completed, pregnant native women in Canada are seven times more likely to be HIV-positive than their non-aboriginal counterparts. Shaunee Pointe, spokesperson for the First Nations Chiefs Health Committee, called the rates alarmingly high. The committee has completed three years of a fou
CDC Selects Hawaii TB Program for New Research: Associated Press (10.24.02) - Thursday, October 24, 2002; The Hawaii Department of Health s Tuberculosis Control Program has been awarded a 10-year contract by the CDC to participate in the TB Epidemiological Studies Consortium, health officials announced Wednesday. The contract amounts to $1.2 million for Hawaii s TB program, and the figure will increase based on research pr
High School Students Required to Receive Hepatitis B Vaccination: Newsday (New York City) (10.21.02) - Thursday, October 24, 2002; Associated Press; New Jersey high school students must be vaccinated against hepatitis B under a new state law. The measure, signed into law by Gov. James E. McGreevey in August, requires children in grades 9-12 to receive the vaccination or possibly be denied school admission in the fall of 2003. Starting the fall of 2008, students at
Sheriff Wants TB Patients out of York Motel: Associated Press (10.23.02) - Thursday, October 24, 2002; York County, S.C., Sheriff Bruce Bryant has raised concerns about the state s long-standing practice of housing TB patients in motels. The sheriff learned of the practice on Oct. 8 when his department got orders to pick up and transport a recalcitrant patient staying in a York County hotel. The patient, who had refused
Sexuality Expert: Parents Need to Be a Vocal Moral Guide for Their Teens: Star Tribune (Minneapolis-St. Paul) (10.19.02) - Thursday, October 24, 2002; Maria Elena Baca; The child s needs, not the parents , should be the guiding principles in teaching young people about sex, according to sexuality educator Deborah Roffman. Roffman, author of Sex and Sensibility: The Thinking Parent s Guide to Talking Sense about Sex, was the keynote speaker at a seminar this week sponsored by the Minne
D.C. Clinic Reevaluates AIDS Walk; Revenue Down Sharply for Fundraising Event: Washington Post (10.24.02) - Thursday, October 24, 2002; Carol Morello; After expenses, the D.C.-based Whitman-Walker Clinic will net $100,000 from its 16th annual AIDS Walk, and the nonprofit has formed a task force to consider whether to continue with the annual fundraising event, according to clinic officials. The post-expense proceeds amount to less than 20 percent of the revenue raise
Cesarean Section Under Spinal Anesthesia OK During Antiretroviral Therapy: Women's Health Weekly (10.24.02) - Thursday, October 24, 2002; Michael Greer; Researchers in the United States and the United Kingdom have found that pregnant HIV patients taking antiretroviral medication can safely undergo cesarean section with spinal anesthesia. Elective cesarean section decreases the likelihood of vertical human immunodeficiency virus transmission from mother to infant, expl
Are HIV Care Providers Talking with Patients About Safer Sex and Disclosure? A Multi-Clinic Assessment: AIDS (09.27.02) Vol. 16: P. 1953-1957 - Thursday, October 24, 2002; Gary Marks; Jean L. Richardson; Nicole Crepaz; Susan Stoyanoff; Joel Milam; Carol Kemper; Robert A. Larsen; Robert Boland; Penny Weismuller; Harry Hollander; Allen McCutchan; With recent improvements in HIV therapy, more people are seeking HIV testing and, if infected, medical care. Thus, HIV clinics have become an increasingly important setting for delivering prevention messages to HIV-positive patients. In the current study, the researchers sampled HIV-positive men and women in care at HI
Warning over Soaring TB Cases; Adviser Wants Sanatoriums to Treat Victims: Evening Standard (London) (10.22.02) - Thursday, October 24, 2002; Maxine Frith; A new alert has been raised over London s tuberculosis epidemic. A senior government advisor Tuesday called for the return of the sanatorium, in which patients are isolated in a bid to control the spread of the disease. Rates of TB in some London boroughs are now at Third World proportions, and cases of its more danger
FDA Raps Red Cross for Blood-Safety Lapses: Associated Press (10.23.02) - Thursday, October 24, 2002; Paul Foy; The Food and Drug Administration has singled out the Salt Lake City branch of the Red Cross for particular criticism of the national organization s handling of blood supplies. Salt Lake City Red Cross officials insisted on Wednesday that their blood supplies are safe. In 1993, the FDA negotiated a court-approved co
Researchers Get Grant for Substance Abuse, HIV Project: Associated Press (10.22.02) - Wednesday, October 23, 2002; University of Arizona researchers have received a grant of nearly $1 million for a substance abuse and HIV prevention project in South Tucson. The project aims to increase awareness of drug and alcohol abuse and HIV, including how they are linked, said Andrea Romero, a professor and lead investigator of the three-year
Officials Pave Way for WHO TB Loan: St. Petersburg Times (Russia) (10.22.02) - Wednesday, October 23, 2002; Robin Munro; On Friday, international and Russian health officials agreed on a TB program that should pave the way for the release of a stalled World Bank loan for fighting the disease. Wieslaw Jakubowiak, the World Health Organization s TB program director in Moscow, said the approval should open the door to a $150 million World B
Hep C Infections Hit Record High: Sydney Morning Herald (10.23.02) - Wednesday, October 23, 2002; Ruth Pollard; New hepatitis C infections in Australia have hit an all-time high of 16,000 a year, or one new infection every 32 minutes, prompting experts to predict a trebling of the number of people requiring liver transplants. At present there are 210,000 Australians with hepatitis C, with 91 percent of new infections occurring t
Shelter Begins Screening for Tuberculosis: Fort Worth Star-Telegram (10.18.02) - Wednesday, October 23, 2002; Charlotte Huff; Fort Worth s Presbyterian Night Shelter, which provides a night off the streets for those who have fallen on hard times, has started aggressively screening its residents for tuberculosis. Residents are already being asked to show a card proving that they have been screened by the Tarrant County Public Health Department
Methamphetamine Use Is Heightening Risks Among Gay Youth: AIDS Alert (10.01.02) - Wednesday, October 23, 2002; A convincing body of new research suggests that a relatively recent and very important risk factor for HIV among men who have sex with men (MSM) is methamphetamine use. Illegal stimulants have become such a commonplace part of the party circuit and gay club life that some treatment centers have seen a 1,000 percent inc
Huge AIDS Grant Gives New Hope to South Africa Families: Independent (South Africa) (10.21.02) - Wednesday, October 23, 2002; The biggest yet grant for the treatment of South Africans with AIDS, worth R230 million (US $22.5 million), is expected to offer new hope to whole communities. In the Western Cape, the grant from the US National Institutes of Health will entrench the switch from focusing on the prevention of mother-to-child transmissio
Program Helps Reduce Disease: 835,000 Syringes Collected from Inner-City Addicts: Edmonton Journal (Alberta, Canada) (10.21.02) - Wednesday, October 23, 2002; Scott McKeen; The proof of the success of Streetworks, the agency running Edmonton s needle exchange program, is the 835,000 needles it distributed last year, advocates say. That s equivalent to more than one for every resident in the city. It doesn t mean that Edmonton has a worse drug problem than other cities, said Program Manage
Needle Schemes Stop Thousands of HIV Cases: Sydney Morning Herald (10.23.02) - Wednesday, October 23, 2002; Paola Totaro; Australia s pioneering syringe exchange programs have prevented 25,000 new HIV infections and 21,000 hepatitis C infections in just 10 years, according to the Return on Investment in Needle Exchange and Syringe Programs Report released today at the HIV Medicine conference in Sydney. By 2010, it is projected that needle
Hepatitis Immunization Rates Remain Less than Half for Gay and Bisexual Men: AIDS Weekly (10.21.02) - Wednesday, October 23, 2002; Though hepatitis A and B immunization rates among men who have sex with men continue to improve, Gay and Lesbian Medical Association President Christopher E. Harris, MD, said that the numbers are just not good enough, and that in some cities, the numbers are deeply troubling. Over the summer, GLMA surveyed 4,152 men at
Merck to Cut Cost of AIDS Drug in Poorest Nations: Wall Street Journal (10.23.02) - Wednesday, October 23, 2002; Rachel Zimmerman; Mark Schoofs; In an effort to stay one step ahead of AIDS activists and generic competitors, Merck & Co. said it will cut the price of its new once-daily pill Stocrin to less than $1 a day in the poorest and hardest-hit countries - a reduction of more than 30 percent from the present price. Stocrin, known generically as
3,000 People Attend Tucson AIDS Walk: Associated Press (10.21.02) - Tuesday, October 22, 2002; About 3,000 people participated in southern Arizona s 14th annual AIDS Walk Sunday at Rillito Race Park Track. More than $200,000 was raised for HIV/AIDS research. An estimated 4,000 people in Pima County have HIV.
AIDS Walk Draws a Crowd: Atlanta Journal-Constitution (10.21.02) - Tuesday, October 22, 2002; More than 14,000 people participated in AIDS Walk Atlanta at Piedmont Park on Sunday. American Idol finalist Nikki McGibbon was one of several celebrities on hand for the opening ceremonies. Also participating were Mayor Shirley Franklin and singer Stephanie Mills. The 10K walk raises funds for area HIV/AIDS service or
Thousands Walk to Raise AIDS Awareness: Associated Press (10.20.02) - Tuesday, October 22, 2002; Sandra Marquez; Some 20,000 people participated in AIDS Walk Los Angeles in West Hollywood on Sunday. The six-mile walk raised an estimated $2.5 million for AIDS Project Los Angeles, which provides services for men, women and children with HIV/AIDS. At the starting line, Mayor James K. Hahn offered encouragement to the walkers: Thanks
Free Legal Help Due for Immigrants with AIDS: Daily News (New York City) (10.22.02) - Tuesday, October 22, 2002; Robin Haas; Gay Men s Health Crisis is opening a clinic in Queens, N.Y., to provide legal services to people in the borough s large immigrant community who are living with HIV/AIDS. The new clinic, called the GMHC @ Queens Pride House, will serve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in Queens who are immigrants and face t
Lipodystrophy Syndrome and Self-Assessment of Well-Being and Physical Appearance in HIV-Positive Patients: AIDS Patient Care and STDs (09.01.02) Vol. 16; No. 9: P. 413- 417 - Tuesday, October 22, 2002; Mark Oette, MD; Petra Juretzko, MD; Arne Kroidl, MD; Abdurrahman Sagir, MD; Matthias Wettstein, MD; Johannes Siegrist, MD, MPH; Dieter Häussinger, MD; In the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), the efficacy of treatment of HIV infection has improved dramatically. Since 1997, lipodystrophy syndrome (LDS) has become a growing problem in HIV-positive patients treated with HAART. LDS consists of the elements of fat redistribution and metabolic disorders
UN Entrenches Human Rights Principles in AIDS Guidelines: AIDS Policy & Law (10.11.02) - Tuesday, October 22, 2002; The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and UNAIDS have issued updated guidelines on HIV/AIDS and human rights to reflect significant political and legal developments relating to HIV/AIDS. The key change pertains to an update on Guideline 6, access to prevention, treatment, care and support, which is based
Chinese, US Scientists Launch AIDS Treatment Study in South China: Xinhua News Agency (10.21.02) - Tuesday, October 22, 2002; A team of Chinese and American researchers has launched a clinical study of HIV/AIDS treatment in China s AIDS-stricken Yunnan Province with the objective of developing a strategy for nationwide treatment. Through the pilot project, in which 300 patients are being treated with triple antiretroviral therapy, researchers
AIDS Funding Cuts Denounced at Capitol Rally: Austin American Statesman (10.20.02) - Tuesday, October 22, 2002; Dick Stanley; More than 100 people gathered at the south steps of the Texas Capitol Saturday for the Rally for Our Lives to express frustration over the deep budget cuts facing Central Texas AIDS agencies. Many held aloft placards decrying the Texas Department of Health s recent decision to reduce spending for AIDS prevention and tr
Ideology Rules at HHS, Democrats Say: Washington Post (10.22.02) - Tuesday, October 22, 2002; Ceci Connolly; In a letter delivered Monday to Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy G. Thompson, a dozen House of Representatives Democrats charged HHS with using committee appointments, financial audits and Internet sites to promote a conservative political agenda that sometimes runs counter to well- established science. A seri
Quick, Simple AIDS Test Is Near Approval: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (10.21.02) - Tuesday, October 22, 2002; Marilynn Marchione; Rapid HIV tests, which give results in two to 20 minutes, are widely used in Europe and dozens of other countries. Their use in the United States , however, has been stalled, first because of patent issues, then accuracy concerns, and finally by disagreement over whether people other than health professionals should be
Tulane to Get Funds for Health Projects: Advocate (Baton Rouge, La.) (10.15.02) - Monday, October 21, 2002; Joe Gyan Jr.; Tulane University will receive nearly $6 million in the next five years from the CDC to help track environmental health risks locally and fight AIDS abroad. Tulane will receive $3.8 million in five years to help poor countries reduce HIV transmission and improve care and support for people with HIV/AIDS. Carl Kendall,
HIV Infections Rise by 20 Percent: Korea Herald (10.18.02) - Monday, October 21, 2002; The number of Koreans who are infected with HIV is on the rise, according to a study released by the nation s National Institute of Health on Thursday. Between January and September this year, 277 people have tested HIV-positive, increasing the total number of people with HIV to 1,888 as of September. The rate shows th
UN Chief Urges Kazakhstan to Fight Spread of HIV/AIDS: Agence France Presse (10.18.02) - Monday, October 21, 2002; UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Friday warned Kazakhstan to take serious measures to fight the spread of HIV/AIDS. Don t think that Kazakhstan is exempt from this terrible disease, Annan told Kazakh deputies through an interpreter in the capital Astana during his 12-day tour of eastern and central Asia. It is neces
Especially Shunned, Especially Vulnerable - Fighting HIV by Reaching Out to Transgender Prostitutes: Boston Globe (10.15.02) - Monday, October 21, 2002; Adrianne Appel; Transgenders exist at the far margins of society, hidden to most people except for those who seek them out. Largely shunned, many live in extreme poverty. Many abuse drugs and work as prostitutes, performing acts that other sex workers avoid. And many inevitably contract and spread HIV. Quite often, the transgender wom
Sex-Ed Proponents Back Changes: News & Observer (Raleigh, N.C.) (10.18.02) - Monday, October 21, 2002; T. Keung Hui; A large turnout is expected for Monday s public hearing on proposed changes to Wake County s sex education curriculum. The curriculum proposed by Wake school administrators earlier this month would revise the abstinence-until-marriage curriculum in grades seven through nine. Administrators did not recommend expanding t
Characterization of Sexually Transmitted Disease Clinic Patients with Recent Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection: Journal of Infectious Diseases (10.01.02) Vol. 186: P. 1019- 1022 - Monday, October 21, 2002; Sandra K. Schwarcz; Timothy A. Kellogg; Willi McFarland; Brian Louie; Jeffrey Klausner; David G. Withum; Mitchell H. Katz; A recent report by the Institute of Medicine calls for increased efforts to identify and characterize persons with new HIV infections as a method of evaluating the effectiveness of prevention efforts. STD clinics are sites where persons with recent HIV infection are particularly likely to be seen. Such persons can be i
World Bank Commits $1 Billion to Fight AIDS in Africa: Reuters (10.20.02) - Monday, October 21, 2002; Manoah Esipisu; Callisto Madavo, the World Bank s vice president for Africa, announced Sunday in Johannesburg that the bank has committed $1 billion to fight HIV/AIDS in Africa. Much of the support will be in the form of grants. African countries have previously complained that World Bank support was in the form of credits, and states
HIV Tests: Experts Ask if Faster Is Better; Some Fear Treatment, Counseling Will Suffer: Denver Post (10.13.02) - Monday, October 21, 2002; Allison Sherry; The US Food and Drug Administration is expected to approve OraQuick - a new test that will tell people within 20 minutes whether they are HIV-positive - soon, although the exact date is unclear. Some doctors praise OraQuick as an easy way to reach high-risk people who might never visit a health clinic - or return to on
Former Inmate Sues over Lack of Hepatitis C Care: Philadelphia Inquirer (10.18.02) - Monday, October 21, 2002; Mark Fazlollah; Claiming that New Jersey prisoners were not treated for hepatitis C because of the costs, a former inmate filed suit against the state Department of Corrections and its health care supplier for alleged medical malpractice. The lawsuit, which also claims violation of civil rights, was filed Wednesday in federal court in
Judge Voids Rules on Pharmaceutical Tests: New York Times (10.19.02) - Monday, October 21, 2002; Robert Pear; Judge Henry H. Kennedy Jr. of the Federal District Court in Washington has struck down rules that required drug companies to test their products in children. The rules were intended to give doctors and parents more information about the drugs safety and the proper dosage. The pediatric rule exceeds the Food and Drug Ad
UN Targets Children for AIDS Message in Southern Africa: Agence France Presse (10.17.02) - Friday, October 18, 2002; Children under 12 should be the priority targets for educational efforts to combat HIV/AIDS, which is the main cause of southern Africa s humanitarian crisis, Sharad Sapra, UNICEF s southern African coordinator, said Thursday in Geneva. Younger children are now the main window of hope in the battle to break the cycle o
Italy to Finance Ugandan Development Programs: Agence France Presse (10.17.02) - Friday, October 18, 2002; Italy is to give Uganda EUR19 million (US $18.4 million) in the next three years to finance health, agriculture, poverty reduction and HIV/AIDS programs, according to an agreement signed in Kampala on Thursday. Ugandan Finance Minister Gerald Ssendaula, who signed the agreement with Italian Deputy Foreign Minister Al
Chinese City Passes Law to Protect Rights of AIDS Patients: Agence France Presse (10.16.02) - Friday, October 18, 2002; The Chinese city of Suzhou in Jiangsu province passed the country s first law to protect the rights of people with AIDS, state press reported Wednesday. AIDS patients and their families will be guaranteed equal rights of employment, education and health care, according to the Shanghai Morning Post. Employers will also
Foreign-Born Students at Auraria Campus to Be Tested for Tuberculosis: Associated Press (10.17.02) - Friday, October 18, 2002; All of the nearly 5,000 foreign-born students at the Auraria Higher Education Center in Denver will be tested for tuberculosis during the next four weeks. The campus houses students from the Metropolitan State College of Denver, the University of Colorado- Denver and the Community College of Denver. About 900 students
ARTcetera Keeps Up Fight Against AIDS: Boston Globe (10.16.02) - Friday, October 18, 2002; Christine Smith; When ARTcetera was first held in Boston s City Hall in 1984, even the most optimistic of the organizers never dreamed they d make the $90,000 they did, says Bernard Toale, who has been involved with ARTcetera since its inception and is now its chair. The 11th edition of Boston s ARTcetera, an art auction that will be h
Plan Restores Funding for Needle Exchange: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (10.15.02) - Friday, October 18, 2002; Dave Umhoefer; The Milwaukee County Board s Finance and Audit Committee on Monday unanimously recommended restoration of $150,000 in the 2003 budget to support a needle exchange program and other AIDS prevention efforts. The actions came after testimony about the success of needle exchange in easing the spread of AIDS among users of
Forum to Push for More AIDS Funds: Newsday (New York City) (10.18.02) - Friday, October 18, 2002; Roni Rabin; In a desperate attempt to draw public attention to the AIDS epidemic in communities of color, activists are hosting a conference Saturday in Hempstead to declare a state of emergency for Long Island s African-American and Hispanic communities. The most recent state health statistics indicate that minorities represent a
Earlier Sexual Start May Bring Higher Herpes Risk: Reuters Health (10.03.02) - Friday, October 18, 2002; People who become sexually active at a young age are at increased risk of contracting herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV- 1), according to the results of a new study from the United Kingdom . HSV-1 causes fever blisters on the mouth or face; HSV-2 typically affects the genital area. However, HSV-1 can also affect the gen
AIDS Blamed for Mounting Death Toll in South African Prisons: Associated Press (10.17.02) - Friday, October 18, 2002; Jeremiah Marquez; South Africa s prisons have become a breeding ground for HIV, and prisoners now represent one of the hardest-hit segments of a country plagued by the disease. South African prisoners, crammed into cells, share mattresses, tattoo needles and dirty razors. Diseases associated with AIDS - tuberculosis, for instance - flou
China to Provide Free Drugs to AIDS-Stricken Villagers: Wall Street Journal (10.18.02) - Friday, October 18, 2002; Leslie Chang; China s central and Henan provincial governments will jointly invest at least $4 million to provide free medicine to treat several thousand people with AIDS in the central Chinese province, according to a person familiar with the plan. It is the government s first substantial effort to treat patients amid a growing epi
CDC Says Syphilis Is at All-Time Low in US: Associated Press (10.18.02) - Friday, October 18, 2002; Joe Mandak; Quick responses to outbreaks together with a CDC public awareness campaign launched in 1998 are likely to put syphilis on the endangered list nationwide by 2005, the agency says. After peaking at 20.3 cases per 100,000 people in 1990, the US rate fell to 2.2 cases per 100,000 in 2000 - the lowest rate since the governm
Muhwezi Eyes Cuba for HIV/AIDS Drugs: allAfrica.com (10.16.02) - Thursday, October 17, 2002; New Vision (Kampala); Ugandan Health Minister Brig. Jim Muhwezi said on Tuesday he would discuss the possibility of manufacturing antiretroviral drugs in Uganda with the Cuban government. Muhwezi, who met Cuban Ambassador to Uganda Ricardo A. Dawza at the ministry headquarters in Kampala, accepted an invitation to visit Cuba. During my visi
Father and Son in San Diego Admit Making Bogus AIDS Drugs: Associated Press (10.15.02) - Thursday, October 17, 2002; Ronald Eugene Nollet, 53, and his son, Ronald Jr., 31, pleaded guilty in San Diego Tuesday to federal charges of counterfeiting Serostim, a costly human growth hormone approved to combat AIDS wasting. The pair ordered 6,000 vials of medication from an Oregon firm in April based on their formula for counterfeit Serostim
Smallpox Inoculation Urged for Employees of Hospitals: New York Times (10.17.02) - Thursday, October 17, 2002; Lawrence K. Altman; A panel of specialists advising the government on smallpox vaccinations yesterday recommended offering the immunization to an estimated half-million emergency room workers, doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists in intensive care units, and x- ray technicians. The government usually follows vaccine recommendations fro
