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. 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, press releases, 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.
American Journal of Public Health
(www.apha.org/news/publications/journal) (03/00) Vol. 90, No. 3,
P. 447; Trubatch, Beth N.; Fisher, Dennis G.; Cagle, Henry H.; et
al.
Researchers from the Intravenous Drug User Project in Anchorage,
Alaska, describe in a letter to the editor how they successfully
vaccinated high-risk, difficult-to-access groups like injection
drug users (IDUs) against hepatitis B. The authors
street-recruited IDUs and referred them for vaccination to either
the Department of Health, Alaska Native Medical Center, or to the
patient's Medicaid or private physician. At first, only 7
percent of 140 users received the first hepatitis B shot;
however, after a $10 incentive was offered for proof of
vaccination, 48 percent of 172 users received their first
hepatitis B shot. According to the researchers, the results show
that there are successful strategies for vaccinating such
high-risk groups, who were even willing to travel off-site for
the inoculation.
"Ireland's Largest Drug-Abuse Project Still Under Fire"
Lancet (www.thelancet.com) (03/11/00) Vol. 355, No. 9207, P. 910;
Birchard, Karen
Grainne Kenny, the head of Europe Against Drugs (EURAD) is
calling for the resignation of the director of Ireland's largest
needle-exchange program after the Irish media quoted him as
advocating giving heroin to some addicts. In response, Director
Tony Geoghagen said his comments had been misinterpreted and
explained that he merely suggested that all possible options be
considered. One proposal was that some addicts might be given
heroin in a controlled situation as part of an effort to get the
individuals to stop using the drug. Geoghagen said, "Ireland has
the highest rate of drug deaths in the [European Union] ... .
There are many different ways of dealing with drug use in
Europe." The "harm-reduction approach," which involves free
needle exchange and long-term methadone distribution, is opposed
by EURAD and other groups.
Wall Street Journal (www.wsj.com) (03/16/00) P. A1; Waldholz,
Michael
Human Genome Sciences (HGS) received in February a U.S. patent on
a gene, CCR5, that HIV uses to infect cells. This announcement
sent HGS shares flying, and has sparked a debate regarding the
value of the patent. Scientists fear that the patent could block
important AIDS research, and drug companies hope that HGS cannot
demand money that arises from marketed drugs that block HIV's
access to the gene. The larger question of who owns the human
genome continues as well. Some drug makers and intellectual
property lawyers note that HGS' patent does not mention AIDS; HGS
asserts, however, that its press release regarding the new patent
was correct. HGS discovered the gene and filed for a patent five
years ago, but the gene's role as biochemical gateway for HIV
when infecting cells was not learned until several months later,
by four independent research teams who then applied for their own
patents. Many researchers believe that HGS CEO William Haseltine
is unfairly claiming a gene whose specific role and value in HIV
was identified by other researchers.
Washington Post (www.washingtonpost.com) (03/16/00) P. B4; Glod,
Maria
Loudoun Hospital Center in Loudoun County, Virginia, is offering
free blood tests for HIV and other diseases to 160 patients
treated by a doctor suspected of stealing and using their
painkillers. Gastroenterologist Joseph Shaw Jones is under
investigation, and patients treated by the doctor between August
and November 1998 will be tested. Hospital officials say the
risk of infection is very low, but the testing is being conducted
as a precaution. The state Board of Medicine concluded in late
1998 that Jones stole painkillers from used syringes, injected
Demerol and saline into a vial for his own use, and then returned
a fraction of that solution to the patient's intravenous line.
The board fined Jones $10,000, and now federal authorities are
working with county prosecutors and Virginia State Police in a
criminal inquiry.
Huntsville Times Online (www.al.com/news/huntsville) (03/16/00);
Windsor, Shawn
An inmate in the Madison County, Alabama, jail tested positive
for active tuberculosis (TB) last month. TB cases are not
declining in Madison County, as in the rest of Alabama, and this
has local public health officials concerned. The Huntsville area
has the third-highest TB rate statewide, according to Dr. Larry
Robey, director of the county health department. Two full-time
TB control officers work in Madison county, and a third will be
hired soon to test high-risk jail and shelter populations for the
lung infection. Dr. Charles Woernle, assistant health officer in
Alabama, believes TB will flourish again if more effort is not
given. Multidrug-resistant strains of TB are also becoming more
common as patients do not complete their full regimen of
antibiotics.
CNN Online (www.cnn.com) (03/15/00); Wiese, Kelly
Students from Frankfort High School in Frankfort, Kansas, have
created in their government class a bill that would distribute
condoms in public high schools. The students were instructed to
find an issue of importance to them, investigate it, and then
develop legislation to help solve the problem. The measure,
which has upset some parents and church leaders in this small,
rural community, would require schools to hand out condoms to
students over age 13 who have completed a sex education course.
Local Rep. Bruce Larkin says he opposes the idea, but he agreed
to introduce the students' bill to the state Legislature to
further their civics education.
Miami Herald Online (www.herald.com) (03/15/00); Weaver, Jay
The parents of a 10-year-old girl infected with tuberculosis (TB)
at an elementary school in Miami Beach have gone to court in a
proposed class-action lawsuit against the Miami-Dade School
Board. Henna and Steven Haynes claim their daughter was exposed
to TB because of an infected cafeteria worker who was not
screened for the disease. Henna Haynes believes the school
should pay damages and adopt a TB screening policy. A proposal
for such a screening policy was withdrawn by board member
Demetrio Perez Jr. in 1999 because of practicality issues for
testing thousands of workers. Although none of the children or
adults who skin-tested positive for TB have symptoms of the
disease, they must still take medication and have follow-up
exams.
Reuters Health Information Services (03/15/00)
Dr. Emily Erbelding and colleagues from Johns Hopkins University
have found that HIV-infected patients being treated in primary
care settings have a high prevalence of asymptomatic sexually
transmitted diseases (STDs) and often exhibit high-risk sexual
behavior, confirming the need for routine STD screening. The
10-month study of 691 HIV-infected patients revealed that
heterosexual sex and injection drug use were the most common
sources of HIV transmission among the women, while homosexual sex
and injection drug use were the most common modes of transmission
for the male participants. Nearly 58 percent of the subjects
were sexually active within the last 90 days, and over 7 percent
had multiple sexual partners in the past month. The report,
published in the February 18 issue of AIDS (2000;14:297-301),
also found that the overall prevalence for having either
chlamydia or gonorrhea within the past 12 months was 7.5 percent.
United Press International (03/15/00); Christensen, Damaris
A new report from researchers at the Johns Hopkins School of
Medicine in Baltimore suggests that private doctors who do not
treat many patients for tuberculosis (TB) make repeated errors in
providing TB therapy. This could lead to increased drug
resistance and longer hospital stays. The study of 110 people
with active TB found that 17 received inadequate therapy,
including 13 treated by private doctors. Dr. Richard E. Chaisson
and colleagues report their findings in the March issue of Chest
(2000;117:734-737).
Reuters (03/16/00); Brunnstrom, David
Myanmar is sending conflicting signals regarding its AIDS crisis,
according to UNICEF regional director Kul Gautam. The official
noted the government is not diverting sufficient resources to
health programs and often does not cite AIDS as a significant
problem. Gautam said Myanmar has severely underestimated its
number of HIV infections, which are on the rise.
Lieutenant-General Khin Nyunt reported earlier this year that the
military is improving the health sector; however, a recent World
Bank study showed that much more funding is going towards
defense.