Washington Blade - October 18, 2002

SAN FRANCISCO - At a time when gay and bisexual men are increasingly engaging in risky sexual behavior, a new ad campaign in San Francisco shows HIV-positive men suffering from the debilitating side effects of AIDS and the drugs used to treat it, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. The $37,500, city-funded ad campaign, which started last week on bus shelters and public rest rooms, aims to get men talking about the consequences of HIV infection, said Stop AIDS Project spokesperson Shana Krochmal. One ad, titled "Crix Belly," shows a man with a distended abdomen, next to the slogan "HIV is no Picnic." "Crix" is short for Crixivan, the protease inhibitor that has as one of its side effects the redistribution of fat from the face and arms to the belly and back. Another depicts a man sitting on a toilet with diarrhea, another with facial wasting and a fourth with night sweats.

Minnesota researchers may have unlocked a key HIV mystery

MINNEAPOLIS - University of Minnesota researchers may have unlocked another key mystery surrounding HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, the Associated Press reported. The discovery appears to explain why a quarter of the patients infected with the AIDS virus respond poorly to the powerful drug cocktails while others show dramatic improvements. Doctors measure the effectiveness of the drug therapies by the amount of virus found in the blood and by the number of CD4-T cells found in the lymph nodes. The goal is to eliminate the virus from the blood and boost the CD4-T cell count to strengthen the immune system. In people infected with HIV, the virus invades the lymph nodes and relentlessly attacks the CD4-T cells. Dr. Timothy Schacker, an associate professor of medicine and author of the study, and his colleagues removed up to four lymph nodes from each of 11 patients over a six-month period and examined them for damage. They found that in some patients, inflammatory cells sent in by the body to help fight HIV inadvertently caused damage to the lymph tissue, and the ensuing scar tissue prevented CD4-T cells from replicating. "It's like somebody comes in and trashes the house, moves all the furniture and changes everything so you can't function in this space," Schacker said. The study was featured in the Oct. 16 issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation.

AIDS expert tapped to lead CDC's HIV prevention center

ATLANTA - The new director of the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention has named two new managers, including a longtime AIDS expert, to top posts, according to the Associated Press. Dr. Julie Gerberding, who became director in July, said last week Dr. Harold Jaffe will direct the CDC's National Center for HIV, STD & TB Prevention. Jaffe, acting director of the CDC for 13 months, joined the agency in 1974 and collaborated on its earliest research into AIDS in 1981. Gerberding also appointed Dr. Ed Thompson, Mississippi's state health officer, to deputy director for public health programs and services. It is a new position to serve as a liaison between the CDC and state and local health departments.

Gay teens more likely to have eating disorders, body concerns

NEW YORK - Teen boys who are gay are more likely than their heterosexual peers to diet and exhibit certain symptoms of eating disorders, while lesbian teens appear to be somewhat protected from the unhealthy body concerns that often plague heterosexual girls, according to Reuters Health. In addition, Dr. Sydney Bryn Austin of Children's Hospital and Harvard University in Boston and her colleagues found that teen girls and boys who identify as heterosexual, but are sometimes attracted to the same sex, are more likely than heterosexuals without same-sex attractions to diet and be unhappy with their bodies. "We're really at the beginning of figuring out who these adolescents are, and why are they at increased risk of eating disorders, and other unhealthy behaviors," Austin said. The current findings are based on surveys completed by 10,136 teenagers between the ages of 12 and 17.

Family doctors group considers support for gay adoptions

WASHINGTON - The American Academy of Family Physicians was expected to consider two resolutions on same-sex adoptions and domestic partner benefits during its meeting this week in San Diego, according to the Washington Times. The 93,500-member group, which is based in Leawood, Kan., has not taken a position on either issue to date. There is a third resolution urging acceptance of a "gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered" delegate on the AAFP's constituency committee. A "yes" vote on the resolutions would put the AAFP in the same camp as other organizations that have endorsed gay adoptions, including the American Academy of Pediatrics.

From staff and wire reports

021018
WB021007

Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 2002. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.

AEGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All information contained on this website, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments, is for informational purposes only. It is often presented in summary or aggregate form. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professionals. Always discuss treatment options with a doctor who specializes in treating HIV.

Copyright ©1980, 2002. AEGiS. All materials appearing on AEGiS are protected by copyright as a collective work or compilation under U.S. copyright and other laws and are the property of AEGiS, or the party credited as the provider of the content. .