Fighting AIDS in Asia - In China, the Release of a Jailed Activist Holds Promise: Baltimore Sun (10.13.02) - Thursday, October 17, 2002; Steve Friess; ...Conventional wisdom had it that the Chinese AIDS activist [Dr. Wan Yanhai] apprehended in August and later charged with disseminating state secrets, wouldn t be freed until at least late October, when Chinese President Jiang Zemin was scheduled to visit President Bush in Crawford, Texas. ...Yet by giving Mr. Wan hi
Regent University Produces AIDS-Prevention Film for Tanzania: Associated Press (10.15.02) - Thursday, October 17, 2002; Philip Walzer, Virginian-Pilot; Steven L. Kiruswa, a Tanzanian doctoral student at Regent University in Virginia Beach, Va., and Kenny Jackson, a local director, went to Tanzania for a week last month to touch up a film that conjoined an unusual triangle of players - Regent, the US Department of Defense and the Tanzanian military. Last year, Regent -
Effectiveness of COL-1492, a Nonoxynol-9 Vaginal Gel, on HIV-1 Transmission in Female Sex Workers: A Randomised Controlled Trial: Lancet (09.28.02) Vol. 360; No. 9338: P. 971-977 - Thursday, October 17, 2002; Lut Van Damme; Gita Ramjee; Michel Alary; Bea Vuylsteke; Verapol Chandeying; Helen Rees; Pachara Sirivongrangson; Léonard Mukenge-Tshibaka; Virginie Ettiègne-Traoré; Charn Uaheowitchai; Salim S. Abdool Karim; Benoît Mâsse; Jos Perriëns; Marie Laga, on behalf of the COL-1492 study group; Although the male condom, when used consistently and correctly, provides high levels of protection against HIV-1 and other STDs, negotiating its use is not always feasible for many women. Therefore, there is a need for a female-controlled method for prevention of HIV-1. Research on microbicides is part of this global e
Coca-Cola to Face Worldwide Demonstrations: Financial Times (London) (10.17.02) - Thursday, October 17, 2002; James Lamont; Betty Liu; Coca-Cola today faces worldwide demonstrations by HIV/AIDS activists campaigning for greater access for its employees in Africa to life-prolonging treatments. Under the banner of Treat- Your-Workers, a coalition of HIV/AIDS activist groups is coordinating a day of action to press Coca-Cola into devoting more resources
Tennessee Ordered to Cover Uninsurables Under State Plan: AIDS Policy & Law (10.11.02) - Thursday, October 17, 2002; The US District Court, Middle District of Tennessee, issued a temporary injunction barring state administrators from denying medical coverage to the uninsured and uninsurable under the state s Medicaid program. On Oct. 1, 2001, the Tennessee commissioner of finance and administration amended the state s TennCare plan t
Hepatitis Cases May Be Linked to Needles at Clinic: New York Times (10.17.02) - Thursday, October 17, 2002; Barry Meier; At least 10 cancer patients treated at a clinic in Fremont, Neb., have contracted hepatitis C, possibly because of hypodermic needle reuse there. The number of those infected could rise, Dr. Thomas Safranek, the state epidemiologist for the Nebraska Health and Human Services System, said Wednesday. He said health offic
FDA Approves Treatment for Hepatitis C: Washington Post (10.17.02) - Thursday, October 17, 2002; Justin Gillis; The Food and Drug Administration last night approved a new treatment for hepatitis C. The drug, an improved form of interferon, will be sold under the brand name Pegasys by F. Hoffman-La Roche Ltd. of Basel, Switzerland . While it was approved for use by itself, most doctors are expected to use it with ribavirin, and
Glaxo Faces Amended Suit over HIV Drugs: Los Angeles Times (10.15.02) - Wednesday, October 16, 2002; Bloomberg News; GlaxoSmithKline is facing new allegations in an antitrust lawsuit that AIDS Healthcare Foundation filed in Los Angeles in July, challenging the lack of generic competition for the company s two HIV drugs. The foundation alleges that Glaxo lied to the US Patent and Trademark Office when it sought a patent on Retrovir,
Lifespan Announces $19.2 Million NIH Grant: Associated Press (10.15.02) - Wednesday, October 16, 2002; Lifespan, a nonprofit health care system based in Providence, R.I., announced Tuesday it has won three major, multiyear research grants totaling $19.2 million from the National Institutes of Health. The funding comes from the Center of Biomedical Research Excellence, the Center for AIDS Research, and the Rhode Island-
Wart Virus May Contribute to Esophageal Cancer: Reuters Health (10.11.02) - Wednesday, October 16, 2002; Certain strains of the wart-causing human papillomavirus may raise the risk of esophageal cancer, at least in parts of the world where the cancer is common, researchers report. Some of the more than 100 strains of HPV cause warts on the hands, feet, mouth or genitals, while others have no symptoms. Certain sexually tra
Hair Sample May Give Clues to HIV Drug Response: Reuters Health (10.14.02) - Wednesday, October 16, 2002; Doctors can get a handle on how well an HIV-infected person is responding to antiretroviral drugs - as well as whether or not they are actually taking their medicine - by testing a sample of the patient s hair, researchers reported Monday. Current methods used to monitor how well the drugs are working are inefficient a
HIV Dementia Risk Causes New Concerns: Newsday (New York City) (10.15.02) - Wednesday, October 16, 2002; Jamie Talan; As many as 20 percent of people with HIV may be experiencing problems with the brain s executive secretary: remembering, carrying out complex tasks, organizing paperwork, keeping track of the endless minutiae of a day. And the tasks they need to do to stay alive - filling prescriptions and swallowing pills on a strict
Senegal's President Sacks Head of Aid Group for Allegedly Trafficking Cheap AIDS Drugs: Associated Press (10.15.02) - Wednesday, October 16, 2002; Nafi Diouf; Senegal President Abdoulaye Wade announced the dismissal of Latif Gueye, a Senegalese citizen and head of the humanitarian organization Africa Helps Africa, on national television, accusing him of committing extremely serious errors for his alleged role in trafficking AIDS drugs that were meant for Africa but were so
Governor Signs Bill for HIV Testing: Virus Weekly (10.15.02) - Wednesday, October 16, 2002; California Gov. Gray Davis recently signed into law AB 2064, which enables nonprofit organizations with demonstrated expertise in... HIV testing services to train urgently needed new HIV testing counselors. Currently, pretest and post-test counselor training and certification are only offered under state supervision vi
Smallpox Vaccine Data Show Small but Serious Risk of Infecting Others: New York Times (10.16.02) - Wednesday, October 16, 2002; Denise Grady; Lawrence K. Altman; According to a new report on millions of smallpox vaccinations given in the 1960s, there is a small but significant risk that newly vaccinated people can make others seriously ill by infecting them with vaccinia, the virus used in the vaccine. The study sought to clarify issues surrounding smallpox vaccination as the
Teachers Clash over Sex-Ed Approach: Star-Ledger (New Jersey) (10.16.02) - Wednesday, October 16, 2002; Peggy O'Crowley; New Jersey s teachers union canceled three sex education workshops scheduled for its annual three-day conference in Atlantic City beginning Nov. 7 after learning they would be led by an educator and two doctors who believe in abstinence- only sex education in schools. The workshops were canceled because the presenters
Thousands of People Raise Millions in Recent AIDS Walks: Guardian (Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada) (10.08.02) - Tuesday, October 15, 2002; More than 52,000 Canadians participated in AIDS Walk Canada September 21-22, raising more than $2.1 million (US $1.3 million) for AIDS organizations in their communities. While Canadian AIDS Society Chair Michael Yoder called the turnout very encouraging, he said the federal government must increase its investment in t
Russia's AIDS Prognosis Gloomy - Experts: ITAR-TASS News Agency (10.15.02) - Tuesday, October 15, 2002; Vladimir Golovchansky; At a press conference in Moscow yesterday, Viktor Maleyev, chief infection expert of Russia s Health Ministry, said the nation s health system would be confronted in the future with the management of AIDS patients also infected with hepatitis C. More than half of the registered 215,000 carriers of HIV will need therapy
UN's Annan Meets with Hu, China's Probable Next President: Associated Press (10.15.02) - Tuesday, October 15, 2002; Christopher Bodeen; Tuesday in China , UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan invoked the specter of a full-blown AIDS epidemic in the nation for the second straight day. Only a broad base of support can thwart HIV/AIDS in the world s most populous country, Annan told a round-table meeting of women s groups, the Red Cross and representatives of
Teens Take Up Task of Sending Health Messages: Philadelphia Inquirer (10.15.02) - Tuesday, October 15, 2002; Aparna Surendran; In a television spot about the dangers of STDs, Ziva Cizman, 17, a senior at Lower Merion High, and her TV friend, Meighan Hand, 16, a senior at William Penn High School in Philadelphia, are unabashedly frank. That directness is a hallmark of new public service announcements for, by, and about teenagers. Unimpressed by
Zoning Threatens City's Needle-Exchange Programs: Oakland Tribune (10.13.02) - Tuesday, October 15, 2002; Laura Casey; A controversial new zoning law that would make it harder for needle exchange programs to operate in Oakland, Calif., and that also targets drug treatment programs serving intravenous drug users is on fast-track for approval before the City Council Tuesday night. If passed, many of the city s drug treatment programs wil
Sexual Behaviors in an Urban Bathhouse 15 Years into the HIV Epidemic: Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes (08.15.02) Vol. 30; No. 5: P. 522-526; - Tuesday, October 15, 2002; Chris A. Van Beneden; Kerth O'Brien; Steve Modesitt; Suzanne Yusem; Alan Rose; David Fleming; Bathhouses and sex clubs now operate in many cities in the United States and other countries. In Oregon, bathhouses and sex clubs are legal; sex between consenting adults is permitted if it does not occur in a public place. In the past ten years, up to five privately owned bathhouses or sex clubs have operated in Orego
Fighting a Silent Disease: Daily Telegraph (London) (10.08.02) - Tuesday, October 15, 2002; Christine Doyle; British health ministers are putting the final touches to a £50 million (US $77.7 million) campaign that will target teenagers and young women under 25 with powerful and witty messages about chlamydia - the disease you don t know you have. Pilot studies carried out two years ago in Portsmouth and the Wirral showed that
More Youth in East Africa Seeking HIV Tests: Africa News Service (10.07.02) - Tuesday, October 15, 2002; East African; As East Africa AIDS experts encourage more young people to seek voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) for HIV, a new study conducted by the Population Council in Uganda and Kenya says that they have a key ally - the youth themselves. More than 75 percent of untested youths in Kenya and about 90 percent in Uganda say t
Pharmaceutical Giant to Let Generic Company Manufacture Its AIDS Drug: Associated Press (10.15.02) - Tuesday, October 15, 2002; Ridgefield, Conn.-based drug maker Boehringer Ingelheim announced Monday it will allow a South African generic drug manufacturer to produce and sell the crucial AIDS drug nevirapine . The US company said it had given Aspen Pharmacare a license to produce the drug for use in South Africa s public health sys
Helping Parents Tell a Child About Sex: New York Times (10.13.02) - Tuesday, October 15, 2002; Merri Rosenberg; In parent education seminars - once focused on relatively uncontroversial subjects like homework, sports, stress, bullying or even drugs and alcohol - suddenly sexuality has become the topic of the day. The National Parent Teacher Association offers two sex education guides, one of them specifically designed to help PT
TB a Major Threat, Says UN's Lewis: Vancouver Province (10.11.02) - Friday, October 11, 2002; Canadian Press; TB kills six of the world s poorest people every minute, yet wealthy Western countries are not adequately funding a global effort to fight the disease, said Stephen Lewis, UN special envoy for AIDS in Africa. Far from being a relic of the past, TB has emerged as a threat primarily in poor countries, where sanitation, w
UN: Cost of AIDS Prevention and Treatment Will Surpass $10 Billion per Year by 2005: Associated Press (10.10.02) - Friday, October 11, 2002; Ranjan Roy; The global cost of treating and containing HIV/AIDS could reach $10.5 billion annually by 2005, the UN warned Thursday. The estimate was drawn up by UN officials for a Geneva meeting of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria. Total global spending by various UN programs on AIDS will be about $3 billion this year
Kaiser's Bid for $500 Cap on Drug Coverage Rejected: Los Angeles Times (10.11.02) - Friday, October 11, 2002; Charles Ornstein; The California Department of Managed Health Care has rejected a request from Kaiser Permanente, the state s largest HMO, to set limits as low as $500 on coverage for prescription drugs in some insurance policies. CDMHC Director Daniel Zingale said his agency is conscious of the growing cost of prescription drugs but th
Monkey Virus May Provide Clues to Kaposi's Virus: Reuters Health (10.10.02) - Friday, October 11, 2002; Merritt McKinney; Scientists have found genetic similarities between a monkey herpesvirus and a human virus thought to be involved in Kaposi s sarcoma (KS), a cancer common in AIDS patients. Researchers hope the study of the monkey virus will lead to better understanding of the human virus and, perhaps, to new KS therapies. KS is though
Key T-Cell Subset Loses Efficacy During Structured Treatment Interruptions: AIDS Weekly (10.07.02) - Friday, October 11, 2002; Michael Greer; Researchers in Italy have reported that antiviral activity from a key T-cell subset is impaired during structured treatment interruptions (STIs) in HIV treatment. According to Federico Martini and colleagues at Rome s Lazzaro Spallanzani National Institute of Infectious Diseases, T cells expressing Vgamma9/Vdelta 2 di
Many Firms' Response to AIDS Disappointing: Business Day (South Africa) (10.04.02) - Friday, October 11, 2002; Rob Rose; More than 75 percent of 500 South African companies surveyed by the finance group Sanlam have no idea of the prevalence of HIV/AIDS in their organizations, and more than 60 percent have no strategy to manage the disease. This will alarm analysts, given the recent pressure on companies to report HIV/AIDS prevalence with
South Africa Launches AIDS Guide for Civil Service, Takes Stock of Disease: Agence France Presse (10.10.02) - Friday, October 11, 2002; South Africa on Thursday introduced a guide to help its civil servants deal with HIV/AIDS, while the government said it was looking at ways to lower the costs of antiretroviral treatment. The 154-page manual HIV/AIDS in the Workplace would help put an end to discrimination against civil servants with the disease, sai
AIDS Ad Campaign Focuses on Minorities: Associated Press (10.11.02) - Friday, October 11, 2002; Buses in seven Ohio cities will be used as traveling billboards for a campaign to increase HIV/AIDS awareness among minorities. The program will begin Saturday, when the buses will be displayed at a Statehouse rally. The vehicles will be wrapped with images of blacks, American Indians, Asians and Latinos and the slogan
Reuse of Needle at Hospital Infects 50 with Hepatitis C: New York Times (10.10.02) - Friday, October 11, 2002; Barry Meier; More than 50 people at a hospital in Norman, Okla., became infected with hepatitis C after a nurse repeatedly used the same syringe to give drugs, area health officials say. Norman Regional Hospital officials have contacted hundreds of patients treated since 1999 at the clinic where nurse James W. Hill worked to urge t
Medication Program One of Hardest to Qualify for in Country: Associated Press (10.11.02) - Friday, October 11, 2002; According to a new report published by the liberal Common Sense Foundation, North Carolina s medication assistance program for people living with HIV has the toughest eligibility requirements and the longest waiting list in the country. As of 2000, about 20,000 North Carolina residents had tested HIV-positive. The medi
TB Case Confirmed on Seacoast, Health Officials Say: Associated Press (10.07.02) - Thursday, October 10, 2002; New Hampshire officials have confirmed a case of tuberculosis in a Portsmouth restaurant worker from the Seacoast. The person was probably infected years ago, but only recently began showing symptoms, state epidemiologist Dr. Jesse Greenblatt said. The individual was born in another country that has a higher rate of tu
Tucker High Students, Staffers Tested for TB: Atlanta Journal-Constitution (10.09.02) - Thursday, October 10, 2002; Saeed Ahmed; About 200 students and staffers at Tucker High School in DeKalb County will be tested for TB Monday after someone at the school tested positive for the contagious disease. Principal Robert Moseley said the school was told about the positive test last week and on Monday sent letters to parents seeking permission to test
New City Ad Campaign HIV 'Is No Picnic': San Francisco Chronicle (10.10.02) - Thursday, October 10, 2002; San Francisco has funded a provocative new ad campaign that shows HIV-positive men suffering from the debilitating side effects of AIDS medications. The campaign, which starts today on bus shelters and public restrooms around the city, is aimed to get men talking about the consequences of HIV infection. One ad, titled
Clinton Details Threat of AIDS in Africa: Baltimore Sun (10.10.02) - Thursday, October 10, 2002; Mark Matthews; In a speech yesterday to the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, former President Bill Clinton warned that Africa s promising future could be destroyed by AIDS, and he said the United States should do more to supply medicine to the continent and to promote vaccine development. Without major
The Secret Was Killing Me Faster than the Disease: Chicago Tribune (10.02.02) - Thursday, October 10, 2002; Leslie Goldman; By the time you graduate high school, I ll be dead. That s what Rae Lewis-Thornton would tell her enraptured student audiences when she first began speaking out in 1994. In 1986, Lewis-Thornton organized a blood drive at work to help with a local shortage that had resulted from public fears over donation. Then, three
Factors Associated with Mortality in Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1-Infected Adults Initiating Protease Inhibitor- Containing Therapy: Role of Education Level and of Early Transaminase Level Elevation: Journal of Infectious Diseases (09.01.02) Vol. 186: P. 710-714 - Thursday, October 10, 2002; Charlotte Lewden; François Raffi; Lise Cuzin; Valérie Cailleton; Jean-Louis Vildé; Geneviéve Chêene; Clotilde Allavena; Roger Salmon; Catherine Leport; APROCO Study Group; Despite a dramatic decline in mortality among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected adults in industrialized countries since the advent of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), mortality remains higher among HIV-infected adults than in the general population. Since the use of HAART began, the distribution
Minnesota Researchers May Have Unlocked a Key HIV Mystery: Associated Press (10.10.02) - Thursday, October 10, 2002; University of Minnesota researchers may have unlocked another key mystery surrounding HIV. Their discovery appears to explain why a quarter of HIV patients respond poorly to drug cocktails while others show dramatic improvements. Dr. Timothy Schacker, associate professor of medicine and author of the study, and colleag
Health Activists, AIDS Sufferers in Thailand File Suit to Dislodge Bristol-Myers Patent on HIV Drug: Associated Press (10.09.02) - Thursday, October 10, 2002; Uamdao Noikorn; In an effort to gain cheaper HIV/AIDS treatment for Thailand s estimated 1 million people living with the disease, patients and consumer activists on Wednesday filed a lawsuit to invalidate a drug patent held in Thailand by US pharmaceutical giant Bristol-Myers Squibb . In legal action presented to the Central Intellec
State Supreme Court to Hear Challenge to Needle Exchanges: Associated Press (10.08.02) - Thursday, October 10, 2002; Denise Lavoie; The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court is being asked to decide whether it is a crime for a participant in a needle exchange program in a certain city to carry needles outside that city s boundaries. The case involves Maria Landry, 22, a recovering drug addict who was arrested for shoplifting in Lynn last year. After
Oklahoma's High Syphilis Rate Prompts Marketing Campaign: Associated Press (10.09.02) - Thursday, October 10, 2002; Graham Underwood; Oklahoma County, which traditionally has one of the nation s highest rates of syphilis, is fighting the STD with a public education campaign and improved screenings. The county had 90 syphilis cases in 2000, the 12th highest total among cities and counties nationally, according to the CDC. National rankings are not ava
Viacom Is Planning a Multimedia Campaign Against AIDS: New York Times (10.09.02) - Thursday, October 10, 2002; Geraldine Fabrikant; Sheryl Gay Stolberg; A campaign scheduled to launch in January will use unsold advertising time on CBS and Viacom s other networks, plus its TV and radio stations and outdoor billboards, for messages about AIDS. But the company says the effort will go beyond traditional public service announcements to weave AIDS messages into the scripts o
Franklin High Students, Teachers Tested by County for Tuberculosis: Baltimore Sun (10.09.02) - Wednesday, October 09, 2002; Jonathan D. Rockoff; Baltimore County health workers yesterday tested 90 classmates and teachers of a 12th-grade Franklin High School student after officials learned Oct. 4 that the student had tuberculosis. Dr. Michael A. Leverett, Baltimore County s health officer, said another 35 classmates and teachers must be tested today in order to
Food and Friends Begins Construction: Washington Post (10.09.02) - Wednesday, October 09, 2002; Food and Friends, a Washington-based agency that provides home- delivered meals, groceries and nutrition counseling to people with HIV/AIDS, cancer and other life-threatening diseases, began construction yesterday on a 25,000-square-foot building. The facility will be open in about a year on a 2.5- acre parcel at 219 R
CDC Director Names Two New Managers: Associated Press (10.09.02) - Wednesday, October 09, 2002; CDC Director Dr. Julie Gerberding has named two new members of her management team. Dr. Ed Thompson, Mississippi s state health officer, will be deputy director for public health programs and services, a new position that will serve as a liaison between the CDC and state and local health departments. Gerberding also na
US Abortion Rate Drops Significantly, Particularly Among Teens: Associated Press (10.08.02) - Wednesday, October 09, 2002; Sara Kugler; The Alan Guttmacher Institute reported Tuesday that the US abortion rate dropped 11 percent between 1994 and 2000, from 24 abortions per 1,000 women of childbearing age to 21. The rate among girls ages 15 to 17 declined 39 percent, from 24 abortions per 1,000 girls to 15. Analysts have credited a broad set of factors f
City Boosts African AIDS Appeal: Windsor Star (Ontario) (10.05.02) - Wednesday, October 09, 2002; Veronique Mandal; The generosity of Windsorites has left an indelible mark on an AIDS center director and an AIDS patient from South Africa . Daniela Gennrich and Thuli Hlatshwayo are heading back to KwaZulu-Natal with money and promises for continuing help in the fight against the devastation caused by the AIDS epidemic in sub-Saharan
Hepatitis Worse During Immunocompetence with HIV/Hepatitis C Coinfection: Hepatitis Weekly (09.16.02) - Wednesday, October 09, 2002; Sonia Nichols; Liver disease may worsen when there is immunocompetence in hemophiliacs coinfected with HIV and hepatitis C (HCV), investigators have found. Researchers in Athens, Greece , drew this conclusion after studying several factors associated with liver histology in 21 hemophilia patients with HIV and HCV coinfections.
