2008

CALIFORNIA: Magnet Challenge Grant: Bay Area Reporter (12.18.08) - Tuesday, December 23, 2008; Cynthia Laird; Since joining the San Francisco AIDS Foundation last year, the Castro-based gay men s health center Magnet has expanded its hours of operation and doubled its HIV and STD testing capacity, said Steve Gibson, its director. In 2008, Magnet welcomed more than 4,500 clients, performing nearly 20,000 STD tests and 2,000 HIV
WEST VIRGINIA: West Virginia to Pay $500,000 to Settle Hospital Suits: Associated Press (12.22.08) - Tuesday, December 23, 2008; Chuck Jones, director of the State Board of Risk and Insurance Management, has told the Beckley Register-Herald that the state has reached a settlement with litigants who blamed Pinecrest Hospital for exposing them to TB. Eleven people whose lawsuits said they were exposed to TB at the hospital will receive a total of
TEXAS: AIDS Data May End Condom Ban: Dallas Morning News (12.22.08) - Tuesday, December 23, 2008; Kevin Krause; Dallas County had the highest HIV rate in Texas last year and in 2006, and the number of chlamydia and gonorrhea cases in the county is on the rise. In response, two members of the county s Commissioners Court are seeking to overturn a long- standing policy banning health workers from distributing condoms in communitie
UNITED STATES: Study May Predict if Hepatitis C Drugs Will Work: Reuters (12.22.08) - Tuesday, December 23, 2008; Julie Steenhuysen; By analyzing variations in the ribonucleic acid (RNA) chains composing hepatitis C virus, physicians can predict which patients will respond to standard treatment with pegylated interferon and ribavirin, according to a new study. Treatment typically lasts about a year, during which patients can feel as if they have inf
UNITED STATES: A Behavioral Intervention Reduces HIV Transmission Risk by Promoting Sustained Serosorting Practices Among HIV-Infected Men Who Have Sex with Men: JAIDS Vol. 49; No. 5: P. 544-551 (12..08) - Tuesday, December 23, 2008; Stephen F. Morin, PhD; Starley B. Shade, PhD, MPH; Wayne T. Steward, PhD, MPH; Adam W. Carrico, PhD; Robert H. Remien, PhD; Mary Jane Rotheram-Borus, PhD; Jeffrey A. Kelly, PhD; Edwin D. Charlebois, MPH, PhD; Mallory O. Johnson, PhD; Margaret A. Chesney, PhD; the Healthy Living Project Team; The authors sought to examine factors that explain the effect of a cognitive-behavioral intervention, the Healthy Living Project, on reduction in HIV transmission risk among HIV- positive men who have sex with men (MSM). A total of 1,910 HIV-infected MSM were screened. Of these, 616 participants considered to be at ris
KENYA: Kenyan Children Cited as Needing Greater Access to Antiretroviral Drugs: Voice of America (12.17.08) - Tuesday, December 23, 2008; Howard Lesser; A new Human Rights Watch report says 40,000 Kenyan children with HIV could die in the next two years without antiretroviral treatment. According to HRW, Kenya provides free ARV treatment but only 20,000 children in need are receiving it. HRW s Ben Rawlence said the country lacks a sufficient number of community health
MALAYSIA: Screening Call Intensifies AIDS Debate in Malaysia: Agence France Presse (12.23.08) - Tuesday, December 23, 2008; Romen Bose; Malaysia , a predominantly Muslim, multi-racial nation of 27 million people, is divided over proposals to make HIV testing compulsory prior to marriage. While AIDS activists say such measures risk further stigmatizing people with the disease, some other Malaysians believe they do not go far enough. Last week, Dep
SOUTH AFRICA: Balancing Individual Rights Against Public Health: Inter Press Service (12.22.08) - Tuesday, December 23, 2008; Mercedes Sayagues; The Center for the Study of AIDS at the University of Pretoria has published its annual review of South Africa s public health practices and legislation concerning HIV/AIDS and TB. The topics addressed include AIDS and rape, drug-resistant TB, male circumcision, routine and mandatory testing, and antiretroviral treatme
UNITED STATES: Rule Shields Health Workers Who Withhold Care Based on Beliefs: Washington Post (12.19.08) - Tuesday, December 23, 2008; Rob Stein; The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has announced broad new protections for health workers who refuse to participate in care they find ethically, morally or religiously objectionable. The ruling takes effect in 30 days, just before the change in administrations. It cuts federal funding to any entity that
ALABAMA: Shipyard Worker in South Mobile County Diagnosed with TB: Press-Register (Mobile) (12.19.08) - Monday, December 22, 2008; Katherine Sayre; A diagnosis of active TB infection in one shipyard worker has prompted the testing of 130 additional employees, county health officials said Thursday. Halsey Rhodes, the county s TB program manager, did not identify the facility but he said he is fairly confident we re not going to find any more active TB there. The ai
UNITED STATES: Starbucks' Donations Raise Enough to Help 3,800 People with HIV: Seattle Post Intelligencer (12.19.08) - Monday, December 22, 2008; Andrea James; Coffee retailer Starbucks announced on Thursday its customers purchases of certain products have generated enough contributions to provide one year of antiretroviral therapy to more than 3,800 Africans with HIV. Since Nov. 27, the chain has donated five cents from each sale of three holiday coffees to (RED), a private
CHINA: China Says More than 170,000 Drug Addicts Have Received Methadone Therapy Since 2003: Xinhua (12.22.08) - Monday, December 22, 2008; Today in Beijing, an official reported that China has placed more than 170,000 heroin addicts on methadone since 2003, when the treatment was introduced there. Methadone substitution therapy is widely viewed as an effective tactic to curb the spread of HIV among drug injectors. The number of clinics providing methadone
ILLINOIS: AIDS Foundation of Chicago Sets Agenda: Windy City Times (12.17.08) - Monday, December 22, 2008; Sam Worley; On Dec. 11, around 30 AIDS experts, service providers, and advocates met to map out the 2009 legislative agenda for the AIDS Foundation of Chicago (AFC). Developing a statewide HIV/AIDS prevention strategy, prioritizing public health at the state level, and improving access to health care services were among the goals
ILLINOIS: New HIV, AIDS Cases Down in Chicago: Chicago Tribune (12.19.08) - Monday, December 22, 2008; Tracy Swartz; The Chicago Department of Public Health has seen a slight decline in new HIV/AIDS cases in the last six years, according to Chris Brown, CDPH s assistant commissioner in charge of HIV/AIDS programs. In 2006, the most recent year for which data are available, 1,557 Chicagoans were diagnosed with HIV. That is down from 1
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA; VIRGINIA: Whitman-Walker Clinic Announces Layoffs, Cuts: Washington Blade (12.19.08) - Monday, December 22, 2008; Amy Cavanaugh; On Dec. 16, Whitman-Walker Clinic officials announced a series of measures intended to offset declining revenues and an increase in HIV/AIDS patients whose care is not reimbursed. Whitman-Walker s Northern Virginia clinic will be shuttered before April 2009; residential programs including the Bridge Back Program will e
CANADA: HIV Postexposure Prophylaxis Use Among Ontario Female Adolescent Sexual Assault Victims: A Prospective Analysis: Sexually Transmitted Diseases Vol. 35; No. 12: P. 973-978 (12..08) - Monday, December 22, 2008; Janice Du Mont, EdD; Terri L. Myhr, MSc; Heather Husson, BA; Sheila Macdonald, MN; Anita Rachlis, MD; Mona R. Loutfy, MD, MPH; The authors examined HIV post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) - its provision, uptake, adherence, and other related factors - among female sexual assault survivors from September 2003 to January 2005. Sexual assault patients of all ages were universally offered PEP through the HIV PEP Project. The investigators collected ba
UNITED KINGDOM: Pupils Help Red Cross to Educate About HIV: Belfast Telegraph (12.18.08) - Monday, December 22, 2008; At St. Dominic s High School in west Belfast, 15 students recently took an eight-week Red Cross HIV/AIDS course, learning about HIV s local and global impact and how to be a peer educator. The female Year 13 students then put their coursework to use in 35-minute sessions with Year 9 pupils at the school. The school run
CHINA: Belatedly, China Confronts AIDS: Los Angeles Times (12.20.08) - Monday, December 22, 2008; Barbara Demick; The Chinese government s long-standing denial of the country s HIV/AIDS epidemic has given way to a publicity blitz aimed at increasing awareness of the virus and minimizing the stigma associated with it. China has roughly 700,000 HIV/AIDS cases. The extent of ignorance surrounding the disease is staggering. A recent s
UNITED STATES: One in Five US Teens Has Had 'Tech Sex:' Study: Agence France Presse (12.10.08) - Monday, December 22, 2008; An online survey commissioned by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy (NCTUP) found tech sex - sending or receiving racy images or messages via text, e- mail or instant messaging - is common among US teens and young adults. The poll was conducted in September and October. Of the 1,280 teens and
UNITED STATES: Group Says US Should Double Money Spent on Global Health: Voice of America (12.16.08) - Friday, December 19, 2008; Catherine Cannon; The Institute of Medicine, part of the National Academy of Sciences, is recommending that the incoming Obama administration double funding for global health scourges like HIV/AIDS and malaria, as well boost financial support for chronic diseases like diabetes and cancer. We re recommending a doubling of the [annual] gl
MALAYSIA: Malaysia to Impose Mandatory Pre-Marital HIV/AIDS Screening: Deutsche Presse-Agentur (12.18.08) - Friday, December 19, 2008; Responding to reports of rising HIV infections among women, many of whom are believed to have been infected by their husbands, Malaysia s government has announced plans for mandatory pre-marriage HIV screening. Next year, we will make it mandatory for all states to impose the HIV screening as part of the pre-marital co
SOUTH AFRICA; UNITED STATES: Male Circumcision Lowers Cervical Cancer Risk: Study: Reuters (12.18.08) - Friday, December 19, 2008; Maggie Fox; Three new studies suggest that male circumcision may help protect men from contracting human papillomavirus (HPV) and HIV. In a study involving more than 1,200 men ages 18-24 in Orange Farm, South Africa , just 14.8 percent of those circumcised had HPV, compared with 22.3 percent of men who were uncircumcised. This fi
TANZANIA: Mankind's New Best Friend?: Boston Globe (11.23.08) - Friday, December 19, 2008; Colin Nickerson; African giant pouched rats are using their sharp olfactory senses to help to fight TB in Tanzania . Trained by the Belgium-based nonprofit Apopo International, teams of 25 rats are serving a pilot project to detect TB in saliva samples at four clinics in the slums of Dar es Salaam and nearby Morogoro. Already, the
THE PHILIPPINES: HIV/AIDS 'Hidden but Growing' Problem in the Philippines: Agence France Presse (12.17.08) - Friday, December 19, 2008; Mynardo Macaraig; HIV/AIDS prevalence in the Philippines has gone from being considered low and slow to hidden and growing, said Roberto Ruiz of the Positive Action Foundation Philippines Inc., which offers HIV/AIDS support and education as well as conducts research into the epidemic. Though the government estimates the number of HIV/AI
THAILAND: 400,000 Thais Have HIV but Don't Know It: The Nation (Thailand) (12.18.08) - Friday, December 19, 2008; An estimated 400,000 people in Thailand do not realize they are infected with HIV, the Thai Red Cross AIDS Research Center warned at a recent AIDS conference in Bangkok. This is the reason the virus is still spreading across the country, said Dr. Praphan Panuphak, urging people to get tested. The conference, organi
UNITED STATES: Distribution of Condoms Behind Bars Will Decrease Spread of HIV, Experts Say: New York Amsterdam News (11.27.08) - Friday, December 19, 2008; Glenn Townes; The spread of HIV behind bars is exacerbated by the lack of condoms in US prisons and jails, Lovisa Stannow, the head of the California-based nonprofit Just Detention International (JDI), said recently. Despite widespread prohibitions against sex behind bars, a number of jails in Vermont and some major cities - New Yo
TEXAS: New TB Hospital Gets Fresh Start: San Antonio Express-News (12.16.08) - Friday, December 19, 2008; Don Finley; On Monday, officials broke ground on a $23 million, 82,000- square-foot addition to the Texas Center for Infectious Disease. TCID is one of only five free-standing TB hospitals left in the United States . In recent years, it was named by CDC as one of four national TB centers providing training and consultations to doc
UNITED STATES: Study Reports Anal Sex on Rise Among Teens: ABC News (12.10.08) - Friday, December 19, 2008; Susan Donaldson James; Experts say anal sex is becoming more prevalent among US teens and young adults, and they worry that the practice is leading to more STD infections. In a study of 1,348 at-risk youths ages 15 to 21 in three US cities, Celia M. Lescano of Bradley Hasbro Children s Research Center in Rhode Island and colleagues found tha
LOUISIANA: More than 250 Attend Health Awareness Event: Times-Picayune (New Orleans) (12.18.08) - Thursday, December 18, 2008; Earl Hodges; The recent third annual community health awareness fair, held in conjunction with World AIDS Day, drew some 250 people to the A.P. Clay Community Resource Center in Kenner. Among groups taking part were the New Orleans Regional AIDS Planning Council, New Orleans AIDS Task Force, and the New Orleans Mayor s Office of He
TENNESSEE: Memphis Youth Make Progress on Risky Behavior: Commercial Appeal (Memphis) (12.01.08) - Thursday, December 18, 2008; Compared with the 2005 study, the results of the 2007 Youth Risk Behavior Survey of Memphis City School students indicate some positive changes. Students in middle school and high school reported less use of alcohol, tobacco, and drugs; fewer reported engaging in sexual intercourse or considering suicide; and fewer sai
OHIO: Awareness Efforts Get Tech-Savvy for Teens: Columbus Dispatch (12.01.08) - Thursday, December 18, 2008; Sherri Williams; Columbus HIV/AIDS educators are tapping the popularity of social networking and other technologies among young people to raise awareness about the disease. Starting in early 2009, the Columbus Urban League plans to launch a Facebook page dedicated to HIV/AIDS prevention information. In addition, CUL volunteers will sig
NEW YORK: Latina Institute Helps Launch Condom Radio Ads: Windy City Times (12.17.08) - Thursday, December 18, 2008; Emmanuel Garcia; Catholics for Choice and the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health joined forces recently to produce Spanish- language radio ads aimed at promoting condom use among Latinos. The Condoms4Life ads ran Dec. 1 through Dec. 14 in New York City. Silvia Henriquez, executive director of NLIRH, said the goal is to s
CALIFORNIA: Fresno County Approves Needle Exchange Pilot Program: Fresno Bee (12.17.08) - Thursday, December 18, 2008; Barbara Anderson; Fresno County officials on Tuesday approved a one-year pilot needle exchange program that will operate on a weekly basis and offer substance abuse counseling, referrals, and free health checks. The Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 to support the NEP proposal; it was crafted by Dr. Edward Moreno, the county public health
UNITED STATES: The Efficacy of Female Condom Skills Training in HIV Risk Reduction Among Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial: Am Journal of Public Health Vol. 98; No. 10: P. 1841-1848 (10.08.08) - Thursday, December 18, 2008; Kyung-Hee Choi, PhD, MPH; Colleen Hoff, PhD; Steven E. Gregorich, PhD; Olga Grinstead, PhD, MPH; Cynthia Gomez, PhD; Wendy Hussey, MPH; The authors conducted a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy of skills training designed to increase female condom use among women recruited from family planning clinics in northern California. Study participants (n=409) were randomly assigned to the experimental four-session female condom skills traini
UNITED KINGDOM: Effectiveness of Peer-Led Sex Education Questioned: Reuters (12.16.08) - Thursday, December 18, 2008; Joene Hendry; Results from a new study comparing peer-led to teacher-led sex education in the United Kingdom may temper high expectations regarding the long-term impact of peer-based programs, according to Judith Stephenson of University College London and colleagues. The researchers compared the two approaches among more than 9,000
INDIA: More Cash Needed to Help Care for Indians with HIV: Agence France Presse (11.30.08) - Thursday, December 18, 2008; Phil Hazlewood; In order to achieve a five-year goal of cutting HIV infection rates in India , the government there has massively increased its AIDS budget in recent years. But while this strategy is wide-ranging and highly regarded, AIDS workers on the frontline say more funding needs to be directed their way. We need more money
THAILAND: Rule Change Would Allow Under 18s Easier Access to HIV Testing: The Nation (Thailand) (12.17.08) - Thursday, December 18, 2008; Thailand s Medical Council is considering a policy change that would make it easier for persons under age 18 to access HIV counseling and testing. Current regulation requires that a parent or guardian give consent for a young person to receive medical care, and those seeking HIV testing must first show they have been g
SOUTH CAROLINA: South Carolina Medicaid Agency Cuts Services for Health Care: Associated Press (12.17.08) - Thursday, December 18, 2008; Jim Davenport; On Wednesday, the state Medicaid agency announced major service reductions affecting low-income patients, including those with HIV. These were triggered by the 7 percent, across- the-board budget cuts ordered last week by the state s financial oversight committee. Since July, the Medicaid program has lost $137 million
SENEGAL: Gays Had No Business at Africa AIDS Conference: Senegal NGO: Agence France Presse (12.11.08) - Wednesday, December 17, 2008; The leader of a Senegalese Islamic non-governmental organization has charged that the recent 15th International Conference on AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections in Africa was insidiously exploited by obscure homosexual lobbies. The meeting in Dakar marked the first time the conference had allowed participation by
MALAYSIA: Rise of HIV Among Women Warned in Malaysia: Xinhua (12.16.08) - Wednesday, December 17, 2008; On Tuesday in Kuala Lumpur, the Malaysian Health Ministry issued an urgent plea for steps to reverse the rising toll of HIV among women. Since 1997, infections among women are up by 11 percent, and 75 percent of these patients are ages 20 to 39, said Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai. Sixty percent of these women are marr
INDONESIA: Indonesia Scraps Plans to Tag HIV Patients: Associated Press (12.16.08) - Wednesday, December 17, 2008; Niniek Karmini; Bowing to strong pressure from government officials, health workers, and human rights activists, the parliament of Indonesia s Papua province has dropped a proposal to implant microchips under the skin of persons diagnosed with AIDS. Alex Hasegem, deputy governor of the province, called the idea a violation of human ri
IOWA: University of Iowa Students Talk About Female Condom: University Wire (12.16.08) - Wednesday, December 17, 2008; Adam Sullivan; The Daily Iowan; Last week, a Food and Drug Administration advisory panel unanimously recommended approval of a second-generation female condom that uses an alternative material that will likely lower its cost. It is expected the agency will follow the suggestion and approve the device for sale in the United States . The current
LOUISIANA: Money for AIDS Care May Again Be Delayed: Times-Picayune (New Orleans) (12.17.08) - Wednesday, December 17, 2008; David Hammer; Efforts to improve the distribution of Ryan White funds through the city s Office of Health Policy hit a snag last week after errors in a public notice forced OHP to delay the start of the 2009 grant rounds. On Oct. 30, City Council member Arnie Fielkow blasted OHP Director Fran Lawless for a six-month delay in distrib
UNITED STATES: HIV Infects Women Through Healthy Tissue - US Study: Reuters (12.16.08) - Wednesday, December 17, 2008; Julie Steenhuysen; A new study shows HIV targets healthy genital tissue in women and not just breaks in the skin, as had previously been thought. Normal skin is vulnerable, said Thomas Hope of Northwestern University s Feinberg School of Medicine, who presented the study s findings Tuesday at a meeting of the American Society for Cell Bi
CHINA: China's Rural Immigrants Are New Front in AIDS Fight: Reuters (11.30.08) - Wednesday, December 17, 2008; Lucy Hornby; Chinese health officials worry that migrant workers, a major force powering the country s rapidly growing economy, are highly vulnerable to HIV and could accelerate its spread into the general population. To date, HIV/AIDS has been mostly confined to high-risk groups including drug users, gay men, sex workers, and thos
AUSTRALIA: Australian Medical Association Defends Hospital's Actions: Australian Associated Press (12.15.08) - Wednesday, December 17, 2008; Larine Statham; Officials at the Women s and Children s Hospital in Adelaide were right to allow a doctor to continue working after he tested positive for TB exposure earlier this year during a routine skin test, the Australian Medical Association (AMA) said recently. While he initially had no symptoms, the doctor contracted TB later,
TEXAS: Syringe Exchange Advocates Optimistic: San Antonio Express-News (12.10.08) - Wednesday, December 17, 2008; Don Finley; When the upcoming legislative session opens, three lawmakers say they will introduce bills authorizing needle exchange programs statewide. Advocates meeting recently at St. Mary s University said they are optimistic NEPs have enough support in the Legislature to pass this time. The state Senate easily passed an NEP bil
NORTH CAROLINA: 4 of 5 New Prison Inmates Tested for HIV: News and Observer (Raleigh NC) (12.16.08) - Wednesday, December 17, 2008; On Nov. 1, the N.C. Department of Correction launched an expanded screening effort under which the HIV test is offered to every new inmate during intake. According to the department, of 2,163 persons entering state prisons last month, 1,784 agreed to the test. Inmates are counseled about HIV prior to being offered scre
INDONESIA: Netherlands Grants $4.6 Million for AIDS Program: Jakarta Post (12.15.08) - Tuesday, December 16, 2008; The Dutch government announced on Monday it has given Indonesia $4.6 million to target HIV/AIDS education to teens in Papua and West Papua provinces. The assistance is being offered because the regional administrations there are committed to fighting the epidemic, said Arnold van der Zanden, first secretary of the
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: Whitman-Walker, a Longtime Front in AIDS War, Moves Out: Washington Post (12.16.08) - Tuesday, December 16, 2008; Anne Hull; On Monday, the Whitman-Walker Clinic vacated its building at 1407 S St. NW, Washington, and moved operations to consolidated quarters two blocks south at 1701 14th St. NW. The nonprofit HIV/AIDS health care organization sold its Administrative Facility, which it has had for 21 years, for $8 million in order to curtail
UNITED STATES: Gilead Sues Teva over HIV Drug Patent: Business Week (12.15.08) - Tuesday, December 16, 2008; The biotechnology firm Gilead Sciences Inc. on Friday said it has filed a suit to block Isreal-based Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. from making a generic version of the AIDS drug Truvada (emtricitabine and tenofovir ).
