| prevention-news@cdcnpin.org 2005-05-04, 5:55 pm |
| Web Bug
CDC/NPIN Logo <http://www.cdcnpin.org/scripts/index.asp>
National News
International News
Medical News
Local and Community News
News Briefs
Wednesday, May 04, 2005
The CDC National Center for HIV, STD and TB Prevention provides the
following information as a public service only. Providing synopses of
key scientific articles and lay media reports on HIV/AIDS, other
sexually transmitted diseases and tuberculosis does not constitute CDC
endorsement. The following summaries were prepared without conducting
any additional research or investigation into the facts and statements
made in the articles being summarized, and therefore readers are
expressly cautioned against relying on the validity or invalidity of any
statements made in these summaries. This daily update also includes
information from CDC and other government agencies, such as background
on Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) articles, fact sheets
and announcements. Reproduction of this text is encouraged; however,
copies may not be sold, and the CDC HIV/STD/TB Prevention News Update
should be cited as the source of the information. Contact the sources of
the articles abstracted below for full texts of the articles.
National News
UNITED STATES: "Groups Gather to Push for Better Funding
Against AIDS"
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (05.04.05):: Ervin Dyer
On Thursday in Washington, some 3,000 people are expected to
take part in a mile-long march and a rally in Lafayette Park organized
by the Campaign to End AIDS. The campaign is working in concert with
AIDSWatch, an annual Washington gathering of activists, educators, and
people with HIV/AIDS. This week, AIDSWatch participants are coming
together to undergo trainings and to meet with legislators to call for
more HIV/AIDS funding.
"People don't know that funding is being cut and that the cuts
will impact access to medication, housing," said Lisa, a Pittsburgh
mother with HIV who asked that her last name not be used.
Tim Murphy, a New York-based organizer, said that bringing
people with HIV/AIDS together with their families and friends helps
demonstrate that AIDS is no longer just a "gay disease."
Murphy said activists like those in ACT-UP helped encourage the
government to set up the Ryan White CARE Act. Now, however, that safety
net is unraveling while the rate of HIV infections creeps back up and
funding stays stagnant. Murphy called for more money for drug-assistance
programs.
The Campaign to End AIDS also thinks additional activism is
needed to fight the public's fatigue after two decades of AIDS messages
and to protest the funding priority given to abstinence-based programs.
Back to Top Back to Top
ALABAMA: "Attorneys Ask Judge to Drop Contempt Charge in HIV
Inmate Suit"
Associated Press (04.29.05):: Samira Jafari
On Friday, attorneys for the Alabama Department of Corrections
(DOC) and its health provider asked a Birmingham US District Court judge
to dismiss what they consider "misleading and inaccurate" complaints
about medical care contained in a contempt motion filed by HIV-positive
Limestone Prison inmates. The inmates reached an April 2004 settlement
with DOC to address grievances of substandard medical care and living
conditions at Limestone.
DOC and Prison Healthcare Services (PHS) have not carried
through any plan to correct "extensive noncompliant acts," and should be
found in contempt of court for failing to abide by the settlement,
according to the inmates' motion, filed recently by Atlanta-based
Southern Center for Human Rights (SCHR) attorneys. Plaintiffs also claim
they have to administer emergency assistance to inmates because there is
inadequate nurse staffing, a claim DOC and PHS deny.
DOC and PHS attorneys said their plan to improve health
conditions at Limestone has been approved by the court-appointed
physician, Dr. Joseph Bick. Under a "comprehensive action plan," the
state said PHS added two more nurses, held mandatory training for
medical staff, established a hepatitis treatment program, and has a
"zero tolerance" policy for noncompliant nurses.
However, DOC and PHS attorneys acknowledged that efforts to
recruit a permanent HIV specialist were difficult, since several
candidates have lost interest when they discovered the inmates' previous
complaints. The position opened following the resignation this year of
Dr. Valda Chijidi, who sent several memos to PHS detailing ineffective
support and staffing.