Optimism in HIV-Positive Patients May Lead to Risky Moves: Reuters Health (10.03.02) - Wednesday, October 09, 2002; Alison McCook; New study findings suggest that HIV-positive patients who believe they will live for many years are more likely to miss medication doses and to not practice safe sex than their peers who are less hopeful. Optimism can often help patients cope with a medical condition; but these findings indicate that in the context of
Chlamydia Infection May Boost Cervical Cancer Risk: Reuters Health (10.04.02) - Wednesday, October 09, 2002; Alison McCook; Women who become infected with chlamydia appear to be at an increased risk of developing cervical cancer, according to European researchers. Dr. Keng-Ling Wallin of Karolinska Hospital in Stockholm, Sweden , and colleagues found that 8 percent of women with cervical cancer had a history of infection with chlamydia. In
AIDS Seen Spur to Africa Famine; Farmers Are Left Too Weak to Plant: Boston Globe (10.07.02) - Wednesday, October 09, 2002; John Donnelly; AIDS has contributed heavily to southern Africa s growing famine, killing vast numbers of agricultural workers and leaving countless sick farmers too weak to plant crops, according to a UN team that recently toured the region. HIV infects more than 20 percent of adults in six southern African countries, targeting those
Global War Against AIDS Runs Short of Vital Weapon: Donated Condoms: New York Times (10.09.02) - Wednesday, October 09, 2002; Donald G. McNeil Jr.; Donations of condoms from rich nations to poor ones, already deeply inadequate, have declined over the past decade, just as a few countries have successfully used them to fight the ever- worsening AIDS epidemic. The world s poorest countries need between 8 billion and 10 billion condoms a year to help stem the spread o
State Sticks with St. Johnsbury Needle Exchange: Associated Press (10.08.02) - Wednesday, October 09, 2002; Despite strong objections from town leaders, the Vermont Department of Health has decided to allow the Vermont CARES needle exchange program to remain open in St. Johnsbury. In a letter dated last Thursday to Town Manager Mike Welch, DOH Commissioner Jan Carney stated she believes Vermont CARES made efforts to deal wit
50 Percent of New HIV Cases Are People Below 18: allAfrica.com (10.03.02) - Tuesday, October 08, 2002; Herald (Harare, Zimbabwe); An emerging trend on HIV/AIDS statistics shows that more than 50 percent of newly reported HIV infections in Zimbabwe are among young people below age 18, according to the Zimbabwe National AIDS Council. Addressing representatives from various church and affiliated organizations recently, ZNAC Executive Director Dr. Ev
800 Danish Students to Undergo Tuberculosis Tests: Agence France Presse (10.07.02) - Tuesday, October 08, 2002; Nearly 800 Danish students are being tested for TB today after two of their classmates fell ill with the disease last week and were hospitalized, a health official said yesterday. Another 26 students at the high school in the western town of Thisted have already tested positive without developing the illness, said the
Clinic Tests AIDS Drugs: Miami Herald (10.07.02) - Tuesday, October 08, 2002; Ana Rhodes; The University of Miami has brought clinical trials of new AIDS drugs to Broward County through the Wansiki Foundation s Fort Lauderdale Clinic. The clinic, which is staffed by three doctors and a nurse practitioner, sees about 1,000 HIV patients a week, many of whom are uninsured or have difficulty paying for treatmen
HUD Awards District $42.3 Million: Washington Post (10.08.02) - Tuesday, October 08, 2002; The District of Columbia will receive $42.3 million from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development in the coming year to fund rehabilitation and construction of affordable housing, help the homeless and assist people with HIV/AIDS, federal officials have announced. The block grants, awarded each year, consist
HPV at Top of List for Common University of Arizona STDs: University Wire (10.01.02) - Tuesday, October 08, 2002; Arizona Daily Wildcat; Doctors and nurses at the University of Arizona are expecting another influx of students reporting symptoms in what has become an annual cycle for health care providers on campus. We tend to see [STDs] more just after the beginning of school, said Faye Libbey, a nurse practitioner in the Women s Health Clinic. Freshmen
Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy Enhances Regression of Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia in HIV-Seropositive Women: AIDS (09.06.02) Vol. 16; No. 13: P. 1799-1802 - Tuesday, October 08, 2002; Isabelle Heard; Jean- Michel Tassie; Michel D. Kazatchkine; Gérard Orth; HIV infection is associated with an increased prevalence and severity and with a lower rate of regression of human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated cervical intraepithelial lesions. With increases in life expectancy due to antiretroviral treatment, one may speculate that HIV-positive women would be put at greater risk o
New Insight on Why Some with HIV Can Control Virus: Reuters Health (10.07.02) - Tuesday, October 08, 2002; Jacqueline Stenson; New research suggests that the rare group of people who are infected with HIV for years, receive no treatment and yet show no signs of illness appear to have better function in a certain type of immune system cell than most HIV-positive individuals who cannot control the virus. The findings could lead to new vaccines t
Singapore Teens Offered Sex Education over Their Mobile Phones: Associated Press (10.08.02) - Tuesday, October 08, 2002; Gillian Wee; A Singaporean doctor known for his wireless ovulation alert services launched a new ten-day sex education campaign Tuesday offering free advice for teenagers via mobile phone text messaging. During the Sex in the Air campaign, teens can send text questions through their mobile phones, and doctors from Singapore, Amster
HIV/AIDS Could Erode Vietnam's Economic Development: UN: Agence France Presse (10.07.02) - Tuesday, October 08, 2002; In Hanoi yesterday, international experts said HIV/AIDS could severely erode Vietnam s economic development and its fight against poverty unless the government changes it approach to the epidemic. HIV has the potential of reversing all the development gains over the past 15 years since Vietnam began its economic reform
HIV Names Reporting Falls Short: Gay City News (New York City) (09.27.02) - Tuesday, October 08, 2002; Duncan Osborne; One of the arguments for the 1998 New York state law requiring health care providers and labs to report the names of people who test HIV-positive was that the data would give a more accurate picture of the AIDS epidemic. But the names reporting effort is not gathering information on whether new infections are occurring
Few Gains for Blacks in HIV Rate: Houston Chronicle (09.28.02) - Tuesday, October 08, 2002; Kristen Mack; Blacks still have the highest percentage of all new HIV cases in Houston, three years after Mayor Lee Brown declared a state of emergency in the city s African-American community and created a task force to combat the problem. Though there has been a slight decrease - from 61 percent to 58 percent - of all new HIV case
National HIV Conference Comes to Atlanta: Southern Voice (Atlanta) (10.04.02) - Monday, October 07, 2002; Mike Fleming; The Third Annual National Kaiser Permanente Conference on HIV will present the latest research and treatments for HIV patients at Atlanta s Swissôtel Oct. 11-12. This year s conference theme is Many Faces - One Disease, said co-chair Dr. Luke Beno. Kaiser Permanente will unveil an HIV/AIDS study, co- sponsored with the
Global Fund to Fight AIDS to Begin Distributing Aid Soon: Associated Press (10.06.02) - Monday, October 07, 2002; The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, having raised $2.1 billion in government, corporate and individual pledges, announced its first shipments of aid would reach 40 countries by the end of this year. A quarter of the money is in the bank and it s enough to cover the first round of handouts, which sh
South Africa Plans to Almost Double AIDS Spending: Reuters (10.05.02) - Monday, October 07, 2002; South Africa plans to almost double its HIV/AIDS spending to $173 million in the next financial year, Thami Skenjana of the Government AIDS Action Plan said on Saturday. The move would boost spending from about 1 billion rand now to 1.8 billion rand. Skenjana was speaking after an event marking the fourth anniversary
CDC Gives $3.5 Million to HIV/AIDS Program: Houston Chronicle (10.04.02) - Monday, October 07, 2002; Leigh Hopper; Houston-based Baylor College of Medicine received a $3.5 million grant from the CDC for a program that treats HIV- infected children in Africa, Mexico and Romania , officials announced Friday. This represents a major expansion of our international activities, said Dr. Mark Kline, the director of the Baylor Internation
Chicago Group Helps China Drop Denials About AIDS: Chicago Tribune (10.03.02) - Monday, October 07, 2002; Michael A. Lev; China finally has taken the step of admitting it is battling an AIDS crisis, even inviting a group of Chicago health experts to offer advice. The challenge for the Chicagoans, as they quickly learned during a recent visit, would be to get the Chinese to overcome their political and cultural squeamishness about how HI
A Refuge, but No Retreat: Washington Post (10.03.02) - Monday, October 07, 2002; Eileen Rivers; Since its founding 13 years ago, HAVEN in Anne Arundel County, Md., has counseled and given emotional support to hundreds of HIV/AIDS patients. The county residents it helps often have nowhere else to turn: Some clients have been cut off by their families or lost touch with relatives and friends. After attending an AID
Crowd Heartens AIDS Walk Planners: Washington Post (10.06.02) - Monday, October 07, 2002; David Cho; A sea of 7,500 walkers at the annual AIDS Walk in Washington Saturday was a welcome relief for walk organizer Whitman- Walker Clinic. According to Associate Executive Director Michael Cover, WWC had considered canceling the event after 16 years of sponsorship due to poor participation last year and waning donations. We
Type Specific Persistence of High Risk Human Papillomavirus (HPV) as Indicator of High Grade Cervical Squamous Intraepithelial Lesions in Young Women: Population Based Prospective Follow Up Study: British Medical Journal (09.14.02) Vol. 325; No. 7364: P. 572- 576 - Monday, October 07, 2002; Susanne K. Kjaer; Adriaan J.C. van den Brule; Gerson Paull; Edith I. Svare; Mark E. Sherman; Birthe L. Thomsen; Mette Suntum; Johannes E. Bock; Paul A. Poll; Chris J.L.M. Meijer; Human papillomavirus (HPV) is one of the most common STDs. Although most infections are transient, the potential health implications are obvious because HPV types 16 and 18 are considered carcinogenic, and other types have an important role in cervical carcinogenesis. Most epidemiological evidence originates from cross
Very High STD Rate Seen in Southeast London Girls: Reuters Health (10.03.02) - Monday, October 07, 2002; Charnicia E. Huggins; Adolescent girls in southeast London are three times more likely to have gonorrhea, chlamydia or another STD than older women who visit genitourinary medicine clinics for check-ups, according to findings in the October issue of Sexually Transmitted Infections (2002;78:349-351). There is a high rate of [STDs] in the 16-
UN Official Warns Asia Could Face World's Worst AIDS Crisis: Associated Press (10.07.02) - Monday, October 07, 2002; Dirk Beveridge; Asia could face the world s largest AIDS crisis if the region does not act quickly with preventive measures, a UN official warned Monday. So far, Asia has not been infected nearly as badly as sub-Saharan Africa, so the disease is not as visible and public awareness is not as high as in many developed Western nations, c
Finally, New Jersey Informs All Inmates of Hepatitis C: Philadelphia Inquirer (10.06.02) - Monday, October 07, 2002; Mark Fazlollah; Jennifer Lin; In a mass notification prompted by a Philadelphia Inquirer investigation, New Jersey prison officials informed 421 inmates they had hepatitis C. The notification took place in the last two weeks of July, a medical audit shows. More than 1,100 prisoners known to have the disease have now been informed, according to the
Bicyclist Organizes His Own AIDS Ride: St. Paul Pioneer Press (10.04.02) - Friday, October 04, 2002; Melinda Rogers; Last year, avid cyclist Stephen Parish had planned to participate in an Amsterdam-to-Paris bike ride in support of AIDS research, but he dropped out after learning that only 20 percent of the ride s earnings would go toward research. Next Friday, Parish and seven other cyclists will start a three-day journey from Hinck
Free HIV Drug Distribution Begins: allAfrica.com (10.02.02) - Friday, October 04, 2002; Sunday Times (Johannesburg); Rape survivors who are admitted to KwaZulu-Natal hospitals and community health centers will be given free AIDS drugs, effective immediately. The move follows a Cabinet resolution in April to make post exposure prophylaxis treatment available to rape and sexual abuse survivors. The province s Superintendent- General fo
Red Cross Launches Southern Africa AIDS Campaign: Reuters Health (10.02.02) - Friday, October 04, 2002; The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the world s largest relief organization, on Tuesday launched a $14 million campaign to fight AIDS in 10 southern African nations: Angola , Botswana , Lesotho , Malawi ,
Privacy for Minors Gains on HIV/AIDS Tests: Star-Ledger (New Jersey) (10.04.02) - Friday, October 04, 2002; The New Jersey Assembly s Health and Human Services Committee on Thursday approved a bill to allow youths to get tested for HIV without letting their parents know. State law already allows minors to undergo testing and treatment for STDs and substance abuse without telling their parents, but the law is so old it does n
Genotyping Less Effective at Predicting Effective Regimens in Children: AIDS Weekly (09.16.02) - Friday, October 04, 2002; Michael Greer; Genotyping, a commonly used method of determining appropriate HIV treatment for adults, may not work as well for pediatric HIV patients, US researchers reported. HIV genotyping has been beneficial when choosing salvage regimens in adults failing highly active antiretroviral therapy [HAART], explained Nicole J. Cohen an
STD Surprisingly Tied to Low Prostate Cancer Risk: Reuters Health (09.30.02) - Friday, October 04, 2002; Jacqueline Stenson; In an unexpected outcome, Finnish researchers found that men who have been infected with chlamydia appear to have a reduced risk of prostate cancer. An earlier study by Dr. Tarja Anttila, an epidemiologist at the National Public Health Institute in Oulu, Finland , and colleagues found that chla
Fear of Social Backlash Hampers Zimbabwe's Fight Against AIDS Baby Deaths: Agence France Presse (10.03.02) - Friday, October 04, 2002; Ish Mafundikwa; Efforts to reduce Zimbabwe s infant mortality rate are threatened because many pregnant women who are tested for HIV are too frightened to return to the clinic for the results, Health Ministry official Inam Chitsike said Wednesday. Ninety percent of the women who attend antenatal clinics agree to be tested [for HIV] bu
Death Toll Down, but AIDS Still a Major Australian Problem: Australian Associated Press (10.03.02) - Friday, October 04, 2002; According to the 2002 Annual Surveillance Report of the National Center in HIV Epidemiology and Clinical Research, the number of AIDS cases diagnosed in Australia was 178 last year, compared to a peak of 954 in 1994; and 97 Australians died from AIDS last year, compared to 2,790 in 1992. But more people have HIV than e
Extension of Medi-Cal to Bolster Help to HIV Patients: Sacramento Bee (09.29.02) - Friday, October 04, 2002; Mareva Brown; In September, California Gov. Gray Davis signed legislation extending Medi-Cal coverage to all uninsured Californians who have HIV but have not progressed to AIDS. Previously, only those with AIDS were covered by the state medical insurance program. It s high time that our Medi-Cal system met the needs of those living
Soaring STD Rate Shocks Many Teens: Salt Lake Tribune (10.01.02) - Friday, October 04, 2002; Brooke Adams; There has been a jump in cases of chlamydia among Utah teens, and state officials are trying to determine what is behind it - more unprotected sex or better detection. There were 888 cases of chlamydia among Utahns ages 15 to 19 last year, up from 752 in 2000, according to the Utah Department of Health s Bureau of Comm
40 People Unknowingly Got Tissue or Organs from Donor with Hepatitis C; 5 Died: New York Times (10.04.02) - Friday, October 04, 2002; Sandra Blakeslee; Forty people received tissue or organs from an Oregon man who died two years ago with an undiagnosed case of viral hepatitis, according to state health officials. Five of the six organ recipients have died, one of them from liver disease that may have originated with the donor, said Dr. Barna Tugwell, a CDC epidemiolog
MTV Stages Seattle/Cape Town Gigs for AIDS Day: Houston Chronicle (10.02.02) - Thursday, October 03, 2002; Reuters; The pop music channel MTV, bidding for a world audience of at least 2 billion people, announced plans yesterday for concerts in Cape Town and Seattle to mark World AIDS Day on December 1. Grammy award winner Alicia Keys will take to the stage in South Africa on Nov. 23; the multi-platinum acts Missy Elliot and Dave Mat
AIDS Network Holds Fund-Raising Walk: Clarion-Ledger (Jackson, Miss.) (10.03.02) - Thursday, October 03, 2002; The Mississippi Black AIDS Network will sponsor a walk Saturday in Jackson to raise money for HIV-positive children and to promote awareness of AIDS. Last year, about 100 people participated in the HIV/AIDS Walk-a-Thon and raised about $800, said Anthony Fox, MBAN s president. HIV testing will be provided by the state
HRSA Launches New Web Site: AIDS Policy and Law (09.27.02) - Thursday, October 03, 2002; The Health Resources and Services Administration launched the CARE Act Technical Information and Education (CATIE) Web site in August to help Ryan White grant recipients and other providers. Deborah Parham, associate administrator of the HRSA HIV/AIDS Bureau, said CATIE also offers the latest service and treatment info
Bush Administration Approves New York's Family Planning Waiver: Associated Press (10.02.02) - Thursday, October 03, 2002; Seanna Adcox; The Department of Health and Human Services has approved a requested waiver expanding Medicaid services in New York to allow 800,000 more poor people to receive free contraception and family planning services, Gov. George Pataki announced Wednesday. The three-year waiver will affect residents earning up to 200 percent
We Have an AIDS Epidemic in Our Own Back Yard: Washington Times (09.27.02) - Thursday, October 03, 2002; Adrienne T. Washington; When I attended a briefing for black journalists with UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan in New York this summer... the dozen journalists gathered heard a riveting staff briefing replete with grave statistics on the increasing numbers of new [HIV/AIDS] cases spreading rapidly not only throughout the African continent, bu
D.C. AIDS Group See City Cuts as Latest in Budget Funding Woes: Washington Blade (09.27.02) - Thursday, October 03, 2002; Lou Chibbaro, Jr.; District of Columbia Mayor Anthony Williams proposal to cut $203 million from the city s budget to ward off a large deficit next year is yet another in a series of developments that threaten to harm local AIDS programs, officials with DC- area AIDS organizations said in late September. A Department of Health spokespers
Lack of Behavior Change After Disclosure of Hepatitis C Virus Infection Among Young Injection Drug Users in Baltimore, Maryland: Clinical Infectious Diseases (10.01.02) Vol. 35: P. 783- 788 - Thursday, October 03, 2002; Danielle C. Ompad; Crystal M. Fuller; David Vlahov; David Thomas; Steffanie A. Strathdee; Approximately 3.9 million residents of the United States are infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV). The prevalence of HCV is 65 percent to 90 percent among injection drug users (IDUs). Injection drug use accounts for over 60 percent of all HCV infections nationwide. Previous studies have shown strong associations betwe
AIDS Bodies Call for Withdrawal of Spermicide: Australian Associated Press (09.27.02) - Thursday, October 03, 2002; Judy Skatssoon; Australian AIDS organizations last week called for the withdrawal of spermicides and lubricants containing nonoxynol- 9 (N-9), which has been shown to increase the risk of contracting HIV. Nonoxynol-9 was designed as a spermicide about 50 years ago and is now contained in most vaginal gels, creams, foams, suppositories
AIDS Pioneer Regrets 'Grim Reaper' Demonization of Gay Men: Australian Associated Press (10.01.02) - Thursday, October 03, 2002; Australia s 1980s Grim Reaper advertising campaign was pivotal in changing heterosexual behavior but had the regrettable consequence of demonizing gay men, according to the country s leading AIDS pioneer. Dr. Ron Penny, who diagnosed Australia s first case of AIDS 20 years ago, was on the government body that approved
HIV Drugs for Africa Diverted to Europe: Washington Post (10.03.02) - Thursday, October 03, 2002; Nearly $18 million worth of reduced-price HIV drugs intended for impoverished Africans have been intercepted by profiteers and shipped back to Europe to be sold at marked-up prices, according to a current investigation. As a result, nearly a quarter of the supply of the antiretroviral drug
Syphilis Rate Continues to Rise in Minnesota: Star Tribune (Minneapolis) (10.01.02) - Thursday, October 03, 2002; Josephine Marcotty; Syphilis cases among gay and bisexual men in Minnesota have increased tenfold this year compared with last, health officials said recently. The news heightens fears that unsafe sexual practices will also lead to higher rates of HIV. Fifty new syphilis cases were reported to the Minnesota Department of Health in the fir
Eyesore Becomes a Haven for Needy: Daily News (New York City) (09.24.02) - Wednesday, October 02, 2002; Bill Farrell; On Sept. 23 in New York City, local leaders and elected officials celebrated the transformation of a pre-Civil War mansion on Gates Ave. into a home for HIV-positive and low- income tenants. More than a half-dozen public and private agencies, from Fannie Mae to the Pratt Area Community Council, were involved in the nea
Cambodian Prime Minister Urges More Efforts to Fight Against AIDS: Xinhua News Agency (10.02.02) - Wednesday, October 02, 2002; Speaking at the Second National AIDS Conference in Phnom Penh today, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen warned that as many as 230,000 people will die of AIDS by 2010 without effective prevention and treatment measures. He said the disease has become the number-one killer in the nation and a major threat to the socio-eco
Man Sentenced for Violating Probation: Associated Press (10.01.02) - Wednesday, October 02, 2002; Joe Kafka; In Huron, S.D., yesterday, Nikko Briteramos, who had been given a mostly suspended sentence after pleading guilty to exposing his girlfriend to HIV, was sent to prison for four years for violating the terms of that sentence. On Aug. 29, Circuit Judge Tim Dallas Tucker gave Briteramos, 19, a suspended five- year prison
HIV Risk a Question of Place as Well as People: Reuters Health (09.25.02) - Wednesday, October 02, 2002; Alan Mozes; A group of American researchers now suggest that the community in which one lives is as important as an individual s behavior in determining the risk of HIV infection. The risk of individual behavior is enhanced or lessened by the type of place in which it takes place, said study lead author Dr. Shelah S. Bloom of the
HIV Positive May Risk Death to Avoid Side Effect of Meds: Reuters Health (09.26.02) - Wednesday, October 02, 2002; A survey of HIV-infected patients in California suggests that many would be willing to sacrifice years of life to avoid the potentially disfiguring lipodystrophy syndrome. Dr. Leslie A. Lenert of the VA San Diego Healthcare System and colleagues aimed to identify how patients beliefs about lipodystrophy could alter the
A Deadly Duo: Africa News Service (09.27.02) - Wednesday, October 02, 2002; Mail & Guardian (Johannesburg, South Africa); In South Africa , some TB patients avoid seeking treatment for fear that their infection will be equated with HIV, and they will suffer discrimination. One South African dies from TB every hour, and 49 percent of South African TB patients have HIV/AIDS, according to the South African National Tuberculosis Association.
Condom Shortage 'Contributing to the Spread of AIDS in East Europe and Third World': Financial Times (London) (10.02.02) - Wednesday, October 02, 2002; Nancy Dunne; Acute shortages of condoms are contributing to the swelling numbers of HIV/AIDS cases in eastern Europe and developing countries, according to a report this week from Population Action International, an independent research and advocacy group. The shortfall is the result of inadequate aid efforts as well as trade barri
AIDS Activists Win Court Battle Against US Drug Maker: Associated Press (10.01.02) - Wednesday, October 02, 2002; Uamdao Noikorn; Thai health activists battling to reduce the cost of AIDS drugs won a victory Tuesday when a judge in Bangkok ruled invalid part of a patent held by US drug maker Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. The suit was brought by People Living with HIV/AIDS, a non- governmental organization, and two people with HIV. It alleged that Bris
Blood Test to Detect HIV in 20 Minutes Nears Approval: Los Angeles Times (09.28.02) - Wednesday, October 02, 2002; Charles Ornstein; Federal regulators are expected to give approval soon to an easy-to-use finger-prick blood test that can diagnose HIV infection in 20 minutes. The action will come more than four years after public health officials declared the urgent need for such a tool. AIDS advocacy groups have accused the Food and Drug Administrat
North Dakota May Start Testing Foreign Students for Tuberculosis: Associated Press (09.27.02) - Wednesday, October 02, 2002; Megan Boldt; North Dakota s universities and colleges could start testing some foreign students for TB by the end of November. The state Health Department is asking the North Dakota University System to implement the policy. New students from all countries, except those classified by US health officials as low risk for tuberculosis
Indonesian TV Stations Yank Condom Ads: Deutsche Presse-Agentur (09.25.02) - Tuesday, October 01, 2002; Indonesian TV stations dropped a condom ad aimed at preventing the spread of HIV after the commercial was criticized by several Muslim organizations. The ad was jointly developed by five Indonesian TV stations in cooperation with AIDS organizations. It shows young men who visit a brothel and opt to use condoms. The Jak
Cambodian AIDS Patients March to Demand Government Help: Associated Press (10.01.02) - Tuesday, October 01, 2002; Ker Munthit; About 300 Cambodians with HIV protested in Phnom Penh Tuesday to demand more government help. The protesters walked to a conference center where 1,000 government ministers, provincial authorities and AIDS patients are attending a three-day meeting on combating the disease. An estimated 90,000 people have died from AIDS
Grant Given for AIDS Outreach: Charlotte Observer (10.01.02) - Tuesday, October 01, 2002; Ken Garfield; Charlotte-based Regional AIDS Interfaith Network has won a $130,000 grant to expand its outreach to people with HIV/AIDS. The Ford Foundation gift, announced today in New York, will be used to educate Carolinians about the disease and inspire congregations of all faiths to help those with HIV/AIDS. Founded in 1992, RAI
Davis Vetoes Bill Allowing Pharmacies to Sell Hypodermic Needles: Associated Press (10.01.02) - Tuesday, October 01, 2002; California Gov. Gray Davis vetoed a bill on Monday that would have allowed pharmacies to sell hypodermic needles to adults without a doctor s prescription. Bill supporters said the measure was intended to reduce the number of cases of HIV and other diseases caused by needle sharing among drug addicts. They said needle
Care on the Road: Some AIDS Patients Go Out of Town for Treatment: Telegraph Herald (Dubuque, Iowa) (09.23.02) - Tuesday, October 01, 2002; Sandye Voight; Not all Dubuquers who have AIDS are comfortable sharing that information with their neighbors. Connie Sprimont, case manager for the Dubuque Regional AIDS Coalition at Mercy Medical Center- Dubuque, said she has a caseload of 11 patients. But she knows there are at least that many more who live in Dubuque but who go ou
Tuberculosis Recurrences: Archives of Internal Medicine (09.09.02) Vol. 162; No. 16: P. 1873-1879 - Tuesday, October 01, 2002; Dario Garcia de Viedman, PhD; Mercedes Marin, PharmD, PhD; Susan Hernangómez, MD; Marisol Diaz, PharmD, PhD; Maria Jesús Ruiz Serrano, PharmD; Luis Alcalá, PharmD; Emilio Bouza, MD, PhD; The proportion of patients with a well-documented first episode of tuberculosis (TB) who have a second recurrent episode is not well-known for unselected populations, and the proportion depends upon different socioeconomic conditions. Tuberculosis recurrences are assumed to be mainly due to mismanagement of the disease
Pacific Churches Switch from AIDS Condemnation to Support: Agence France Presse (09.22.02) - Tuesday, October 01, 2002; Matelita Ragogo; Pacific Christian churches that used to regard AIDS as a punishment from God are now switching from condemnation to support. This is critical because, in the Pacific, the first people we go to when we need assistance and guidance are the priests, Jimmie Rogers, senior deputy secretary general of the multi-national Paci
Intelligence Study Raises Estimate of AIDS Spread: Washington Post (10.01.02) - Tuesday, October 01, 2002; The National Intelligence Council predicts that by 2010 the current AIDS epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa may be dwarfed by the five populous countries of India , China , Russia , Nigeria and Ethiopia .
AIDS Forum Focuses on Prevention in Rural Areas: Associated Press (09.27.02) - Tuesday, October 01, 2002; Wyoming remains largely uncharted territory for treating and preventing HIV/AIDS, particularly among gay or bisexual men in rural areas, health officials in Casper said at an annual forum on the disease. As of June, about 144 people in Wyoming were infected with HIV/AIDS, but many more remain at risk, said Jennie Haars
Expanded Vaccination Studied - Some See Risks to Those with HIV: Boston Globe (09.28.02) - Tuesday, October 01, 2002; Michael Kranish; President Bush is considering a plan that would allow most Americans to receive the smallpox vaccine to protect themselves against a bioterrorist attack, but would screen people to avoid giving it to high-risk individuals, such as those with HIV and others with suppressed immune systems. The administration has already
HIV Prevention Groups Say Bush Administration Is Targeting Their Work: Associated Press (10.01.02) - Tuesday, October 01, 2002; Laura Meckler; The Bush administration has pulled information about the effectiveness of condoms from a government Web site and is engaged in a witch hunt against those who promote condoms to fight AIDS, several groups charge. They argue that the administration is hostile to HIV prevention and sex education that is not based on absti
Liz Sparkles at AIDS Auction: USA Today (09.30.02) - Monday, September 30, 2002; Jeannie Williams; At Christie s in New York Thursday, an auction of nine pieces of jewelry donated by Elizabeth Taylor brought in $230,000 for the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation. The event s centerpiece, a diamond and emerald ring that was Richard Burton s first gift to the actress, was purchased by a jewelry dealer for $80,000. The a
US and WTO Negotiate Drug Access: New York Times (09.28.02) - Monday, September 30, 2002; Bloomberg News; The United States and the World Trade Organization are seeking to reach agreement by year s end on how to provide poor countries greater access to drugs to fight AIDS and other diseases, according to trade officials. An agreement among WTO members last year acknowledged that many nations are in desperate need of such m
Official: Over Half a Million Cambodians to be AIDS Victims by 2010: Associated Press (09.29.02) - Monday, September 30, 2002; Ker Munthit; More than half a million Cambodians will either have AIDS or have died of the disease by 2010 in what Tia Phalla, secretary- general of Cambodia s National AIDS Authority, described Sunday as the country s new killing field. Since the discovery of Cambodia s first case in 1991, AIDS-related diseases have killed about 9
Number of Uninsured in US Rose to 41.2 Million Last Year: Baltimore Sun (09.30.02) - Monday, September 30, 2002; Knight Ridder/Tribune; The number of Americans who lack health insurance rose to 41.2 million in 2001, due mainly to a recession-fueled decrease in the number of workers with coverage from employers, the Census Bureau reported Monday. Combined with rising medical and prescription drug costs and state government spending cuts, the trend of er
Saying No to N-9: Bay Area Reporter (San Francisco) (09.13.02) - Monday, September 30, 2002; There doesn t seem to be any justifiable reason for gay men to use lubricant that contains nonoxynol-9, a spermicide that is added to some products such as ForPlay Gel Plus, KY Plus, and ID Plus. Recent studies by the [CDC], the World Health Organization , and the Population Council of New York have each demonstrated
County Plan to Cut Funds for AIDS Prevention Ripped: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (09.29.02) - Monday, September 30, 2002; Lawrence Sussman; Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker s plan to cut $230,000 for AIDS prevention from next year s budget was blasted yesterday at the 13th annual AIDS Walk Wisconsin. How can he say he s for reducing taxes and then cut needle exchange, which will increase the tax burden by millions of dollars as the number of HIV pat
Risk Behaviors and HIV Incidence Among Repeat Testers at Publicly Funded HIV Testing Sites in San Francisco: Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes (09.01.02) Vol. 31; No. 1: P. 63-70; Susan E. Fernyak; Kimberly Page- Shafer; Timothy A. Kellogg; William McFarland; Mitchell H. Katz - Monday, September 30, 2002; Voluntary HIV counseling and antibody testing (C&T) services enable persons at risk for HIV to learn their status, to receive prevention interventions and receive HIV treatment (if seropositive). Over $100 million is directed annually to state and local health departments to support HIV C&T sites. While such pr
Herpes Drug Reduces Transmission: Associated Press (09.29.02) - Monday, September 30, 2002; Daniel Q. Haney; People with genital herpes who worry about passing the virus to others should be offered a prescription drug, Valtrex, that has been shown for the first time to reduce transmission, a researcher says. Valtrex is already widely used to treat and prevent flare-ups of genital herpes. A study released Friday at the San Die
New AIDS Drug May Help Expand Treatable Groups: Wall Street Journal (09.30.02) - Monday, September 30, 2002; Marilyn Chase; New findings suggest that an AIDS drug being developed for patients who become resistant to standard treatments may benefit wider groups of people with AIDS. The drug, Fuzeon, is one of a new class of medicines known as fusion inhibitors that researchers are racing to develop to deal with the rapidly mutating HIV virus
Mandela, Clinton Join Forces to Fight AIDS Among South Africa's Youth: Associated Press (09.28.02) - Monday, September 30, 2002; Dina Kraft; Former presidents Nelson Mandela and Bill Clinton last week made their way through mud splattered, tin shack-lined roads in the township of Orange Farm, south of Johannesburg, to spread the message of AIDS prevention to South Africa s youth. A frail Mandela leaned on Clinton as they greeted a roaring crowd. The former
HHS Issues $10 Million in Grants to Support HIV Services: AIDS Policy & Law (09.13.02) - Monday, September 30, 2002; For low-income and uninsured individuals with HIV, support services are essential to accessing care. They also contribute to early and consistent care. That is the conclusion drawn by eight new studies (see below) released at the Ryan White CARE Act 2002 Grantees Conference in August. More than 2,000 recipients of CARE
Triple-Threats to Be Sure: Press-Telegram (Long Beach, Calif.) (09.23.02) - Friday, September 27, 2002; Joe Segura; Last Sunday more than 900 athletes took part in the fourth Long Beach Triathlon. The event raised more than $40,000 for St. Mary Medical Center s Comprehensive AIDS Resource Education. Established in 1986, the program has provided direct services to 7,000 people living with HIV/AIDS and harm reduction education to 10,0
Six Apartment Units Open for AIDS Patients: Seattle Post Intelligencer (09.27.02) - Friday, September 27, 2002; In West Seattle Thursday, six new affordable apartments opened for people with AIDS. The non-profit agency AIDS Housing of Washington developed the four one-bedroom and two two-bedroom apartments for low-income residents. The Seattle Housing Authority is leasing the land to the group for $1 per month for 50 years. Resi
Surviving the Crunch: Frontiers (Los Angeles) (09.27.02) - Friday, September 27, 2002; Despite making $9 billion in spending cuts in a desperate attempt to deal with an enormous budget shortfall, California Gov. Gray Davis maintained the $803 million proposed for AIDS funding when he signed that state s $98 billion budget Sept. 5. The fiscal year 2002-2003 budget ends next June 30. Included was $184 mill
Uganda's HIV/AIDS Progress Possibly Exaggerated: AIDS Policy & Law (09.13.02) - Friday, September 27, 2002; The HIV/AIDS miracle in Uganda was not faked, but it was possibly exaggerated and should be subjected to further investigation, according to the Economist. In a viewpoint article published in July in Lancet (2002;360:78-80) and reprinted in August in the Ugandan Monitor, Justin Parkhurst of the London School of Hygiene
New AIDS-Fighting Chemicals Identified: United Press International (09.26.02) - Friday, September 27, 2002; Charles Q. Choi; For the first time, scientists have identified human proteins that may stifle AIDS by keeping HIV from reproducing in the body. The discovery might not only explain why some people with HIV remain healthy for decades, but also lead someday to new AIDS-combating treatments. This is something that we re studying not just
Primary and Secondary Syphilis Among Men Who Have Sex with Men - New York City, 2001: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (09.26.02) Vol. 51; No. 38 - Friday, September 27, 2002; The New York City Department of Health and Mental Health (DOHMH) reports that cases of primary and secondary syphilis more than doubled in 2001, increasing from 117 cases in 2000 to 282 cases in 2001. DOHMH reports that the increase is primarily due to a recent outbreak of syphilis among gay and bisexual men. Overall,
South African Scientists to Begin Manufacturing New Vaccines Aimed at Preventing AIDS: Associated Press (09.26.02) - Friday, September 27, 2002; Mike Cohen; South African scientists announced plans Thursday to begin manufacturing three new vaccines they hope will eventually provide protection against AIDS. The vaccines, which were lab tested on mice and primates, show great potential, said Associate Professor Anna-Lise Williamson of the University of Cape Town s Institute
Southern Africa Food Crisis Exacerbated by HIV/AIDS Epidemic, UN Officials Say: Associated Press (09.26.02) - Friday, September 27, 2002; Ranjan Roy; James Morris, the UN special envoy to the southern African hunger crisis, warned Thursday that about 14.4 million people in Zimbabwe , Zambia , Malawi , Lesotho , Swaziland and Mozambique wi
Coke Boosts AIDS Attack: Atlanta Journal-Constitution (09.27.02) - Friday, September 27, 2002; Scott Leith; In a move that comes amid a growing chorus of criticism, Coca- Cola announced Thursday it will spend up to $5 million a year to fund HIV/AIDS treatment for Africans who work in the Coke system but not directly for the beverage company. Coke was already providing such benefits for its 1,200 corporate employees in Africa
More US Teens Saying They're Virgins: Detroit Free Press (09.27.02) - Friday, September 27, 2002; Seth Borenstein; Incidences of sexual intercourse among high school students have dropped significantly in the past decade, the CDC reported Thursday in its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (2002;51;38). Also, more teens are saying they are virgins. In 2001, virgins outnumbered students who say they have had intercourse, 54 percen
Syphilis Rises Among N.Y. Gay Men; Experts Fear Data Point to Increase in Risky Sexual Activity: Washington Post (09.27.02) - Friday, September 27, 2002; Christine Haughney; Syphilis cases have increased dramatically among gay men in New York City, CDC officials reported Thursday. The increase prompted concern among public health experts that there has been resurgence in risky sexual activity. According to the CDC, syphilis cases in New York City more than doubled, to 282 in 2001 from 117
College Sets AIDS Week Events: Chicago Tribune (09.25.02) - Thursday, September 26, 2002; To mark AIDS Awareness Week during the first week of October, Elgin Community College in Elgin, Ill., has planned activities for its student body and area residents, including free HIV tests, a 5K walk and a photo documentary. The Faces of AIDS photography exhibit features portraits of HIV-positive people accompanied b
Vietnam to Sell Condoms on University Campuses for First Time: Associated Press (09.26.02) - Thursday, September 26, 2002; Vietnam is to start selling condoms in October on university campuses in a bid to thwart the spread of AIDS, an official said Thursday. Plans call for distributing more than 60 million government-subsidized condoms on campuses over the next three years, said Pham Song, chairperson of the Family Planning Association.
