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.
Journal of the American Medical Association (02/02/00) Vol. 283,
No. 5, P. 653; Whitcup, Scott M.
Many changes have taken place in the last few years in the
presentation and course of cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis in
AIDS patients who are taking highly active antiretroviral therapy
(HAART). Before the advent of HAART, CMV retinitis was the most
common intraocular infection in AIDS cases, affecting up to 40
percent of patients. A new study of 28 patients with CMV
retinitis shows that the condition can be controlled without
anti-CMV therapy in patients with high enough CD4 cell counts.
Patients receiving HAART have been able to prevent retinitis from
progressing even when not taking anti-CMV therapy. Research
suggests that anti-CMV therapy can be stopped in patients with
stable CMV retinitis. The scientists note, however, that more
research is needed to fully determine the effects of restored
immune response on the eyes.
Boston Globe Online (02/15/00) P. E2; Knox, Richard A.
In some parts of Botswana, half of all pregnant women are
infected with HIV, but after being offered a drug treatment to
minimize the transmission of the virus to their babies, less than
50 percent of the women accepted. A fatalism associated with HIV
and AIDS in Africa prevents many from trying drug treatments,
when they are available. Only 200 people in Botswana have access
to antiviral drugs that are helping millions with HIV in wealthy
nations. In an effort to address that disparity, a new virology
lab funded with a $4.9 million grant from Bristol-Myers Squibb
will be dedicated today in the capital city of Gabarone. The
facility is the first attempt in an immense effort to bring AIDS
drugs and, hopefully, a vaccine to Africa. The lab will run 100
to 200 HIV tests a day, and will investigate the subtype of HIV
known as 1C, which is responsible for half of the world's HIV
infections, especially in Africa and India, according to Harvard
researchers. The clade C subtype has spread more rapidly in East
Africa than type B in North America, and scientists do not know
if it responds to treatment similar to the way other subtypes do.
Dr. Max Essex, a Harvard AIDS researcher, believes the clade C
virus is more easily transferred from mother to child and during
heterosexual intercourse than other types. The vaccines being
created to fight HIV-1B may not work on clade C, another reason
that research is needed on this subtype.
New York Times (02/15/00) P. A21; Dao, James
Presidential candidate Bill Bradley responded on Monday to
criticism by Vice President Al Gore's that Bradley's plan for
universal health care would prevent some HIV and AIDS patients
from being covered. In a recent speech, Gore asserted that
Bradley's plan, which calls for ending Medicaid, would have a
detrimental effect on poor people with HIV. Bradley explained,
however, that current Medicaid recipients would receive private
insurance under the system that covers government workers.
Detroit Free Press Online (02/15/00); Gerritt, Jeff
Sisters and Daughters of Sheba is a program that aims to stem the
increasing rate of HIV infection among African-American women.
In Michigan, where the program is based, African-American women
have an HIV rate 19 times higher than that for White women. The
free program provides basic information on HIV and other sexually
transmitted diseases and discusses self-esteem issues with the
women. It also teaches women to care about themselves and their
health, and also teaches teenagers to practice safe sex, using
peer mentors. Founder Debra Ann Brodie, a Detroit psychologist
started Sheba in 1996, and since that time nearly 400 women and
girls have participated. The program is supported by a
three-year, $210,000 grant from the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention, and $30,000 from the Michigan AIDS Fund.
UK Telegraph Online (02/15/00); Hall, Celia
An ongoing shortage of vaccine has forced 500,000 British
schoolchildren to go without their tuberculosis (TB) shots,
according to TB Alert. The charity noted that the supply problem
could extend for another year, in which case nearly 1 million
children would have missed their vaccinations. The Department of
Health halted the school TB program in late 1999, after Medeva
Pharma, the only licensed source of the BCG vaccine in Britain,
reported manufacturing problems. The disruption of the program
has some concerned because the number of TB cases in England has
been rising, albeit slowly, since 1987.
M2 Presswire (02/14/00)
New research suggests that many British believe that a lack of
education about contraception is why the United Kingdom has a
high rate of teenage pregnancies. The 2000 Durex Report found
that more British teens are having unprotected sex compared to
last year, up from 13 percent to 19 percent. But other age
groups also admitted to having unprotected sex in the past year,
including one in six 21- to 24-year-olds and one in 10 25- to
34-year-olds. The survey revealed that the role of condoms in
preventing sexually transmitted diseases is also not thoroughly
known, as only 28 percent of adults questioned said they can
protect against chlamydia. The Durex survey involved more than
8,000 participants between the ages of 16 and 55.
"More Than a Third of Condoms Unsafe"
South China Morning Post Online (02/15/00); Lau, Shirley
Over one-third of the condoms bought in Hong Kong are unsafe even
after improvements made in recent years, according to the
Consumer Council. The organization bought 27,000 condoms and
tested the 66 different brands for bursting volume, bursting
pressure, and tensile strength. Twenty-five brands failed at
least one trial. The most reliable brands were Lifestyles and
Durex, while Fairlady, Forex, and Joy's were the least. Dr.
Michael Tsui Fok-sun of the Consumer Council noted that while the
quality of the prophylactics has increased in the past 12 years,
he voiced concern that "some products still fail to fully protect
people from pregnancy and [sexually transmitted diseases]."
Australian Broadcasting Corp. News (02/15/00)
The Family Planning Association of New South Wales, Australia,
will import and distribute female condoms starting next month.
Female condoms protect against disease and are a new option for
women to protect themselves during intercourse, without having to
depend on men.
"Monitoring Infectious Diseases With Electronic Eyes"
American Medical News (01/31/00) Vol. 43, No. 4, P. 20; Stapleton,
Stephanie
President Clinton's request for a $20 million increase in funding
for disease surveillance would provide the opportunity to have
better and more efficient information available to healthcare
professionals. The new funding would be used to help pay for a
nationwide electronic disease surveillance network as well as a
new initiative to increase the role of private sector
laboratories. As emerging infectious diseases become more
common, it is important to be able to identify outbreaks quickly,
especially as some strains become resistant to antibiotics.
Diseases from the past are also re-emerging with more potency,
and the threat of bioterrorism demands action as well. By
tracking cases of the flu or other viruses, epidemiologists can
detect problems and predict outcomes. Dr. Carol J. Baker,
president-elect of the Infectious Diseases Society of America
(IDSA), believes the program "would have a direct impact in terms
of patient care," and she notes there is already evidence that it
would be successful. Baker noted that a pilot study from the
IDSA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention linked
infectious disease physicians with the CDC via the Internet.