Back to Top Back to Top
International News
UGANDA: "Survey: Uganda HIV Prevalence Rate High"
Associated Press (05.03.05):: Henry Wasswa
A new nationwide survey of 18,000 Ugandan men and women ages
15-59 who volunteered to have their blood tested for HIV found that 7
percent were infected. That preliminary finding is higher than the 6.2
percent of the population previously thought infected, a discrepancy
ascribed to different sampling methods. Previous surveys were based on
data collected from clinics where pregnant women were anonymously
tested.
There has been a declining trend in HIV infections in Uganda
over the last 10 years, from a peak 18 percent in 1992 to 7 percent now,
according to the survey. Women are more likely to be HIV-infected (7.9
percent) than men (6 percent), the survey said. Donor-driven campaigns,
including media awareness and condom-promotion efforts, have helped
control HIV's spread.
Among those surveyed, "99 percent of women and men have heard of
HIV/AIDS, and the vast majority knows the major means of protection -
abstinence, being faithful, and using condoms," the survey said.
The government survey was funded through CDC, the US Agency for
International Development, and Japan.
Back to Top Back to Top
Medical News
GERMANY: "Building a Sentinel Surveillance System for Sexually
Transmitted Infections in Germany, 2003"
V. Bremer; U. Marcus; A. Hofmann; O. Hamouda (04.01.05)::
Sexually Transmitted Infections Vol. 81, No. 2: P. 173-179
Both the United States and Europe have recently reported
increases in STDs. Since 2001, only syphilis and HIV are notifiable in
Germany. In the current study, the authors set up a sentinel
surveillance system in Germany to determine STD (gonorrhea, chlamydia,
syphilis, HIV, and trichomoniasis) incidence, trends, and risk groups.
The sentinel system comprised 58 local health offices and 14
hospital-based STD clinics and 160 private dermato-venerology, urology,
gynecology or HIV practitioners located in all federal states. Of the
sites, 176 (75.9 percent) were situated in cities with a population of
more than 100,000. For newly confirmed STDs, physicians filled out a
standardized form with respect to diagnosis, source of infection and
demographic information. Patients completed a sexual-risk behavior
questionnaire. Patient and diagnosis forms were matched by unique
identifier numbers. Sentinel patients were compared to those reported
through the HIV/syphilis national notification system.
Between March 2003 and February 2004, a total of 1,833 STDs were
recorded, including 452 cases of chlamydia; 321 syphilis (10.9 percent
of notified syphilis); 343 gonorrhea; and 269 HIV (15.7 percent of
notified HIV). Of the patients, 50.5 percent (n= 925) were male and the
average age was 31. Female patients were more likely to be foreign-born.
The sentinel system that researchers devised would provide a
base for detecting STD trends in Germany, the authors concluded. In
addition, sexual risk information provided by patients will help
researchers target prevention to those most at risk for STDs.
Back to Top Back to Top
CANADA: "Vaccine Holds Promise in Prevention of Cervical
Cancer, Researchers Say"
Edmonton Journal (05.04.05):: Charlie Fidelman
At the 22nd International Papillomavirus Conference in Vancouver
on Tuesday, researchers presented study findings that Merck Frosst's
GARDASIL vaccine prevented HPV types 16 and 18 - responsible for 70
percent of all cervical cancer. "We've finally come to the crossroads
where we can prevent a viral-induced infection by simply vaccinating
women against the viruses that cause the vast majority of cervical
cancer," said Alex Ferenczy, a study co-author and head of gynecologic
pathology and cytopathology at Montreal's Jewish General Hospital.
Cervical cancer is the third-most common cancer in women.
Annually, some 1,350 Canadians are diagnosed with the disease and about
400 die of it.
In the double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving 552
women ages 16-23, the vaccine also prevented 90 percent of genital warts
caused by two types of HPV. GARDASIL showed 90 percent more protection
than a placebo and is now in Phase III testing. Some 250,000 women are
enrolled in the vaccine studies worldwide, said Lucy Gilbert, principal
investigator and gynecology oncologist at Montreal's McGill University
Health Center.
The head of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Dr.
Gerald Stanimir, applauded the findings but said many more tests must be
completed before the vaccine is publicly available.