China to Produce Generic AIDS Drugs: Washington Times (09.24.02) - Thursday, September 26, 2002; United Press International; In Shanghai Tuesday, drug maker Shanghai Desano Bio- Pharmaceutical Co. said it had received approval from China s top regulatory body to manufacture and sell Didanosine (ddI) and Stavudine ( d4T ). Both drugs were developed by New York- based Bristol-Myers Squibb
Stopping AIDS is World's Top Problem: Clinton in Rwanda: Agence France Presse (09.25.02) - Thursday, September 26, 2002; During a visit to Rwanda Wednesday, former President Bill Clinton said that halting the spread of AIDS was the most important issue facing the whole world. Clinton signed a convention with the Rwandan government, on behalf of his private Clinton Foundation, to provide the densely populated central African country with
Cause for AIDS Hope, Action: Post and Courier (Charleston, S.C.) (09.23.02) - Thursday, September 26, 2002; There is good news and bad news in a recent United Nations report on AIDS. ...Some nations, such as Uganda , are beginning to win the fight. But others, such as Botswana and Zimbabwe , have seen the prevalence of HIV infections soar. Still others - notably India and
Proposal Reopens Divide over Sex Ed: News and Observer (Raleigh, N.C.) (09.23.02) - Thursday, September 26, 2002; T. Keung Hui; Wake County, N.C., school administrators plan to present their recommendations for a sex education curriculum to the school board Oct. 8, and they will hold a town meeting Oct. 17 to discuss the proposal. The administrators, who are caught between those favoring comprehensive sex education and abstinence-only supporter
Poll Finds Parental Support for Comprehensive Sex Education: Orange County Register (09.26.02) - Thursday, September 26, 2002; Theresa Walker; Many parents in Orange County, Calif., do not know what their kids are being taught in school about sex, but the majority said they prefer lesson plans that include both abstinence and contraceptives, according to a Planned Parenthood survey released Wednesday. The poll of 1,034 parents in Orange and San Bernardino cou
Effects and Generalizability of Communally Oriented HIV/AIDS Prevention Versus General Health Promotion Groups for Single, Inner-City Women in Urban Clinics: Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology (08.02) Vol. 70, No. 4, P. 950-960; Stevan E. Hobfoll; Anita P. Jackson; Justin Lavin; Robert J. Johnson; Kerstin E. E. Schröder - Thursday, September 26, 2002; Women living in inner cities in the United States are the fastest growing segment of individuals infected with HIV. There is an urgent demand for development of intervention programs aimed at these target populations. Because there is no vaccine for AIDS, and no cure once HIV is contracted, preventive behavioral interv
Over 600,000 Zimbabweans Have Full-Blown HIV/AIDS: Herald (Harare) (09.21.02) - Thursday, September 26, 2002; More than 600,000 Zimbabweans have AIDS, while about 2.1 million others are currently living with HIV, Cabinet member and Minister of Health and Child Welfare Dr. David Parirenyatwa said Friday. An estimated 26 percent of the adult population is infected with HIV, he added, but about 90 percent do not know their HIV st
Firms 'Must Wake Up to AIDS': BBC News (09.24.02) - Thursday, September 26, 2002; Business leaders gathered at the Commonwealth business forum in London have been urged to take a leadership role in tackling Africa s HIV/AIDS crisis. But Dr. Julia Cleves, a senior policy advisor at UNAIDS , said that many firms still do not regard AIDS as their problem. She admitted that outsourcing - using contract
Study: Hepatitis Shots Show Promise: Associated Press (09.25.02) - Thursday, September 26, 2002; Linda A. Johnson; An experimental new combination of drugs for hepatitis C cures more patients with fewer side effects than the standard treatment for the potentially deadly, liver-destroying infection, researchers say. According to an article in the New England Journal of Medicine ( Peginterferon Alfa-2a Plus Ribavirin for Chronic Hepa
AIDS Walk/Run Crowd Hits Record: Plain Dealer (Cleveland) - Wednesday, September 25, 2002; Sarah Treffinger; Between 2,500 and 3,000 people participated in Sunday s 12th Annual Dr. John Carey Memorial AIDS Walk/Run in Cleveland. The crowd appeared to be the biggest ever for the event. Organizers hoped to raise at least $200,000 for seven nonprofit groups that provide services for people with HIV/AIDS. Corporate sponsors cover
Preventive Measures Curb Tuberculosis Spread in Latvia: Baltic News Service (09.23.02) - Wednesday, September 25, 2002; Latvia s tuberculosis strategy has begun yielding results, with fewer new TB cases registered this year. During the first eight months of 2002, as many as 1,038 new TB cases were registered in Latvia, down 154 from the previous year, Janis Leimans, national tuberculosis and lung disease center director, said on Monday.
Ugandan Thieves Steal AIDS Drugs: BBC News (09.24.02) - Wednesday, September 25, 2002; Police in Uganda have arrested 15 people for stealing and then selling AIDS drugs donated by the United States . Nearly 300,000 doses of AIDS medicine were donated to Uganda in February and given to health centers around the country for free distribution to patients. The Diflucan tablets were clearly marked Donation P
Cornucopia of New Statistics Shows City's Best and Worst: New York Times (09.25.02) - Wednesday, September 25, 2002; Jennifer Steinhauer; Michael Cooper; New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg yesterday released the Mayor s Management Report on city government. According to the report, new adult AIDS cases rose from 5,446 in fiscal year 2001 to 6,379 in fiscal year 2002. New pediatric AIDS cases rose from 25 in FY 2001 to 44 in FY 2002. Reported and confirmed syphilis case
Clinic Officials Fear Effects of Low AIDS Walk Turnout: Washington Post (09.25.02) - Wednesday, September 25, 2002; Carol Morello; Registration for next month s AIDS Walk in Washington is lagging, and services at the sponsoring Whitman-Walker Clinic may be cut if the donation goal is not met, officials of the District-based charity said Tuesday. Clinic spokesperson Michael Cover said the event is struggling both because of questions about the spen
Fair Focuses on Lesbian Health: Chicago Tribune (09.25.02) - Wednesday, September 25, 2002; Leslie Goldman; Lora Branch, director of the Office of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Health at the Chicago Department of Public Health, welcomed the second annual Women Who Love Women Health Fest to Chicago last week. The event was sponsored by Howard Brown Health Center, the University of Illinois-Chicago and several communi
Smoking Ups Cervical Cancer Risk in Women with HPV: Reuters Health (09.20.02) - Wednesday, September 25, 2002; Steven Reinberg; Women with human papillomavirus (HPV) infection who smoke have a significantly increased risk of developing cervical cancer compared with HPV-infected women who do not smoke, according to a report in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute (09.18.02;94:1406-1414). Of the more than 100 types of HPV, certain ones ar
'Drug Holidays' Not Beneficial for Fighting HIV: Reuters Health (09.23.02) - Wednesday, September 25, 2002; Despite hopes that taking regularly scheduled breaks from combination therapy would train the immune system to keep HIV under control, a new study published online in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Early Edition (2002;10.1073/pnas.202372199) fails to detect any benefit of such drug holidays. Intere
Survey Finds AIDS Awareness Still Low: China Daily (09.23.02) - Wednesday, September 25, 2002; Zhang Feng; In big cities and small towns in China , the public knows shockingly little about the rapid spread of HIV/AIDS in their country, a recent survey has shown. Conducted by European Future Group and Horizon Research among 6,835 adults, the survey found that less than 30 percent of the people know how to protect themselves
St. Louisan with HIV Is Fighting Off AIDS: St. Louis Post-Dispatch (09.22.02) - Wednesday, September 25, 2002; Deborah L. Shelton; Scientists at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases have been studying 17 people who are HIV long-term nonprogressors: A handful of individuals with HIV - less than 1 percent - who are not developing AIDS even though they have not undergone treatment. One person, Steve Newsom, 41, who was devastated
Some Makers, Vendors Drop N-9 Spermicide on HIV Risk: Wall Street Journal (09.25.02) - Wednesday, September 25, 2002; Rachel Zimmerman; Scientists, public health advocates, gay rights groups and some women s organizations are launching a public awareness campaign next month to attack the popular spermicide Nonoxynol-9. In the interest of public health, the safest thing to do is eliminate N-9 condoms and lubricants from the market, said campaign organiz
Walk Raises $600,000 to Fight AIDS: Toronto Star (09.23.02) - Tuesday, September 24, 2002; Moira Welsh; Marching across Toronto s streets for Sunday s AIDS Walk Toronto, 16,000 people raised about $600,000 ($378,374 US) for education and programs directed at the disease. The action - which has one of the largest turnouts for the nationwide event - started in the afternoon at Nathan Phillips Square. More than 21,000 Ontar
Record Turnout for AIDS Walk: More Than 7,000 People Raised $404,000 Sunday: Vancouver Sun (09.23.02) - Tuesday, September 24, 2002; The 17th annual AIDS Walk drew a record 7,000 people to Vancouver s Stanley Park Sunday and raised $404,000 ($254,653 US). Similar AIDS marches were organized in 125 communities across Canada over the weekend. Montreal s 10th annual seven- kilometer walkathon brought an estimated 12,000 to 15,000 people downtown, raisi
34 Institutions Administering Nevirapine Drug: Herald (Harare) (09.21.02) - Tuesday, September 24, 2002; At least 34 Zimbabwe institutions are now administering nevirapine to prevent HIV/AIDS transmission from pregnant mothers to children, said Dr. David Parirenya-twa, the Minister of Health and Child Welfare. The minister told Parliament on Wednesday that although 59 institutions had initially qualified to provide the
AIDS Calls for Social Action, Not Only Drugs: European Experts: Agence France Presse (09.20.02) - Tuesday, September 24, 2002; On Friday, participants at the 4th European AIDS Conference in Vilnius, Lithuania , said social measures - not just medical treatment - are needed to fight the epidemic. Poverty, ignorance, unemployment and desperation are reasons why HIV is spreading so rapidly, said Sweden s Queen Sylvia.
Gay After-Hours Club Closed Permanently: Houston Voice (09.06.02) - Tuesday, September 24, 2002; Penny Weaver; Houston s Club Nsomnia, a fund-raising project of AIDS Housing Coalition Houston Inc., has closed its doors for the last time. Matt Locklin, the executive director and co-founder of AHCH and CEO of the Club Nsomnia, said the building s lease has expired and the organization has no plans to reactivate the after-hours cl
Most Testing HIV-Positive Willing to Tell Partners: Survey: Reuters Health (09.18.02) - Tuesday, September 24, 2002; Karla Gale; Most people who test positive for HIV are willing and able to contact their sex partners to inform them, researchers report in the August edition of Sexually Transmitted Diseases (2202;29:465-471). In 1998, New York State legislators mandated partner notification for people newly diagnosed with HIV, noted Dr. Alex Carb
Gender Differences in HIV RNA Levels: A Meta-Analysis of Published Studies: Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes (09.01.02) Vol. 31; No. 1: P. 11-19 - Tuesday, September 24, 2002; Sonia Napravnik; Charles Poole; James C. Thomas; Joseph J. Eron, Jr.; The concentration of circulating HIV RNA in plasma is an important prognostic marker for progression to AIDS, independent of CD4 count. The development of the use of this marker grew out of research conducted principally among male cohorts, and it has informed current US recommendations for the initiation of antiretrov
Prisoners Get Condoms and Needle Cleaner: Dominion Post (Wellington, New Zealand) (09.23.02) - Tuesday, September 24, 2002; Glen Scanlon; Prisoners in New Zealand are being given condoms and bleach to clean needles, despite sex and drug use being prohibited in jail. It is understood that medical staff are giving prisoners condoms and that they also have access to bleach. Prison regulations prohibit sex between inmates, and drug use is a serious offense t
Sex Trade Lures Cambodia's 'Beer Girls': Boston Globe (09.22.02) - Tuesday, September 24, 2002; Richard Sine; Working on commission for local alcohol distributors, Yun Nit, 22, and other young Cambodian women hover around customers at Phnom Penh s outdoor Madiran Vin Rouge restaurant, imploring them to buy their brand of international drinks. While selling only one bottle of French wine for $2, she has been groped, fondled, an
WABA Global Forum on Breastfeeding Opens in Tanzania: Xinhua News Agency (09.23.02) - Tuesday, September 24, 2002; Sun Yongming; Shi Peng; Experts and activists from more than 70 countries and regions gathered in the northern Tanzanian city of Arusha Monday to discuss breastfeeding, HIV/AIDS and infant health issues. The five-day international conference, Nurturing the Future: Challenges to Breastfeeding in the 21st Century, is the second global forum lau
45 Million Have It - And Most People Don't Know: Hartford Courant (09.16.02) - Tuesday, September 24, 2002; Garrett Condon; Herpes has been quietly spreading in the shadow of the AIDS onslaught. Since the late 1970s, the number of Americans with HSV-2 - the herpes simplex virus that usually causes genital herpes - has jumped 30 percent, to about 45 million. Herpes has become five times more common among American teenagers in that period, an
Tuberculosis Test Results in Haverhill Show Little Risk: Associated Press (09.20.02) - Monday, September 23, 2002; Public health officials said there was no need for further TB testing at Haverhill High School in Haverhill, Mass., after early results for students and teachers showed a minimal threat from one infected student. The Department of Public Health identified 61 students and teachers at risk, and many were tested after a s
Seattle AIDS Walk Raises $400,000: Associated Press (09.23.02) - Monday, September 23, 2002; Seattle s 16th annual AIDS Walk and Fun Run drew 3,500 participants Sunday, 500 fewer than last year, and raised $400,000, about $250,000 less than in 2001. At its peak, 10,000 people joined in the walk, raising as much as $1 million. Yet while participation has declined, AIDS is no more curable and no less a killer, s
CDC to Help Franklin County with its Syphilis Problem: Associated Press (09.20.02) - Monday, September 23, 2002; In the three years since CDC identified Franklin County, Ohio, as a syphilis hotspot, the situation has gotten worse. Reported cases of syphilis in the county, where Columbus is located, are up 14 percent over last year, health officials said. In 1999, the CDC said the county was one of 28 in the nation that accounted
Living with AIDS Not Getting Easier: Seattle Post-Intelligencer (09.19.02) - Monday, September 23, 2002; Chuck Kuehn; Because AIDS isn t on the front page anymore, too many people think the disease is no longer an issue. And here s the horrible irony: Times are tougher than ever for those in our community living with HIV and AIDS. ...The safety net is straining because people are living longer with HIV/AIDS, due to the success of new
Easing Life of AIDS Orphans: Atlanta Journal-Constitution (09.18.02) - Monday, September 23, 2002; Shelia M. Poole; It doesn t take long for Victor Mbaba to explain how AIDS has cut a deadly swath through Nigeria , creating more than 3 million orphans. Mbaba, president of the nonprofit, Atlanta- based Africa s Children s Fund, knows that what s happening in Nigeria is only a microcosm of a larger tragedy sweeping through the contine
Observational Study of Vaccine Efficacy 14 Years After Trial of Hepatitis B Vaccination in Gambian Children: British Medical Journal (09.14.02) Vol. 325; No. 7364: P. 569 - Monday, September 23, 2002; Hilton Whittle; Shabbar Jaffar; Michael Wansbrough; Maimuna Mendy; Uga Dumpis; Andrew Collinson; Andrew Hall; Chronic infection with hepatitis B virus is a leading cause of death from cancer in Africa. One-quarter of the 60 million carriers die either of primary hepatocellular carcinoma or cirrhosis of the liver. Yet while hepatitis B vaccination is the simplest and most effective intervention to prevent mortality in adults bo
China Releases AIDS Activist; Confession Cited: Los Angeles Times (09.21.02) - Monday, September 23, 2002; Henry Chu; Anthony Kuhn; On Friday, Chinese authorities released Wan Yanhai, the award- winning Chinese AIDS activist, detained by the police without acknowledgement for the last month. His detention sparked concern and protest around the world. Wan was released by state security agents after making what the state-run New China
Fifteen AIDS Cases Reported in South Dakota: Associated Press (09.21.02) - Monday, September 23, 2002; Fifteen new cases of HIV/AIDS were reported to the South Dakota Health Department during the first six months of 2002, according to a new report. That compares to 10 new cases reported from January through June 2001. But with no new cases reported since June 30, 2002, it is possible that South Dakota will end the year
FDA OKs Chronic Hepatitis B Drug: Associated Press (09.21.02) - Monday, September 23, 2002; On Friday, the Food and Drug Administration approved adefovir dipivoxil for use by patients with hepatitis B. The new drug therapy will be sold by Gilead Sciences Inc. as Hepsera, and the drug maker will begin shipping the drug as early as this week. Adefovir dipivoxil is the first new therapy in years for the estimate
Daschle Says United States Must Help Africa Battle AIDS: Associated Press (09.22.02) - Monday, September 23, 2002; Chet Brokaw; A recent four-nation tour of Africa left Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) convinced that the United States must help Africa battle the AIDS epidemic. I think that it is important for us to provide assistance to these countries because I think that if we don t, we could find ourselves in a very, very serious
Papua New Guinea Launches Patriotic Condoms to Fight AIDS: Australian Associated Press (09.13.02) - Friday, September 20, 2002; Jim Baynes; Papua New Guinea has launched its own brand of condoms in its latest attempt to fight HIV. Papua New Guinea s National AIDS Council said the new Karamap, or cover-up condoms would form part of a new awareness campaign about the disease. Now there is a condom especially for us, the people of Papua New Guinea, the ad
South African Lawyer Slams School Rejecting HIV Child: Reuters (09.19.02) - Friday, September 20, 2002; Lawyers for Karen Pereira on Wednesday launched a civil action in Johannesburg High Court, saying her HIV-positive foster child was discriminated against by Buccleuch Montessori Nursery School, which rejected the toddler. Tholakele, age four, was adopted by Pereia as an infant and has been HIV- positive since birth. He
HIV-Infected Woman Pleads Guilty to Violating Health Measure: Associated Press (09.18.02) - Friday, September 20, 2002; In North Carolina Wednesday, Virgie Norman, an 34-year-old HIV- infected woman, pleaded guilty to having unprotected sex in violation of Gaston County health control measures she had agreed to follow. Norman was sentenced to 24 months in prison; the judge suspended the sentence, placing Norman on probation for 24 month
Bayer Granted United States Approval for HIV Test: New York Times (09.18.02) - Friday, September 20, 2002; Bloomberg News; Bayer, Germany s largest drug maker, said Tuesday that it had received Food and Drug Administration approval for a test that identifies HIV. The test, called Versant, can detect the amount of all major types of HIV in the blood and can help monitor the disease and measure the effectiveness of therapy, Bayer said. The p
Chinese AIDS Activist Freed After Confessing to 'Leaking Secrets': Associated Press (09.20.02) - Friday, September 20, 2002; Detained Chinese AIDS activist Wan Yanhai was released after confessing to illegally leaking state secrets, his wife and China s official media said. Wan, one of China s most prominent AIDS activists, had been held in custody by Chinese authorities since August 25, sparking a wave of condemnation from international rig
New Math Traces STDs: United Press International (09.16.02) - Friday, September 20, 2002; A new mathematical model from Britain promises to help scientists unravel and predict how STDs spread, researchers reported Monday. [STDs] are often overlooked... but they are increasing in prevalence all over the world, said Matt Keeling, senior mathematical epidemiologist at the University of Warwick. There are an es
Protease Inhibitor Multitherapy Has Limited Efficacy for Infants: AIDS Weekly (08.26.02) - Friday, September 20, 2002; Michael Greer; HIV-positive infants can be treated with multiple antiretroviral agents although the therapy has limited effectiveness, researchers report in a study published in the Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal (2002;21(6):518-525). Albert Faye and colleagues at Robert Debre Hospital in Paris and other institutions in
AIDS Virus Lurks in Fat Cells, French Study Finds: Reuters (09.11.02) - Friday, September 20, 2002; Maggie Fox; HIV, long known to infect immune system cells, also takes up residence in fat cells, according to French researchers with the Institut Cochin in Paris. France Pietri-Rouxel and colleagues found HIV in the fat tissue of patients with irregular fat deposits known as lipodystrophies - a side- effect of long-term drug trea
Giving AIDS the Red Light: Village Voice (New York City) (09.18-24.08) - Friday, September 20, 2002; Paroma Basu; The Sonagachi AIDS Project in Kolkata, India , has gone from being a quasi-governmental program to one of the largest community-run intervention projects in the world. Sex workers now run the show, and in Sonagachi (meaning golden tree ), famous as the oldest, largest, and most storied red-light district in the city, o
HIV Infection Rate Is Skyrocketing: Associated Press (09.18.02) - Friday, September 20, 2002; Barbara Borst; HIV and AIDS infection rates are skyrocketing in much of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union, with young people comprising the majority of new cases, according to UNICEF. Nearly 80 percent of new infections from 1997-2000 in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) - the former Soviet Union republics - occur
AIDS Group Lodges Complaint Against Major Drug Companies for Overpricing: Associated Press (09.19.02) - Friday, September 20, 2002; Dina Kraft; The South African AIDS activist group Treatment Action Campaign and COSATSU, the nation s largest labor federation, filed a complaint with South Africa s Competition Commission Thursday in an attempt to force two pharmaceutical companies to drop the price of their AIDS drugs. The companies, GlaxoSmithKline and
AIDS Doctors, Activists Discouraged by Bush Stance on AIDS Programs: Orange County Register (09.20.02) - Friday, September 20, 2002; Mayrav Saar; On Thursday at the US Conference on AIDS in Anaheim, Calif., White House Office of National AIDS Policy Director Dr. Joseph O Neill was booed and jeered as he spoke of President Bush s stance on AIDS prevention programs. The national gathering of doctors, social workers, patients and advocates seemed discouraged to hea
AIDS Doctor Accused of Molesting Two Former Patients: Associated Press (09.17.02) - Thursday, September 19, 2002; Dr. R. Scott Hitt, who once headed the Presidential Advisory Council on AIDS and HIV, has been accused by the Medical Board of California of sexually molesting two male patients at his office at Pacific Oaks Medical Group in Beverly Hills. Hitt, an AIDS specialist and gay activist, said he touched one patient inappropr
Risk Prompts Leno to Target Disinfectant: San Francisco Chronicle (09.18.02) - Thursday, September 19, 2002; San Francisco Supervisor Mark Leno on Tuesday requested legislation that would ban the sale of sexual lubricants containing nonoxynol-9 in the city. Recent studies by the CDC and World Health Organization found the disinfectant could increase the risk of contracting HIV. The ingredient was originally thought to reduce
TB Testing Attracts Hundreds in Town Where Infected Shrimper Lived: Associated Press (09.19.02) - Thursday, September 19, 2002; More than 200 people showed up for free tuberculosis testing Wednesday in Bayou La Batre, Ala., the homeport of a Vietnamese shrimper who was diagnosed with a highly contagious form of the disease. Mobile County Health Department officials had expected about half that many to turn out to be tested. Before Wednesday s t
12 People at Dorchester Jail Test Positive for TB: Associated Press (09.19.02) - Thursday, September 19, 2002; South Carolina health officials say 12 people at the Dorchester County Detention Center have tested positive for tuberculosis, but so far none has the contagious form of the disease. Ten inmates and two corrections officers at the jail in St. George tested positive on Friday. Further testing showed that eight of those
Three Million in Thirty-Six Moons: Gay Men's Health Crisis Treatment Issues (07/08.02) - Thursday, September 19, 2002; Gregg Gonsalves; According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 6 million people living with HIV/AIDS need treatment today. Yet, as of July 2002, only 230,000 people in the developing world have had access to antiretroviral therapy (ART). Half of these people live in Brazil . In Africa, there are fewer than 50,000 people estima
Grooming for Life Celebrates 10 Years of Helping Patients: Charlotte Observer (09.15.02) - Thursday, September 19, 2002; Leigh Pressley; Ten years ago, hairdressers who started the Grooming for Life Cut-A-Thon for the AIDS Council of Gaston County, N.C., got disturbing phone calls and letters, threats of community protests, and had their signs torn down. People said HIV and AIDS were God s punishment for people who are gay, and they didn t see it as som
Racial/Ethnic Difference in CD4T Cell Count and Viral Load at Presentation for Medical Care and in Follow-up After HIV-1 Infection: AIDS (09.06.02) Vol. 16; No. 13: P. 1832-1834 - Thursday, September 19, 2002; Susan Swindells; Daniel G. Cobos; Nancy Lee; Elizabeth A. Lien; Ann P. Fitzgerald; Jennifer S. Pauls; James R. Anderson; Two-thirds of the individuals reported with AIDS in the United States in 2000 were from minority populations. Previous studies have shown racial differences in survival with AIDS, with black and Hispanic patients having significantly shorter survival times compared with white patients. Recent improvements in antiretrov
Falling HIV Rate Offers Little Hope in AIDS Epidemic: South China Morning Post (09.12.02) - Thursday, September 19, 2002; Seth Meixner; Khieu Kola; The percentage of Cambodian adults infected with HIV fell again this year, but AIDS deaths have risen dramatically since 2000, new figures show. Officials fear the impoverished country has yet to see the worst of the epidemic. AIDS deaths increased by about 18,000 in the past two years to about 78,600, a government sur
HIV Patients Check Out of Hospital Against Medical Advice to Collect Welfare: Canadian Press (09.16.02) - Thursday, September 19, 2002; Helen Branswell; Medical staff personnel treating Vancouver s HIV/AIDS patients call the phenomenon Welfare Wednesdays. HIV/AIDS in- patients at St. Paul s Hospital in Toronto frequently check themselves out, against medical advice, before their treatment is completed. The same patients often end up back in the hospital, in a worsened
Detroit Is Hit with an Epidemic of Syphilis; Shake-Up Ordered at State Health Department: Associated Press (09.18.02) - Thursday, September 19, 2002; John Porretto; Michigan health officials said Detroit s recent syphilis outbreak has led to a shake-up in the state Health Department. State health officials said that city and state officials became lax in their battle against the disease after a drop- off in cases during the 1990s. Loretta Davis-Satterla, director of the state Heal
Davis Signs Bill Adding HIV Care - Needle Law Still on His Desk: San Francisco Chronicle (09.19.02) - Thursday, September 19, 2002; Greg Lucas; Lynda Gledhill; California Gov. Gray Davis yesterday signed a new law modestly expanding the number of people with HIV who are eligible for state-paid health care, but he may veto a more significant AIDS-related bill allowing the purchase of up to 30 needles and syringes without a prescription. Current law states that only disabled pe
South African Sesame Street Introduces First HIV-Positive Muppet: Associated Press (09.18.02) - Wednesday, September 18, 2002; To plaudits from education officials and AIDS activists, the producers of South Africa s version of Sesame Street on Tuesday unveiled Kami, a mustard colored furry creature who likes nature and telling stories, and who happens to be the world s first Muppet with HIV. South Africa s Takalani Sesame is one of several loc
Top Researcher Says AIDS Vaccine Could Arrive in Five Years: Associated Press (09.17.02) - Wednesday, September 18, 2002; Jill Barton; After years of frustrating near-breakthroughs, a vaccine could be developed within five years that would provide complete protection against HIV, AIDS researcher Dr. Robert Gallo of the University of Maryland said Tuesday. You ve always got to worry about being confident with this beast, Gallo said. But we re excited.