NEBRASKA: Norfolk Employee Among Those Cut by AIDS Project: Omaha World-Herald (12.13.08) - Tuesday, December 16, 2008; Judith Nygren; Facing a 30 percent drop in donations this year, the Nebraska AIDS Project (NAP) has announced layoffs and service cutbacks. The positions of four NAP employees in Omaha, including the executive director, have been eliminated, cutting its staff there to 13. A part-time mental health therapist in Norfolk will be let go
UNITED STATES: New Drug Shows Promise for Hepatitis C: Reuters (11.04.08) - Tuesday, December 16, 2008; Martha Kerr; At the recent annual meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, a team of researchers said the investigational hepatitis C drug boceprevir appears to provide response rates that are nearly double those seen with current treatments. The high response rates seen with boceprevir in this study are
INDONESIA: West Java Prisons Put on Alert over HIV/AIDS: Jakarta Post (12.15.08) - Tuesday, December 16, 2008; Voluntary HIV testing among prisoners in West Java has turned up 114 positive cases, a corrections official recently announced. Dedi Sutardi, head of the penitentiary division at the West Java regional office of the Justice and Human Rights Ministry, said most of the cases are linked to drug use. According to Dedi, jus
UNITED KINGDOM: Cervical Cancer Twice as Likely in Poorer Women: Belfast Telegraph (12.02.08) - Tuesday, December 16, 2008; Margaret Davis; A recently published report by the National Cancer Intelligence Network (NCIN) finds poorer women in England are twice as likely to develop cervical cancer as their more well- off peers. Most cases of cervical cancer are caused by the STD human papillomavirus (HPV). Smoking increases the risk for developing the disease
SOUTH AFRICA: Still a Clamp on ARVs in Free State: The Star (Johannesburg) (12.11.08) - Tuesday, December 16, 2008; Louise Flanagan; Financial problems in the Free State have the provincial Health Department there refusing to put new HIV/AIDS patients on antiretroviral (ARV) therapy for the next four months. Early in November, Health Minister Barbara Hogan ordered that 9.5 million rand (US $928,391) be provided to the province to pay for ARVs after
UNITED STATES: Finally, a Summit About Minorities' Health Disparities: USA Today (12.16.08) - Tuesday, December 16, 2008; Mary Brophy Marcus; A three-day conference that begins today in National Harbor, Md., is the first US government-sponsored summit to tackle the health disparities that affect the nation s minority communities. Many of these issues have been widely reported upon. According to CDC: African-American and Hispanic children represented more tha
UNITED STATES: Infections Prompt US Study: Las Vegas Review-Journal (12.12.08) - Tuesday, December 16, 2008; Annette Wells; Prompted in part by the hepatitis C outbreak at a Las Vegas endoscopy center, Congress is calling for a nationwide study examining what role ambulatory surgery centers play in the spread of health care-related infections. The study, now in the planning stages, will be conducted by the Government Accountability Office.
IRELAND: 15 Percent of HIV Cases Not in Official Figures: Irish Times (Dublin) (12.11.08) - Monday, December 15, 2008; Eithne Donnellan; About 15 percent of HIV infections confirmed by the National Virus Reference Laboratory during the last five years were not included in official figures published by the Health Protection Surveillance Center, an NVRL official said at a recent meeting of the Royal College of Physicians of
KENTUCKY: Watkins Pre-Files Bill on Cervical Cancer Vaccine: Courier Journal (Louisville) (12.12.08) - Monday, December 15, 2008; State Rep. David Watkins (D-Henderson) has pre-filed a bill that would require girls attending public and private schools in Kentucky to be immunized against the STD human papillomavirus. It is the third year the representative - who is also a physician - has sponsored such a bill. In past legislative sessions, support
GEORGIA: Positive Impact Adds HIV Testing, Substance Abuse Program: Southern Voice (Atlanta) (12.05.08) - Monday, December 15, 2008; Laura Douglas-Brown; On Dec. 1, Positive Impact learned it was awarded a CDC grant to run the Counseling, Testing & Referral Center (CTRC). The testing program s previous operator, AIDS Survival Project, said it will close at the end of the year. ASP and Positive Impact share the building at 139 Ralph McGill Blvd., and the program will
NEW YORK: Salons Promote Health Awareness: Journal News (White Plains) (12.12.08) - Monday, December 15, 2008; Candice Ferrette; In Westchester County, Habib s Hair Salon on Main Street is one of several salons and barbershops in the region that are promoting safe sex and screening for HIV, heart disease and diabetes. Health brochures lay next to beauty magazines at Habib s, which is owned by Denise Johnson. In the bathroom, clients can access f
THE NETHERLANDS: Trends in Hepatitis A, B and Shigellosis Compared with Gonorrhea and Syphilis in Men Who Have Sex with Men in Amsterdam, 1992-2006: Sexually Transmitted Diseases Vol. 35; No. 11: P. 930-934 (11..08) - Monday, December 15, 2008; Gini G.C. Van Rijckevorsel, MD, MSc; Gerard J.B. Sonder, MD, PhD, MSc; Lian P.M.J. Bovee, MSc; Harold F.J. Thiesbrummel, MD; Ronald B. Geskus, PhD; Anneke Van Den Hoek, MD, PhD; Noting that sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among men who have sex with men (MSM) have increased since the mid-1990s and appear to be related to more risky sexual behavior, the study authors compared trends in hepatitis A, acute hepatitis B, and shigellosis with trends in gonorrhea and infectious syphilis in Ams
UNITED KINGDOM: Sharp Rise in Sex Infections Prompts New Campaign: Belfast Telegraph (12.01.08) - Monday, December 15, 2008; Emily Moulton; On World AIDS Day, Northern Ireland s health minister launched a new campaign aimed at reducing STDs and teenage pregnancy. Over the past five years, STD diagnoses have increased 20 percent in Northern Ireland. And the number of HIV/AIDS cases diagnosed there in the last decade has increased 300 percent. Health Ministe
ZIMBABWE: Shady Dealings with Antiretrovirals: Inter Press Service (12.12.08) - Monday, December 15, 2008; Ephraim Nsingo; The political and economic crises in Zimbabwe have made 2008 the most difficult year for people living with HIV/AIDS, say advocates. Increasingly, patients are having difficulty accessing antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) because a number of health institutions, including the two main referring hospitals in Harare, have clos
SOUTH CAROLINA: Rape Victims Won't Have to Pay for Exam: The State (Columbia, S.C.) (12.01.08) - Monday, December 15, 2008; Rick Brundrett; South Carolina is working to implement a new federal law that requires states to pay for rape victims forensic examinations, even if they do not report the crimes to the police. The law, which goes into effect Jan. 5, is tied to federal funding for victims services, said Bebe Westbrook, sexual assault coordinator for t
UNITED STATES: Schering-Plough Hepatitis C Drug Approved for Kids: Associated Press (12.12.08) - Monday, December 15, 2008; Linda A. Johnson; The Food and Drug Administration has approved the use of Schering-Plough Corp. s drug Rebetol for children ages 3-17 with hepatitis C virus, the drug maker said Friday. Rebetol is a combination of ribavirin and pegylated interferon. Previously, only Schering-Plough s older interferon drug, Intron A, was approved for us
KANSAS: Abstinence Program Focuses on Latino Youth: Associated Press (11.28.08) - Friday, December 12, 2008; Shajia Ahmad; The Finney County Health Department and Fort Hays State University recently conducted an innovative abstinence outreach geared toward Hispanic youths. The program aims to re-evaluate the rituals involved in the Quinceanera, the Latina coming-out party for 15-year-olds, and foster parent- child communication about the m
UNITED STATES: The Interaction of Sexual Identity with Sexual Behavior and Its Influence on HIV Risk Among Latino Men: Results of a Community Survey in Northern San Diego County, California: Am Journal of Public Health Vol. 99; No. 1: doi:10.2105/AJPH.2007.129809 (01.09.09) - Friday, December 12, 2008; Jennifer A. Zellner, PhD; Ana P. Martinez-Donate, PhD; Fernando Sanaudo, MPH; Araceli Fernandez-Cerdeneo, MA; Carol L. Sipan, MPH, RN; Melbourne F. Hovell, PhD, MPH; Hector Carrillo, DrPH; To inform efforts to reduce Latinos HIV risk, the authors of the current study examined the sexual behavior, sexual identities, and HIV risk factors of a community sample of Latino men. In 2005 and 2006, 680 Latino men in randomly selected, targeted community venues in San Diego County completed an anonymous, self-admi
CARIBBEAN: Too Many Still Dying of AIDS: UN: Inter Press Service (12.09.08) - Friday, December 12, 2008; Peter Richards; The Caribbean needs to focus prevention efforts on vulnerable groups and combat stigma that deters people from testing and receiving treatment, a recent regional UN report said. Populations needing more targeted prevention interventions include sex workers, men who have sex with men, crack cocaine users, young women, a
SOUTH AFRICA: Texts Used to Tackle South Africa HIV Crisis: CNN.com (12.01.08) - Friday, December 12, 2008; Stephanie Busari; An ambitious HIV awareness campaign will send 1 million free text messages to educate South African cell phone users about HIV/AIDS and encourage them to get tested. Developed by Pop!Tech, Project Masiluleke s launch is set for February. In South Africa, more than 80 percent of the population have a mobile phone, and a
GUATEMALA: More Indigenous Guatemalans Turn to Sex Work, Stoking HIV Fears: Miami Herald (11.28.08) - Friday, December 12, 2008; Ezra Fieser; Health workers are seeing an increasing number of Maya women travel to Guatemala City to work as prostitutes, and many could return to their home communities with HIV/AIDS. They ve come here more and more because they can earn four, five, even 10 times what they could make in other jobs, said Dr. Marco Garc�a, whose c
GLOBAL: WHO's Idea for Universal HIV Testing Raises Hopes, Fears: Inter Press Service (12.10.08) - Friday, December 12, 2008; Nastassja Hoffet; AIDS experts and public health advocates are weighing in on a recent study that suggested the AIDS epidemic could be reversed by an aggressive test-and-treat strategy. Universal and annual voluntary testing followed by immediate antiretroviral therapy treatment can reduce new HIV cases by 95 percent within 10 years, a
UNITED STATES: US Receives an 'E' on AIDS Report Card: Deseret News (Salt Lake City) (11.26.08) - Friday, December 12, 2008; John Lauermann, Bloomberg News; The watchdog group AIDS Accountability Initiative (AAI) recently released a global score card on AIDS program, giving the United States a nearly failing grade. AAI gave the United States an E, along with countries like Saudi Arabia and
UNITED STATES: FDA Advisers Back New Female Condom: Reuters (12.11.08) - Friday, December 12, 2008; Susan Heavey; An advisory panel to the Food and Drug Administration backed a new version of Female Health Co. s female condom on Thursday. This will allow women in general to take even more control of their ability to protect themselves, said Michael Thomas, a panelist from the University of Cincinnati s College of Medicine. More th
RUSSIA: Moscow's Mayor Links Gays to Spread of AIDS: Reuters (12.04.08) - Thursday, December 11, 2008; At an AIDS conference in Moscow recently, the city s mayor lashed out at gays and lesbians and played down the role of condoms in offering protection against STDs. We have banned, and will ban, the propaganda of sexual minorities opinions because they can be one of the factors in the spread of HIV infection, said Yuri
INDIA: Restore Original HIV/AIDS Bill, Urge Activists: Times of India (New Delhi) (12.11.08) - Thursday, December 11, 2008; Indian AIDS advocates gathered yesterday in Mumbai to protest changes officials are making to proposed anti-discrimination legislation. The initial draft was made with the help of patients, health activists, lawyers, and others over a period of two years. We found that many of our rights-based issues had been dropped
UNITED STATES: Daschle also to Oversee New Health Reform Office: Associated Press (12.11.08) - Thursday, December 11, 2008; Kevin Freking; President-elect Barack Obama today announced his choice of former Sen. Tom Daschle as secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services and chief of the new White House Office of Health Reform. After losing re-election in 2004 as South Dakota s Democratic senator, Daschle worked as a public policy advisor and on
NEW YORK: Funding Restored for New York Center for Gay Youths: Associated Press (12.06.08) - Thursday, December 11, 2008; Marcus Franklin; A body of AIDS service providers and government officials recently voted to restore funding to a Manhattan drop-in center for homeless gay youth at risk for HIV. In September, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene informed the Ali Forney Center that it would not renew $600,000 in annual funding for
OHIO: Surge in Syphilis Cases Has Experts Urging More Tests: Columbus Dispatch (12.10.08) - Thursday, December 11, 2008; Misti Crane; Columbus Public Health said Monday that syphilis cases in Franklin County have increased 62 percent over last year. So far in 2008, CPH has logged 112 cases of primary and secondary syphilis, compared to 69 cases for all of 2007. The STD is being diagnosed in people of all races and in men and women, but men who have s
SOUTH AFRICA; MALAWI: Model Predicts Halt to Africa's AIDS Epidemic: Washington Post (11.26.08) - Thursday, December 11, 2008; David Brown; In a new study, World Health Organization (WHO) researchers suggest a strategy of universal annual HIV testing for persons ages 15 and older, followed by immediate antiretroviral (ARV) treatment of those infected, could virtually end the African AIDS epidemic in a decade. The research builds upon previous studies showi
SOUTH AFRICA: Getting High on HIV Drugs in South Africa: BBC (12.10.08) - Thursday, December 11, 2008; Alka Marwaha; Health authorities in South Africa are warning about a troubling phenomenon that is becoming more evident: Some teenagers are smoking antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) to get high. They take a pill and grind it, until it is a powder. Some also mix it with painkillers and others mix it with marijuana, said Tooli Nhlapo, a do
AFRICA: Hunger, HIV/AIDS Hit Africa with Double Punch: World Food Program: Reuters (12.05.08) - Thursday, December 11, 2008; Pascal Fletcher; Speaking on the sidelines of the recent 15th International Conference on AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections in Africa in Dakar, Senegal , top experts at the UN World Food Program warned the current global economic meltdown could exacerbate a persisting food crisis and rising HIV/AIDS infection rates on the contin
CHINA: Crackdown on Drugs Hurts China AIDS Fight: Report: Reuters (12.09.08) - Thursday, December 11, 2008; Lucy Hornby; On Tuesday, Human Rights Watch (HRW) warned that China s pragmatic and bold approach to combating HIV/AIDS is at odds with its punitive treatment of drug users. Drug injection is one of the main HIV transmission routes in the country, according to the HRW report, causing the government to place a greater focus on drug
UNITED STATES: FDA Panel Set to Weigh New Female Condom: Reuters (12.09.08) - Thursday, December 11, 2008; Susan Heavey; On Thursday, a Food and Drug Administration advisory panel is set to review a new, potentially less expensive version of the female condom. The panel of outside experts will consider whether the FC2 Female Condom, made by Chicago-based Female Health Co., adequately prevents pregnancy, HIV, and other STDs. Female Health
MICHIGAN: TB Case Confirmed in Utica Schools; Students, Staff to Be Tested: Detroit News (12.09.08) - Wednesday, December 10, 2008; Charles E. Ramirez; Macomb County Health Department officials are working with the local school district to identify and test students and staff whose contact with a TB-infected student may put them at risk of the disease. The officials confirmed on Tuesday that the Utica High School student has an active case of TB. In addition, the stud
AFRICA: SABMiller Extends Its Anti-AIDS Drive in Africa: Guardian (12.02.08) - Wednesday, December 10, 2008; Abhinav Ramnarayan; On World AIDS Day, the brewing company SABMiller announced it is extending its anti-AIDS efforts for its African workers affected by HIV. I do not see how we could remain competitive in difficult times if we invested less in reducing the spread of HIV/AIDS, said CEO Graham Mackay. The brewer s share of African and Asia
CHINA: More than Half Beijing's Prostitutes Shun Condoms: State: Agence France Presse (11.25.08) - Wednesday, December 10, 2008; A recent report from China s official Xinhua News Agency quotes the director of the municipal health bureau as saying only 47 percent of Beijing s 90,000 sex workers use condoms. The article also said sexual transmission now accounts for 55 percent of HIV transmissions in the capital, surpassing intravenous drug use as
NETHERLANDS: Netherlands Selects Glaxo Cervical Cancer Vaccine: Associated Press (11.20.08) - Wednesday, December 10, 2008; The Dutch government has selected the human papillomavirus vaccine Cervarix for a nationwide immunization campaign, according to GlaxoSmithKline PLC, the vaccine s maker. The effort by the Dutch National Immunization Program is set to start in September 2009; plans call for more than 350,000 girls ages 12-13 to be vacc
FLORIDA: Teen Actors' Plays Take a Serious Look at Sex: Miami Herald (12.07.08) - Wednesday, December 10, 2008; Beth Feinstein-Bartl; A Miami troupe of high school actors is set to stage three original dramas on sexuality-related topics on Dec. 14. The performance will be the culmination of a 12-week workshop run by the Inside Out Theatre. The plays follow in the tradition of previous teen workshop productions that tackled issues such as discriminati
WYOMING: Education Is Key in HIV Fight: Casper Star-Tribune (11.25.08) - Wednesday, December 10, 2008; Allison Rupp; In Natrona County and across Wyoming, many AIDS educators struggle with people who think of HIV as only a problem for gay men, a significant barrier to assessing personal risk and to making HIV testing routine. Some people have their heads buried, said Laurie Johnson, clinical director of Early Intervention Services fo
UNITED STATES: Extended Drug Therapy for Hepatitis Is Challenged: New York Times (12.04.08) - Wednesday, December 10, 2008; Roni Caryn Rabin; Hepatitis C patients who do not respond to a standard two-drug regimen are often advised to continue taking a maintenance dose of one of the drugs indefinitely, but new research suggests this approach is unlikely to succeed. Moreover, long- term therapy for non-responders is possibly harmful, the researchers reported.