Prevention efforts that emphasize HPV screening would be a
better way to stop cervical cancer, said Abby Lippman, professor of
epidemiology at McGill University. "What about all the women for whom
the vaccine would be too late?" asked Lippman, co-chairperson of the
Canadian Women's Health Network. Most poor or aboriginal women already
are not getting Pap tests, she said. "Why not go after the women who are
being missed already? Because these women are not going to rush to the
doctor to get a vaccination."
The GARDASIL study, "Prophylactic Quadrivalent Human
Papillomavirus (Types 6, 11, 16 and 18) L1 Virus-Like Particle Vaccine
in Young Women: A Randomised Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled MultiCentre
Phase II Efficacy Trial," was published in Lancet Oncology
(2005;6(5):271-278).
Back to Top Back to Top
Local and Community News
NEW YORK: "New HIV Testings Urged; Doctors Call on Health
Department to Pool Blood to Search for Virus"
Gay City News (New York City) (04.28.05):: Duncan Osborne
In an April 11 letter to New York City Health Commissioner Dr.
Thomas Frieden, 15 leading city doctors urged him to use pooled PCR
testing to help identify HIV-infected people right after infection.
Someone with newly acquired, acute HIV infection may not produce
antibodies for several weeks and can test negative on standard ELISA
tests. They may also be asymptomatic, though highly infectious. In
comparison, officials who used pooled testing to identify new infections
among North Carolina college students stopped an HIV outbreak in 2003 in
near real time. Even today, about 6 percent of pooled North Carolina
clinic HIV tests are positive, but ELISA-negative, the physicians noted.
Without pooled PCR testing, New York City could miss each year
some 24-32 acutely infected people, who could be "up to 1,000 times more
infectious" and infect six to 64 other people annually, the doctors
said, citing North Carolina data. "Adding [pooled testing] at a cost of
$5.00 per sample to the current cost of ELISA testing, would roughly add
only $190,000 to the testing budget," said the letter, whose signatories
included Dr. Antonio E. Urbina of St. Vincent's Hospital and Medical
Center and Dr. Dawn Harbatkin, medical director at Callen-Lorde
Community Health Center, a gay health clinic.
Frieden said the city might perform pooled PCR testing "where we
have serum" but that, as of January, the city had largely switched to
rapid HIV tests that require just drops of blood, which is not enough to
be used in pooled testing.
Since ELISA results could take weeks to process and people often
failed to return for test results, health officials across the nation
have been glad to switch to rapid HIV tests. However, the city health
department said it "will continue to look at other testing methods,"
including pooled PCR, "in the hopes of increasing identification of HIV
in the city."
Back to Top Back to Top
UTAH: "Rocky Hosts Meetings on Teen Sex"
Deseret Morning News (Salt Lake City) (05.01.05):: Erin
Stewart
Last week, the fourth of Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson's
"Freedom Forums" focused on how teenage sexuality is discussed in
schools. While everyone agrees that teens face serious issues, there is
no consensus on how matters like teen pregnancy and STDs should be
taught, he said.
Utah's health education curriculum offers an abstinence-based
approach to sex - an approach that Highland High School senior Emily
Johnson said is inadequate. Information on condoms and other
contraceptives should be openly discussed with students, she said.
"Abstinence is important, but unrealistic if it is the only
thing taught," said Karrie Galloway, executive director of Planned
Parenthood of Utah. "As adults argue about teen sex, teens are making
decisions."
Others disagreed. Highland High junior Josh Christensen said,
"If you teach kids how to have sex with these contraceptives, they will
have it. Kids need to hear from adults - especially parents - that they
are opposed to their children having sex."
Nancy Anderson, a director with the state Department of Health's
sex-education program, said she emphasizes abstinence as the only sure
way to avoid STDs, which she said are "running rampant."
Back to Top Back to Top
News Briefs
MASSACHUSETTS: "Hearing Set Today on IV Needle Proposal"
Boston Globe (05.04.05)
Today in Boston, a committee of the State House is to consider
legislation that would permit over-the-counter sales of syringes in
pharmacies. The bill's sponsor, Rep. Byron Rushing (D-9th Suffolk), has
pushed the proposal for 10 years as a way to decrease needle-sharing
among drug users and fight the spread of HIV and hepatitis C. Rep.