AIDS Healthcare Foundation Drops Suit Against PacifiCare: Associated Press (09.18.02) - Wednesday, September 18, 2002; AIDS Healthcare Foundation on Monday dropped its year-old lawsuit against PacifiCare of California, saying the state is enforcing a patient s bill of rights requiring HMOs to cover care for those with AIDS. The foundation sued in Los Angeles Superior Court in August 2001 claiming the Orange County-based HMO was restric
Judge Says Briteramos Is Guilty of Escape: Associated Press (09.17.02) - Wednesday, September 18, 2002; Joe Kafka; Nikko Briteramos, 19, the first person ever convicted in South Dakota of intentionally exposing another to HIV, was declared Tuesday to have violated his probation on the very day he was sentenced. On Aug. 29, Circuit Judge Tim Dallas Tucker sentenced Briteramos to 120 days in jail and 200 hours of community service in
When Other Cities Beat It, Syphilis Shouldn't Be So Big Here: Detroit News (09.17.02) - Wednesday, September 18, 2002; Betty DeRamus; A syphilis epidemic raging out of control in Detroit? Come on. Surely a town hungry to host the Democratic National Convention, eager to lure customers to its stadiums, theaters and casinos and preparing for the 2006 Super Bowl can do better than that. I mean, what is next? The Plague? Typhoid? Leprosy? It s been deca
Funding Slashed for AIDS Agencies: Austin American Statesman (09.13.02) - Wednesday, September 18, 2002; Erik Rodriguez; Under a new formula that has advocates fuming, state funding for HIV prevention programs in Texas will be cut in 2003, and funding requirements will redirect funds to target niche populations that may only represent a fraction of their clientele. State officials said the changes are part of a federally required attempt
Alcohol Use, Thrill-Seeking Prove Bad Mix for HIV-Positive Men: AIDS Weekly (09.09.02) - Wednesday, September 18, 2002; HIV-positive men who seek new experiences and think alcohol improves sex are more likely to have unprotected sex, according to a new study. Most HIV prevention programs target risk-takers who are not already infected. Yet many of the same factors that motivate risky behavior in the uninfected may be present in those wh
Herpes Test to Be Used in African Safe Sex Studies: Reuters Health (09.11.02) - Wednesday, September 18, 2002; Stephen Pincock; A new test that detects herpes simplex virus type 2 in saliva and urine could play a major role in efforts to tackle HIV in Africa, a British researcher said on Sept. 11. Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) is the main cause of genital herpes , a lifelong infection closely linked to unsafe sex practices. Because it spr
Japan's Casual 'Sex Friends' Risk More Than Broken Hearts: Newsweek (09.16.02) - Wednesday, September 18, 2002; Amy L. Webb; Surveys suggest that many young Japanese now maintain multiple sekusutomo - literally sex friends - who themselves enjoy numerous liaisons. A joint study by the University of California-San Francisco and Hiroshima University recently found that of 602 teens ages 15 to 19 surveyed in the Shibuya section of Tokyo, 43 per
Veterans Affairs Commissioner Responds to HIV Complaint: Associated Press (09.17.02) - Wednesday, September 18, 2002; The failure of the Connecticut Veterans Home and Hospital to give a patient the results of a positive HIV test for eight months was unacceptable, and the hospital has changed policies to make sure it does not happen again, Department of Veterans Affairs Commissioner Eugene Migliaro said Tuesday. This unacceptable incid
Four Cities Succeed Fighting Disease: Detroit News (09.15.02) - Wednesday, September 18, 2002; Kimberly Hayes Taylor; In 1999, syphilis was at its lowest point ever in the United States , but it was on an upward swing in Nashville, Tenn., Baltimore, Indianapolis, Memphis, Tenn., and Detroit. Outbreaks of the STD were so bad in Baltimore that the city became the butt of jokes on late-night television. That year, the CDC urged those cit
China Approves Generic Form of ddI Anti-AIDS Drug: Associated Press (09.16.02) - Tuesday, September 17, 2002; Martin Fackler; Chinese pharmaceutical company Desano Shanghai said it has received permission from regulators in Beijing to make a low- cost, generic copy of ddI. US drug maker Bristol-Myers Squibb holds a patent in China for ddI, but a company spokesperson said it only covers the drug in tablet form. He said Desano Shanghai s generi
Annan Calls for War on AIDS and Focus on Girls' Education to Fix Africa's Problems: Associated Press (09.16.02) - Tuesday, September 17, 2002; Ranjan Roy; Secretary-General Kofi Annan called for a war on AIDS and the promotion of girls education as the UN focused Monday on what one African leader called extricating Africa out of her long night of misery. Launching the debate, Annan proposed stronger work on a new partnership to help Africa from slipping into an irretriev
Memories Motivate at AIDS Walk: Detroit News (09.16.02) - Tuesday, September 17, 2002; Edward L. Cardenas; An estimated 4,500 walkers from across Detroit gathered in spite of overcast, rainy weather on Sunday for the 12th annual AIDS Walk Detroit. Organizers expect the event to raise more than $300,000 from individual and corporate sponsors. The money will benefit more than 15,000 persons who receive AIDS services in southe
Syphilis Outbreak Rampant in Detroit; Despite Warnings, Health Department Slow to Act: Detroit News (09.15.02) - Tuesday, September 17, 2002; Kimberly Hayes Taylor; Syphilis in Detroit has reached epidemic proportions. As of July 30, Detroit recorded 245 new cases and expects to see 500 by year s end, according to state health officials. This is in stark contrast with other cities that have had syphilis outbreaks in recent years and effectively fought them. According to the CDC, t
Continuing Increases in Sexual Risk Behavior and Sexually Transmitted Diseases Among Men Who Have Sex with Men: San Francisco, Calif., 1999-2001: American Journal of Public Health (09.02) Vol. 92; No. 9: P. 1387-1388 - Tuesday, September 17, 2002; Sanny Y. Chen, MHS; Steven Gibson, MSW; Mitchell H. Katz, MD; Jeffrey D. Klausner, MD, MPH; James W. Dilley, MD; Sandra K. Schwarcz, MD, MPH; Timothy A. Kellogg, MA; Willi McFarland, MD, PhD; Previously in the same journal, the authors reported on worrisome increases in sexual risk behavior, STDs and HIV incidence among men who have sex with men (MSM) during 1994- 1999, a period of increasing use of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). [Editor s note: Impact of Highly Active Antiretroviral Treatmen
Africa's AIDS Victims Turn to Botswana: Financial Times (London)(09.11.02) - Tuesday, September 17, 2002; James Lamont; People with HIV/AIDS from neighboring countries are homing in on Bostwana s hospitals and clinics asking to receive free drug treatment to stave off the ravages of the virus, medical practitioners said recently. Botswana is the only southern African country to offer universal access to AIDS drugs through its public hea
Prostitute's HIV-Related Charge Dropped in Plea Bargain: Los Angeles Times (09.13.02) - Tuesday, September 17, 2002; John L. Mitchell; In a last-minute plea bargain, prosecutors dropped charges against a woman who is HIV-positive and accused of engaging in prostitution. Panchita Hall, 46, was facing a second trial under a 1988 law that requires prostitutes who are HIV- positive and who have been informed of their blood test results to be charged with
Experts: HIV Studies Needed Along Arizona-Mexico Border: Associated Press (09.17.02) - Tuesday, September 17, 2002; Poverty-forced prostitution among Hispanic men along the Arizona- Mexico border should be studied to see if the practice is driving up HIV infection, experts said last week at a bi- national conference on HIV/AIDS. When these men who are traveling from Latin American and other countries end up at the border without any
Judge Orders City to Provide Proper Housing for Homeless AIDS Sufferers: Associated Press (09.13.02) - Tuesday, September 17, 2002; Samuel Maull; A Manhattan judge has ordered the city to obey the law and provide medically appropriate housing to homeless AIDS patients who reportedly have been living in deplorable, life- threatening conditions. State Supreme Court Justice Eileen Bransten issued the order after seven homeless people with AIDS complained last Novem
Swiss, US Firms Say They Have Submitted Application for New AIDS Drug: Associated Press (09.17.02) - Tuesday, September 17, 2002; Swiss pharmaceutical giant Roche and its US partner Trimeris Inc. today announced they had applied to the US Food and Drug Administration for approval of their AIDS drug Fuzeon. The application is for use in combination with other antiretroviral treatments for HIV-1 infection. By the end of the month, the companies wil
Condoms to Be Distributed Free as Part of Pacific Nation's Campaign to Tackle HIV/AIDS: Associated Press (09.12.02) - Monday, September 16, 2002; Papua New Guinea has launched its own brand of condoms and will hand them out free at health clinics in an attempt to slow the spread of HIV/AIDS across the impoverished Pacific nation. The nation s AIDS Council said Friday the new Karamap condoms would form part of a new awareness program about the disease.
Monitor Says Progress Made in DeKalb Jail's Health Care: Associated Press (09.14.02) - Monday, September 16, 2002; DeKalb County is making a good-faith effort to comply with terms of a settlement agreement in a lawsuit filed by inmates to improve medical care at the county jail but still has problems to correct, Dr. Robert Greifinger, the court- appointed monitor said Friday during a hearing. Superior Court Judge Hilton Fuller, who
Hepatitis B: FDA Advisers Plug New Drug: AIDS Weekly (09.02.02) - Monday, September 16, 2002; A failed HIV medication should be used to treat the liver- destroying hepatitis B virus, advisers to the US Food and Drug Administration have concluded. If the FDA agrees and makes the use official, Gilead Science s adefovir will become the first new treatment in years for the estimated 1.2 million Americans with the p
Project Targets Unsafe Sex in Gay Community: Albuquerque Journal (09.09.02) - Monday, September 16, 2002; Ross Grant; Based on the premise that safe sex has to be a community objective, the Mpowerment Project is one of the few programs overcoming a trend toward sexual recklessness among gay men, according to University of California-San Francisco researchers. The rate of unprotected sex among young gay men in Albuquerque dropped by 12
Effectiveness of Interventions to Prevent Sexually Transmitted Infections and Human Immunodeficiency Virus in Heterosexual Men: A Systematic Review: Archives of Internal Medicine(09.02.02)Vol. 162, No. 16, P. 1818- 1830 - Monday, September 16, 2002; A. Rani Elwy, PhD; Graham J. Hart, PhD; Sarah Hawkes, PhD, MBBS; Mark Petticrew, PhD; According to the authors, heterosexual men may be key to controlling the spread of STDs and HIV. STDs, including HIV, are more easily transmitted from men to women than from women to men. Women are twice as likely as men to become infected with STDs and the efficiency of transmission from male-to- female is four times
Sex Education Booklet Spawns Controversy in Japan: Agence France Presse (09.09.02) - Monday, September 16, 2002; Miwa Suzuki; A sex-education booklet for Japanese teenagers has triggered a dispute about whether teaching them contraceptive methods in detail is too radical as abortions among the young continue to rise. At the center of the controversy is the 32-page Love and Body Book, compiled by the Mothers and Children s Health and Welfare A
Rise in Iranian Prostitution Blamed on Strict Sex Rules, Economy: Associated Press (09.15.02) - Monday, September 16, 2002; Ali Akbar Dareini; A recent serial killer in Iran was understood by some to be battling corruption and a social scourge - prostitution. Saeed Hanaei went to the gallows for murdering prostitutes. If I removed corruption, it was for the good of the people, his gravestone read. Hanged for killing 16 women, many view him as a hero. Offi
Court-ordered HIV Test Requires Exchange of Bodily Fluids: AIDS Policy & Law (09.13.02) - Monday, September 16, 2002; A man who was convicted of lewd and lascivious conduct with a child under the age of 14 might be able to avoid HIV testing, according to an appeals court decision. According to a decision by the California Court of Appeals, 5th Appellate District, the decision by Superior Court of Fresno County by Judge Lawrence Jones
Syphilis Cases in Detroit on the Rise: Associated Press (09.15.02) - Monday, September 16, 2002; Cases of a centuries-old scourge are on the rise in Detroit, and federal health officials say the city has been slow to react to the syphilis problem. As of July 30, Detroit recorded 245 new cases and could see 500 by year s end, according to a state health official. That s well above other cities that have grappled wi
Federal Program Patients Mostly Minorities with Barriers to Care: AIDS Policy & Law (09.13.02) - Monday, September 16, 2002; As officials of the Health Resources and Services Administration convened the recent 2002 Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency conference, they noted the release of several new reports. As an agency of the Department of Health and Human Services, HRSA administers CARE Act programs, which received $1.91 bil
Notebook Items from the Italian Grand Prix: Associated Press (09.12.02) - Friday, September 13, 2002; Sauber Petronas will have Stop AIDS slogans painted on its race cars at Sunday s Italian Grand Prix in Monza and in the following championship races in the United States and Japan . The Swiss-based Formula One team agreed to participate in UN AIDS projects, and its cars will show slogans and the red AIDS ribbon in a pa
Holland to Promote AIDS Awareness at International Cricket Council's Champions Trophy: Associated Press (09.11.02) - Friday, September 13, 2002; Krishan Francis; Dutch cricketers plan to promote AIDS awareness as they participate in the 12-nation Champions Trophy tournament that began Thursday in Sri Lanka . They will be the first to wear AIDS awareness logos at an international cricket event. We decided to wear the logo of the Holland AIDS Foundation to raise awareness about
New Orleans AIDS Walk Is Sunday in Audubon Park: Times-Picayune (New Orleans) (09.12.02) - Friday, September 13, 2002; New Orleans AIDS Task Force will hold its 13th annual New Orleans AIDS Walk on Sunday. Registration begins at 8 a.m. and the walk will begin at 10 a.m. in Audubon Park. Walkers are encouraged to recruit family, co-workers, friends and neighbors for the 3.2-mile walk. A minimum pledge of $15 is suggested. After the walk
Crew Members Who Served with Infected Shrimper Checked for TB: Associated Press (09.13.02) - Friday, September 13, 2002; Crew members who served with a shrimper who had a highly infectious form of tuberculosis were tested for the disease when their boat docked Thursday in Bayou La Batre, Ala. Health department officials screened its four crew members, and none had an active form of the disease. They will undergo skin tests for the infect
Retreat on AIDS: Washington Post (09.12.02) - Friday, September 13, 2002; The past half-year has seen Washington retreating from its promised engagement in the international AIDS crisis. Back in March, Sen. Jesse Helms (R-N.C.) used an article on the opposite page to promise an extra $500 million this year to fight the transmission of the disease from mothers to newborn children. In June Mr
Caregivers Change with AIDS Epidemic: Associated Press (09.11.02) - Friday, September 13, 2002; Emily Fredrix; Eleven years ago, Mildred Jamison was changing diapers for babies with HIV. Today, the St. Louis grandmother worries whether her teenagers with HIV will return in time for curfew. Jamison established Faith House to care for the youngest HIV patients, but last March was the last time that the Missouri Department of Fami
Survival Rates After the Initiation of Antiretroviral Therapy Stratified by CD4 Cell Counts in Two Cohorts in Canada and the United States: AIDS (08.16.02) Vol.16; No. 12: P. 1693-1695 - Friday, September 13, 2002; Kenny C.W. Chan; Benita Yip; Robert S. Hogg; Julio S.G. Montaner; Michael V. O'Shaughnessy; In order to characterize patterns of survival among individuals initiating HAART in Canada and the United States , the authors conducted a population-based analysis of antiretroviral therapy with HIV-infected individuals enrolled in the British Columbia Drug Treatment Program. They then compared the BC data with the re
Prenatal Screening Rates Improving in London: Reuters Health (09.10.02) - Friday, September 13, 2002; London hospitals are making significant progress toward meeting government targets for infectious disease screening in pregnant women, Helen Maguire, London regional epidemiologist with the Public Health Laboratory Service, said on Monday. However, screening rates in the rest of the country still leave something to be
HIV Joins AIDS on List of Reportable Diseases: Wilkes Barre Times Leader (09.10.02) - Friday, September 13, 2002; Marques G. Harper; Effective Oct. 18, HIV will be added to the list of 52 diseases and conditions reportable to the Pennsylvania Health Department. Laboratories, testing sites and doctors will be required to share HIV case data with state health officials, who will compile it for tracking and prevention purposes. The state plans to compi
Union: Dozens Test Positive for TB in Marcy Prison: Associated Press (09.12.02) - Friday, September 13, 2002; Prison union officials warned Thursday of a tuberculosis outbreak at the Marcy Correctional Facility in Marcy, N.Y., after 18 inmates were diagnosed with active tuberculosis. Dozens of others tested positive for infection, including two guards, according to Peggy Porter, health and safety coordinator for the New York S
CDC Reports Americans' Health at Its Best: Atlanta Journal-Constitution (09.13.02) - Friday, September 13, 2002; Larry Lipman; Americans are dramatically healthier now than they were a half- century ago. Infant mortality rates are at record lows, and life expectancy is at record highs. A major reason for the longer life expectancy is that far fewer babies and young children are dying, according to a federal government report released Thursday.