ZIMBABWE: First AIDS, Now Cholera: Zimbabwe's Newest Orphans: Deutsche Presse-Agentur (12.09.08) - Wednesday, December 10, 2008; Columbus Mavhunga; A cholera outbreak affecting nine of Zimbabwe s 10 provinces is threatening a population already devastated by HIV/AIDS and hunger. Of Zimbabwe s adults, 16 percent are HIV-infected, and 1 million children in the country have lost one or both parents to HIV/AIDS or poverty-related disease. Children are especially vulne
AUSTRALIA: Do More in Area to Stop HIV/AIDS, Government Told: Inter Press Service (11.28.08) - Wednesday, December 10, 2008; Stephen De Tarczynski; With new cases climbing, Australia s earlier investments in HIV prevention could go to waste unless the government steps up prevention funding, AIDS advocates say. New HIV diagnoses have increased in Australia every year since 1999, when 718 cases were logged, according to the National Center in HIV Epidemiology and Cl
CANADA: Gains Slip Away in AIDS Work: Ottawa Citizen (12.01.08) - Wednesday, December 10, 2008; Dale Smith; In 2008-09, Canada will spend $84 million (US $66.8 million) domestically on HIV/AIDS, the most in the nation s history. But some of that money is being redirected from community- based efforts toward the Canadian HIV Vaccine Initiative. This approach, said Jirina Vlk, spokesperson from the Public Health Agency of Cana
UNITED STATES: AIDS Transmission Rate Plummets in US, Study Finds: Reuters (12.09.08) - Wednesday, December 10, 2008; Maggie Fox; The annual HIV transmission rate in the United States has declined dramatically over the course of the epidemic, according to a newly published study conducted jointly by CDC and Johns Hopkins University. The annual rate of HIV transmission declined from 44 of every 100 people who had HIV in 1984 to 6.6 of every 100 HI
POLAND: AIDS Knowledge in Poland 'Is Still Scandalously Low': Deutsche Presse-Agentur (12.01.08) - Tuesday, December 09, 2008; According to research cited by the daily newspaper Dziennik, Poles often hold erroneous beliefs about HIV/AIDS. Many think the disease affects only homosexuals and drug users; one-third think HIV can be contracted from a toilet seat; and 60 percent said they had had sex without using condoms. We live in the 21st centur
SINGAPORE: Singapore Likely to See Record HIV Cases in 2008: Government: Agence France Presse (12.01.08) - Tuesday, December 09, 2008; Singapore has toughened health laws in a bid to stop the spread of HIV, but its government warned on World AIDS Day that cases of the virus will likely hit record levels this year as more people undergo testing. The Ministry of Health reported that 382 new cases were detected in the first 10 months of the year, compa
IRAN: Iran Says HIV Cases Four Times Higher than Registered: Agence France Presse (12.01.08) - Tuesday, December 09, 2008; Iran s deputy health minister on World AIDS Day offered a markedly higher estimate of the number of Iranians living with HIV. We estimate there are 80,000 people affected by the AIDS virus or four times higher than the number of cases which are officially registered, said Hassan Emami Razavi. The official case count, 1
MYANMAR: Thousands Die Needlessly Because Junta Spends Too Little on AIDS, Group Says: New York Times (12.02.08) - Tuesday, December 09, 2008; Donald G. McNeil Jr.; In a new report on Myanmar , Doctors Without Borders, which is allowed to work in only certain parts of the country, said thousands of people are dying needlessly of AIDS each year because the ruling military junta allocates too little money to treat them. DWB said about 240,000 people there have HIV; about 76,000 have
SIERRA LEONE: Sierra Leone Leader Urges Citizens to Take AIDS Test: Agence France Presse (12.01.08) - Tuesday, December 09, 2008; On World AIDS Day, President Ernest Koroma reaffirmed the Sierra Leone government s intention to provide universal access to HIV prevention and treatment by 2010, and he called on the nation s citizens to be tested for HIV. By knowing your HIV status, you can save not only your life but those of others, he said. Idris
FLORIDA: Two Former Inmates Settle HIV-Drug Lawsuits Against Broward Sheriff's Office: South Florida Sun-Sentinel (12.02.08) - Tuesday, December 09, 2008; The prison health care contractor for the Broward County Sheriff s Office has settled with two former inmates who claimed they were denied HIV drugs while incarcerated. Richard Hardwick and Kevin Sauve reached settlement agreements with Armor Correctional Health Services and will dismiss their claims against the Sherif
INDIANA: Suit: Teen with HIV Bullied at School: Indianapolis Star (11.21.08) - Tuesday, December 09, 2008; Gretchen Becker; On Nov. 18, the mother of an HIV-positive student filed a lawsuit against Washington Township Schools, alleging that disease-related bullying forced her child to leave Westlane Middle School. The suit claims district officials did nothing to stop the harassment, violating the Americans With Disabilities Act. According
UNITED STATES: The Chilling Effect: How Do Researchers React to Controversy?: PLoS Medicine Vol. 5; No. 11: P. e222 (11.18.08) - Tuesday, December 09, 2008; Joanna Kempner; In 2003, 10 National Institutes of Health research grants came under intense scrutiny as Congress exercised its oversight duties regarding the agency s budget. Eight of the 10 NIH grants addressed sexual risk behavior, as did the majority of the more than 250 additional grants NIH subsequently ordered reviewed. NIH rev
AUSTRALIA: Babies at Risk After Doctor Tests Positive for TB: Australian Associated Press (12.09.08) - Tuesday, December 09, 2008; Tim Dornin; Up to 300 infants may have been exposed to TB by a foreign- born physician with an active infection at Adelaide s Women s and Children s Hospital, health authorities said today. Paddy Phillips, South Australia s chief medical officer, said health officials have identified roughly 300 children and some staffers who may
GLOBAL: Global AIDS Crisis Overblown? Some Dare to Say So: Associated Press (11.30.08) - Tuesday, December 09, 2008; Maria Cheng; Some health experts are questioning whether the global resources allocated to fight HIV/AIDS take away from more pressing health needs. AIDS is a terrible humanitarian tragedy, but it s just one of many terrible humanitarian tragedies, said Jeremy Shiffman, who studies health spending at Syracuse University. According
TEXAS: Man with Tuberculosis Allowed into El Paso 20 Times: El Paso Times (11.30.08) - Tuesday, December 09, 2008; Diana Washington Valdez; A report by the US Government Accountability Office blames poor communication among government agencies for the fact that that a TB-infected businessman from Juarez, Mexico , was allowed to cross the border into El Paso at least 20 times. The GAO analysis was requested by Sens. Joe Lieberman (I- Conn.) and John Cornyn
SWEDEN: Sweden to Offer All Girls Free Cervical Cancer Vaccines: Agence France Presse (11.24.08) - Monday, December 08, 2008; Sweden s National Board of Health and Welfare recently announced a plan to offer the human papillomavirus vaccine to primary school girls as part of the country s free vaccination program. Starting on Jan. 1, 2010, the school health care system must offer HPV vaccines to girls in the fifth and sixth grade [around 10-11
MICHIGAN: Macomb County Student Subject of TB Investigation: Associated Press (12.06.08) - Monday, December 08, 2008; Macomb County health officials say they are trying to confirm or rule out whether a student at Utica High School may be infected with TB. According to Utica schools spokesperson Hildy Corbett, the student also attends Eisenhower High School in neighboring Shelby Township, about 20 miles north of Detroit. Corbett said t
NEW MEXICO: New Mexico Health Officials Issue TB Alert: Associated Press (12.03.08) - Monday, December 08, 2008; Passengers on a commercial bus that traveled through New Mexico from Texas to Colorado in August should be screened for TB, health officials are urging. The bus, chartered by El Paso-Los Angeles Limousine Express, Inc., left El Paso the morning of Aug. 3. Later that day, a person who was recently diagnosed with active
CALIFORNIA: 'Get Screened Oakland' HIV/AIDS Program Is Unique in Nation: Contra Costa Times (12.02.08) - Monday, December 08, 2008; Angela Woodall; A decade after Oakland declared a state of emergency over HIV/AIDS in the African-American community, many residents still do not get diagnosed with HIV until they already have AIDS. That might have been understandable when treatments were new, said Marsha Martin, director of Get Screened Oakland (GSO), but not today.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: MetroAccess Driver Has TB, 762 Riders Told: Washington Post (12.06.08) - Monday, December 08, 2008; Sandhya Somashekhar; Officials of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Metro) reported on Friday that a driver who transported elderly and disabled patients has tuberculosis, and as many as 762 passengers may have been exposed to the disease. The sequence of events in the case was as follows: *Oct. 14: Metro officials, suspe
UNITED STATES: Working in Health Care Can Be Risky, Study Hints: Reuters (11.19.08) - Monday, December 08, 2008; Anne Harding; Health care workers are more likely to die of blood-borne infections and related illnesses than people in other occupations, according to a new CDC study. However, the researchers warned that previous studies suggest most were non-occupational exposures. Needle sticks and other accidents on the job can expose health wo
CANADA: Addicts Taught to Save Lives with Anti-Overdose Kits: Edmonton Journal (11.21.08) - Monday, December 08, 2008; Jodie Sinnema; Three years ago, a one-week spate of overdoses in Edmonton prompted the city s needle exchange office, Streetworks, to launch a prevention program with a $150,600 (US $120,000) demonstration grant from the Canadian Drug Strategy. In its first year, Streetworks trained 50 clients to inject anyone overdosing on heroin or
SWEDEN: Nobel Medicine Laureate Sees Progress on AIDS Vaccine: Agence France Presse (12.06.08) - Monday, December 08, 2008; With the necessary funding, scientists could create a therapeutic AIDS vaccine in the short term, said Luc Montagnier, co-winner of the 2008 Nobel Prize for medicine. It is difficult to say, but it is perhaps a case of four to five years, he said Saturday in Stockholm ahead of official ceremonies bestowing the award.
GLOBAL: Global Fund Chief Seeks to Calm Fears of AIDS Funding Cuts: Agence France Presse (12.06.08) - Monday, December 08, 2008; Saturday at the 15th International Conference on AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections in Africa, held in Dakar, Senegal , Michel Kazatchkine said he was cautiously optimistic there would be no large cuts in anti-AIDS resources despite the global economic crisis. In my discussions with leaders up to now I have not h
ALABAMA: HIV Prevention Measures Lacking for State's Latinos: Birmingham News (12.03.08) - Monday, December 08, 2008; Erin Stock; Latino HIV cases are on the rise in Alabama, but few bilingual health care workers or prevention initiatives are targeting the population, according to a recent report. The nonprofit Latino Commission on AIDS spent two years assessing the epidemic and services in Alabama, Georgia , Louisiana, the Carolinas, and Tenness
ARIZONA: Starting Hope at University of Arizona by Stopping HIV Ignorance: University Wire (12.02.08) - Friday, December 05, 2008; Matthew Fitzgerald Kielty, Arizona Daily Wildcat; A candlelight vigil at the fountain in front of Old Main was held Monday night to mark World AIDS Day at the University of Arizona-Tucson. A lot of people have misconceptions, said Alyssa Padilla, a health and sexuality intern for the Women s Resource Center, which conducted an educational session about HIV. While hono
ILLINOIS: Southern Illinois University Organizations Promote AIDS Awareness: University Wire (12.02.08) - Friday, December 05, 2008; Kathleen Richards, Daily Egyptian; Several special events on the campus of Southern Illinois University in Carbondale commemorated World AIDS Day this week. After an assembly in the Student Center on Monday night, students and activists marched carrying red glow sticks to raise awareness of the disease. This was followed by Sex in the Dark, a gathering
TENNESSEE: Brooks: Give Condoms in Jail: Commercial Appeal (Memphis) (12.04.08) - Friday, December 05, 2008; Alex Doniach; At Wednesday s Shelby County Commission meeting, Commissioner Henri Brooks sponsored a resolution asking Sheriff Mark Luttrell to consider distributing condoms in the County Jail. We know what goes on in jail, she said. Passing out condoms is not my intent to say that I condone it, but realistically speaking, it goes o
UNITED STATES: (RED) Debuts Subscription Music Site: Variety (11.24.08) - Friday, December 05, 2008; Phil Gallo; Launched on World AIDS Day, the digital music and video service (RED)Wire will donate half its subscription price to provide AIDS drugs to Africa through the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria. The $5 monthly service will provide four items weekly, including an exclusive song or collaboration from superstar arti
UNITED STATES: Teens and Young Adults at High Risk of Contracting HIV: Miami Herald (12.01.08) - Friday, December 05, 2008; Sam Ho, MD; With improved drugs, proper care and treatment, people with HIV are living longer and stronger lives. But even with this encouraging news, a dangerous trend is emerging when it comes to an often-ignored segment of the HIV and AIDS population: youth. Statistically, youth are quickly catching up to other high- risk grou
TEXAS: HIV Infection Rate Here 'Alarming': Houston Chronicle (12.02.08) - Friday, December 05, 2008; Cindy George; On World AIDS Day, the city Health Department released new figures showing Houston s HIV infection rate is almost twice the national average. Harris County had 44 new infections for every 100,000 people, compared with 23 per 100,000 nationwide. In 2006, around 1,700 county residents became HIV-positive. The new estimat
SOUTH AFRICA: Carraguard Does Not Prevent Vaginal Transmission of HIV: Reuters Health (12.04.08) - Friday, December 05, 2008; A vaginal microbicide based on a seaweed-derived compound failed to prevent HIV infection during a randomized, placebo- controlled, double-blind Phase III trial in South Africa , researchers reported Thursday. The study enrolled 6,202 sexually active, HIV-negative female participants age 16 and older at three sites. Su
UNITED KINGDOM: Concern Voiced at 'Worrying Surge' in New HIV Cases: Belfast Telegraph (12.01.08) - Friday, December 05, 2008; Claire Harrison; Pointing to a 16 percent increase in new HIV cases within the jurisdiction between 2006 and 2007, Northern Ireland s chief medical officer warned on World AIDS Day against complacency regarding the epidemic. The latest figures for Northern Ireland indicate a worrying surge in new diagnoses of HIV, said Dr. Michael McBr
ASIA-PACIFIC: AIDS Cases in Asia to Hit 10 Million by 2010: Expert: Agence France Presse (11.28.08) - Friday, December 05, 2008; At the Nov. 28 unveiling of an online database on HIV/AIDS in Asia-Pacific, a UNAIDS official warned the region could see a more than two-fold increase in current case estimates by 2010. Speaking at the Asia Development Bank headquarters in Manila, UNAIDS Amala Reddy said rising infection rates among men who have sex w
AFRICA: African Taboos Surrounding Gays Hamper Access to HIV/AIDS Programs: Agence France Presse (12.05.08) - Friday, December 05, 2008; Stephanie van den Berg; Thursday at the 15th International Conference on AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections in Africa (ICASA) in Dakar, Senegal , attendees were told homophobia and discrimination are preventing African men who have sex with men (MSM) from accessing HIV/AIDS treatment. The extent of the problem is unknown since most Afri
ARKANSAS: Task Force: HIV Funds Imperative: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (12.02.08) - Friday, December 05, 2008; Charlie Frago; On Monday, the Arkansas HIV/AIDS Minority Task Force released its final report and announced it will ask the Legislature for $3 million to fight the disease over the next two years. The task force is recommending the money be spent to create 15 sites for testing and counseling services in black, Hispanic, and Marshall
CALIFORNIA: State Ignored HIV Law, Judge Says: Los Angeles Times (12.05.08) - Friday, December 05, 2008; Jordan Rau; California has not fulfilled its statutory obligations to offer treatment to poor patients with HIV who have not yet progressed to AIDS, the Los Angeles County Superior Court ruled in a decision made public Thursday. A 2002 state law required the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) to carry out the program, but i
DELAWARE: Forum Will Teach Delaware Teens about HIV: News Journal (Wilmington) (12.03.08) - Thursday, December 04, 2008; Adam Taylor; Delaware s fifth annual Youth HIV Forum will take place Saturday at the Howard High School of Technology in Wilmington. The featured speaker will be Marvelyn Brown, an HIV-positive resident of Brooklyn, N.Y., who heads an HIV consulting firm and has penned an autobiography, The Naked Truth: Young, Beautiful and (HIV) P
COLORADO: Keeping a Killer at Bay: Denver Post (12.02.08) - Thursday, December 04, 2008; Tom McGhee; Those taking part in a World AIDS Day rally at the state Capitol on Monday included Bernadette Berzoza, who learned in 1989 she was HIV-positive and was later diagnosed with AIDS. I was a mother; I had children. I loved the man I was with. He had a drug problem. I know he didn t say, I am going to contract HIV. People
KENTUCKY: AIDS Event Recalls Those Who've Died: Courier Journal (Louisville) (12.02.08) - Thursday, December 04, 2008; Emily Udell; About 100 people convened at the Muhammad Ali Center Monday night to mark World AIDS Day in Louisville. The event included music, speeches, and a candle-lighting ceremony to honor those lost to HIV. Dr. Adewale Troutman, director of the Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness, delivered the mayor s Wo
INDIANAPOLIS: Day of Remembrance: Indianapolis Star (12.02.08) - Thursday, December 04, 2008; Diana Penner; On Monday, 150 people took part in a World AIDS Day service at St. Luke s United Methodist Church. As names of Indianans who had died of AIDS scrolled across a large screen, the Rev. Stan Abel said, These aren t statistics. These are our friends. The keynote address was delivered by former Eli Lilly and Co. CE