Martin Walsh (D-Dorchester), who is sponsoring a similar bill, and
Boston Mayor Thomas Menino have stated their support for legal needle
sales. Boston Public Health Commission Executive Director John Auerbach
is expected to testify in Menino's place at the public hearing.
Back to Top Back to Top
OKLAHOMA: "TB Confirmed in Tyson Worker"
Daily Oklahoman (Oklahoma City) (04.29.05):: Ron Jackson
On Thursday, a spokesperson for Tyson Foods Inc. said a plant
employee in McCurtain County has a confirmed case of TB. Thus far, 222
people have undergone skin tests for the infection. One has been
classified as "suspect" and seven others were recommended to begin
precautionary treatments. "TB is transmitted by breathing in infected
bacterium in the air," said Dr. Jon Tillinghast, the state Health
Department's TB expert. "I would have no problem eating any chicken that
came from that Tyson plant. That would not be a concern." Last year,
health officials recorded 178 TB cases in the state, including 45 in
Oklahoma County, 39 in Tulsa County and 12 in McCurtain County.
Back to Top Back to Top
CHINA: "China Detains Leading AIDS and Pro-Democracy Activist"
Agence France Presse (05.03.05)
Hu Jia, an AIDS and democracy activist, has been detained by
Chinese police and kept out of touch with his family for more than a
week, his girlfriend, identified only as Zeng, said Tuesday. Hu was
taken from his mother's house, said Zeng, who added that he has
hepatitis B and needs regular medical treatment. On Tuesday, New
York-based Human Rights in China said Beijing had detained several
dissidents as part of a broad crackdown on anti-Japanese protests.
Back to Top Back to Top
CANADA: "United Church's Program to Help Battle AIDS Raises $2
Million"
Daily Herald-Tribune (Grande Prairie, Alberta) (04.29.05)
The United Church of Canada's "Beads of Hope" campaign has
raised more than $2 million (US$1.6 million) to help in the global fight
against HIV/AIDS, organizers said. The campaign began on Dec. 1, 2002
and ended Dec. 1, 2004; a final total will not be known until the end of
May. About 40 programs in Latin America, Africa, and Asia are
benefiting. In addition to selling some 45,000 beaded pins, volunteers
collected 40,000 signatures on a petition asking the government to act
on AIDS. That petition was recently brought up in Parliament by MPs from
the four political parties.
Back to Top Back to Top
_____
The Prevention News Mailing List is maintained by the National
Prevention Information Network (NPIN), part of the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention's National Center for HIV, STD and TB Prevention.
Regular postings include the Prevention News Update, conference
announcements, current funding opportunities, select articles from the
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report series and announcements about new
NPIN products and services.
To join the PreventioNews listserv, send a blank e-mail to
prevention-news-subscribe@cdcnpin.org
<mailto:prevention-news-subscribe@cdcnpin.org> . For instructions on how
to remove yourself from the listserv, send a blank e-mail to
prevention-news-unsubscribe@cdcnpin.org
<mailto:prevention-news-unsubscribe@cdcnpin.org> .
You can also join or leave the PreventioNews listserv from the
NPIN Web site at: http://www.cdcnpin.org/scripts/prevention_news.asp.
Back issues of the CDC HIV/STD/TB Prevention News Update can be
found at http://www.cdcnpin.org/scripts/locates/LocateNews.asp. You can
search for back issues in the Prevention News Update Database at
http://www.cdcnpin.org/news/.
We'd like to know what you think of the Prevention News Update.
Please take a minute to send an e-mail with your comments to
update-feedback@cdcnpin.org <mailto:update-feedback@cdcnpin.org> . With
your help, we will continue to improve this service to better meet your
information needs.
Please send all other e-mail inquiries to info@cdcnpin.org
<mailto:info@cdcnpin.org> .
**This message may be copied and distributed; however, it may
not be distributed for profit.**
---
You are currently subscribed to prevention-news as: ssah-submit@ezmort.com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-prevention-news-1356515G@listmanager.aspensys.com
|