High Speed Condom to Fight AIDS: BBC News (09.06.02) - Thursday, September 12, 2002; Research shows that many people do not use condoms because of difficulty in putting them on and because they can be passion killers. This prompted South African life insurer Metropolitan to fund the search for an easier way to use condoms to reduce the spread of HIV. People couldn t put it on in the dark, Tyrel Murray
Bono Preaches to the Faithful: Times-Picayune (New Orleans) (09.07.02) - Thursday, September 12, 2002; Adelle M. Banks; Christian music fans at nine festivals and concerts this summer have been shown a videotaped message about AIDS from rock star Bono of the Irish band U2. Bono recently created a nonprofit called DATA - Debt, AIDS, Trade for Africa - to build support for addressing the AIDS crisis and reducing African debt. Jay Swartzen
Missing Chinese Activist Wins Award: Associated Press (09.12.02) - Thursday, September 12, 2002; Joe McDonald; A missing Chinese AIDS activist reportedly detained by China s secret police was today named the recipient of a health award given by US and Canadian groups. Wan Yanhai, last seen Aug. 25 in Beijing, is being recognized for publicizing an unsanitary blood-buying industry that infected thousands of people with HIV in He
Sarasota AIDS Theatre Project Sends 'Message of Hope': Bradenton Herald (09.08.02) - Thursday, September 12, 2002; Donna Hartman; By staging plays about the effects of HIV/AIDS on individuals, their families and friends, the all-volunteer Sarasota AIDS Theatre Project is attempting to spread a message of hope and acceptance and, at the same time, raise public awareness about the dangers of HIV/AIDS. The 26-member group of trained actors and non-a
Beijing Strains Responsible for Spread of Russian Drug- Resistant Infections: TB & Outbreaks Week (08.27.02) - Thursday, September 12, 2002; Michael Greer; Researchers have elucidated the epidemiology of drug-resistant pulmonary tuberculosis strains in Russia s hard-hit Archangel Oblast region. Olga S. Toungoussova and colleagues at University of Oslo, the Norwegian Institute of Public Health in Oslo, Northern State Medical University in Archangel Oblast, Russia, and the
Gender Impacts HIV Blood Levels, Report Says: Reuters Health (09.09.02) - Thursday, September 12, 2002; Jacqueline Stenson; At similar stages of HIV infection, women tend to have lower levels of the virus in their blood than men, according to a new report. Although previous studies have yielded conflicting findings on this issue, the new report, which examined 13 earlier studies involving more than 10,500 patients, concluded that the majori
Amid Specter of AIDS, Mines Look to End System that Separates Workers from Their Families: Associated Press (09.10.02) - Thursday, September 12, 2002; Nicole Itano; Faced with post-apartheid laws that no longer favor migrant labor and with HIV infection rates at 25-30 percent among their workers, many South African mining companies are looking to replace crowded, all-male hostels with low-cost family housing. They are working with local governments to build houses, convert old hos
Scientists Develop Faster TB Test: BBC News (09.10.02) - Thursday, September 12, 2002; Jonathan Amos; A new DNA test has been developed to isolate a strain of tuberculosis in a matter of hours. The breakthrough occurred in Leicester, United Kingdom , where scientists faced an outbreak at Crown Hills Community College last year. There a 14-year-old boy with the bacterium was misdiagnosed as having asthma. During the 10
TB Caseload Soars: Medics Sound the Alarm as 17,500 Contract Lung Disease: Daily Mail (London)(09.10.02) - Thursday, September 12, 2002; Beezy Marsh; Doctors sounded an alarm on Monday over the continuing rise of tuberculosis cases in Britain. Lung specialists, having treated more than 17,500 TB cases over the past three years, say one in 20 TB patients has a form of the illness that is resistant to the most commonly used antibiotics. And one in 100 patients face an
Arizona Study Shows Many Youth Engage in Unprotected Sex: Associated Press (09.12.02) - Thursday, September 12, 2002; About 91 percent of teens in drug treatment programs have had sexual intercourse and used condoms only half the time, according to a new study. A University of Arizona researcher revealed the findings at a US- Mexico binational conference on HIV/AIDS this week. The three- year, $2 million study focused on 400 adolescen
Old Mutual Offers Staff Anti-AIDS Drugs: BBC News (09.10.02) - Wednesday, September 11, 2002; In a sign of growing corporate willingness to tackle the AIDS epidemic, Old Mutual, South Africa s largest insurance firm, said it would begin offering AIDS drugs to its 600 staffers believed to have HIV. The company did not disclose the price of the program but acknowledged the move could cost millions. The company s
Activists, Officials from Across Africa Unite to Help Africa's 11 Million AIDS Orphans: Associated Press (09.10.02) - Wednesday, September 11, 2002; Ravi Nessman; AIDS activists, African health ministers and UN officials meeting in Johannesburg yesterday demanded immediate action to help Africa s 11 million AIDS orphans. The one-day meeting, the first continent-wide effort to focus attention on the orphans plight, drew about three dozen people including UNICEF head Carol Bellamy
New AIDS Cases Down 11 Percent in the EU in 2001: Reuters (09.10.02) - Wednesday, September 11, 2002; The number of new AIDS cases fell 11 percent in the European Union in 2001, but Portugal remained a trouble spot with five times the average rate of incidence, official data showed on Tuesday. The EU s statistics agency Eurostat said 8,210 new cases of AIDS were reported in the 15-nation bloc last year compared with 9,
Program Aims to Educate Hispanic Youth About HIV: Houston Chronicle (09.05.02) - Wednesday, September 11, 2002; Carol E. Vaughn; Community activist Elias Chino never concerned himself with the barriers he might have faced as he established an HIV prevention and education services nonprofit for Hispanic youth. The Mexican immigrant, who had already lost two friends to AIDS, had vowed to keep it from happening to a younger generation. He s doing t
Older Adults at Risk for Chlamydia, Too: Study: Reuters Health (09.05.02) - Wednesday, September 11, 2002; Alison McCook; Chlamydia is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States , with 3 million new cases each year. About two-thirds of patients do not develop symptoms, but if left untreated, the infection has serious health consequences, including chronic pelvic pain and sterility. Since reproductive concerns
Using a Condom Is an Acquired Skill: Los Angeles Times (09.09.02) - Wednesday, September 11, 2002; Kathleen Kelleher; A team of researchers explored the trial and error aspect of condom use in a new study that some public health experts are calling one of the most comprehensive investigations into the many mistakes and problems young men experience when using condoms. The research, published in this month s issue of the journal Sexual
HIV Infection Rate Pinpointed: BBC News (09.09.02) - Wednesday, September 11, 2002; One in 50 gay men attending British sexual health clinics has contracted HIV in the previous year, according to researchers. Experts from the Public Health Laboratory Service used a new test to identify the rate of new infections. Last year saw a record number of new HIV diagnoses. But experts did not know how many wer
Alarm Over HIV Resistance: BBC News (09.10.02) - Wednesday, September 11, 2002; The annual conference of the Public Health Laboratory Service (PHLS) heard this week that one in four new HIV infections in the United Kingdom might be resistant to current drug treatments. According to the officials, the growing problem of resistance makes measures to prevent initial HIV infection even more important.
Shrimp Fisherman Gives TB to at Least 22 People: Associated Press (9.11.02) - Wednesday, September 11, 2002; A Bayou La Batre, Ala., shrimp fisherman with tuberculosis gave the infection to at least 22 people before he could be located and treated, according to state health officials. The shrimper had the disease for almost eight months, and his weight had fallen from 145 to 95 pounds before he was diagnosed and flown to a Ne
HIV Patients' Drug Regimens Upset by September 11th: Reuters Health (09.05.02) - Wednesday, September 11, 2002; Alan Mozes; A study of HIV-positive New York men taking a complex regimen of antiviral drugs found a steep rise in missing or late doses after last September s attacks. Lead author Dr. Perry Halkitis and colleagues calculated the frequency of missed dosages among 68 gay and bisexual men in New York who were prescribed highly activ
Walkers, Beasley Join Fight vs. AIDS: Fort Wayne News-Sentinel (09.09.02) - Tuesday, September 10, 2002; Shawn McGrath; About 450 people braved 90-degree temperatures in Fort Wayne, Ind., on Sunday for the sixth annual AIDSWalk. Nancy Cripe, event coordinator for AIDS Task Force Inc., said the organization was hoping this year s walk would raise $55,000. Last year s total was $48,000, down from $50,000 in 2000. The walk, the nonprofit s
US to Provide AIDS Assistance to Vietnam: Associated Press (09.09.02) - Tuesday, September 10, 2002; The United States signed an agreement with Vietnam on Monday to provide up to $20 million over the next five years for AIDS prevention and care, according to the US Embassy. Just over 9,000 new cases of HIV infection were logged in Vietnam in the first seven months of this year, bringing the total number of known HIV c
CDC to Open Office in Guyana to Help Fight HIV/AIDS: Associated Press (09.09.02) - Tuesday, September 10, 2002; Bert Wilkinson; The CDC will open an office in Guyana this month to help local health officials combat the spread of HIV/AIDS in the Caribbean, US Ambassador to Guyana Ronald Goddard said on Monday. The first of two doctors assigned to this South American country is due to arrive this week, and the second before the end of the month,
Getting Poz Guys to Use Condoms No Easy Task: Bay Area Reporter (San Francisco) (08.22.02) - Tuesday, September 10, 2002; Matthew S. Bajko; Over the last two decades, the arguments used to convince gay men to use condoms tended to speak only to those guys who were HIV-negative. The use a condom message tended not to address those men infected with HIV. Now the message is aimed at getting HIV-positive men to use a condom, and this is not always an easy task
Durability and Predictors of Success of Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy for Ambulatory HIV-Infected Patients: AIDS (08.16.02) Vol. 16; No. 12: P. 1617-1626 - Tuesday, September 10, 2002; Frank J. Palella, Jr.; Joan S. Chmiel; Anne C. Moorman; Scott D. Holmberg; the HIV Outpatient Study Investigators; The benefits of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in the treatment of HIV infection have been well described, including viral suppression, CD4 lymphocyte repletion and durable reductions in opportunistic infections and death. However, the durability of the effectiveness of HAART remains to be delineated. Fac
Aged Care 'Not Ready' for HIV Patients: Australian (09.03.02) - Tuesday, September 10, 2002; Rebecca DiGirolamo; A national aging services conference in Australia last week was told that life-prolonging, long-term AIDS treatments are accelerating age-related illnesses and thereby placing new demands on the aged care sector. Queensland coordinator of St. Luke s Nursing Service HIV/AIDS unit, Nigel Aberdour, said antiviral therapie
Vietnam Unveils Condom Plan to Stem HIV Infection Among Young: Agence France Presse (09.10.02) - Tuesday, September 10, 2002; Vietnam has unveiled a plan to stem escalating HIV infection rates by boosting condom usage among its sexually active younger population, an official said Tuesday. The campaign, which will commence in October, aims to sell 170 million condoms each year through 2005, said Phan Song, director of Vietnam s Family Planni
German Expert Fears Increase in New AIDS Cases: Reuters Health (09.09.02) - Tuesday, September 10, 2002; Ned Stafford; Cases of syphilis and other STDs in larger German cities are rising, and could be an early warning of increased AIDS cases to come, according to Dr. Osamah Hamouda, head of HIV/AIDS at the Berlin-based Robert-Koch-Institut, Germany s version of the US CDC. In an interview with the newspaper Neue Osnabruecker Zeitung, H
Rising HIV Must Top Public Health Agenda: Independent (London) (09.10.02) - Tuesday, September 10, 2002; Marie Woolf; Britain s HIV rate could soar if ministers continue to let the epidemic slide down the agenda, the Terrence Higgins Trust will warn the government next month. In a report whose release will coincide with the Labor Party conference, the AIDS charity says that sexual infections are on the rise and that new HIV cases are
Hispanic Women on Border Face Higher HIV Risk: Associated Press (09.09.02) - Tuesday, September 10, 2002; Hispanic women living along the US/Mexico border have an increased risk for HIV infection by their husbands or boyfriends, according to a University of Arizona professor and researcher who specializes in public health. What we are seeing is that heterosexual Latinas find out they are infected with HIV after finding out
Needle Exchange to Grow?: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (09.05.02) - Monday, September 09, 2002; Allegheny County s needle exchange program for drug addicts has been so successful in its first five months that it is looking to expand beyond its single distribution point - a picnic table in the Allegheny County Health Department parking lot in Oakland. Bill Smith, secretary for the needle exchange committee, told t
Lack of AIDS Medicines Kills Hundreds in India's Northeast: Agence France Presse (09.04.02) - Monday, September 09, 2002; Lack of medicine and proper health care facilities are leading to the death of hundreds of HIV-infected people in India s northeast region, experts and patients said last week. Antiretroviral drugs required for treatment of HIV/AIDS are either not immediately available or in most cases unaffordable due to high costs,
Ireland: Report on Tainted Blood: New York Times (09.06.02) - Monday, September 09, 2002; After two years of hearings, an Irish high court investigation into how the government s blood bank infected 260 hemophiliacs with HIV and hepatitis C in the 1980 s sharply criticized safety standards and the bank s failure to inform those it had infected until years later. But the head of the inquiry, Judge Alison Lin
AIDS Deaths Drop in Polk, Florida: Ledger (Lakeland, Fla.) (09.01.02) - Monday, September 09, 2002; Robin Williams Adams; AIDS deaths went down in Polk County, Fla., last year, reverting to 1999 levels. Polk had 32 deaths in 2001, down from 40 deaths in 2000 - down 66 percent from the peak of 94 deaths in 1994. Florida had 1,658 deaths, down from 1,809 in 2000, and up slightly from 1,651 in 1999. The figures indicate the steep decline in
Mobile County AIDS Rate Growing Among Women: Associated Press (09.08.02) - Monday, September 09, 2002; Heterosexual women have become the fastest-growing group with HIV/AIDS in Mobile County, Ala., where gay men once had the greatest number of cases. We ve seen a trend: More women, and most new cases are in the minority population, said Alfreda King, director of AIDS control for the county. King said faithful heterosexu
Syphilis Control Among Men Who Have Sex with Men: Public Health Response to an Outbreak: American Journal of Public Health (09.02) Vol. 92; No. 9: P. 1473-1475 - Monday, September 09, 2002; James L. Chen, MPH; David B. Callahan, MD; Peter R. Kerndt, MD, MPH; After the epidemic years of 1986 through 1990, US syphilis rates steadily declined to an all-time low of 2.5 cases per 100,000 population in 1999, leading the CDC to create a national plan for syphilis elimination. Nevertheless, multiple US areas continue to experience disease outbreaks and a resurgence of STDs among m
Social Death Part of AIDS Tragedy, Says HIV-Positive Advocate: Agence France Presse (09.02.02) - Monday, September 09, 2002; Matelita Ragogo; One of the worse aspects of living with AIDS is the social death that comes with it, an HIV-positive French Polynesian advocate told a Pacific youth conference in Fiji last week. People can live through anything. HIV/AIDS is just like any other disease or virus, but what is worse than anything else is having to do it o
Migrants May Face HIV Tests; Screening Review Under Way: Press (Christchurch, New Zealand) (09.04.02) - Monday, September 09, 2002; Ruth Berry; New Zealand may force migrants to be tested for HIV and other infectious diseases before allowing them into the country. Immigration Minister Lianne Dalziel said it was too early to say whether all migrants who tested positive would have their residency applications rejected if mandatory testing were introduced. Last
China Denies Plans to Make AIDS Drugs: Associated Press (09.09.02) - Monday, September 09, 2002; Christopher Bodeen; China s Health Ministry on Monday denied news reports that it is considering producing generic AIDS medications in violation of foreign patents, but said it wants deeper discounts for imported drugs. The government wants to cut the cost of AIDS treatment but will not do so in violation of intellectual property rights,
West Nile a Threat for Those with Weak Immune Systems: Associated Press (09.06.02) - Monday, September 09, 2002; Matthew Volz; HIV/AIDS patients, people with diabetes, those undergoing chemotherapy, and steroid users are more likely to get seriously ill or die if they become infected with the West Nile virus, say Mississippi health experts. For these individuals, the chance of infection is no higher than for healthy persons. But if they do get
AIDS Walk: Modesto Bee (09.04.02) - Friday, September 06, 2002; The eighth annual Sierra AIDS Walk will be held Saturday in Sonora, Calif., rain or shine. The event is organized by Sierra Health Resources. Walkers will meet at Courthouse Park on Washington Street and walk 2.5 miles through the downtown area. For more information, or to register, telephone 209-736- 6792.
Condom Festival in Southern India to Fight Spread of AIDS Virus: Deutsche Press-Agentur (09.05.02) - Friday, September 06, 2002; A condom festival was launched in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh as part of an HIV/AIDS prevention program, news reports said Thursday. According to a National AIDS Control Organization study, condom usage in Andhra Pradesh is the lowest in the country, the Star News Channel reported. The study indicates t
Glaxo to Cut Prices in Poor Countries: Wall Street Journal (09.06.02) - Friday, September 06, 2002; Gautam Naik; GlaxoSmithKline has announced further price cuts for its AIDS and malaria medicines, its latest response to the public outcry over the lack of cheap, life-saving drugs for poor countries. The British company said it will cut the prices of its HIV/AIDS drugs by as much as 33 percent and the prices of its malaria drugs
AIDS Activist Is Being Detained by Police, Group Says: Los Angeles Times (09.06.02) - Friday, September 06, 2002; Henry Chu; Veteran Chinese AIDS activist Wan Yanhai, missing for nearly two weeks, is in police custody on suspicion of revealing state secrets, according to the New York-based group Human Rights in China . HRIC said Thursday that a friend of Wan s was informed of his detention by the Ministry of State Security. The group said Wa
High CSF Viral Loads Presage Neurological Impairment: AIDS Weekly (08.26.02) - Friday, September 06, 2002; Michael Greer; Health care workers should monitor brain and spinal viral loads in HIV patients, according to research published in Archives of Neurology (2002;59[6]923-928). If cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) RNA levels are elevated before the development of neuropsychological (NP) impairment, such observ
Monitoring Indicates Safe-Sex Relapse in Boston: AIDS Alert (09.01.02) - Friday, September 06, 2002; The trend of men who have sex with men (MSM) resorting to increasingly unsafe sexual practices is becoming apparent throughout the developed world, as studies continue to highlight increases in the prevalence of STDs. Studies presented at the 14th International AIDS Conference in Barcelona showed increasing STDs among
HIV Prevention Programs Failing; New Infections on the Increase: Canadian Press (09.04.02) - Friday, September 06, 2002; Dene Moore; In 2001, British Columbia had a modest but alarming increase in new HIV infections among both the gay and heterosexual populations - the first increase in six years - AIDS activists said Wednesday. The rate of HIV infection in the province declined annually to 413 new infections in 2000 from 840 in 1994. But in 2001 th
China Says the Number of Its People Infected with AIDS Virus to Reach 1 Million by End of Year: Associated Press (09.06.02) - Friday, September 06, 2002; Christopher Bodeen; The number of people in China infected with HIV will soar to 1 million by the end of this year, but the rate of new infections seems to be falling, a Health Ministry official said Friday. Previously, China estimated 850,000 infections at the end of last year, though health officials have confirmed only 30,736 cases. Fr
Hemophiliacs Lose AIDS Legal Fight: Toronto Star (09.06.02) - Friday, September 06, 2002; A costly legal fight launched by hemophiliacs who claimed tainted blood gave them AIDS has been dismissed by Canada s highest court. The Supreme Court of Canada gave no reasons yesterday for refusing to review an Ontario Court of Appeal judgment that overturned a lower court win for the plaintiffs. They re devastated,
HIV Prevention Project Wins $120,000 Award: Tulsa World (09.01.02) - Friday, September 06, 2002; Ginnie Graham; Since its 1994 launch, the HIV Prevention Project for Women in Oklahoma Prisons has trained 240 women in state prisons to be peer educators. The educational program is now one of the winners of the national Robert Wood Johnson Community Health Leadership Program award, which comes with a $120,000 prize. Once the inmate
HIV Plaguing Rural Carolinas: The Charlotte Observer (09.02.02) - Friday, September 06, 2002; Jennifer Talhelm; HIV is an increasingly disturbing problem in rural eastern Carolina counties, home to the states poorest and least- educated residents. Many rural people with HIV face stark poverty, lack of health care coverage, waiting lists for life- saving HIV medications, and stigma. In South Carolina, African-Americans, who compr
More Than 3,500 New HIV Cases Registered Every Month in Russia: Associated Press (08.28.02) - Thursday, September 05, 2002; More than 3,500 new HIV cases are registered every month in Russia , the State Statistics Committee reported recently. Interfax reported that in June, 3,573 HIV cases, including 30 children, were registered. In May, the government registered 3,569 HIV cases. The Russian Research Center for Prevention and Treatment of A
HIV Often Misdiagnosed in Aging Patients, Conference Told: Australian Associated Press (09.03.02) - Thursday, September 05, 2002; Older people are likely to have increased rates of HIV infection following the recent widespread availability of the impotence drug Viagra, reported Nigel Aberdour, coordinator of St. Luke s Nursing Service HIV/AIDS Unit, at the Aged and Community Services Australia conference in Adelaide Tuesday. However, symptoms of
Bush Offers Aid to Middle East, AIDS, Airports: Reuters (09.04.02) - Thursday, September 05, 2002; President Bush asked Congress Wednesday for $996 million to aid Israel and the Palestinians, fight the spread of AIDS, and bolster security at US airports. The administration said the package includes $200 million to fight HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases around the world. Bush angered lawmakers in August when he
Positive Prevention: Canada Needs a US-Style AIDS Education Campaign: Ottawa Citizen (09.02.02) - Thursday, September 05, 2002; ...For many years, the message of AIDS awareness was a generic one: protect yourself. The targeted audience seemed to be people who were still HIV-negative. The implication was that the entire burden of prevention fell on the uninfected to protect themselves from the infected. But [a new] education campaign..., now ap
Oakland Doctor Steadfast in Treating HIV Patients: Contra Costa Times (08.26.02) - Thursday, September 05, 2002; Judy Silber; For 20 years, Robert Scott s life has revolved primarily around his work as a physician for the Oakland, Calif., AIDS community. He is one of a core group of Bay Area doctors who have been treating the disease since it was first recognized in the early 1980s. Among Scott s 2,000 patients, about 400 have tested positive
Antiretroviral Therapy in HIV-Infected Children Can Stop Neurological Damage: Virus Weekly (08.27.02) - Thursday, September 05, 2002; Treating HIV-infected children with antiretroviral therapy can stop and potentially even reverse neurological damage caused by the virus, doctors from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center report in Journal of Pediatrics (2002;141(1);36- 44). Neurological symptoms are often one of the first signs HIV has
Researchers Document Rare Case of Second HIV Infection with Different Strain: Associated Press (09.05.02) - Thursday, September 05, 2002; Stephanie Nano; Swiss researchers have documented a rare case of a patient contracting a second HIV infection two years later with a different strain of the virus. The researchers said the case could have implications for the development of an AIDS vaccine, and its occurrence strongly supports the practice of safe sex for those alread
HIV-Infected in Rural Ukraine Are Far from Assistance, Hope: Deutsche Presse-Agentur (08.31.02) - Thursday, September 05, 2002; Dima Reznikov, a 28-year-old intravenous drug user who admits sharing needles, believes he has AIDS. He has a hacking cough, open sores, and trouble lifting even moderate weights. The Ukrainian former dockworker concedes he might even die in the near future, but says he doesn t care, because no one else does. He might
HIV-Positive Females Face Different Challenges: Boston Globe (09.02.02) - Thursday, September 05, 2002; Emily Ramshaw; This summer the Massachusetts Department of Public Health released data showing that women account for 30 percent of the 13,725 reported HIV cases statewide - up from 10 percent a decade ago - and in some cities and towns represent as much as 45 percent. Of the 3,732 women reported with HIV in Massachusetts, almost two
Study Finds Mothers Unaware of Children's Sexual Activity: New York Times (09.05.02) - Thursday, September 05, 2002; Diana Jean Schemo; Half of all mothers of sexually active teenagers mistakenly believe that their children are still virgins, according to a report released today by a team of researchers at the University of Minnesota Adolescent Health Center. Teenagers, meanwhile, are under illusions of their own: 45 percent of boys and 30 percent of g
Briteramos' Probation May Be Revoked: Associated Press (09.03.02) - Wednesday, September 04, 2002; Joe Kafka; Nikki Briteramos, the 19-year-old man jailed in South Dakota for having sex without telling his girlfriend he has HIV, has been accused of violating a condition of his largely suspended sentence. Briteramos was released from jail a few hours after sentencing on Thursday so he could register for college, but he disappea
Powell Says Bush Administration Has Stepped Up to Solve Global Problems: Associated Press (09.04.02) - Wednesday, September 04, 2002; Sonya Ross; US Secretary of State Colin Powell today spelled out for the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg areas where he said the Bush administration has taken a leading role in solving global problems. President Bush, he said, has advocated expanding trade to Africa, tying US foreign aid to progressive poli
African AIDS Conference Opens in Ethiopia: Agence France Presse (09.03.02) - Wednesday, September 04, 2002; Representatives of 14 African nations on Tuesday began talks in Ethiopia s capital on drafting swift action plans to tackle AIDS in central and eastern Africa. The meeting, due to last until Friday, gathered nearly 100 delegates at the headquarters of the UN s Economic Commission for Africa to share their experience in
Let's Not Get Complacent About a Serious Health Foe: Seattle Times (08.30.02) - Wednesday, September 04, 2002; Lance Dickie; Offering advice to a Legislature with a $1 billion hole to fill is a fool s errand, but I have a simple request: Don t skimp on protecting public health. ...By law, a lot of public health is a responsibility of cities and counties, but the motor vehicle excise taxes that once helped pay the bills disappeared with the
City Health Department's Ills Are Uncovered in Audit: St. Louis Post-Dispatch (08.31.02) - Wednesday, September 04, 2002; Doug Moore; The St. Louis Health Department lost $207,000 in federal money for HIV/AIDS services and nearly forfeited an additional $3 million because it failed to file paperwork in a timely fashion to be reimbursed. Accounts of shoddy bookkeeping and other disclosures were made Friday in a report by an accounting firm hired by th
County to Extend Needle Exchange Program to Santa Paula: Los Angeles Times (09.03.02) - Wednesday, September 04, 2002; Amanda Covarrubias; Volunteers with California s Ventura County Rainbow Alliance soon will begin exchanging new needles for used ones brought in by drug users in Santa Paula as the Ventura County Health Care Agency expands its year-old syringe replacement program. The move into Santa Paula is part of an effort to take the program countywi
Novel Immunoassay Suitable for Blood Donor Screening: Blood Weekly (08.29.02) - Wednesday, September 04, 2002; Michael Greer; A novel immunoassay can be used effectively to detect HIV contamination in blood products, according to researchers in Luxembourg . The Cobas Core HIV Combi enzyme immunoassay (EIA) is more accurate for blood donor testing than other fourth- generation screens. According to the researchers, Fourth-generation assay