HAITI: Openly Gay Marchers Debut at Haiti AIDS Rally: Associated Press (12.01.08) - Thursday, December 04, 2008; Jonathan M. Katz; In St. Marc on Sunday, about 500 people, including health ministry officials and UN aid workers, marched to call for better HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment. Some event organizers said the march was the first in socially conservative Haiti to include participation by an openly gay group. About a dozen men took part we
MISSISSIPPI: What Is Causing the Spread of HIV Today?: Clarion Ledger (Jackson) (12.02.08) - Thursday, December 04, 2008; Shanderia K. Posey; I wonder what the most popular answer would be if I conducted a survey asking, What was Monday s significance? I predict the top response would be Cyber Monday - the day retailers offer too-good-to-be-true deals to online shoppers. But Monday was something extremely more critical. It marked the 20th anniversary of Wor
TENNESSEE: Leaders Drive Home AIDS Message: Commercial Appeal (Memphis) (12.02.08) - Thursday, December 04, 2008; Jane Roberts; On Monday, community leaders marked the 20th anniversary of World AIDS Day by calling on students at Booker T. Washington High School to be the ones to break the cycle of HIV/AIDS. The hour of straight talk from speakers like Shelby County Mayor A.C. Wharton, Superintendent Kriner Cash, and the Rev. Melvin Lee kicked o
MISSOURI: State Finds No HIV Outbreak: St. Louis Post-Dispatch (12.04.08) - Thursday, December 04, 2008; Blythe Bernhard; Missouri health officials said Wednesday that testing data from October indicated no evidence of an HIV outbreak at Normandy High School in St. Louis. Most of the school s 1,300 students were tested that month following an investigation into one HIV diagnosis in St. Louis County that led to concerns that as many as 50
AUSTRALIA: Allergic Reactions to Gardasil Uncommon - Study: Reuters (12.02.08) - Thursday, December 04, 2008; Michael Kahn; Australian scientists said Wednesday their research shows that allergic reactions to the human papillomavirus vaccine Gardasil are uncommon. Sharon Choo of Melbourne s Royal Children s Hospital and colleagues studied 25 Australian girls with suspected hypersensitivity to Gardasil, which was administered via a national
INDIA: India's Hijras Spread Safe Sex Messages in Life-or- Death AIDS Fight: Agence France Presse (11.30.08) - Thursday, December 04, 2008; Phil Hazlewood; Along India s highways, the hijra sex worker community, pre- and post-operative transsexuals, is being enlisted to teach safe sex to clients. No condom means no sex, and if a long- haul trucker does not know how to use a condom, the hijras can teach him. If the trucker doesn t want to use a condom and they insist, we w
AFRICA: New Hope on AIDS in Africa: Associated Press (12.01.08) - Thursday, December 04, 2008; Clare Nullis; The number of HIV-positive pregnant women in Africa receiving antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) to prevent mother-to-child transmission has tripled in the past three years, according to a UN report. The publication noted the following increases between 2003 and 2007 in the proportion of pregnant women accessing ARVs to prote
CHINA: China Sees Sharp Rise in HIV-Positive Gay Men: Reuters (11.28.08) - Thursday, December 04, 2008; Ahead of World AIDS Day, China s Ministry of Health warned that men who have sex with men (MSM) are increasingly becoming infected with HIV. In 2007, a serosurvey of MSM found that 4.9 percent had HIV, an increase from 0.4 percent in 2005, said senior health officials. Unprotected sex is becoming the major way of AIDS
KENTUCKY: AIDS Patients Might Have to Wait: Lexington Herald-Leader (12.02.08) - Thursday, December 04, 2008; Beth Musgrave; In Kentucky, which is confronting a budget deficit of more than $450 million, officials are warning that the state AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) may soon have to institute a waiting list for new clients. The federal contribution to Kentucky s ADAP declined from $4.6 million in 2005 to $4.3 million in 2008. Meanwh
FLORIDA: Attention Anew on AIDS: St. Petersburg Times (12.02.08) - Wednesday, December 03, 2008; Lenora LaPeter Anton; On World AIDS Day, Tampa Bay area advocates offered free HIV screenings in Pinellas and Hillsborough counties. At a wellness fair in downtown St. Petersburg, dozens of people took advantage of free HIV tests, flu shots, and screenings for hepatitis and syphilis. Those who tested were offered a free lunch afterward. For
NEW YORK: Mother Steps Up on AIDS Day: Buffalo News (12.02.08) - Wednesday, December 03, 2008; Denise Jewell Gee; Dozens of people gathered Monday on the edge of Niagara Falls to mark World AIDS Day and to honor those lost to the disease. The falls themselves were lit in red, to suggest the AIDS red ribbon, and blue, as a show of support for those living with HIV. A memorial service followed at St. Peter s Episcopal Church, where
NEW YORK: Central New York Marks Fight Against HIV/AIDS: Post-Standard (12.02.08) - Wednesday, December 03, 2008; Several events were held in Central New York to commemorate World AIDS Day, including a display of panels from the AIDS Memorial Quilt and a gathering of faith leaders co-sponsored by the Black Leadership Commission on AIDS of Syracuse. Onondaga Community College hosted a reception and screened AIDS-related films. The
CALIFORNIA: Victories Tearfully Noted, but Struggle Continues: San Francisco Chronicle (12.02.08) - Wednesday, December 03, 2008; Tyche Hendricks; Several hundred people gathered in Golden Gate Park s National AIDS Memorial Grove on Monday to mark World AIDS Day. While speakers celebrated gains against the virus, in particular the development of more effective treatments, they said more must be done to help those struggling with AIDS in the United States
CALIFORNIA: AIDS Services Foundation Struggles in Tough Economy: Orange County Register (12.02.08) - Wednesday, December 03, 2008; Kelli Hart; The nonprofit AIDS Services Foundation Orange County is struggling to continue providing its clients with assistance. For the first time since it opened 23 years ago, ASF is no longer accepting new clients. It has also laid off 11 staff members. In September is when the economy really took the dive and that is when we
CALIFORNIA: Activists Say Awareness, Testing Key to Tackling HIV/AIDS: Contra Costa Times (12.01.08) - Wednesday, December 03, 2008; Sean Maher, Oakland Tribune; On World AIDS Day, counselors offered free HIV testing from a medical bus at West Grand and San Pablo avenues in Oakland. In Alameda County, black men and women account for more than half all new HIV cases said Gloria J. Lockett, executive director of the California Prevention and Education Project (CAL-PEP). They don
GEORGIA: World AIDS Day Brings Awareness of Disease to Midstate: Macon Telegraph (12.01.08) - Wednesday, December 03, 2008; Julie Hubbard; An interfaith service held to commemorate World AIDS Day on Monday in Macon served as a reminder that Middle Georgia continues to see new cases of HIV/AIDS. HIV has not gone away and there are things that need to be done, Subrena D. Johnson, president of the Macon Conference Women s Missionary Society, told the crowd o
SOUTH AFRICA: Study Cites Toll of AIDS Policy in South Africa: New York Times (11.26.08) - Wednesday, December 03, 2008; Celia W. Dugger; The lives of 365,000 people with HIV/AIDS in South Africa could have been saved had its government implemented an antiretroviral (ARV) treatment program earlier this decade, a new Harvard study finds. For years, the South African government did not provide ARVs, even as Botswana and
SOUTH AFRICA: Africa's AIDS Fight: Fresh Focus on Issue of Multiple Partners: Christian Science Monitor (12.01.08) - Wednesday, December 03, 2008; Nicole Itano; HIV/AIDS prevention in South Africa is moving beyond a focus on condoms, using new research that identifies the epidemic s driving force as multiple concurrent partnerships. Many experts now believe prevention messages did not fail, condom use did increase, but they missed targeting the right behaviors. Prevention
GLOBAL: World Bank Sees Challenges Ahead for AIDS Funding: Agence France Presse (12.03.08) - Wednesday, December 03, 2008; Today in Dakar, Senegal , delegates at the 15th International Conference on AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections in Africa were told that the global financial crisis could result in less money to fight HIV. A very difficult, challenging period may lie ahead, warned Uganda s Elizabeth Lule, who is responsible for th
GEORGIA: Concerns Mount that Budget Cuts Could Worsen Public Health Crisis: Atlanta Journal-Constitution (11.23.08) - Wednesday, December 03, 2008; Andy Miller; Public health experts say recent budget cuts further jeopardize Georgia s already tenuous safety net, according to a 2007 state legislative committee report. A $1.6 billion shortfall will trigger state budget cuts of at least 6 percent, which will lead to shrinking preventive services and longer lines at clinics, advoc
MASSACHUSETTS: Report: Gay/Bisexual Men Still Bear Brunt of AIDS: Associated Press (11.30.08) - Wednesday, December 03, 2008; Steve LeBlanc; Anti-AIDS efforts in Massachusetts have made gains in fighting the disease among heterosexuals and injection drug users, but they have been less successful among men who have sex with men (MSM), a new report shows. The study by the state Department of Public Health (DPH) finds that MSM accounted for more than half of H
NORTH CAROLINA: AIDS Day Observance Set at North Carolina Central University: News and Observer (Raleigh NC) (12.02.08) - Tuesday, December 02, 2008; Durham will commemorate World AIDS Day on Friday with an event from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Miller Morgan Building of North Carolina Central University. Nonperishable food items will be collected for the food pantry at the Alliance of AIDS Services-Carolinas. The event will include a candlelight march and a speech by S
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: Protesters Call for Affordable Housing: Washington Post (12.02.08) - Tuesday, December 02, 2008; David Betancourt; On World AIDS Day in Washington, more than 100 people gathered in front of a Department of Housing and Urban Development field office to call for more affordable housing for District residents with HIV/AIDS. Housing is a life-or-death issue for people living with HIV and AIDS, said George Kerr, co-chair of the advocacy
NEW YORK: NYC Says Bronx HIV Campaign Is Working: Associated Press (12.01.08) - Tuesday, December 02, 2008; On World AIDS Day, the New York City Health Department credited an initiative launched last year, The Bronx Knows, with a 20 percent increase in HIV testing. Officials said the campaign is making progress toward its goal of testing an estimated 250,000 adults who had not previously taken the test.
CONNECTICUT: New Program for Routine HIV Testing in Connecticut: Associated Press (12.02.08) - Tuesday, December 02, 2008; Three hospitals - Lawrence & Memorial Hospital in New London, Waterbury Hospital, and Yale-New Haven Hospital - have been selected by the Connecticut Department of Public Health to pilot a new routine HIV testing program. During a two-year period, emergency department patients who agree to be tested will be given a
FRANCE: French First Lady Joins Global Fight Against AIDS: Associated Press (12.01.08) - Tuesday, December 02, 2008; Joelle Diderich; At a Paris ceremony marking World AIDS Day on Monday, French first lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy was named a goodwill ambassador for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria. The model- turned-singer lost her brother Virginio to AIDS two years ago; she vowed to fight the stigma that continues to plague HIV- positive pa
UNITED NATIONS: Malian Appointed Head of UN AIDS Program: Reuters (12.01.08) - Tuesday, December 02, 2008; Patrick Worsnip; On Monday, Michel Sidibe of Mali was named the new executive director of UNAIDS . Sidibe has served since last year as deputy to Peter Piot of Belgium , who has helmed the UN agency since 1995, when it was established. A UN biography states that Sidibe launched his public health career by working with Mali s
UNITED STATES: Most Patients Should Be Screened for HIV, Physicians' Group Says: New York Times (12.02.08) - Tuesday, December 02, 2008; Roni Caryn Rabin; Doctors should routinely screen all patients for HIV, regardless of whether they engage in risky behaviors, the American College of Physicians (ACP) is urging. The professional group that represents internists says routine screenings should begin at age 13. It set no upper age limit on testing, since 20 percent of peop
UNITED KINGDOM: Nurses Warn over Needle Injuries: BBC (11.19.08) - Tuesday, December 02, 2008; A recent UK survey of 4,407 nurses found nearly half reported accidental needle sticks, leading nurses representatives to call for safer needles. The poll was conducted by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN). Needle sticks have long been a concern for health workers worried about their risk of exposure to infectious dis
SOUTH AFRICA: South Africa Observes Silence for World AIDS Day: Agence France Presse (12.01.08) - Tuesday, December 02, 2008; On Monday, South African Health Minister Barbara Hogan marked World AIDS Day by appealing to men to undergo HIV testing. We encourage all men, I repeat all men, to test themselves for HIV to protect themselves and the people they love, Hogan said after the country fell silent at noon in memory of those lost to HIV/AIDS
EUROPE: Europe's HIV Infection Rate Has Doubled Since 2000: Associated Press (12.01.08) - Tuesday, December 02, 2008; Malin Rising; On World AIDS Day, the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDPC) and the World Health Organization issued a report indicating that the rate of HIV infection in Europe nearly doubled between 2000 and 2007. One challenge faced by all countries is that many of the people living with HIV are unaware that t
GLOBAL: Go Back to Basics, Says UN Ahead of World AIDS Day: Agence France Presse (11.28.08) - Tuesday, December 02, 2008; A UNAIDS report released in advance of World AIDS Day says countries should focus on the root causes behind HIV s continuing spread. Not only will this approach help prevent the next 1,000 infections in each community, but it will also make money for AIDS work more effectively and help put forward a long-term and susta
GLOBAL: Testing Newborns for HIV Can Save Lives: Associated Press (12.01.08) - Tuesday, December 02, 2008; On World AIDS Day, four UN agencies reported that earlier diagnosis and treatment of HIV-infected newborns can boost their survival rate. However, many now slip through the cracks of poor health care systems, the agencies said. In 2007, just 18 percent of pregnant women in low- and middle- income countries were screene
GLOBAL: Governments Tackle HIV Stigma on World AIDS Day: Agence France Presse (12.01.08) - Tuesday, December 02, 2008; On the 20th annual World AIDS Day, wealthier nations pledged continued financial support to treating the disease abroad, and poorer nations focused on awareness and testing. In South Africa , the government is mapping out its AIDS strategy under newly appointed Health Minister Barbara Hogan. On Monday, the minister sai
UNITED STATES: Obama Promises to 'Recommit' US Anti-AIDS Strategy: Agence France Presse (12.01.08) - Tuesday, December 02, 2008; President-elect Barack Obama on Monday applauded President George W. Bush for delivering on his commitment to fighting HIV/AIDS overseas, and he vowed to continue and expand that work. Obama s comments came in taped remarks delivered to the Saddleback Church Civil Forum on AIDS in Washington. Thanks to the global mobil
AFRICA: Relentless Fight Against AIDS in Africa Needed: Angelique Kidjo: Agence France Presse (12.01.08) - Monday, December 01, 2008; New York-based Angelique Kidjo, a native of the West African nation of Benin , today called for greater action to fight AIDS across Africa. HIV/AIDS has become a huge issue for my continent, and the fight against it must be relentless and determined, said Kidjo, a Grammy Award winning singer. A UNICEF goodwill ambassad
CHINA: Beijing to Offer Free Saliva Tests for HIV: Xinhua (12.01.08) - Monday, December 01, 2008; Beginning this month, three Beijing hospitals will offer a saliva test for HIV. The oral fluid-based kit will make it easier to test for HIV in areas without proper facilities to draw blood and to test certain people, such as the obese and those whose veins may be hard to access, said Xiao Dong, director of the Beijing
AUSTRALIA: HIV Task Forces Announced to Coincide with World AIDS Day: Australian Associated Press (12.01.08) - Monday, December 01, 2008; Concurrently with World AIDS Day, the Victoria government is announcing three new task forces that will advise it on HIV issues, viral hepatitis, and reproductive health. On World AIDS Day, it is timely to announce these new advisory groups as we continue to boost support for people living with HIV and help stop the sp
SOUTH CAROLINA: Monday Is World AIDS Day: The State (Columbia, S.C.) (11.25.08) - Monday, December 01, 2008; Czerne M. Reid; Numerous events in Columbia, the state capital, will be held to mark World AIDS Day in South Carolina. In addition, the Department of Health and Environmental Control is offering free HIV testing at various sites around the state. For more information, telephone 800-322-2437 or visit www.scdhec.gov/stdhiv.
NORTH DAKOTA: North Dakota Observes World AIDS Day: Associated Press (11.30.08) - Monday, December 01, 2008; The North Dakota Department of Health is marking World AIDS Day Monday by urging people at risk to be tested for HIV. Since 1984, when surveillance began, the state has logged more than 400 HIV/AIDS cases.
ILLINOIS: Lights to Be Dimmed in Illinois for AIDS Day: Associated Press (12.01.08) - Monday, December 01, 2008; In the Illinois State Capitol s rotunda in Springfield, and in Chicago s Thompson Center, the lights will be dimmed tonight from 6:45 p.m. to 7 p.m. in recognition of World AIDS Day. According to state statistics, more than 34,500 Illinoisans were living with HIV/AIDS as of October.