Gender, AIDS Status Do Not Affect Isoniazid Levels: AIDS Weekly (09.02.02) - Wednesday, September 04, 2002; Michael Greer; US researchers have shed new light on the metabolism of the popular TB drug isoniazid. The researchers examined isoniazid pharmacokinetics in a group of 80 volunteers, who were divided into 8 cohorts based on gender, acetylation speed, and AIDS status. Each study participant received one daily 300 mg dose of isoniazid
China AIDS Activist Riled Officials: Christian Science Monitor (09.03.02) - Wednesday, September 04, 2002; Robert Marquand; China s top AIDS activist Wan Yanhai - who disappeared in Beijing more than a week ago - is alive and safe, according to activists and friends. But they are reluctant to say much else, adding to the belief that Wan was detained by Chinese authorities for his role as an independent voice in the AIDS crisis in China. Wa
AIDS Ride Charities Not Left Out in Cold; Cash-Strapped Producer to Distribute Proceeds: San Francisco Chronicle (09.01.02) - Wednesday, September 04, 2002; Ray Delgado; The future of the California AIDS Ride may have been thrown into doubt by the financial collapse of its producer, Pallotta TeamWorks, but the beneficiaries of the June event will still receive whatever proceeds it earned. Craig Thompson, the executive director of AIDS Project Los Angeles, the lead beneficiary of the Ca
Senate Approves Bill to Let Pharmacies Sell Hypodermic Needles: Associated Press (08.30.02) - Tuesday, September 03, 2002; Jennifer Coleman; California state Senators have approved a bill to let pharmacists sell up to 30 hypodermic needles at a time without a doctor s prescription. The bill, by Sen. John Vasconcellos (D- Santa Clara), passed by a 21-12 vote and now goes to Gov. Gray Davis. The governor has not taken a position on the bill, said his spokespe
Thai Charity Says It Was Fooled into Distributing Fake AIDS Cure: Associated Press (08.30.02) - Tuesday, September 03, 2002; Sutin Wannabovorn; The private Thai charity Salang Bunnag Foundation said Friday that it was fooled into distributing a purported AIDS cure, later shown to be useless, to thousands of patients. We have stopped distributing it, said Dr. Sek Aksaranukroh, a volunteer working for the foundation. The group s admission came a year after Thail
Hong Kong Protesters Demand Beijing Investigate Disappearance of Chinese AIDS Activist: Associated Press (09.02.02) - Tuesday, September 03, 2002; Rights campaigners marched to China s representative office in Hong Kong Monday and urged Beijing to investigate and publicly explain last month s disappearance of mainland AIDS activist Wan Yanhai. But security guards at the Chinese government liaison office shut the gates and tossed a petition letter back to the prot
Mandela Boosts Fight Against AIDS: Toronto Star (09.03.02) - Tuesday, September 03, 2002; Rachel Giese; Though the old AIDS activism slogan, silence equals death, may have joined rainbow rings and public die-ins on the dusty pile of artifacts of protests past, its message is just as relevant today as it was 20 years ago. This is particularly true in the developing world, where silence is as great a contributor as povert
Urgently Seeking Relief - at this Yoga Class, the Practitioners Are Men Stricken with HIV: Boston Globe (08.25.02) - Tuesday, September 03, 2002; Benjamin Gedan; Unlike at most yoga classes sprouting across America, the practitioners drawn to Kim Amlong s free Sommerville seminars are in search of more than muscle tone or an escape from an over- programmed daily schedule. Stricken with HIV, the men whose bodies weekly mirror Amlong s contorting torso say they ve turned to yoga
Sexual Risk Behavior and Implications for Secondary HIV Transmission During and After HIV Seroconversion: AIDS (07.26.02) Vol. 16; No. 11: P. 1529-1535 - Tuesday, September 03, 2002; Grant N. Colfax; Susan P. Buchbinder; Peter G.A. Cornelisse; Eric Vittinghoff; Kenneth Mayer; Connie Celum; Although a number of studies have demonstrated that a substantial proportion of HIV-infected individuals engage in high-risk sexual practices with HIV-negative or unknown- serostatus partners, little information is available on the extent to which these behaviors are prevalent among individuals newly infected with HIV,
UN Launches Program to Spread AIDS Awareness Among Seamen: Associated Press (08.30.02) - Tuesday, September 03, 2002; Alisa Tang; Warning that sailors are highly vulnerable to HIV/AIDS, the UN on Friday launched a new educational program for maritime industry workers about the dangers of unprotected sex. UN officials, who met with maritime officials from six Southeast Asian countries and China , said sailors save a lot of money during their lengt
Fund AIDS Fight Not Foreign Debts, Says UN Adviser: Reuters (08.31.02) - Tuesday, September 03, 2002; Wambui Chege; African governments should fund programs to combat HIV/AIDS before they service foreign debts, UN special adviser Jeffrey Sachs said on Saturday at an Earth Summit panel in Johannesburg, South Africa . Sachs, director of the Center for International Development at Harvard University and special adviser to UN Secretary-
Teens Unclear of Definition of Safe Sex: San Antonio Express-News (08.26.02) - Tuesday, September 03, 2002; Richard A. Marini; American teenagers may be having less sexual intercourse, but that does not mean they are abstaining from unsafe sex. According to the CDC, sexual activity among teens has declined 14 percent since 1995. Health experts note that although this survey did not ask about oral sex, many teens are turning to the activity in
Abbott Laboratories Recalling 1.5 Million Gonorrhea Tests Worldwide: Associated Press (08.30.02) - Tuesday, September 03, 2002; Elizabeth Wolfe; Abbott Laboratories is recalling 1.5 million gonorrhea tests sold worldwide because they might give false negative results, the US government said Friday. The Food and Drug Administration recommended that people who have tested negative for gonorrhea from Jan. 11 to June 24 ask their doctor if another test is necessa
AIDS Walk Seeks Participants: Morning Star (Wilmington, N.C.) (08.21.02) - Friday, August 30, 2002; A nonprofit group founded by Starbucks Coffee is organizing the first AIDS Walk Wilmington. The walk is a response to the number of local AIDS cases, said John Cheek, manager of Starbucks at Landfall Center. New Hanover Regional Medical Center is treating nearly 400 AIDS-related patients, more than double the number th
University of Utah Gets Grant to Study HIV: Deseret News (Salt Lake City) (08.27.02) - Friday, August 30, 2002; Lois M. Collins; University of Utah researchers plan to use a $6.4 million National Institutes of Health grant to study the mechanisms of HIV infection in hopes of finding new ways to combat it. Our main emphasis is trying to prevent the virus from entering target cells, said Dr. Michael Kay, assistant professor of biochemistry. We ll
AIDS Prevention Fund Set Up for Youngsters: Xinhua News Agency (08.30.02) - Friday, August 30, 2002; The China Youth Development Foundation, China Youth Daily and Guilin Latex Company on Wednesday launched a special AIDS prevention fund with initial capital of $120,000 to target China s young people. The effort marks the first time non- governmental forces have joined to battle the disease, the Beijing Morning Post re
Dutch Researchers Theorize Chimpanzees May Have Survived AIDS Epidemic Two Million Years Ago: Associated Press (08.30.02) - Friday, August 30, 2002; Toby Sterling; Dutch researchers theorize that an AIDS-like epidemic wiped out huge numbers of chimpanzees 2 million years ago, leaving modern chimps with resistance to HIV and its variants. If true, the hypothesis would explain why chimps, which share more than 98 percent of their DNA with humans, do not develop AIDS. The findings w
Dangerous Strep Bug Can Be Spread by Oral Sex: Reuters Health (08.28.02) - Friday, August 30, 2002; Keith Mulvihill; A bacterial infection dangerous to infants can be spread by sexual activity, particularly oral sex, between men and women, new study findings show. Group B streptococcal infection (GBS) rarely makes healthy young adults sick, but it can cause health problems for pregnant women and babies and can sicken elderly people o
Early Data Find HIV Patients Do Well with Organ Transplants: Associated Press (08.30.02) - Friday, August 30, 2002; Laura Meckler; Researchers reported Thursday at the International Congress of the Transplantation Society in Miami that patients with HIV are successfully receiving liver and kidney transplants, challenging widespread reluctance by transplant centers to give scarce organs to people with incurable disease. Because thousands of HIV pat
As HIV Spreads, Officials Are Still Looking the Other Way: Seattle Times (08.25.02) - Friday, August 30, 2002; Alex Rodriguez; Nowhere in the world is HIV spreading faster than in the former Soviet Union, an ominous trend that has so far been driven almost exclusively by the young embracing drug experimentation. And yet Russia has devoted little if any attention to the prevention and treatment of drug abuse, AIDS experts say. Now, as Russia be
Without Fighting AIDS There Can Be No Sustainable Development, UNAIDS Chief Says: Associated Press (08.29.02) - Friday, August 30, 2002; Ravi Nessman; Efforts to uplift the world s poor will be meaningless without a massive international campaign to fight the AIDS pandemic ravaging Africa and other developing nations, UNAIDS head Dr. Peter Piot said Thursday at the World Summit for Sustainable Development in Johannesburg. If AIDS is not brought under control, if peop
Foster to Challenge Judge's Ruling on Abstinence Funds- Religious Link: Advocate (Baton Rouge, La.) (08.27.02) - Friday, August 30, 2002; Joe Gyan Jr.; Louisiana Gov. Mike Foster and his sexual abstinence program director are challenging a judge s adverse ruling involving the federally funded program. Attorneys for Foster and Dan Richey, coordinator of the Governor s Program on Abstinence, filed a notice of appeal at the 5th US Circuit Court of Appeals last week. US D
South Dakota Man Given 120 Days Jail Time for Knowingly Exposing Woman to HIV: Associated Press (08.29.02) - Friday, August 30, 2002; Joe Kafka; Nikko Briteramos, 19, was ordered Thursday to spend 120 days in jail for having sex with his girlfriend without revealing that he had HIV. Briteramos, a basketball player at SiTanka- Huron University in Huron, was the first person convicted in South Dakota of intentionally exposing someone to HIV. He could have faced u
AIDS Walk Awaits Its Host: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (08.26.02) - Thursday, August 29, 2002; Marilynn Marchione; Seven celebrities are helping promote this year s AIDS Walk Wisconsin, set for Sept. 29 in dual locations - the Milwaukee lakefront and Olin-Turville Park in Madison. At least one celebrity will attend the walk in Milwaukee, but organizers won t announce which one until closer to the event. The walk benefits the AIDS R
Groundbreaking Slated for Tuberculosis Hospital: Houston Chronicle (08.29.02) - Thursday, August 29, 2002; With tuberculosis still a threat in Texas, dignitaries will break ground today for an $18.8 million TB hospital - the largest new construction of such a facility in the United States in 50 years, state officials said. The 75-bed facility will be built in south San Antonio at the Texas Department of Health s Texas Cente
Gates Foundation Gives $46 Million for HIV: Associated Press (08.28.02) - Thursday, August 29, 2002; Mark Bryant; Low-tech efforts to slow the spread of HIV and give women some control over contraception got a boost yesterday from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which announced $46 million grants for three US universities. The foundation gave $28 million to the University of California-San Francisco to research using the
County Sees Rise in HIV, AIDS Cases: Indianapolis Star (08.26.02) - Thursday, August 29, 2002; Diana Penner; Reported cases of HIV/AIDS in Marion County, Ind., appear to be rising dramatically, possibly on a pace to be the most since 1994. But health officials cannot yet say whether that means infection rates are growing. Stepped-up efforts to have people tested and diagnosed could, in some cases, be identifying people sooner
Long-Term Interruption of HIV Treatment May Be Safe in Certain Patients: AIDS Weekly (08.26.02) - Thursday, August 29, 2002; Interrupting HIV treatment for an extended period and then reinitiating therapy might be safe in certain patients, according to a study by Northwestern University infectious disease experts. Chad Achenbach, MD, and coinvestigators from the Feinberg School of Medicine presented data from their research at the 14th Inter
Fumagillin Effective for Microsporidiosis Treatment: AIDS Weekly (08.19.02) - Thursday, August 29, 2002; Michael Greer; The fungal antibiotic fumagillin can resolve intractable intestinal infections in HIV patients and others, according to researchers in France . Intestinal microsporidiosis due to Enterocytozoon bieneusi is a cause of chronic diarrhea, malabsorption, and wasting in immunocompromised patients, explained Jean-Michel Moli
Shocking Revelations on HIV/AIDS and Deaf Children: Africa News Service (08.24.02) - Thursday, August 29, 2002; East African Standard; Deaf children in Kenya are lacking access to information regarding HIV/AIDS. The Kenya Society for Deaf Children (KSDC) says there are no trained personnel in the country to sensitize deaf persons to the dangers posed by AIDS. KSDC Director Ogutu Adera said no effort has been made to produce training documents or infor
Botswana Watches Economic Success Destroyed by AIDS: Wall Street Journal (08.29.02) - Thursday, August 29, 2002; Roger Thurow; Peaceful, bucolic Botswana , with its steady climb out of abject poverty, should have been the star of this week s World Summit on Sustainable Development in neighboring South Africa . Instead, it has become Exhibit A for how human development has, in many ways, gone in reverse since world leaders gathered in Rio de Ja
China's Top AIDS Activist Missing; Arrest Is Suspected: New York Times (08.29.02) - Thursday, August 29, 2002; Elisabeth Rosenthal; China s most prominent AIDS activist, Dr. Wan Yanhai, has disappeared and is believed to have been detained by police, relatives and human rights groups say. Wan, a former Chinese health official who was fired after he took up the causes of gay rights and AIDS in the mid-1990 s, was instrumental in exposing the AIDS ep
A New Reason for Teens to Avoid Sex: It Could Be Harmful to Their Health: Wall Street Journal (08.27.02) - Thursday, August 29, 2002; Tara Parker-Pope; A new sex education curriculum offered in Texas is focusing on the health benefits of abstinence, ignoring the moral issues altogether. The program, dubbed Worth the Wait, teaches kids from a medical standpoint that there is no such thing as safe sex for a teenager. It documents genuine health reasons why sex should be
Philippines Worried over HIV Infections Among Overseas Workers: Deutsche Presse-Agentur (08.24.02) - Wednesday, August 28, 2002; Philippines Health Secretary Manuel Dayrit on Saturday expressed concern over an increasing number of overseas Filipino workers infected with HIV. Since 1997, 50 to 60 cases of HIV have been reported among overseas Filipino workers annually. While HIV infection among Filipinos remains low compared to other countries, D
Louisiana to Lead in Health Training: Sunday Advocate (Baton Rouge, La.) (08.25.02) - Wednesday, August 28, 2002; Louisiana State University is one of 11 US universities to receive a federal grant to help health care professionals deal with AIDS. President Bush s health care policy director, former University of Louisiana System President Bobby Jindal, returned Thursday to Baton Rouge to present a ceremonial check for $1.25 millio
TB Patient Appeals Shackle Ruling: Toronto Star (08.27.02) - Wednesday, August 28, 2002; Robert Cribb; An infectious TB patient who was shackled and handcuffed in a Toronto hospital is appealing a judge s ruling that called the measures justified. Wayne Deakin, 46, a patient at West Park Health Center, is asking that the hospital be prevented from treating him with physical and chemical restraint other than in emergency
Condom Conundrum: Bay Area Reporter (San Francisco) (08.15.02) - Wednesday, August 28, 2002; Matthew S. Bajko; This month the Stop AIDS Project handed out its 4 millionth condom for the year. Other San Francisco AIDS agencies also distribute thousands of condoms every month. According to the CDC, it is commonly believed that prior to the [AIDS] epidemic, virtually no American gay men used condoms. By 1992, 70 percent of at-risk
Diaphragm Put to Test Against HIV: San Francisco Chronicle (08.28.02) - Wednesday, August 28, 2002; Sabin Russell; Taking a new, low-tech tack in the battle against AIDS, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation plans to spend $28 million in southern Africa to test whether the simple latex diaphragm used for birth control also can reduce a woman s risk of HIV infection. The grant ends an eight-year quest by University of California-Sa
Alcohol Tied to Risky Sex Among HIV+ Men: Study: Reuters Health (08.23.02) - Wednesday, August 28, 2002; HIV-positive men who see alcohol as a way to enhance their sex lives may be more likely to have unprotected sex, researchers report in the August issue of Annals of Behavioral Medicine (2002;24:229-235). Their study of about 200 men with HIV found that those who connected alcohol and sexual pleasure were more likely th
To Regulate Prostitution, Iran Ponders Brothels: New York Times (08.28.02) - Wednesday, August 28, 2002; Nazila Fathi; The conservative Iranian newspaper, Afarinesh, recently reported that two government agencies, which were not identified, had proposed legalizing brothels, under the name of chastity houses, as a way of bringing prostitution under control. The plan reportedly involved using security forces, the judiciary and religious
South Africa; Military About-Turn on HIV/AIDS Tests: Africa News Service (08.27.02) - Wednesday, August 28, 2002; Business Day; South Africa s Deputy Defense Minister Nozizwe Madlala- Routledge has moved to defuse tension among defense department members, assuring there will be no compulsory HIV/AIDS testing in the National Defense Force (SANDF). Her move follows the recent announcement by Defense Minister Mosiuoa Lekota that the 70,000- strong
Orphans a Tiny Hint of Africa's AIDS Apocalypse: Chicago Tribune (08.28.02) - Wednesday, August 28, 2002; Laurie Goering; As world leaders meet this week in Johannesburg to try to chart a course for worldwide sustainable development, they face many daunting challenges - but none so immediate and horrific as AIDS. One in four South Africans is HIV-positive, and one in nine has developed AIDS. Places like Ingwavuma, an isolated hamlet near
Patients Face Loss of Subsidy for AIDS Drugs: American Medical News (08.19.02) - Wednesday, August 28, 2002; Michael J. Bernstein; In May, Oregon froze enrollment in its AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP), putting access to medications in doubt for 20 to 25 patients who apply each month. ADAP provides medication to low-income patients who are ineligible for health insurance or cannot afford medications, which cost between $10,000 and $15,000 a ye
Woman Suing Clinic over Unwanted Test: Associated Press (08.22.02) - Tuesday, August 27, 2002; A woman who claims an HIV test was done without her consent while she was pregnant is suing the clinic that performed it. The woman, identified only as Jane Doe in the lawsuit, discovered she was infected with HIV as a result of the test. The lawsuit, filed in Milwaukee County Circuit Court, was brought by the AIDS Res
News in Brief from the San Joaquin Valley: Associated Press (08.26.02) - Tuesday, August 27, 2002; Fresno County, Calif., has received a nearly $80,000 grant for a two-year campaign promoting chlamydia awareness and prevention. Reported cases climbed from 3,019 in 1998 to 4,082 last year in the county, which leads the state in the STD. If the trend continues, Fresno will see 4,566 cases this year, said Eric Villegas
Assembly OKs Sales of Needles Without Prescriptions: Associated Press (08.26.02) - Tuesday, August 27, 2002; The California Assembly yesterday passed, by a 42-24 vote, a bill allowing pharmacies to sell hypodermic needles to adults without a doctor s prescription. The bill now goes back to the Senate because of amendments made in the Assembly. The bill s sponsor, Sen. John Vasconcellos (D-San Jose), said his legislation would
A Devoted Soldier Against HIV/AIDS: Capital (Annapolis, Md.) (08.18.02) - Tuesday, August 27, 2002; Karen Durkalski; Every nine minutes someone in the United States is diagnosed with an AIDS-related illness. In 1989 the HIV/AIDS Volunteer Enrichment Network, HAVEN, was formed to respond to HIV- affected individuals in Anne Arundel County, Md. Almost 700 county residents, 30 percent of them female, have HIV/AIDS. Among the services th
AIDS Workers Won't Return to Parks After Dispute over Condom: Associated Press (08.27.02) - Tuesday, August 27, 2002; Workers with an AIDS prevention program will not be going back to parks in Monroe and Carbon counties, Pa., after officials from both counties said Monday that they did not want condoms distributed in such areas. They were responding to concerns parents raised after a worker gave a condom to a 13-year-old girl at a pla
HIV-Positive Women Report More Lifetime Partner Violence: Findings from a Voluntary Counseling and Testing Clinic in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: American Journal of Public Health (08.02) Vol. 92; No. 8: P. 1331- 1337 - Tuesday, August 27, 2002; Suzanne Maman, PhD; Jessie K. Mbwambo, MD; Nora M. Hogan, PsyD; Gad P. Kilonzo, MBChB, MMed, FRCP(C); Jacquelyn C. Campbell, PhD, RN, FAAN; Ellen Weiss, MSc; Michael D. Sweat, PhD; There is growing evidence linking the epidemics of HIV and violence against women. Women are the fastest-growing population to become infected with HIV in most regions of the world. In 1999, it was estimated that there were 15,000 new infections per day, 95 percent of which occurred in developing countries and more tha
AIDS Scourge in Rural China Leaves Villages of Orphans: New York Times (08.25.02) - Tuesday, August 27, 2002; Elisabeth Rosenthal; AIDS is creating an explosion of destitute orphans in China s rural heartland and is driving large numbers of families into such dire poverty that they can no longer afford to feed or clothe, much less educate, their children. At the start of last year, there were no orphans in Donghu, Henan Province. Today, because of
Mandela: How My Family Has Been Hit with AIDS: Africa News Service (08.25.02) - Tuesday, August 27, 2002; Former South African President Nelson Mandela has spoken for the first time of how he has been personally affected by the AIDS pandemic, losing close relatives to the disease. Mandela confirmed to the Sunday Times this week that three young members of his family - a 22-year-old niece and two young sons of a nephew - ha
UN Chief Says World Leaders Aren't Moving Fast Enough to Cut Poverty, Improve Education and Fight AIDS: Associated Press (08.26.02) - Tuesday, August 27, 2002; Edith M. Lederer; Two years ago, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan challenged world leaders to use their power to give billions of people a better life by 2015. In his first report card on Monday, he said they are not moving fast enough to cut poverty, improve education, reduce child mortality and fight AIDS. Annan s report card to the UN
Expenses Eat Profits of District AIDSRide: Washington Post (08.27.02) - Tuesday, August 27, 2002; Carol Morello; Expenses ate up at least 86 percent of the $3.6 million raised in June by the Pallotta TeamWorks-organized D.C. AIDSRide, the benefiting charities said Monday. Per-rider expenses averaged $400 more than the $2,400 each rider needed to participate; the event turned a $500,000 profit only because each rider raised an ave
AIDS Grant to Help Women, Children: Charlotte Observer (08.21.02) - Monday, August 26, 2002; Charlotte, N.C. s Metrolina AIDS Project was awarded $822,083 from the US Department of Health and Human Services to provide comprehensive HIV/AIDS care and services to children, young women and their families. Metrolina AIDS Project is the Charlotte area s leading provider of comprehensive case management, preventive
Kaposi's Sarcoma: AIDS Policy & Law (08.16.02) - Monday, August 26, 2002; A new drug in the second phase of human trials has proven to be an effective treatment for most patients with advanced AIDS-related Kaposi s sarcoma. Paclitaxel, which is sold by Bristol-Myers Squibb as Taxol, has proven especially effective for those who have failed previous systemic chemotherapy, according to the res
HIV Trial Is Delayed: Associated Press (08.23.02) - Monday, August 26, 2002; The trial of Aberdeen, S.D., roommates William K. Jenigen, 35, and Jay L. Woods, 41, who are accused of intentionally exposing others to HIV, has been rescheduled from Sept. 16 to Jan. 6. The delay is necessary to give both sides time to prepare, said State s Attorney Mark McNeary. The men were arrested in early may an
AIDS, HIV Increase Among Minorities Here: Capital Times (Madison, Wis.) (08.20.02) - Monday, August 26, 2002; Pat Schneider; Strategies to prevent HIV and treat individuals with AIDS must change with the changing face of the epidemic, participants at an African-American and Latino HIV/AIDS Summit sponsored by the Urban League of Greater Madison were told last week. The rate of new infections in Wisconsin in 2000-01 was 50.6 per 100,000 peopl
Syphilis Resurgence in County a Concern: Press-Enterprise (Riverside, Calif.) (08.21.02) - Monday, August 26, 2002; Douglas E. Beeman; Syphilis, a disease once thought to be nearly eliminated in California, is now on the rise in Riverside County and elsewhere in the state. Unsafe sexual practices by gay men are the main contributor to the increase, Inland health officials said. And while syphilis rates are still far lower than in past decades, health
Doing Something Positive About HIV: Miami Herald (08.25.02) - Monday, August 26, 2002; Daniela Lamas; The fourth annual Women s HIV/AIDS Conference, held Saturday, brought 70 women to the Renaissance Hotel in Miami where they learned about the newest advances in drugs to battle AIDS and experimented with complimentary alternative therapy. It s all about these women, for once. We create a sacred place, said Sheri Kaplan
Majority of HIV Patients Using Alternative Meds: Reuters Health (08.23.02) - Monday, August 26, 2002; E.J. Mundell; Two-thirds of HIV-positive patients are now using therapies such as herbals, botanicals or other alternative remedies, according to findings presented Thursday by Dr. Mark Vosnick at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association in Chicago. The trend is potentially worrisome, experts say, since possible
HIV-Specific CD8 T-Cell Activity in Uninfected Injection Drug Users Is Associated with Maintenance of Seronegativity: AIDS (08.16.02) Vol. 16; No. 12: P. 1595-1602 - Monday, August 26, 2002; George Makedonas; Julie Bruneau; Henry Lin; Rafix-Pierre Sékaly; François Lemothe; Nicole F. Bernard; Repeatedly, studies have shown that HIV- or SIV-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) control the replication of the virus in infected subjects. At the clinical level it has been shown repeatedly that the maintenance of seronegativity despite the exposure to HIV occurs in sexual partners of individuals infected with H
UN AIDS Drama 'Not Realistic Enough': BBC News (08.15.02) - Monday, August 26, 2002; Paving the way for an ambitious launch across Africa, the six- part pilot of the UN s soap opera Heart and Soul recently reached its dramatic conclusion in Kenya . The series aimed to address key development aspects, including HIV/AIDS, poverty reduction, environmental protection, governance, human rights and gender. M
AIDSRide Organizer Lays Off Employees: Washington Post (08.26.02) - Monday, August 26, 2002; Amy Argetsinger; Pallotta TeamWorks, the Los Angeles-based for-profit event promoter that staged lavish and emotional fundraisers on the Washington Mall and in cities across the country, has suspended operations amid a falloff in donations, rifts with sponsors and questions about excessive overhead costs. Pallotta laid off its more tha
Long Beach Triathlon Is Heading Downtown: Press-Telegram (Long Beach, Calif.) (08.13.02) - Friday, August 23, 2002; John Calanis; The third running of the Long Beach Triathlon, set for Sept. 22, will benefit people living with HIV/AIDS. The event is hosted by Pacific Sports and Competitive Aquatics Supply and the Comprehensive AIDS Resource Education program at St. Mary Medical Center. Called a sprint triathlon because the course is about half th
Forum to Focus on HIV Epidemic Among Black Americans: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (08.23.02) - Friday, August 23, 2002; Ervin Dyer; Black Americans, who represent only 13 percent of the US population, make up more than half of all new HIV infections. Pittsburgh s Warhol Museum will be the setting for a daylong forum Saturday using the arts to generate discussion of HIV and the black community. The forum is coordinated by museum officials and the Pa
Attorney: Curriculum Did Not Include Graphic Sexual Content: Associated Press (08.19.02) - Friday, August 23, 2002; A lawsuit filed July 18 by parent Debra Clay of Ashland, Mo., alleges that the Southern Boone County School District illegally allowed middle school teacher Sue Adams to offer graphic descriptions of sexual behavior, including masturbation and oral sex. The petition also claims Adams described her first sexual experien