UNITED STATES: Somber Day in the Art World: Los Angeles Times (11.29.08) - Monday, December 01, 2008; Yvonne Villarreal; In 1989, the volunteer group Visual AIDS designated World AIDS Day as Day Without Art to commemorate the epidemic s impact on the art world. In observance, some galleries closed their doors for the day, while others shrouded works on view. In 1997, the event s name was changed to A Day With(out) Art, and its emphasis s
UNITED STATES: Take AIDS Fight into Black Communities: USA Today (11.28.08) - Monday, December 01, 2008; Earvin "Magic" Johnson; When I was diagnosed with HIV 17 years ago, I worried about my health and my family. And I worried about what people might think of me. This year, [CDC] reported that more than 230,000 Americans have HIV and are not aware of it. The African-American community is the hardest hit. Although we make up about 12 percent of
NEW YORK: Economy Takes Toll on NYC HIV Center: Associated Press (11.29.08) - Monday, December 01, 2008; Marcus Franklin; Last spring, officials at Saint Vincent Hospital Manhattan had high hopes for this Tuesday s fundraiser for the Comprehensive HIV Center. Now, with the financial crises and bailouts deepening, St. Vincent s and other health care providers are feeling pressured. I m not sure exactly what the turnout s going to be, said
SOUTH AFRICA: Early Treatment Best for AIDS-Infected Babies: Reuters (11.20.08) - Monday, December 01, 2008; Gene Emery; Early HIV diagnosis and treatment reduces the risk of infant mortality by 76 percent compared to deferred treatment, according to a new South African study. The findings have already prompted officials in the United States , Europe, and at the World Health Organization to recommend immediate treatment for infected
RUSSIA: AIDS Official: HIV Spreading Fast in Russia: Associated Press (11.21.08) - Monday, December 01, 2008; Steve Gutterman; A senior Russian AIDS official recently criticized the nation s focus on treatment as misguided while infections continue to spread. Registered cases are growing 10 percent a year despite increased federal spending, said Vadim Pokrovsky, head of the Federal AIDS Center. It seems to me that we still have no national pol
AFRICA: Funding Fears Overshadow Run-Up to Africa AIDS Conference: Agence France Presse (12.01.08) - Monday, December 01, 2008; Stephanie van den Berg; Delegates and organizers to an upcoming African AIDS conference fear the global financial crisis will hit Western governments funding to fight HIV/AIDS in Africa. On Dec. 3-7, more than 5,000 participants are expected at the 15th International Conference on AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections in Africa (ICASA) in
GLOBAL: World AIDS Day Highlights Big Challenges 20 Years On: Agence France Presse (11.30.08) - Monday, December 01, 2008; Christine Courcol; Ahead of World AIDS Day on Monday, global experts said government promises of universal treatment, prevention, care and support must be kept in order to continue progress against the epidemic. Now in its 20th year, World AIDS Day is built around the themes of leadership, activism, and self-responsibility. While the dis
UNITED STATES: Many People Disregard Advice to Get HIV Tests, Studies Show: Washington Post (11.21.08) - Monday, December 01, 2008; David Brown; Many clinicians are not screening patients for HIV as a routine part of health care because they perceive testing takes too much time and because many insurers are reluctant to reimburse for the procedure. An oral HIV test and possible confirmatory testing can cost a patient $80-$120, attendees were told at the 2008 Na
GLOBAL: White House: HIV/AIDS Treatment Program Goal Reached Early: Agence France Presse (12.01.08) - Monday, December 01, 2008; President George W. Bush plans to mark World AIDS Day today by announcing that his global AIDS initiative, the President s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, has already met its goal of getting 2 million people on treatment by the end of the year. PEPFAR targets 15 of the world s poorest countries, mainly in Africa. PEPFA
CALIFORNIA: San Diego City College Student Diagnosed with TB: Associated Press (11.19.08) - Wednesday, November 19, 2008; San Diego County health officials are notifying around 190 students and staff at San Diego City College they may have been exposed to TB following the diagnosis of active disease in a student at the school. The student attended classes from late August to early November, said Leslie Ridgeway, spokesperson for the count
WEST VIRGINIA: West Virginia County Sees Spike in Syphilis Cases: Associated Press (11.18.08) - Wednesday, November 19, 2008; Ohio County health officials and specialists from the state Bureau for Public Health are troubled by a spike in syphilis diagnoses in the Wheeling area this year. At least seven area cases have been reported in 2008, compared to zero in all of 2007. Statewide, syphilis has been on the rise since 2003, but experts are w
WASHINGTON: HIV Clinic Opens in Everett: Daily Herald (Everett) (11.18.08) - Wednesday, November 19, 2008; Sharon Salyer; Snohomish County HIV patients can now access health care closer to home, thanks to the opening of a satellite branch of Harborview Medical Center in south Everett. Previously, patients had to travel to Harborview s main clinic in downtown Seattle for treatment. The new clinic is located in the Community Health Center o
UNITED STATES: Fears About HIV Transmission in Families with an HIV-Infected Parent: A Qualitative Analysis: Pediatrics Vol. 122; No. 5: P. e950-e958 (doi:10.1542/peds.2008-0390) (10.31.08) - Wednesday, November 19, 2008; Burton O. Cowgill, PhD, MPH; Laura M. Bogart, LM, PhD; Rosalie Corona, PhD; Gery Ryan, PhD; Mark A. Schuster, MD, PhD; Advances in antiretroviral treatment to prevent mother-to- child HIV transmission have made it possible for more HIV- positive parents to have children. But few studies have examined transmission fears that might remain for these families and how they address such fears, noted the authors. The current study describes t
CANADA; UNITED STATES: Immune Cells Worn Out from HIV Fight Given New Life to Assault Disease: Study: Canadian Press (11.11.08) - Wednesday, November 19, 2008; Researchers report they have found a way to revivify killer CD8 immune cells, which could some day be used to assist the body s natural infection-fighting power against HIV. CD8 cells normally seek and destroy infected cells, but they become exhausted by HIV infection, said study co-author Dr. Mario Ostrowski. With HIV
CANADA: Insite Can Save Health Care System $20 Million: Study: Ottawa Citizen (11.18.08) - Wednesday, November 19, 2008; Linda Nguyen; A new computer simulation model study shows Vancouver s supervised injection facility Insite can save the city $20 million (US $16 million) in health care costs and boost its population s lifespan over a 10-year period. In the study, Dr. Ahmed Bayoumi of St. Michael s Hospital in Toronto and the University of Toronto a
CANADA: Homeless and Pregnant, Women Afraid to Seek Care: Edmonton Journal (11.12.08) - Wednesday, November 19, 2008; Jodie Sinnema; Edmonton s needle exchange program, Streetworks, on some days looks more like a prenatal clinic. Since 2005, Alberta has logged 14 congenital syphilis cases from an outbreak that also affects many potential Streetworks clients. We re the needle exchange program, but we work with the crowd that this was affecting, those
AUSTRALIA: The Morning After: Backpackers' Drinking Habits Linked to High STD Rates: Sydney Morning Herald (11.19.08) - Wednesday, November 19, 2008; Natasha Wallace; This summer holiday period, the New South Wales Health Department, four Sydney-area councils, and the NSW Backpackers Operators Association are targeting young international travelers with safe-sex messages. The Safe in the Sack Project kicks off Dec. 1 and runs through March. The campaign was prompted by new research
UNITED STATES: Epidemic of Cancers Feared with HIV Link: Chicago Tribune (11.19.08) - Wednesday, November 19, 2008; Stephanie Desmon, Baltimore Sun; People with HIV are at a much greater risk of developing certain cancers - including of the lung, liver, head, and neck - than the general population, according to research reported Tuesday at a medical conference in National Harbor, Md. We re seeing people we have treated successfully for HIV at much higher risk for
AUSTRALIA: Aussie Vaccine Wins Medical Nobel Prize: Australian Associated Press (11.17.08) - Tuesday, November 18, 2008; The human papillomavirus vaccine Gardasil, which was pioneered by Australian research, has been awarded the International Prix Galien, considered the drug industry s equivalent of the Nobel Prize. Professor Ian Frazer, the Queensland immunologist whose work developing the vaccine earned him the honor 2006 Australian of
TOGO: Togo Says to Distribute HIV/AIDS Drugs at No Cost: Reuters (11.15.08) - Tuesday, November 18, 2008; John Zodzi; Daniel Magnowski; The government of the West African nation of Togo on Saturday announced it will begin distributing free antiretrovirals to HIV/AIDS patients. Antiretroviral medicines distributed by the network of the Central Supply of Essential and Generic Medicines (CAMEG) will be free of charge from Monday, 17 November, throughout t
LESOTHO: Universal AIDS Testing Scheme Fails in Lesotho: Rights Group: Agence France Presse (11.18.08) - Tuesday, November 18, 2008; Today in Johannesburg, Human Rights Watch and the AIDS Rights Alliance for Southern Africa said inadequate training and funding were to blame for the failure of a universal HIV testing plan in Lesotho . Lesotho s program was noble in ambition but weak in action, the groups said. The outreach, launched in 2005, set out
VIRGINIA: Fewer Fairfax Teens Have Had Intercourse: Washington Post (11.15.08) - Tuesday, November 18, 2008; Amy Gardner; Michael Alison Chandler; A survey released Friday shows almost 33 percent of Fairfax County 10th and 12th-graders reported having had sexual intercourse, compared with nearly 48 percent of their peers nationally. For all categories of age, sex, and ethnicity, the biennial behavioral survey in county schools found the rate of sexual experience
ILLINOIS: Suit Filed over Transplant: Chicago Tribune (11.18.08) - Tuesday, November 18, 2008; Deborah L. Shelton; On Monday, a woman filed suit against the University of Chicago Medical Center (UCMC) and one of its surgeons, saying she contracted HIV and hepatitis C after receiving a transplanted kidney from an infected donor. The patient alleges the hospital was medically negligent for failing to notify her that the donor engaged
AUSTRALIA: AIDS Drugs Trigger Inflammation Linked to Diabetes, Study Says: Bloomberg News (11.17.08) - Tuesday, November 18, 2008; Jason Gale; Researchers in Australia say a new study may help explain why people taking certain AIDS drugs are more likely to develop diabetes and heart disease. Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) like Gilead Science s Truvada trigger inflammation that can lead to the metabolic complications, said Katherine
UNITED KINGDOM: New Cancer Test Announced by UK Researchers: May Save Thousands of Gay Men: Edge News (Boston) (11.05.08) - Tuesday, November 18, 2008; Kilian Melloy; A test may soon be used in early screening for anal cancer, possibly saving the lives of thousands of men for whom anal Papanicolaou testing would be inadequate, according to researchers. Some gay activists welcomed the news, saying the field has been neglected. The rate of anal cancer in gay men is 37 cases per 100,00
CHINA: A Big Shift for China's AIDS Fight: Condoms for Those Who Need Them: Wall Street Journal (11.17.08) - Tuesday, November 18, 2008; Nicholas Zamiska; Geoffrey A. Fowler; A former Beijing health official is helping promote condom use to stop the sexual spread of HIV, now the virus main transmission route in China . Today, Guan Baoying works with the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria to steer grants to community prevention groups working in Beijing. As head of Beijing s Munic
CHINA: Misconceptions 'Still Cause AIDS Stigma' in China, Study Finds: Xinhua (11.18.08) - Tuesday, November 18, 2008; A UNAIDS official on Tuesday said widely held misconceptions about AIDS in China are making it more difficult to garner public support for those with the disease, despite years of educational efforts. In a recent survey of more than 6,000 Chinese, 80 percent correctly knew that HIV can be transmitted through unprotecte
UNITED STATES: Feds Nix Ban on Drug Vials: Newsday (Melville) (11.18.08) - Tuesday, November 18, 2008; Ridgley Ochs; Michael Amon; The Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) has rebuffed a proposal by New York state and city health officials to end the manufacture of multi-dose medicine vials. Locally, at least one hepatitis C infection was transmitted several years ago through syringe reuse involving multi-dose vials at the Plainview pain managemen
INDIA: India Sets New Rules for Media Reporting on HIV/AIDS: Xinhua (11.17.08) - Monday, November 17, 2008; The Press Council of India on Sunday announced revised guidelines for journalists covering HIV and AIDS issues. The council said journalists should not disclose the identity of HIV/AIDS patients; use the term scourge in reports about the disease; or use hidden cameras to show HIV/AIDS patients, including the sick and d
CANADA: Fewer People Need Tests After Used-Syringe Discovery: Edmonton Journal (11.15.08) - Monday, November 17, 2008; Fewer than half the 3,000 people originally thought to have been possibly exposed to HIV and hepatitis at the High Prairie Health Complex will need to be screened, authorities now say. In all, 1,381 patients, including 954 who had endoscopies and 427 who received pain medication after dental surgery, will be contacted
KENTUCKY: Man's Shop Raises Funds for People with AIDS: Courier Journal (Louisville) (11.12.08) - Monday, November 17, 2008; Martha Elson; Thirteen years after he opened a Louisville thrift store to raise funds to help people living with HIV/AIDS, Les Downs work had earned him a 2008 Mayor s Good Neighbor Award. The One for All Shop, a two-story retail outlet at 1975 Douglass Blvd. in Deer Park, has raised almost $280,000 for the AIDS support agency House
TEXAS: Forced to Pack Up the Pantry: Dallas Morning News (11.13.08) - Monday, November 17, 2008; Dianne Solis; An Oak Lawn food pantry for people with HIV/AIDS must find a new home, its operators have learned. Just a few weeks ago, the Resource Center of Dallas (RCD) received word that its lease at the 2,900-square-foot space on Cedar Springs Road - which runs through December - would not be renewed. The leasing agent for the p
UNITED STATES; THE NETHERLANDS: Crucell Vaccine Stops AIDS in Monkeys, Harvard Scientist Says: Bloomberg News (11.09.08) - Monday, November 17, 2008; Simeon Bennett; An experimental AIDS vaccine developed by the Netherlands biotech firm Crucell has recently advanced from animal testing to a human trial, according to a new report. In tests using monkeys, researchers used adenovirus-26 (Ad26) as a vehicle to carry a single simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) protein to prompt T cells
SOUTH AFRICA: Miners Face Huge HIV/AIDS Challenge: Business Day (South Africa) (11.11.08) - Monday, November 17, 2008; Luphert Chilwane; HIV/AIDS is tearing through South Africa s mining sector, which contributes around 6.6 percent of the country s gross domestic product. According to Benchmarks Foundation, an estimated 16-30 percent of mineworkers are infected with HIV/AIDS. David van Wyk, a foundation researcher, said exact numbers are difficult to pi
AUSTRALIA: Needle Program Needed to Cut Hepatitis C Risk in Jail: Australian Associated Press (11.17.08) - Monday, November 17, 2008; Compared with the general population, persons entering Australia s prison system are far more likely to have hepatitis C virus, and many HCV-infected inmates continue injection drug use (IDU) while incarcerated, researchers report. Without access to sterile needles, inmates face a greater risk of HCV s spread, accordin
SOUTHEAST ASIA: ASEAN-UN Study Finds Migrants Vulnerable to AIDS: Agence France Presse (11.13.08) - Monday, November 17, 2008; A new report offers the first-ever analysis of current migration patterns and their link to HIV infection in the 10 member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Produced jointly by ASEAN and the UN, the new report says 1.5 million people - most of them working-age - are living with HIV in the region.
SOUTHEAST ASIA: Interpol Seizes $6.65 Million in Counterfeit Drugs: Bloomberg News (11.17.08) - Monday, November 17, 2008; Simeon Bennett; For the second time in three years, the international police organization Interpol has disrupted the trade in counterfeit medicines in Southeast Asia, officials announced recently. More than $6.65 million in fake HIV, TB, and malaria drugs were seized in the five-month Operation Storm, which encompassed
UNITED STATES: Study Chronicles Drug-Resistant TB: Los Angeles Times (11.12.08) - Monday, November 17, 2008; Mary Engel; Cases of extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB) in the United States declined sharply from a high of 18 in 1993 to just two in 2007, a new report shows. At least 83 US cases of the hardest-to-treat form of TB have been diagnosed in the last 15 years, according to the most thorough accounting to date of TB s national im
INDIA: Condom Ringtone, Ads Push Sales in India: Agence France Presse (11.14.08) - Friday, November 14, 2008; The National AIDS Control Organization is crediting a media campaign and a catchy cell phone ringtone with increasing condom sales by 85 million in the past six months in India , where the UN says 2.5 million people are living with HIV. The ringtone, in which voices sing condom, condom, was introduced in August by the
DELAWARE: Report: Racial Disparities in Delaware Death Rates: Associated Press (11.13.08) - Friday, November 14, 2008; Significant disparities in death rates for Delaware whites and blacks were revealed in a new report from the state Department of Health and Social Services. Compared to whites, death rates among blacks were more than twice as high for diabetes and almost 15 times as high for HIV. Infant mortality rates were twice as hi
CALIFORNIA: AIDS Detected Late in Latinos: San Gabriel Valley Tribune (11.09.08) - Friday, November 14, 2008; Rebecca Kimitch; In Los Angeles County, 60 percent of HIV cases among Latinos are detected very late, compared with 33 percent for whites. One of our biggest concerns is that Latinos aren t getting tested early enough in infection, said Paulina Zamudio, program supervisor for prevention services at the county s Office of AIDS Programs
GERMANY: A Doctor, a Mutation and a Potential Cure for AIDS: Wall Street Journal (11.07.08) - Friday, November 14, 2008; Mark Schoofs; An HIV-positive leukemia patient given a special type of bone marrow transplant appeared not to have HIV in his blood more than 600 days after the procedure, despite not taking AIDS medications, according to researchers. In 2006, the American patient was failing first-line chemotherapy at Berlin s Charite Medical Unive
SOUTH AFRICA: HPV 'an Epidemic' Among HIV-Positive Women: Independent Online (Cape Town) (11.12.08) - Friday, November 14, 2008; Natasha Joseph, Cape Times; The Treatment Action Campaign said on Tuesday it is lobbying pharmaceutical firms to shave the price of human papillomavirus vaccines so that developing countries can afford the inoculation. Certain strains of HPV cause most cases of cervical cancer, and HIV-positive women have 10 times the risk of infection with oncog
ANGOLA: Angola Sees AIDS as New Post-War Threat: Reuters (11.10.08) - Friday, November 14, 2008; Henrique Almeida; Angola s health minister says his nation s 27-year civil war may actually have helped protect its people from HIV. The conflict ended in 2002, and now that destroyed roads and bridges are being rebuilt, Jose Van-Dunem worries that the people using them will carry the virus from neighboring nations. The borders are open
CANADA: AIDS Vaccine Poised for Human Tests: Edmonton Journal (11.13.08) - Friday, November 14, 2008; Becky Rynor; Jordana Huber, Canwest News; Animal toxicology trials of an experimental Canadian AIDS vaccine could begin within days, the University of Western Ontario-London announced Wednesday. The vaccine candidate was developed by UWO virologist Dr. Chil-Yong Kang. The animal testing will take place at a US research facility and may yield results in three m
CHILE: Nearly 2,000 Carrying HIV in Chile Were Not Notified: New York Times (11.14.08) - Friday, November 14, 2008; Pascale Bonnefoy; Alexei Barrionuevo; Before Chile s Congress on Thursday, Health Minister Alvaro Erazo told lawmakers the country s public health system failed to notify at least 512 people that they were infected with HIV, and that private-sector services did not inform 1,364 more patients that they were HIV-positive. In approximately half of the cases,
NEW MEXICO: New Mexico Youth Survey Shows Declining Risk Behaviors: Associated Press (11.07.08) - Friday, November 14, 2008; New Mexico high school students reported fewer risky behaviors in the 2007 Youth Risk and Resiliency Survey compared with earlier surveys, the state Department of Health reported recently. About 11,300 high school students from 89 districts statewide participated in the YRRS, yielding data which are included in CDC s n
CALIFORNIA: Forum on HIV Set: L.A. Watts Times (Los Angeles) (11.13.08) - Thursday, November 13, 2008; A community forum on HIV will be held Sunday at the African American Cultural Center, 3018 W. 48th St., Los Angeles. HIV in the Black Community: Where the Brothas At? begins at 3 p.m. For more information, telephone 323-299-6124.
CALIFORNIA: Housing Cuts Hurt Seniors, People with AIDS: Bay Area Reporter (11.13.08) - Thursday, November 13, 2008; Heather Tirado Gilligan; Advocates are staging a statewide day of action next Wednesday, Nov. 19, to protest Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger s line item veto slashing California s renters rebate program. The rebate gave $150 million to seniors and the disabled, including people living with AIDS. Dean Preston, executive director of the advocacy grou
INDIA: Injecting Drugs Threatens India's AIDS Fight: Reuters (11.13.08) - Thursday, November 13, 2008; Bappa Majumdar; UNAIDS today warned that HIV infections will spread like a bushfire in pockets of India unless the country strongly supports prevention efforts among injection drug users. India has an estimated 200,000 IDUs, and HIV prevalence among them is estimated at more than 10 percent. IDUs are concentrated particularly in the
GLOBAL: Millions Will Die if AIDS Funds Stop: United Nations: Reuters (11.12.08) - Thursday, November 13, 2008; Bappa Majumdar; On Wednesday, the head of UNAIDS said that patients will die if the global fight against HIV/AIDS falters due to the financial crisis. If we interrupt [funding] even for six months or a year, it will result in millions of deaths, said Peter Piot. If we interrupt these activities we will have to pay later as more people
NEW YORK: Speaking Out for a Group Once Unheard-of: Aging with AIDS: New York Times (11.11.08) - Thursday, November 13, 2008; Karen Barrow; Fifteen years after being diagnosed with AIDS and given six months to live, New Yorker Myron Gold, 67, is alive and relatively well. Thanks largely to improved drug treatments, more Americans with AIDS are living into their senior years. Indeed, 29 percent of persons with HIV are now 50 or older. CDC reports that in 20
FLORIDA: Federal Judge Defers Ruling on Inmate's HIV Care Lawsuit: South Florida Sun-Sentinel (11.13.08) - Thursday, November 13, 2008; Vanessa Blum; On Wednesday, US District Judge Alan Gold deferred ruling on a civil case that alleges the Broward Sheriff s Office and its prison health care provider refused to provide HIV treatment to a former inmate. Attorneys for Richard Hardwick of Deerfield Beach say officials with the Sheriff s Office and Armor Correctional He
NEW ZEALAND: Teen Drinkers at Risk for Poor Adult Health: Reuters Health (10.28.08) - Thursday, November 13, 2008; Amy Norton; The results from a 30-year study of 1,037 young people show that those who began using alcohol or drugs before age 15 had a greater risk of substance dependence, STD infection, and criminal conviction. Additionally, females who were early substance users were more likely to become pregnant before age 21. The study auth
UNITED STATES: Study: HPV Vaccine Prevents Genital Warts in Males: Associated Press (11.13.08) - Thursday, November 13, 2008; Mike Stobbe; The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine Gardasil effectively prevents genital warts in males, according to a study to be presented today at the European Research Organization on Genital Infection and Neoplasia International Multidisciplinary Conference in Nice, France . Gardasil targets two types of the STD linked to 70
HAITI: US Focuses on Literacy, Curbing HIV/AIDS in Haiti: Caribbean Today (09..08) - Thursday, November 13, 2008; The US Agency for International Development (USAID) has announced a three-year, multi-million dollar initiative centered on curbing HIV/AIDS and boosting primary education in Haiti . The $19 million Haiti Basic Education Project will target youths who are not in school as well as those attending public and private scho
GLOBAL: More Countries Make Spreading HIV a Crime: Associated Press (11.13.08) - Thursday, November 13, 2008; Maria Cheng; A new report by the International Planned Parenthood Federation shows 58 countries explicitly criminalize HIV transmission or use existing laws to prosecute people for transmitting the virus. Another 33 nations are considering similar legislation, IPPF said. According to health officials, the trend could reverse gains
UNITED STATES: Diseased-Traveler Threat Not Eliminated, Federal Report Warns: Atlanta Journal-Constitution (11.13.08) - Thursday, November 13, 2008; Craig Schneider; A Government Accountability Office (GAO) report being released today blames several federal agencies for not stopping a man with drug-resistant tuberculosis from flying to Europe and back aboard commercial jets last year. In May 2007, Atlanta attorney Andrew Speaker sparked an international health scare when he flew to
ZIMBABWE: UN Food Agency to Double Aid for Zimbabwe's Hungry: Associated Press (11.11.08) - Wednesday, November 12, 2008; The UN World Food Program said Tuesday it will double the number of Zimbabweans it feeds due to famine in the AIDS- stricken and impoverished African country. WFP spokesperson Emilia Casella said the agency fed 2 million people there in October, a figure that is expected to rise to 4 million by the end of November. Ano
MASSACHUSETTS: AIDS Funding Cuts Expected: Boston Globe (11.10.08) - Wednesday, November 12, 2008; Stephen Smith; At a recent meeting, leading AIDS service organizations in Massachusetts were told to expect further cuts in HIV prevention, treatment, and education. Last month, Gov. Deval Patrick eliminated $1.5 million in HIV/AIDS services as part of a $1 billion cut in the state budget. It is not because this governor wants to mak
GLOBAL: The Antiquity and Persistence of Tuberculosis: Providence Journal-Bulletin (11.10.08) - Wednesday, November 12, 2008; Stanley M. Aronson, MD; Tuberculosis (TB), paleontologists tell us, has been with us since prehistoric antiquity. Many epidemiologists assert that TB, through the last millennium, has affected more humans, and killed more, than any other known contagious agent. Until recently, the United States could take pride in its gradual conquest of TB.
FLORIDA: Former Inmate's Suit Against Broward Sheriff's Office and Armor Correctional Health over Denial of AIDS Drugs Heads for Federal Court: South Florida Sun-Sentinel (11.12.08) - Wednesday, November 12, 2008; Vanessa Blum; In a Miami federal courtroom, US District Judge Alan Gold will today hear arguments in a lawsuit alleging that the Broward Sheriff s Office and its prison health care provider withheld HIV drugs from an inmate with the virus. The months-long delay in treatment caused Richard Hardwick s HIV infection to progress to AIDS
UNITED KINGDOM: Older Couples 'Use Condoms Less': BBC (11.12.08) - Wednesday, November 12, 2008; A new probability survey of 11,161 UK men and women from 1999 to 2001 reveals declining condom use with age, even for new sex partners. In the United Kingdom , the number of new STD diagnoses rose 6 percent from 2006 to 2007, and earlier this year a West Midlands study found STD diagnoses more than doubled in people ag
UNITED STATES: Gilead AIDS Pill Effective in Study with Weekends Off: Bloomberg News (11.11.08) - Wednesday, November 12, 2008; John Lauerman; In a new study, patients who took a three-in-one combination AIDS pill five days a week fared just as well as those who took the drug every day. The results could have important implications both for the cost of AIDS care and for the ability of patients to comply with treatment regimens. The Harvard Medical School stud
SOUTH AFRICA: Single Dose of Childbirth HIV Drug 'Can Be Fatal': Business Day (South Africa) (11.06.08) - Wednesday, November 12, 2008; Tamar Kahn; HIV-positive women given a single dose of nevirapine during labor to prevent mother-to-baby transmission face an increased risk of resistance to the drug and premature death if later treated with a regimen containing nevirapine, researchers said recently. About 100,000 women annually receive nevirapine during childbirt
HAWAII: Hawaii Sticks with Celibacy Curriculum: Star Bulletin (Honolulu) (11.10.08) - Wednesday, November 12, 2008; Helen Altonn; Though about half of US states forego federal funds for abstinence-only sex education, Hawaii is a steadfast participant. The state Department of Health has received five- year abstinence-only grants for nine years, and it is applying for a new grant, said Marlene Lee, supervisor of DOH s Children and Youth Wellness Se
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: Housing Department Seeks Residents' Views: Washington Post (11.06.08) - Tuesday, November 11, 2008; Terence McArdle; The Department of Housing and Community Development is holding a series of meetings at which members of the public are invited to comment on issues related to affordable housing. The first meeting, at 6:30 p.m. on Nov. 13, will deal with special-needs housing, including for the homeless, persons with AIDS and the disab
ZIMBABWE: Global Fund Earmarks US $169 Million for Zimbabwe Despite Issues with Central Bank: Voice of America (11.10.08) - Tuesday, November 11, 2008; Carole Gombakomba; In its newly announced eighth round of funding, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria has allocated $169 million for use in Zimbabwe . Many in the impoverished nation had feared it would be denied further assistance because its Reserve Bank had mishandled money previously provided by the Global Fund. The bank,
GLOBAL: Aid Group to Spend $2.75 Billion to Fight Diseases: Associated Press (11.11.08) - Tuesday, November 11, 2008; On Monday, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria announced it has approved $2.75 billion in new grants over the next two years. This is the highest amount of new financing approved by the Global Fund ever, Rajat Gupta, chair of the fund s board, said at the conclusion of a board meeting in New Delhi,
CONNECTICUT: University of Connecticut Professor Awarded for HIV Prevention Method: University Wire (11.07.08) - Tuesday, November 11, 2008; Emily Volz; Daily Campus; An award from the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) will help the University of Connecticut s Robert Broadhead expand a successful peer-driven HIV prevention model overseas. Since the 1990s, the sociology professor has been working on stopping the spread of HIV/AIDS among injecting drug users. He developed a peer
INDIANA: Downtown Walgreens to Focus on HIV/AIDS: Indianapolis Star (11.07.08) - Tuesday, November 11, 2008; Shari Rudavsky; As part of a national push to provide customized services to patients with certain diseases, Walgreens is transforming its downtown Indianapolis store into a specialized HIV/AIDS pharmacy. The store, located at 1530 N. Meridian St., looks like a typical Walgreens to the casual observer. However, it is staffed with phar
MARYLAND: HERO AIDS Clinic to Shut Down in Weeks amid Move to Reallocate Funds to Other Organizations: Baltimore Sun (11.11.08) - Tuesday, November 11, 2008; Julie Bykowicz; Within three weeks, Baltimore s Health Education Resource Organization (HERO) clinic will permanently close. For 25 years, HERO has provided HIV/AIDS medical, legal, and counseling services to roughly 3,000 clients per year. However, the clinic has experienced financial troubles since 2004, when its longtime director w
UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND; UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Souped-Up Immune Cells Catch Even Disguised HIV: Reuters (11.09.08) - Tuesday, November 11, 2008; Maggie Fox; Researchers on Sunday reported that they genetically engineered immune cells that can detect HIV even when it tries to disguise itself, potentially suggesting a new way to treat HIV infection. Engineered versions of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs), also known as CD8 killer T cells, were able to recognize other cells inf
CANADA: Province Hushed Up Syphilis Outbreak: Edmonton Journal (11.11.08) - Tuesday, November 11, 2008; Paula Simons; An Alberta Health 2007 internal report confirms the province s ongoing syphilis outbreak has spread beyond high-risk groups and into the general population. The report, obtained through Freedom of Information applications, was prepared by Dr. Karen Grimsrud, Alberta s former chief medical officer of health. It stands i
UNITED STATES: Condoms Trump Abstinence in Obama Global AIDS Policy: Bloomberg News (11.10.08) - Tuesday, November 11, 2008; Jason Gale; John Lauerman; The co-chair of Barack Obama s advisory committee for women s health said the president-elect will reverse US family planning and HIV prevention policies that have linked global funding to anti-abortion and abstinence education. Susan F. Wood, a research professor at George Washington University School of Public Health
INDONESIA: Condom Week Sets Sights on Youths: Jakarta Post (11.05.08) - Monday, November 10, 2008; Agnes Winarti; Indonesia s National AIDS Commission has announced several initiatives for National Condom Week, Dec. 1-7. During the week, special events will be held at campuses, malls, and other spots frequented by young people. The University Challenge, which runs through Nov. 28, will select the top three student designers and fu
CHINA: More than 1,000 Chinese Die of Infectious Diseases in October: Xinhua (11.10.08) - Monday, November 10, 2008; Today, China s Health Ministry said infectious diseases claimed the lives of more than 1,000 people in October. HIV/AIDS, hepatitis B, TB, rabies, and newborn tetanus were the top five killers last month, accounting for nearly 90 percent of the deaths, the ministry said. Nearly 950 Chinese died of infectious diseases i
SOUTH AFRICA: Mbeki Blamed for 330,000 Deaths: BBC (11.07.08) - Monday, November 10, 2008; As a result of former President Thabo Mbeki s 1999 decision blocking AIDS drugs, 330,000 South African HIV/AIDS patients died and nearly 35,000 babies were born HIV-positive between 2000 and 2005, a new study estimates. Dr. Pride Chigwedere of the Harvard School of Public Health and colleagues said Mbeki failed to prov
CALIFORNIA: Legal Program for People with AIDS Marks 25 Years: Bay Area Reporter (11.06.08) - Monday, November 10, 2008; Heather Tirado Gilligan; San Francisco s AIDS Legal Referral Panel, the Bay Area s only nonprofit providing low- or no-cost legal services to people with HIV/AIDS, will mark its 25th anniversary on Nov. 13 with a fundraising reception. Bill Hirsh, its executive director, says not everyone understands the importance of ALRP s work. Sometimes it
MISSOURI: HIV Scare Unnerves a Missouri High School: New York Times (11.09.08) - Monday, November 10, 2008; Malcolm Gay; This week, HIV test results are expected for students at a suburban St. Louis high school. The testing was prompted by an Oct. 13 letter stating that St. Louis County Health Department officials had reason to believe that a person at the school may have transmitted HIV among some Normandy Senior High School students.
UNITED STATES: Heterosexual Anal Sex Activity in the Year After an STD Clinic Visit: Sexually Transmitted Diseases Vol. 35; No. 11: P. 905-909 (11..08) - Monday, November 10, 2008; Lin H. Tian, MD, MS; Thomas A. Peterman, MD, MSc; Guoyu Tao, PhD; Lesley C. Brooks, BA; Carol Metcalf, MBChB, MPH; Kevin C. Malotte, DrPH; Sindy M. Paul, MD, MPH; John M. Douglas Jr., MD; The Respect-2 Study Group; The research team undertook the current study to describe anal sex activity during a year and to identify factors associated with heterosexual anal sex and condom use. They performed secondary analysis of data from a trial conducted in three public STD clinics. The patients described sexual behaviors every three months
ESTONIA: Estonia Has One of Europe's Top Rates of Injecting Drug Users: Baltic News Service (11.06.08) - Monday, November 10, 2008; A survey released Thursday by the European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) found Estonia has a higher prevalence of injecting drug users (IDUs) than other European nations. The EMCDDA report found that in most of the countries surveyed, IDUs represented between one and five people per 1,000 resi
PAPUA NEW GUINEA: Confronting the AIDS Epidemic in the Pacific: Epoch Times (New York City) (11.04.08) - Monday, November 10, 2008; Julia Huang; Experts say greater cooperation among Papua New Guinea authorities and international and non-governmental entities will be critical to fighting HIV/AIDS there. PNG accounts for 80 percent of HIV/AIDS cases in the Pacific Islands region, with new diagnoses doubling between 2002 and 2006.
CARIBBEAN: Grim HIV/AIDS Figures for Caribbean: Caribbean Today (09..08) - Monday, November 10, 2008; Peter Richards; Recent figures released as part of the Caribbean Launch of the 2008 UNAIDS Global Report show HIV/AIDS epidemics in the region appear to be stabilizing. We have made some headway against HIV in the region, said Dr. Michel de Groulard, acting director of UNAIDS Caribbean Regional Support Team. But we still have a long
MISSISSIPPI: Health Department Fights Criticism over HIV Effort: Clarion Ledger (Jackson) (11.07.08) - Monday, November 10, 2008; Mark F. Bonner; At a news conference on Thursday, the chief of the Mississippi State Department of Health disputed claims that the department practiced racial discrimination by passing up federal HIV/AIDS funding for minorities. The American Civil Liberties Union of Mississippi and other nonprofit groups claimed MSDH failed to apply f
FLORIDA: Seminole Will Open New STD Clinic Today: Orlando Sentinel (11.06.08) - Friday, November 07, 2008; Robyn Shelton; Responding to a spike in rates of HIV and other STDs, the Seminole County Health Department is opening a new clinic targeting the diseases. Sexual health education, prevention and testing services will be offered at the clinic, which is located in the department s existing offices on West Airport Boulevard.