New Bedford Celebrates Community - Puerto Rican Fest Melds with Rally for AIDS Awareness: Boston Globe (08.18.02) - Friday, August 23, 2002; Megan Tench; Buttonwood Park in the New Bedford s West End became the gathering ground for more than a hundred people last Sunday who wanted to celebrate the richness of Puerto Rican ancestry. Meanwhile, steps away, others paid homage to family members and friends who have lost their battle with AIDS. In a city known for its whalin
Better Control of Liver Enzymes Saves Lives of HIV Patients: Hepatitis Weekly (08.05.02) - Friday, August 23, 2002; Mild-to-moderate elevations in two liver enzymes - increments that are commonly ignored by most physicians - are related to an increased risk of death in people with HIV, according to a University of Pittsburgh researcher who presented the findings at the 14th International AIDS Conference in Barcelona. The two enzymes
Internet Paging System Helps Improve Adherence: AIDS Alert (09.02) - Friday, August 23, 2002; HIV patients who began a study with very low medication adherence made some improvements after several months of being prompted by an Internet-based paging system. But their adherence still was far from the 95 percent goal of HIV medication treatment programs, according to a study presented at the Barcelona AIDS confer
Finding of High Number of HIV Cases Among Prison Inmates Unsettles Lithuania: Associated Press (08.19.02) - Friday, August 23, 2002; Liudas Dapkus; Aleksandras Kreslinas, serving a 10-year sentence for armed robbery, is among 263 inmates in Lithuania s Alytus prison who tested positive for HIV during recent random checks by the state-run AIDS Center. The findings nearly doubled the official number of HIV cases for this country of 3.5 million people. Kreslinas, who
Call for National Health Strategy to Curb Rise in Sex Infections: Sydney Morning Herald (08.22.02) - Friday, August 23, 2002; Ruth Pollard; A rise in STDs and an increase in unprotected sex among gay men in Australia have prompted calls for a national sexual health strategy and revival of safe sex campaigns. While the majority of gay men practice safe sex, the rate of unprotected sex with casual partners rose from 14 percent in 1995 to 25 percent in 2001,
African AIDS Activists Unite: Associated Press (08.22.02) - Friday, August 23, 2002; Mike Cohen; AIDS activists from 22 countries joined Thursday in Cape Town, South Africa , to create a new pan-African drive to battle the epidemic and secure treatment for millions of patients. All of us are trying to prevent a holocaust against poor people, said Zachie Achmat, chair of South Africa s Treatment Action Campaign, wh
State Turns Attention to Curbing AIDS: News Journal (Wilmington, Del.) (08.20.02) - Friday, August 23, 2002; Danielle McNamara; The Delaware Division of Public Health has launched a new campaign to increase AIDS awareness and prompt HIV testing among black residents. The We Make the Change campaign, which began Aug. 1, encourages residents to get tested in hopes of curbing the spread of the disease in the state, said Heidi Truschel-Light, Delaw
Two Pilots Raise Money for Children: Associated Press (08.21.02) - Thursday, August 22, 2002; Two airline pilots have reached their goal of kayaking around Trinidad and Tobago in 12 days. Wayne Crooks and Jean Talma, both pilots for British West Indian Airways, finished their 340-mile trip Tuesday in Williams Bay in Caenage, where they
Libyan Foreign Minister Pledges Fairness in AIDS Trial: Associated Press (08.21.02) - Thursday, August 22, 2002; The first Libyan foreign minister to visit Bulgaria in 17 years said Wednesday that justice would prevail in a trial against six Bulgarian medical workers accused of infecting hundreds of Libyan children with HIV. A Libyan court recently dropped conspiracy charges against five Bulgarian nurses and a doctor who had been
Bush to Propose $4 Billion in Aid for Africa: Associated Press (08.22.02) - Thursday, August 22, 2002; Glenn Kessler; Seeking to soften the blow of President Bush s decision to skip the UN-sponsored World Summit on Sustainable Development next week in South Africa , the Bush administration will propose spending more than $4 billion over the next several years to improve health and economic development in Africa, officials said yesterd
Strength for the Journey: Sign on San Diego (08.21.02) - Thursday, August 22, 2002; Ruth Lepper; Campers at Strength for the Journey retreat at Camp Cedar Glen in Julian, Calif., are coming to share an experience of a lifetime. All of the campers, and many staff members, are HIV- positive or have AIDS. The strength they receive from the retreat prepares them for their journey back into their everyday lives, as wel
Classes Tackle Alcohol, AIDS, Sex: Dallas Morning News (08.16.02) - Thursday, August 22, 2002; Kathy A. Goolsby; Deciding to offer a course in alcohol education for minors came easily to Rollin Phipps, training program coordinator with the University of Texas at Arlington s Continuing Education Division. Phipps hopes to help people through the community service workshops offered by his department this fall. The effort began with
Early Adoption of HIV-1 Resistance Testing in the San Diego County Ryan White CARE Act Program: Predictors and Outcomes: AIDS Patient Care and STDs (07.02) Vol. 16; No. 7: P. 337-348 - Thursday, August 22, 2002; W. Christopher Mathews, MD, MSPH; Jennifer Cole, PharmD; Craig Ballard, PharmD; Brad Colwell, PharmD; Richard Haubrich, MS, Ed Barber, MPH; Terry Lew, BA; Expert panel consensus guidelines for the use of HIV type 1 (HIV-1) resistance testing in the management of HIV infection have been offered by three groups: the International AIDS Society (IAS), the United States Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), and the EuroGuidelines Group for HIV Resistance. On Decembe
Swaziland Gripped by Double Tragedy: BBC News (08.16.02) - Thursday, August 22, 2002; Alastair Leithead; In southern Africa, AIDS is complicating the task of helping millions of people facing famine. In the past, people have tried to cope with hunger through the strong, traditional African family - a structure now under increasing pressure from AIDS. One-third of people in Swaziland are HIV-positive. By the end of the
Vietnam Begins Production of Lower-Priced AIDS Drug: Associated Press (08.22.02) - Thursday, August 22, 2002; A Vietnamese company has begun producing a low-priced AIDS drug Lamzidivir, a combination of antiretrovirals Lamivudine and Zidovudine, under a government program aimed at making the drugs affordable for the growing number of poor AIDS patients, a National Anti-AIDS Committee official said Thursday. The drug will cost
Activists Angry That Millions of Poor Die Each Year of Preventable Diseases: Associated Press(08.21.02) - Thursday, August 22, 2002; Ravi Nessman; Health activists are furious that more has not been done to save the world s poor since the Earth Summit in Rio a decade ago and its promises to tackle diseases of the poor. Leaders meeting at the World Summit for Sustainable Development starting Monday in Johannesburg will again discuss ways to fight preventable disea
Experimental AIDS Drug Raises Treatment Hopes, Pricing Fears: Associated Press (08.21.02) - Thursday, August 22, 2002; Theresa Agovino; A new experimental drug is raising hopes for people with strains of HIV that are resistant to existing treatments, but the complex manufacturing process is expected to mean high prices and limited quantities. Dubbed Fuzeon by its developers, Roche Group and North Carolina-based Trimeris, Inc., the drug won a priority,
Actor Danny Glover Receives Award for AIDS Efforts: Associated Press (08.16.02) - Wednesday, August 21, 2002; Actor Danny Glover was honored for his efforts to fight AIDS in Africa last Thursday at the Civil Rights Institute in Birmingham, Ala., where he accepted the Estelle Witherspoon Lifetime Achievement Award. The award was presented by the Southern Cooperatives Land Assistance Fund, which supports the rights of farmers an
HIV Grant: Associated Press (08.17.02) - Wednesday, August 21, 2002; Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon , N.H., is receiving a $348,000 federal grant to provide health care and social services to families living with HIV/AIDS in New Hampshire and Vermont. Elizabeth Duke of the Department of Health and Human Services praised the medical center for its program reducing mother-t
Thailand Developing Two More HIV Vaccines: Agence France Presse (08.12.02) - Wednesday, August 21, 2002; Thailand will develop two more HIV vaccines for human trial in the next two years; the news follows last month s announcement that Thailand would soon embark on the world s largest HIV vaccine trial. Minister Sudarat Keyuraphan said the BCG-gag E and Vaccinia-gag E vaccines, aimed at combating HIV s E strain which is
Anglo Turns on the Lights: Wall Street Journal (08.20.02) - Wednesday, August 21, 2002; ...Having announced that it would offer free antiretroviral drugs to thousands of its employees in South Africa , [mining company Anglo American] was denounced last week by [President Thabo] Mbeki s government and rival mining firms. For government and business leaders to criticize the provision of medicine by private
Changes Sought in Monroe AIDS Education: Morning Call (Allentown, Pa.) (08.15.02) - Wednesday, August 21, 2002; Chris Parker; Two Monroe County commissioners have no problem with outreach workers distributing pamphlets about AIDS prevention and even condoms if people ask - but not in public parks and not to teenagers. I just think it s the parents job, said Commission Chair Donna Asure. It s not our job as the government. Commissioners on Aug
Epstein-Barr Virus Levels Have Limited Prognostic Utility: Virus Weekly (07.23.02) - Wednesday, August 21, 2002; Michael Greer; Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) levels seem to be a poor predictor of EBV-associated disease development in HIV patients, researchers in the Netherlands report. Servi J.C. Stevens and colleagues at Vrije University Hospital, the University of Amsterdam s Academic Medical Center, and Slotervaart Hospital in Amsterdam investiga
Benefits Seen from New TB Drug: Newsday (New York City) (08.16.02) - Wednesday, August 21, 2002; Laurie Garrett; For the first time in 30 years physicians have a new drug for TB treatment, greatly simplifying patient care and reducing treatment costs. The new drug, rifapentine, when taken in combination once a week with the old medicine isoniazid, cures TB patients as effectively and quickly as current standard therapies involvin
MDs Call for HIV Testing of All Pregnant Women: Toronto Star (08.20.02) - Wednesday, August 21, 2002; Canadian Press; The Canadian Medical Association has overwhelmingly endorsed a call for routine prenatal HIV testing of pregnant women. The association, which represents more than 53,000 doctors across Canada , passed a resolution Tuesday at its annual meeting in Saint John, New Brunswick, calling on governments and health authorities
Woman with Disease Jailed for Unsafe Sex: News and Observer (Raleigh, N.C.) (08.15.02) - Wednesday, August 21, 2002; Aisling Swift; A Durham woman was arrested last Tuesday on charges that she twice engaged in unprotected sex after public health authorities warned her not to do so because she risked passing on an STD, arrest warrants said. Bonnie Lawrence Smith, 36, is accused of two misdemeanor counts of violating state health control measures by
Women Making Up a Larger Share of AIDS Cases: Associated Press (08.21.02) - Wednesday, August 21, 2002; Steve LeBlanc; AIDS is increasingly becoming a woman s disease in Massachusetts. The percentage of women with HIV/AIDS is continuing to rise - a trend public health officials say could worsen if the state fails to boost education and treatment programs. Statewide, the percentage of people with AIDS who are women has increased almost
UN Secretary-General to Visit Botswana: Associated Press (08.14.02) - Tuesday, August 20, 2002; UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan is to visit Botswana later this month to hold talks with President Festus Mogae, the foreign affairs ministry said last Wednesday. Annan will open a trade fair and visit a hospital where AIDS drugs are being dispersed, the ministry said in a statement. Annan is also scheduled to meet for
Manufacturer Says Chinese Version of Anti-AIDS Drug to Reach Patients by End of Year: Associated Press (08.16.02) - Tuesday, August 20, 2002; Christopher Bodeen; A generic version of AZT will be available in China before the end of the year, the manufacturer Northeast Pharmaceutical Group said Friday. The group has begun hospital trials following the State Drug Administration s approval of the drug on August 6, said company spokesperson Shi Yanling.
$2.5 Million Award Set Aside for Untimely Reporting of HIV Status: AIDS Policy and Law (08.02.02) - Tuesday, August 20, 2002; A clinic that failed to notify a woman of her HIV-positive test results for four months - after the virus had evolved into AIDS - prevailed on appeal. The judgment of $2.5 million in favor of the woman was overturned, and the case was remanded on appeal. Marie Cornish filed suit against Doctors Care LLC for damages cau
Briefs from Around Southern California: Associated Press (08.19.02) - Tuesday, August 20, 2002; Los Angeles County cannot account for how it spent more than $80 million set aside last year for AIDS treatment and patient services, according to Auditor Controller Tyler McCauley. The county Office of AIDS Programs and Policy never has kept track of how the money designated for eight county areas has been used, he sa
Columbus Ranks High for Cases of Syphilis: Morning Star (Wilmington, N.C.) (08.14.02) - Tuesday, August 20, 2002; Victoria Rouch; Going door-to-door in search of those carrying an STD may seem a little extreme, but in Columbus County, health officials think it may be the only way to stop syphilis in its tracks. According to the CDC, North Carolina ranks fifth in the nation in syphilis cases, and state Division of Public Health statistics show tha
Needle Exchange Program Withdrawn: Buffalo News (08.17.02) - Tuesday, August 20, 2002; Gary Chandler; Kaleida Health agreed Friday to delay plans for a needle exchange program set to open at the Urban Services Center in Buffalo, N.Y., just minutes into a meeting with angry parents and residents. Having won their cause, attendees then grilled University District Councilmember Betty Jean Grant, who endorsed the exchange
Prevalence, Incidence, and Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV-1 in Rural South Africa: Lancet (08.03.02) Vol. 360; No. 9330: P. 389-90 - Tuesday, August 20, 2002; N.C. Rollins; M. Dedicaot; S. Danaviah; T. Page; K. Bishop; I. Kleinschmidt; H.M. Coovadia; S.A. Cassol; At present, estimates of population-level infection rates in Africa are based on sentinel site reports, antenatal clinic surveys, longitudinal cohort studies, and collection of unlinked anonymous blood samples from target groups. These methods provide essential data for epidemiological patterns of HIV-1, but they are o
Laos Pulls Goldfish-in-a-Condom Ad as too Explicit: Associated Press (08.19.02) - Tuesday, August 20, 2002; An advertisement that depicts a woman carrying a goldfish in a water-filled condom was pulled from television in communist Laos after authorities deemed it too explicit, a US-based voluntary group that sells condoms said Monday. Population Services International produced the humorous ad to promote its Number One bran
Educating South Africans About AIDS: San Jose Mercury News (08.17.02) - Tuesday, August 20, 2002; Kristen Berry; Six young adult delegates from South Africa s LoveLife, a non- profit sex education and motivational campaign, spent three days at Stanford University last week learning leadership skills that they plan to use to fight HIV/AIDS in their country. Founded in 1999, LoveLife s aim is to reduce the rate of HIV infection in
Officials Fear Increased Heroin Use Will Spread AIDS: Associated Press (08.18.02) - Tuesday, August 20, 2002; New Jersey health officials are bracing for a possible rise in HIV infection due to a fivefold increase in the number of young heroin users in suburban and rural communities. The state has asked drug treatment providers to watch for HIV infection while expanding AIDS education, testing and counseling, according to Dr.
AIDS Drug Program Costs Taxing Ohio: Plain Dealer (Cleveland, Ohio) (08.19.02) - Tuesday, August 20, 2002; Regina McEnery; Budget difficulties have forced the Ohio Department of Health to drain $1.4 million from its six-year-old AIDS Drug Assistance Program, a federal-state subsidy created to help patients pay for expensive antiretroviral therapy. Ohio has so far avoided disruptions in service by joining a federal pool that purchases drugs
Bangladesh Detects 188 AIDS Cases, 11 Dead: Agence France Presse (08.13.02) - Monday, August 19, 2002; Bangladeshi doctors have detected 188 patients living with HIV, the health minister said last Tuesday. Bangladesh s first HIV cases were reported in the early 1980s. Bangladesh has a 1.5 million expatriate population living mostly in Europe, the Gulf, North America and East Asia. The minister said awareness programs we
Blood Worker Who Reused Needles Gets a Year in Jail: San Francisco Chronicle (08.16.02) - Monday, August 19, 2002; Elaine Georgi, a blood technician who admitted reusing needles at a Palo Alto clinic, was sentenced to one year in jail on Thursday. Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Hugh Mullin rejected a prosecutor s request for a two-year sentence. The former phlebotomist for SmithKline Beecham pleaded no contest in June to f
Bill Allowing Sale of Clean Needles Passes Assembly: Associated Press (08.15.02) - Monday, August 19, 2002; A bill that would allow pharmacists to sell needles to adults without a prescription passed California s Assembly on Thursday. The bill, authored by Sen. John Vasconcellos (D-San Jose), is intended to reduce the transmission of HIV and other diseases caused by needle sharing among drug addicts. Supporters say needle sh
The Social Constructions of Sexuality: Marital Infidelity and Sexually Transmitted Disease - HIV Risk in a Mexican Migrant Community: American Journal of Public Health (08.02) Vol. 92; No. 8: P. 1227-1237 - Monday, August 19, 2002; Jennifer S. Hirsch, PhD; Jennifer Higgins, BA; Margaret E. Bentley, PhD; Constance A. Nathanson, PhD; This article describes the social context of the migration- related HIV epidemic in western Mexico . In recent years, epidemiological and ethnographic research has suggested that an increasing proportion of AIDS cases in Mexico are related to Mexican men s becoming infected in the United Stat
70 Percent of Chinese Teenagers Get Sex Education from Porn: Agence France Presse (08.15.02) - Monday, August 19, 2002; Nearly 70 percent of Chinese teenagers get their information about sex from pornography, prompting experts to worry they may pick up skewed ideas, the China Daily reported last Thursday. The problem is a lack of sex education in the classroom and at home, forcing many youngsters to seek knowledge about sex from adult w
HIV Test for African Nurses Opposed: BBC News (08.16.02) - Monday, August 19, 2002; Solomon Mugera; Plans by the British government to introduce compulsory HIV tests for all new health staff in the country have met strong opposition from the Nursing and Midwifery Council and organizations working with HIV-infected individuals. It came as a bolt out of the blue to us when it was announced, said Stuart Skyte, head of N
Mandela Criticizes South African Government's AIDS Policy: Associated Press (08.16.02) - Monday, August 19, 2002; Former South African President Nelson Mandela took an indirect swipe at the current government s refusal to provide AIDS drugs to the millions of South Africans suffering from the disease. Though refusing to directly criticize his successor, President Thabo Mbeki, Mandela has repeatedly said AIDS drugs should be made a
Gay Man Dismisses Charges of Assault: Akron Beacon Journal (08.15.02) - Monday, August 19, 2002; Phil Trexler; Mor Rondo Roberts, 31, says he doesn t hide the fact that he s HIV-positive or that he prefers men. He says he s so out of the closet that he thought everyone knew by now. But an Akron woman who claims she had a sexual relationship with Roberts in her home said she had no idea he was HIV-positive until an anonymous cal
Sex Crimes Common Among Incarcerated Youth: Report: Reuters Health (08.13.02) - Monday, August 19, 2002; Sexual aggression is widespread among adolescent boys and girls jailed for unrelated crimes, researchers report in the August issue of Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine ( Incarcerated Adolescents Experiences as Perpetrators of Sexual Assault, 2002;156:831-835). The written, anonymous survey of 805 incarcer
HHS Studies Funding of AIDS Groups: Washington Post (08.19.02) - Monday, August 19, 2002; David Brown; The Department of Health and Human Services is reviewing federal support of 16 AIDS service organizations whose members joined in a noisy demonstration against HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson at last month s International AIDS Conference in Barcelona. The noisy hecklers made Thompson s speech entirely inaudible. A handout
Guilty or Not, Judge Orders Man to Undergo Testing for Possible STD: Chicago Daily Herald (08.12.02) - Friday, August 16, 2002; Charles Keeshan; A McHenry County judge last week ordered a man to undergo testing to determine if he has an STD, even though he has not been convicted of a sex crime. Over defense objections, Judge Ward S. Arnold sided with McHenry County prosecutors and said James A. Brand must submit blood for testing. Brand, 20, faces charges of cr
More than 51,500 HIV-Positive in Vietnam: Agence France Presse (08.13.02) - Friday, August 16, 2002; More than 51,500 people are HIV-positive in Vietnam , with more than 5,000 of them under the age of 18, the state s daily Lao Dong (Labor) reported on Tuesday. Of the 51,571 people with HIV, 7,586 have developed AIDS, according to health ministry figures. In all, 4,121 people have died from the disease. Statistics for
South Africa Minister Slams Anglo Unilateral AIDS Plan: Reuters (08.15.02) - Friday, August 16, 2002; Brendan Boyle; South African Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang on Thursday criticized Anglo American, South Africa s biggest company, for implementing an AIDS drug program without consulting her. Anglo said on Aug. 6 that it would make antiretroviral drug therapy available to its HIV-positive miners for as long as they were ab
HIV Testing Program Gets a Boost from Free Concert Tickets: Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, Va.) (08.13.02) - Friday, August 16, 2002; Nomfundo H. Mbaba; Tenisha, 25, likes R&B, rap and jazz. When a community outreach organization offered her free Usher concert tickets in exchange for an AIDS test, she said yes. The test was painless. A quick cotton swab to the inner cheek and she was done. She was one of 75 people who got tested in June. She was the only one who te
Dads Learn that Communication is Key: South Florida Sun-Sentinel (08.09.02) - Friday, August 16, 2002; Debra Shannon; John Evans was shocked when he flipped on an Oprah Winfrey Show that featured middle school students talking about how common it was to perform sex acts in the school bathroom. He became even more concerned when he watched a TV show glamorizing high school and college students frolicking drunk and half-naked on the bea
Growth Hormone May Stimulate Production of T Cells to Boost Body's Ability to Fight HIV: AIDS Weekly (08.05.02) - Friday, August 16, 2002; Growth hormone may stimulate T cell production in infected patients, according to research presented on July 11 at the 14th International AIDS conference in Barcelona. Finding a way to stimulate the thymus to produce T cells would help HIV- infected patients to preserve and restore their embattled immune systems, said
Kenya; Girl Guides to Train One Million HIV/AIDS Educators: Africa News Service (08.14.02) - Friday, August 16, 2002; Nation; A million Girl Guide peer educators will be trained by 2004 in an ambitious program to fight AIDS in Kenya . The Kenya Girl Guides Association national chair, Honorine Kiplagat, said so far, 25,000 educators had been trained under its Peer Education Program. The government, through Health Minister Sam Ongeri, pledged t
South African Companies Face AIDS Reporting Requirement: Financial Times (London) (08.15.02) - Friday, August 16, 2002; James Lamont; Companies listed in South Africa would have to report HIV/AIDS infection rates among their employees and detail the steps they were taking to fight the pandemic under proposals being considered by the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. South Africa would be the first country to insist on health declarations by listed compani
Sexually Transmitted Diseases on the Rise in United Kingdom: Reuters Health (08.15.02) - Friday, August 16, 2002; Unsafe sex is fueling an increase in new cases of STDs in England, Wales and Northern Ireland , according to public health officials. Dr. Gwenda Hughes from the Public Health Laboratory Service (PHLS) said, Young women and gay men remain the groups that cause greatest concern in sexual health terms.
AIDS Agency Reopens; Agents Seized Records for Investigation: South Florida Sun-Sentinel (08.16.02) - Friday, August 16, 2002; Bob LaMendola; Broward County s most prominent HIV/AIDS agency reopened on Thursday, a day after state Medicaid fraud agents hauled out boxes of medical records. Community Healthcare/Center One runs a clean operation and collects only one-fifth of its money from Medicaid, board chair Steve Steiner said yesterday. The Florida attorney
Ndegeocello to Play at AIDS Benefit: Associated Press (08.13.02) - Thursday, August 15, 2002; Singer Meshell Ndegeocello will be the musical director of You Rock My Soul, a benefit for Gay Men s Health Crisis, at Carnegie Hall on Nov. 11. Performers will include Ndegeocello; others will be announced later. We all have the power to make a difference in the fight against HIV and AIDS. No matter who we are, who we
Metro; In Brief: Washington Post (08.11.02) - Thursday, August 15, 2002; The 16th annual AIDS Walk to benefit the Whitman-Walker Clinic will be held Oct. 5 in Washington. Organizers hope to raise $1.2 million for HIV/AIDS services in the area. The clinic provides a wide range of medical and support services in the District, Maryland and Virginia for thousands of people with HIV/AIDS, mainta
Reported STD Cases on the Rise: Spokesman-Review (Spokane, Wash.) (08.09.02) - Thursday, August 15, 2002; Carla K. Johnson; Reported cases of chlamydia and gonorrhea are on the rise in Spokane County and northern Idaho. Public health officials say the reasons include better reporting and better tests, but also complacency among sexually active people. Many people think it can t happen to them, said Cindy Jobb, Spokane Regional Health Distri
Jewish AIDS Network Director Resigns; Interfaith Effort Will Continue, Co-Chair Promises: South Florida Sun-Sentinel (08.07.02) - Thursday, August 15, 2002; David Volz; Joshua Estrin has announced he is stepping down as program director for the Jewish AIDS Network. He is leaving to take a position as assistant director of the American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science and will work out of the organization s Hollywood office. Estrin said he feels good about his more than
AIDS Hits Poor, Women Harder; Study Spurs Call for More Funding: Newsday (New York City) (08.15.02) - Thursday, August 15, 2002; Margaret Ramirez; AIDS is making devastating inroads in certain low-income areas of the city, including Harlem, the South Bronx and Bedford- Stuyvesant, according to a report released yesterday by the United Way of New York City. The report, compiled with recent data from the city health department, confirms that the face of AIDS in New
HIV/AIDS Vertical Transmission: Virus-Specific Cytotoxic T Cells Found in Breast Milk: AIDS Weekly (08.05.02) - Thursday, August 15, 2002; Michael Greer; Mother s milk contains cells that are capable of suppressing HIV infection, researchers in the United States and Africa report. Breast-feeding infants of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected women ingest large amounts of HIV, but most escape infection, explained Steffanie Sabbaj and colleagues working with the U
Lower Degrees of 'Social Capital' Predict Higher Rates of STDs: TB & Outbreaks Week (08.06.02) - Thursday, August 15, 2002; Investigators have found that lower amounts of social capital - trust, reciprocity and cooperation among community members working together to achieve common goals - were associated with higher rates of AIDS and other STDs, as well as higher rates of risky adolescent sexual behaviors. The research by Emory University i
Aging of AIDS: US News & World Report (08.12.02) - Thursday, August 15, 2002; Mary Brophy Marcus; People over 50 made up about 13 percent of total AIDS cases in 1999, according to data from the CDC. That is up from 11 percent a decade ago. Experts say that figure is almost certain to continue rising. A larger senior population is having more sex later in life, a pattern enhanced by the popularity of Viagra and the
Judge Strikes Down Religious Exemption to State Vaccination Law: Associated Press (08.14.02) - Thursday, August 15, 2002; James Jefferson; US District Judge Susan Webber Wright on Tuesday struck down a portion of Arkansas law that grants a religious exemption to a statute requiring vaccinations before children can attend public school. The exemption, granted only to members of recognized churches, violates the establishment and free association clauses of