AUSTRALIA: Schoolie Condom Campaign Launched: Australian Associated Press (11.07.08) - Friday, November 07, 2008; Students celebrating Australia s Schoolies, a weeklong holiday for graduating high school seniors, are being offered free condoms by Marie Stopes International. The TXT 4 Free Condomz outreach will send two condoms in plain packaging to students who request them by texting to 19 SEXTXT. This initiative overcomes both t
ETHIOPIA: Ethiopia to See Sharp Rise in Orphans Running Households: NGO: Agence France Presse (11.11.08) - Friday, November 07, 2008; In a report issued today, the Addis Ababa-based African Child Policy Forum predicted Ethiopia will see a four-fold increase in the number of orphan-led households in two years. Due to AIDS, poverty, and conflict, the number of child-headed families will grow from 77,000 in 2005 to 225,000 by 2010, the non-governmental
MOROCCO: 22,000 Moroccans Live with HIV: Official: Xinhua (11.06.08) - Friday, November 07, 2008; About 22,000 Moroccans were HIV-positive in 2007, Health Minister Yasmina Baddou told the House of Representatives on Thursday in Rabat. The government s 2007-2011 AIDS response plan calls for enlarging prevention programs and administering 150,000 HIV tests by 2011; offering adequate treatment to those infected; and e
ZIMBABWE: Zimbabwe Releases Missing AIDS Funds: Agence France Presse (11.07.08) - Friday, November 07, 2008; The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria is today reporting that Zimbabwe s Reserve Bank has released US $7.3 million in unspent aid money intended to target the diseases. The central bank had acquired the money from commercial banks last year by enforcing a requirement that all foreign currency be channeled throu
MASSACHUSETTS: He Walks the World, Talks AIDS with Teens: Boston Globe (11.03.08) - Friday, November 07, 2008; Billy Baker; Fitchburg native John Chittick, 60, has been talking with teens on the street about HIV/AIDS for more than a decade, a mission he has taken international in his travels to 80 countries. For his efforts, the founder of nonprofit TeenAIDS- PeerCorps has also been arrested in Cuba , detained in
SOUTH KOREA: Poor Prognosis Seen in TB Patients with Extensive Drug Resistance: Reuters Health (11.06.08) - Friday, November 07, 2008; In a retrospective study, researchers assessed the impact of a diagnosis of extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB) on treatment outcomes and long-term survival of mostly HIV- negative South Korean patients with multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB). Treatment outcomes of [XDR-TB] have varied among studies, and data on long-t
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: Sale of Drugs to Cut HIV Infection Allowed: Gulf News (Dubai) (11.05.08) - Friday, November 07, 2008; Dina El Shammaa; The United Arab Emirates Ministry of Health has approved the dispensing of eight antiretroviral (ARV) drugs for HIV post- exposure prophylaxis (PEP) across the country, officials said recently. The drugs, if taken within 72 hours of exposure to the virus, can reduce the chances of HIV infection by about 79 percent. P
SOUTH AFRICA: Is Circumcision Helping Against HIV?: South African Press Assoc (11.04.08) - Friday, November 07, 2008; Among South African participants of a 2002 population-based HIV/AIDS survey, HIV was significantly lower in men circumcised before age 12 (6.8 percent infected) than after (13.5 percent), government researchers there reported. Several large randomized controlled studies have found male circumcision reduces female-to-ma
INDIA: UN Urges India to Decriminalize Homosexuality: Agence France Presse (11.07.08) - Friday, November 07, 2008; India s fight against HIV/AIDS would benefit from the country decriminalizing homosexuality, a top UN official said today. Countries that protect gays from discrimination have far better track records of protecting them from infection, said Jeffrey O Malley, director of the United Nations Development Program on HIV/AID
NEVADA: Class-Action Lawsuit Rejected in Hepatitis C Outbreak: Las Vegas Review-Journal (11.06.08) - Friday, November 07, 2008; Paul Harasim; On Tuesday, District Court Judge Allan Earl refused to certify a planned class-action suit against the Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada (ECSN), the site of an outbreak in which at least six people contracted hepatitis C. Health officials in January learned that ECSN staff had been reusing single-use vials of medicin
CALIFORNIA: New Group for San Francisco Newcomers: Bay Area Reporter (11.06.08) - Thursday, November 06, 2008; Cynthia Laird; A group is forming to help new residents feel connected with the community and avoid substance abuse and HIV risk behaviors. The San Francisco Newcomers Assistance Program targets gay and bisexual men in their 20s and 30s, providing a space where people can talk with others who have moved to the city in the previous ye
SCOTLAND: Gay Blood Donor Appeal Rejected: BBC (11.04.08) - Thursday, November 06, 2008; The Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service recently reaffirmed its exclusion of men who have sex with men from donating blood. The service told the Scottish Parliament petitions committee that HIV is increasing among gay males and that donor selection is the only way to ensure the safety of its blood products. The
MALAWI: Malawi Gets 20 Million Dollars to Fight AIDS and HIV: Agence France Presse (11.05.08) - Thursday, November 06, 2008; The Global Fund to Fight HIV, TB and Malaria awarded Malawi $20 million for its HIV/AIDS programs, a senior official said Wednesday. The funds will be used to buy antiretroviral drugs and HIV test kits, said Washington Kaimvi of Malawi s National AIDS Commission. As of June, we had 184,405 patients on [ARVs], but we ho
OHIO: Clinic Has Walk-In Times for Teen Girls: Columbus Dispatch (11.02.08) - Thursday, November 06, 2008; Misti Crane; Planned Parenthood in Franklinton is adding a teen walk-in clinic service. From 2 to 6 p.m. on Wednesdays, teens 19 and younger can confidentially access annual exams, STD testing and treatment, and birth control and emergency contraception. No appointments are necessary. Charges are on a sliding scale based on income.
MARYLAND: Preventative Campaign Launched for Syphilis and HIV/AIDS: Washington Informer (09.11.08) - Thursday, November 06, 2008; Odell B. Ruffin; Health officials in Maryland have launched a campaign to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS and syphilis among residents of Prince George s and Montgomery counties, particularly African Americans. Blacks comprise 90 percent of AIDS cases in Prince George s County. New advertising that communicates key messages about the di
UNITED STATES: HIV/STI Risk Behaviors Among Latino Migrant Workers in New Orleans Post-Hurricane Katrina Disaster: Sexually Transmitted Diseases Vol. 35; No. 11: P. 924-929 (11..08) - Thursday, November 06, 2008; Patricia Kissinger, PhD; Nicole Liddon, PhD; Norine Schmidt, MPH; Erin Curtin, MPH; Oscar Salinas, MD; Alfredo Narvaez, BS; After Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans experienced a rapid influx of Latino migrant workers. Many of these men came to the area without their primary sex partner, potentially putting them at high risk for acquiring HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. The current study was designed to assess the HIV/STI sexual
GLOBAL: Internews Trains Indian Journalists to Cover HIV/AIDS: India-West (San Leandro, CA) (10.03.08) - Thursday, November 06, 2008; Lisa Tsering; Recognizing the vital role that journalists play in disseminating health information, the nonprofit California- based Internews Network is working in 70 countries to encourage accuracy in health reporting. Local Voices, its training program, has worked with more than 1,000 reporters in India ,
IRELAND: Government Gives Up Cervical Cancer Vaccine Plan: Irish Times (Dublin) (11.05.08) - Thursday, November 06, 2008; Elaine Edwards; Martin Wall; Citing a rapidly and seriously deteriorating economic situation, the Irish government is calling off plans to vaccinate all 12-year-old girls against human papillomavirus (HPV). Health resources have become very scarce since the initiative was announced just three months ago, said Minister for Health Mary Harney. The p
ZIMBABWE: US: Zimbabwe Central Bank 'Diverts' Donor Funds: Voice of America (11.05.08) - Thursday, November 06, 2008; Peta Thornycroft; As the largest donor to humanitarian efforts in Zimbabwe , the United States said it will no longer channel funds to non- governmental organizations (NGOs) through the country s Reserve Bank. The decision follows an announcement this week by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria that the Reserve Bank has failed
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: Grave Warnings of Disease, with the Adman's Flair: New York Times (11.04.08) - Thursday, November 06, 2008; Amanda Schaffer; An exhibition now on view at the National Academy of Sciences in Washington examines how public health experts have employed advertising techniques in the battle against disease. An Iconography of Contagion includes works from many countries targeting a range of diseases, including syphilis, malaria, HIV/AIDS, and tube
CANADA: Third Saskatchewan Health Region Reports Reuse of Syringes in Operating Room: Canadian Press (11.04.08) - Wednesday, November 05, 2008; On Tuesday, a third health region in Saskatchewan said syringes were occasionally reused in an operating room at a local hospital to inject medicine into an intravenous bag. The Sun Country Health Region, in the southeastern corner of the province, said it discovered Weyburn General Hospital had been reusing syringes t
UNITED STATES: Corrected: Wart Virus Caused 25,000 Cancers a Year - CDC: Reuters (11.03.08) - Wednesday, November 05, 2008; Reuters has issued a correction to its article on CDC s new findings regarding human papillomavirus and cancer. Reuters coverage, which was summarized in yesterday s edition of PNU, incorrectly stated that HPV caused 25,000 cases of cancer over a five-year period. In fact, CDC s research showed that HPV caused 25,000 c
NEBRASKA: Agencies Help Teens Prevent Pregnancy: Omaha World-Herald (11.04.08) - Wednesday, November 05, 2008; Cindy Gonzalez; On Monday, a Pediatrics study found that the more teens watched sexual content on TV, the likelier they were to become pregnant or get someone pregnant. But local health advocates say simply switching off such programming is not the solution. There will be neighbors TVs, video iPods, magazines, and other media that wil
UNITED STATES: Abstinence-Only and Comprehensive Sex Education and the Initiation of Sexual Activity and Teen Pregnancy: Journal of Adolescent Health Vol. 42; No. 4: P. 344-351 (04..08) - Wednesday, November 05, 2008; Pamela K. Kohler, RN, MPH; Lisa E. Manhart, PhD; William E. Lafferty, MD; In the United States , the role that sex education plays in the initiation of sexual activity and risk of teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease (STD) is controversial, the authors of the current study explained. Despite several systematic reviews, few epidemiological evaluations of the effectiveness of these
FRANCE: Experimental HIV Vaccine May Have Increased Infection Risk: Study: Agence France Presse (11.04.08) - Wednesday, November 05, 2008; A new study examines the failure of the candidate HIV-1 vaccine tested in Merck and Co. s STEP trial. Phase II trials of the vaccine were halted last year when it was learned the drug may have actually increased subjects likelihood of HIV infection, said researchers at France s Montpellier Institute of Molecular Geneti
THAILAND: Alarm over Rising HIV Infection Among Gay Men: The Nation (Thailand) (10.31.08) - Wednesday, November 05, 2008; HIV infections among gay men in Thailand have been rising in recent years, especially in tourist centers like Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Phuket, health officials said recently. The news was delivered at an Oct. 30th conference about prevention lessons learned from a project targeting men who have sex with men (MSM).
CANADA: Surge in HIV Among Latinos Spurs Program: Toronto Star (11.03.08) - Wednesday, November 05, 2008; Lesley Ciarula Taylor; On the edge of Toronto s gay village, the Center for Spanish- Speaking Peoples (CSSP) runs an HIV/AIDS program from the fourth floor of a nondescript building, in a locked and shuttered office. The center receives telephone calls from abroad and locally, all from Latinos who are scared and want to talk. Many of the new
CANADA: Oil Boom, Transient Work Force Blamed for Syphilis Outbreak: Edmonton Journal (11.04.08) - Wednesday, November 05, 2008; Jodie Sinnema; In Edmonton on Monday, Alberta s health minister told the Standing Committee on Health that a syphilis outbreak in the province is the result of fast lifestyles among oilfield workers flush with cash. We have developed in this province over the past few years a very, I d say, careless attitude in some ways and I think
UNITED STATES: HIV Doctors May Treat All Infected, Adding Thousands: Bloomberg News (10.29.08) - Wednesday, November 05, 2008; John Lauerman; In light of recent research, public health experts are re- evaluating when HIV-positive patients should initiate antiretroviral (ARV) treatment. Because of concerns about medication side effects and the drug-resistant virus that can develop when regimens are not closely followed, treatment guidelines had long counseled
JORDAN: Help Scarce for Refugee Rape Victims in Jordan: Associated Press (11.03.08) - Tuesday, November 04, 2008; Iraqi women living as refugees in Jordan are more vulnerable to rape due to their illegal status, yet emergency contraceptives and post-exposure prophylaxis drugs to reduce the likelihood of contracting HIV are unavailable there. That was the message delivered Monday by Sarah Chynoweth of the New York-based Women s Com
VIETNAM: Over 132,000 People Infected with HIV in Vietnam: Xinhua (11.03.08) - Tuesday, November 04, 2008; Ministry of Health statistics reported Monday in Hanoi indicate that Vietnam has logged a total of 132,249 HIV cases and almost 40,000 AIDS-related deaths. The data were presented at the opening of the 16th Meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Task Force on AIDS, which continues through Wednesd
UTAH: Shop for a Good Cause: Salt Lake Tribune (10.30.08) - Tuesday, November 04, 2008; Katie Drake; People With AIDS Coalition of Utah s Our Store: A Thrift Alternative is now open in downtown Salt Lake City. The mostly volunteer-run shop aims to provide supplementary income to PWACU s HIV/AIDS programs. Our Store s mission is to help PWACU become self-sustaining, said Toni Johnson, the coalition s executive director
TEXAS: Tarrant Health Officials Zeroed In on Tuberculosis Outbreak: Fort Worth Star Telegram (11.02.08) - Tuesday, November 04, 2008; A 2002 TB outbreak concentrated in homeless shelters around Fort Worth s East Lancaster Avenue has now been nearly eliminated, said Gerry Drewyer, TB division manager for the Tarrant County Public Health Department. The important thing is that we continue to do it, Drewyer said of the county s six-year TB elimination e
FRANCE: The Impact of Methadone or Buprenorphine Treatment and Ongoing Injection on Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART) Adherence: Evidence from the MANIF2000 Cohort Study: Addiction Vol. 103; No. 11: DOI: 10.1111/j.1360- 0443.2008.02323.x (11..08) - Tuesday, November 04, 2008; Perrine Roux; M. Patrizia Carrieri; Virgine Villes; Pierre Dellamonica; Isabelle Poizot-Martin; Isabelle Ravaux; Bruno Spire; To date, no data exist assessing the impact of either methadone or buprenorphine on adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in the long term, the authors wrote. They designed the current study to determine whether receiving take-home methadone and buprenorphine may ensure better adherence to HAART in
SWAZILAND: AIDS-Hit Swaziland Promotes Circumcision: Associated Press (11.02.08) - Tuesday, November 04, 2008; Clare Nullis; Teams of Israeli surgeons are offering male circumcision in African nations, surgical expertise they honed in the early 1990s during the mass migration to Israel of Jews from the former Soviet Union. In Swaziland , where the government actively promotes the operation, the Jerusalem AIDS Project has several dozen surgeo
GLOBAL: World Losing AIDS Battle, Minister Warns as 220 Million Pound Fund Launched: The Guardian (London) (11.04.08) - Tuesday, November 04, 2008; Sarah Boseley; The British government announced today a new 220 million pound (US $353 million) fund for research into technological interventions to stop the spread of HIV. In London, the government is convening a meeting of researchers, industry, and experts to plan and prioritize prevention efforts. The global epidemic will contin
Joe De Capua: New Vaccine Candidate May Better Protect HIV- Positive People from TB: Voice of America (10.24.08) - Tuesday, November 04, 2008; Joe De Capua; Human trials of a new TB vaccine candidate designed to protect HIV-positive people from the bacterial infection are being planned, said Dr. Marcus Horwitz, professor of medicine, microbiology, and molecular genetics at the University of California-Los Angeles David Geffen School of Medicine. Horwitz said the current TB
UNITED STATES: Wart Virus Caused 25,000 Cancers in Five Years: CDC: Reuters (11.03.08) - Tuesday, November 04, 2008; Maggie Fox; From 1998 to 2003, human papillomavirus (HPV) caused an estimated 25,000 cancer cases in the United States , CDC said Monday. The leading cause of cervical cancer, HPV is also linked to anal and penile cancers and cancers of the mouth and throat. CDC looked at 38 states and Washington, D.C., and found nearly 7,400 case
NEW YORK: Chelsea STD Clinic Faulted: Gay City News (New York City) (10.30.08) - Monday, November 03, 2008; Patrick Hedlund; A recent report from the city Public Advocate s office rapped the Chelsea STD Clinic on Ninth Avenue as the least functional of 10 health department-run clinics surveyed. However, some of the findings could be mitigated by circumstances, the city health department said, pledging to follow up the report. According to th
WASHINGTON: New King County TB Cases Show Spike: Seattle Times (10.31.08) - Monday, November 03, 2008; Kyung M. Song; Last year, King County recorded 161 new TB diagnoses, an increase from 145 in 2006 and the highest number seen since 1969, Public Health-Seattle & King County reported on Thursday. The agency noted that an outbreak in the local Pacific Islander community resulted in a dozen cases. Health officials said the county s
UNITED STATES: HIV May Cause Dangerous Blood Clots: Reuters (10.21.08) - Monday, November 03, 2008; Patients who interrupt HIV treatment have a higher risk of blood clots and other problems with blood vessels, even if they are relatively healthy, according to a recently published international study. Researchers analyzed plasma samples from an earlier study that enrolled 5,472 HIV patients for either continuous antir
CANADA: Health Unit Offers Speedy New HIV Test: Waterloo Region Record (11.01.08) - Monday, November 03, 2008; Johanna Weidner; The Region of Waterloo Public Health in September began offering rapid HIV tests, part of a six-month pilot being conducted across Ontario. The point-of-care tests at the Waterloo office are free and confidential, and patients can get their results within minutes during their initial visit. It s a good testing service
NEPAL: HIV/AIDS Groups See Long Road to Halting Spread: Inter Press Service (10.28.08) - Monday, November 03, 2008; Renu Kshetry; The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria has approved $36 million for Nepal in the seventh round of its grant-making activities. Among Nepal s 75 districts, 25 now have sites administering antiretrovirals (ARVs). So far, however, only 1,920 people have taken advantage of the treatment, while the National Center fo
CHINA: China AIDS Patients Dying Because of 'Tragic Stigma': Reuters (10.30.08) - Monday, November 03, 2008; Emma Graham-Harrison; AIDS ignorance and tragic stigma are hampering China s efforts to fight its epidemic, a top activist said Thursday. A recent UNAIDS-sponsored survey of 6,000 people in six Chinese cities found two-thirds said they would be unwilling to live with an HIV-infected person, and a fifth said they would be unwilling to care f
ZIMBABWE: Aid Group Says Zimbabwe Misused $7.3 Million and Hasn't Repaid It: New York Times (11.03.08) - Monday, November 03, 2008; Celia W. Dugger; The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria is demanding Zimbabwe give back $7.3 million earmarked to fight killer diseases there. Fund Inspector General John Parsons said President Robert Mugabe s government has failed to honor requests to return the money, and its actions jeopardize a $188 million grant due to be c
UNITED STATES: Teen Pregnancies Tied to Tastes for Sexy TV Shows: Associated Press (11.03.08) - Monday, November 03, 2008; Lindsay Tanner; Teenagers who watch lots of TV programming with sexual dialogue and behavior have much higher rates of pregnancy compared with those who watch fewer such programs, a new Rand Corp. study finds. Lead author Anita Chandra said the report is the first to link viewing habits with teen pregnancy. Previous studies by some of
RHODE ISLAND: Brown University Trick-or-Treaters Could Score a Condom: University Wire (10.24.08) - Friday, October 31, 2008; Shannon O'Brien, Brown Daily Herald; Some Brown University students have been receiving an unusual seasonal greeting in their mailbox: a condom-gram complete with a chocolate and Halloween decorations. The note delivered with the condom reads, Someone is wishing you a safe and happy Halloween - because nothing is scarier than unsafe sex! The condom-grams
LOUISIANA: Hip Hop for Hope: Times-Picayune (New Orleans) (10.30.08) - Friday, October 31, 2008; The third annual New Orleans Hip Hop for Hope Benefit Concert is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 8. The event seeks to raise money and awareness to fight HIV/AIDS in the city. A coalition of students, music industry professionals and community leaders is sponsoring the concert along with the Upward Bound foundation and se
BRAZIL: Brazil Government Site Gives Tips to Prostitutes: Associated Press (10.28.08) - Friday, October 31, 2008; Bradley Brooks; A spokesperson for Brazil s Labor Ministry said Tuesday that a Web resource offering health and occupational tips to sex workers will be toned down in response to critics, who complained that the site encourages prostitution. Launched by the government in 2002, the site includes HIV information and advises prostitutes
NEW MEXICO: Hike Toward Health; For Gay Men, Self-Worth the Core of HIV Prevention: Albuquerque Journal (10.27.08) - Friday, October 31, 2008; Phil Parker; Adventure Out! is an HIV/AIDS awareness group that operates out of the Adult Health Services Program at the Santa Fe Mountain Center (SFMC) in Tesuque. Designed for gay men and transgendered persons, Adventure Out! uses the outdoors in place of more traditional gay gathering spots. The group hikes the local trails, an
INDIANA: Employee Suspended over STD Test Lapse: Fort Wayne Journal Gazette (10.29.08) - Friday, October 31, 2008; Michael Schroeder; A disease intervention specialist with the Fort Wayne-Allen County Department of Health s HIV/STD Prevention Program has been suspended for three weeks without pay for leaving specimens collected for STD testing overnight in her car. The package of blood and urine samples was discovered near the 3900 block of Nokomis R
LOUISIANA: Wait for HIV Funds Frustrates Officials: Times-Picayune (New Orleans) (10.31.08) - Friday, October 31, 2008; David Hammer; New Orleans City Council members on Thursday grilled an official of Mayor Ray Nagin s administration over why it took more than half a year for seven dedicated employees to distribute $7 million in HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention grants. Fran Lawless, director of the mayor s Office of Health Policy, told the council
UNITED STATES: New Antibiotics Offer Hope in Fight Against Drug-Resistant TB: Study: Agence France Presse (10.16.08) - Friday, October 31, 2008; A new class of antibiotics could help treat drug-resistant tuberculosis and other bacterial infections, according to scientists at Rutgers University s Howard Hughes Institute. Lead researcher Richard Ebright and colleagues discovered three naturally occurring antibiotic compounds that can be used to create new drugs t
GLOBAL: Women Need Empowerment in Fight Against AIDS: UN: Reuters (10.17.08) - Friday, October 31, 2008; Ben Blanchard; At a recent poverty elimination conference in Beijing, the UN special envoy for HIV/AIDS in Asia-Pacific said a lack of respect for women is helping drive the spread of HIV/AIDS in the region. Gender-based violence and discrimination on grounds of gender drive the HIV and AIDS epidemic, said Nafis Sadik. Empowerment of
SOUTH AFRICA: South Africa Pioneers HIV-Positive Transplants: The Guardian (London) (10.25.08) - Friday, October 31, 2008; Belinda Beresford; Cape Town surgeons recently conducted the first organ transplants from one HIV-positive patient to another, opening up a procedure that South African authorities once banned for those infected. Nearly a third of potentially transplantable organs are discarded in South Africa because the donors were HIV-positive. Dr. El
UNITED STATES: US Study Says Doctors Subconsciously Favor Whites: Reuters (10.28.08) - Friday, October 31, 2008; In a new study, doctors showed a subconscious favoring of whites over blacks - an unwitting bias that may refine explications of persistent racial disparities in US health care. However, it is too early to know if there is a direct link to the quality of care provided to blacks, said researchers, who presented their fi
ZIMBABWE: Zimbabweans Fighting HIV/AIDS Turned Away as State Clinics Close: Voice of America (10.29.08) - Thursday, October 30, 2008; Sylvia Manika; Carole Gombakomba; Brenda Moyo; In Zimbabwe , a widening strike by health professionals has shuttered several clinics that provide critical HIV/AIDS services, including treatment of opportunistic infections and antiretroviral distribution. Nurses and doctors joined the strike, forcing the closure of clinics in Parirenyatwa and Harare hospitals in the
UNITED STATES: OraSure's Hepatitis C Test Awaits FDA Approval: Morning Call (Allentown, PA) (10.29.08) - Thursday, October 30, 2008; Kevin Duffy; On Tuesday, OraSure Technologies Inc. announced it had submitted a pre-market approval application to the Food and Drug Administration for a rapid hepatitis C virus test that uses the OraQuick technology platform. The OraQuick HCV test would be the nation s first rapid HCV test, utilize five specimen types, and have a
UNITED STATES: HIV/AIDS Drug Gains Tentative FDA Approval: United Press International (10.29.08) - Thursday, October 30, 2008; The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday granted tentative approval to generic lamivudine, which will enable the AIDS drug s use in the President s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. The drug, marketed by Macleods Pharmaceuticals Ltd. of India , is the 75th generic antiretroviral FDA h
FLORIDA: Silence About HIV Worries Treasure Coast Officials: South Florida Sun-Sentinel (10.27.08) - Thursday, October 30, 2008; Hillary Copsey; Health authorities in Florida s Treasure Coast counties worry that widespread stigma and fear of AIDS may be keeping people from being tested for HIV - and that the area s case counts may thus be artificially low. Martin and Indian River counties have each reported just over 100 HIV cases since 1997. St. Lucie County s
UNITED STATES: New AIDS Drug, New Abbott Rival: Chicago Tribune (10.30.08) - Thursday, October 30, 2008; Bruce Japsen; At this week s 48th Annual Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy in Washington, a head- to-head study of two AIDS drugs found Johnson & Johnson s Prezista is non-inferior to Abbott Laboratories Kaletra . About 10 protease inhibitors are sold in the
UNITED STATES: HPV Infection Rates Similar in Men and Women: Reuters Health (10.10.08) - Thursday, October 30, 2008; David Douglas; In a new study, researchers found that men are at high risk of acquiring human papillomavirus (HPV) infections, though most last no more than a year - about the same length of time the STD persists in women. The researchers - Dr. Anna R. Giuliano of the Tampa, Fla.- based H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Insti
SOUTH AFRICA: South Africa Health Care Receives a Huge Cash Injection: Business Day (South Africa) (10.22.08) - Thursday, October 30, 2008; Tamar Kahn; A mid-term budget statement shows Finance Minister Trevor Manuel has allocated extra funds for dealing with South Africa s HIV/AIDS epidemic, in addition to focusing on long- term efforts to boost health infrastructure and retaining skilled staff in the public sector. An additional 300 million rand (US $28.6 million) w
UNITED KINGDOM: Cash to Boost Cervical Screening: BBC (10.28.08) - Thursday, October 30, 2008; With the launch of a new 250,000 pounds (US $408,151) initiative, the National Health Service (NHS) hopes to address a growing problem: Fewer women in England are being screened for cervical cancer. We are aware that coverage rates are declining across the country, particularly in young women, said a Department of Heal
ALABAMA: State Teen Pregnancy Up 2nd Year in a Row: Birmingham News (10.28.08) - Thursday, October 30, 2008; Anna Velasco; Alabama s teen pregnancy rate rose for the second straight year in 2007, according to data released Monday. After dropping steadily from 57.1 pregnancies per 1,000 girls ages 10-19 in 1996 to 37.5 in 2005, the rate rose to 39.6 in 2006 and was 39.7 last year. Any time that we see numbers like this moving in the wrong d
SOUTH AFRICA: AIDS Orphans Growing as Adoptions Slow in South Africa: Agence France Presse (10.27.08) - Wednesday, October 29, 2008; On Monday, Social Development Minister Zola Skweyiya said adoptions of AIDS orphans in South Africa are down 13 percent from last year while cases of abuse are steadily growing. Of South Africa s approximately 1.5 million AIDS orphans, only about 1,900 were adopted in 2007, said Skweyiya. South Africa is facing a chal
CHILE: Chile's Health Minister Resigns amid AIDS Scandal: Reuters (10.28.08) - Wednesday, October 29, 2008; Chilean Health Minister Maria Soledad Barria resigned Tuesday following an AIDS scandal earlier this month and the news on Monday that President Michelle Bachelet plans a cabinet reshuffle ahead of next year s presidential election. The president has accepted the resignation of Minister Barria and has designated her de
GLOBAL: Vaccination Programs Avert 3.4 Million Deaths: Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization: Agence France Presse (10.28.08) - Wednesday, October 29, 2008; Vaccine programs targeting hepatitis and meningitis in the world s poorest countries will have saved the lives of 3.4 million people by the end of 2008, the public-private Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization said Wednesday. In its latest report, GAVI said the hepatitis B vaccine is projected to reach 192.2 mi
TENNESSEE: Syphilis Cases on Rise in Knox: Knoxville News-Sentinel (10.28.08) - Wednesday, October 29, 2008; Kristi L. Nelson; On Monday, Knox County health officials warned residents about a recent rise in syphilis cases. So far this year, the health department has seen 46 syphilis cases, an increase from 37 last year and 27 in 2006, said Martha Buchanan, the county public health officer. There is a very specific population who is most at ris
UNITED STATES: Ethnic Differences in HIV Risk Behaviors Among Methadone-Maintained Women Receiving Contingency Management for Cocaine Use Disorders: Drug and Alcohol Dependence Vol. 98; No. 1-2: P. 144-153 (11..08) - Wednesday, October 29, 2008; Danielle Barry; Jeremiah Weinstock; Nancy M. Petry; The study s goal was to identify ethnic differences in HIV risk behaviors among cocaine-using women receiving methadone maintenance for opioid dependence, and further to evaluate the efficacy of contingency management (CM) for cocaine use disorders in reducing HIV risk behaviors. Included in the study were 47 African-A
SOUTH AFRICA: New Grant Proposed for Chronic Illness Sufferers: Business Day (South Africa) (10.21.08) - Wednesday, October 29, 2008; Tamar Kahn; In signs it is finally beginning to implement the National Strategic AIDS Plan, the South African National AIDS Council (SANAC) has tasked researchers with developing new policies about chronic disease grants and about male circumcision and HIV. The government is hopeful that the new grant, which will cover a range of
SOUTH AFRICA; UNITED STATES: New HIV Vaccine Trials Raise Hopes: Inter Press Service (10.20.08) - Wednesday, October 29, 2008; Stephanie Nieuwoudt; Within a few months, two experimental HIV/AIDS vaccines from South Africa will be administered to a small number of volunteers in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Boston. This will mark the first time HIV vaccine candidates produced in the developing world are trialed in a developed nation. At the AIDS Vaccine 2008 Conf
UNITED KINGDOM: Sex Education to Begin at Five in All Schools: The Guardian (London) (10.24.08) - Wednesday, October 29, 2008; Polly Curtis; The Department for Children, Schools and Family is planning to make sex and relationship education mandatory for primary and secondary schools in England, which has one of the highest teen pregnancy rates in Europe. Currently, secondary schools must teach only the mechanics of sex in biology classes, outside of the con
NEW MEXICO: State Requiring Artists to Obtain a Permit by Nov. 12: Albuquerque Journal (10.25.08) - Wednesday, October 29, 2008; Olivier Uyttebrouck; Under a law passed last year by the Legislature, Nov. 12 is the deadline for tattoo, body piercing, and permanent cosmetic artists to obtain a license to practice. However, just 47 tattoo artists and 17 establishments had applied as of Oct. 24. The number of practitioners in the state is likely much higher, said Jeanin
NORTH CAROLINA: Web Site Designed for Women with HIV/AIDS: News and Observer (Raleigh NC) (10.29.08) - Wednesday, October 29, 2008; Sarah Avery; Alarmed over the high HIV/AIDS burden among women - particularly women of color - the Southern AIDS Coalition (SAC) has launched a new Web-based effort called the Southern AIDS Living Quilt. The site features video testimonies of 30 Southern women who are living with or working to fight HIV/AIDS. By 2007, the South had
NEW YORK: Sexual Disease Clinic Extending Its Hours: Buffalo News (10.12.08) - Tuesday, October 28, 2008; The Niagara County Health Department s STD clinic - where confidential services are available to all age 12 and older, and no appointment is necessary - has announced new, extended hours. The clinic is now open from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. each Monday and Wednesday, except holidays observed by county offices. Testing and
SOUTH AFRICA: Firing over HIV Drugs Ruled Wrongful: New York Times (10.23.08) - Tuesday, October 28, 2008; Celia W. Dugger; A judge in South Africa has found in favor of a doctor who was sacked by a provincial health department seven years ago. In 2001, Dr. Malcolm Naude was fired from the Mpumalanga Province Health Department for violating its prohibition against prescribing antiretrovirals to rape survivors to lessen their chances of bein
AUSTRALIA: A Call that May Bring Positive News - if You're Unlucky in Love: The Age (Melbourne) (10.28.08) - Tuesday, October 28, 2008; Julia Medew; Health officials in Victoria are this week launching a new Web site to help people inform their sexual contacts that they may have been exposed to an STD. Entitled Let Them Know, the site offers STD-infected users the option of notifying their sexual partners via anonymous e-mail or text message. The effort replicates
PENNSYLVANIA: High Rate of HIV Cases Is 'Wake-Up Call' for Philadelphia: Philadelphia Inquirer (10.28.08) - Tuesday, October 28, 2008; Don Sapatkin; New numbers based on 2006 CDC data show an estimated 1,400 Philadelphians are newly infected with HIV each year. Philadelphians are being infected at a rate more than 50 percent higher than New York City residents and five times the national average, according to the data. More than 16,000 city residents already have H
UNITED STATES: Smallpox Vaccine Safe in HIV-Infected Patients: Reuters Health (10.27.08) - Tuesday, October 28, 2008; Anthony J. Brown, MD; Research presented Saturday at the 48th Annual Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy in Washington indicates that the third-generation smallpox vaccine IMVAMUNE is safe and effective for HIV-infected patients. In the study, the vaccine was administered to HIV-positive and HIV-negative patient
SOUTH AFRICA: AIDS-Related Death Rate in South Africa 'Falling': Business Day (South Africa) (10.24.08) - Tuesday, October 28, 2008; Tamar Kahn; The rate of increase in mortality among South African young adults has slowed, which two leading experts attribute to the public provision of antiretroviral drugs. South Africa s ARV rollout began in 2004. The governmental Statistics South Africa (SSA) mortality report, released online Thursday, showed mortality among
AUSTRALIA: The Sex Talk Non-Existent for 20 Percent of Teens: Survey: Australian Associated Press (10.27.08) - Tuesday, October 28, 2008; Tamara McLean; Sexual health advocates are calling for sex education to be required in Australian schools, citing a recent survey showing 20 percent of teens do not talk with their parents about sex. The survey, commissioned by Marie Stopes International (MSI), polled 1,000 Australian teenagers and their parents. Among parents, 22 pe
CANADA: Up to 2,700 Alberta Patients to Be Tested After Used Syringes Used on Patients: Canadian Press (10.27.08) - Tuesday, October 28, 2008; On Monday, health officials in Alberta announced that up to 2,700 patients of the High Prairie Health Complex will need to be tested for HIV and hepatitis. A handful of nurses involved in endoscopic and dental surgery procedures had routinely reused syringes in patients IV lines, officials said. The practice was discov
UNITED STATES: Child-Prostitution Roundup Snares over 600: Associated Press (10.27.08) - Tuesday, October 28, 2008; Natasha T. Metzler; A 29-city federal, state and local law enforcement prostitution roundup headed by the FBI has resulted in the arrests of more than 600 adults and the rescue of 47 children. The raids stemming from Operation Cross Country II dismantled 12 major sex trafficking rings run through call services, Web sites, truck stops, and
UNITED STATES: Aggressive Vaccine Effort Could Cut Cervical Cancer: Reuters (10.26.08) - Tuesday, October 28, 2008; Julie Steenhuysen; A new mathematical model shows cervical cancer rates could be cut in half for US women up to age 45 if every female were vaccinated against human papillomavirus, the common STD linked to cervical cancer, researchers said Saturday at the 48th Annual Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy in Was
MISSOURI: Tattoo Needles Discounted in School HIV Exposure: St. Louis Post-Dispatch (10.25.08) - Monday, October 27, 2008; At Normandy High School in St. Louis, where follow-up after an HIV diagnosis indicated that up to 50 students have may been exposed to the virus, health officials have ruled out tattooing as a possible transmission route. There is no sign that tattoos or tattoo parlors are involved, said the St. Louis County Health Dep
GLOBAL: Gates Foundation Seeks Out Nontypical Research to Fund: Wall Street Journal (10.23.08) - Monday, October 27, 2008; Robert A. Guth; On Wednesday, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced it is granting 104 researchers in 22 countries $100,000 each to explore unusual approaches for tackling diseases - including HIV/AIDS and TB - as well as other global health issues. The $100 million earmarked for the program, called Grand Challenges Explor
GLOBAL: WHO Slashes AIDS Mortality Projections: Agence France Presse (10.27.08) - Monday, October 27, 2008; In the latest edition of its Global Burden of Disease report, released today in Geneva, the World Health Organization lowered the number of global deaths it expects from HIV/AIDS. WHO s earlier estimate, which assumed antiretrovirals would reach 80 percent of those needing them by 2012, predicted that AIDS deaths would
CALIFORNIA: Oakland Housing Authority Awarded $2.7 Million for AIDS Housing: Contra Costa Times (10.21.08) - Monday, October 27, 2008; Kamika Dunlap; California s Department of Housing and Community Development- Multifamily Housing Program has given Oakland $2.7 million in housing assistance for area HIV/AIDS patients. The Oakland Housing Authority will use the funds to build a two-story, 20,000-square-foot development in East Oakland at the former Alita Brand Macar
UNITED STATES: Studies: Newer HIV Drugs More Tolerable for Many: Associated Press (10.26.08) - Monday, October 27, 2008; Linda A. Johnson; Patients on newer HIV drugs did well and had fewer side effects that stopped treatment, according to several studies presented Sunday in Washington at the 48th Annual Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy. The company-funded studies could support extending first-line approval to HIV drugs now
UNITED STATES; CANADA: AIDS Treatment Should Start Sooner, Study Finds: Associated Press (10.26.08) - Monday, October 27, 2008; Marilynn Marchione; A new study presented Sunday at the 48th Annual Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy in Washington suggests that people with HIV should begin antiretroviral treatment sooner than guidelines currently recommend. Delaying ARVs until patients T-cell counts fall below 350 nearly doubles the risk
CHINA: Mothers' Plea After Children with Hepatitis Refused Nursery Places: The Guardian (London) (10.24.08) - Monday, October 27, 2008; Tania Branigan; In China on Thursday, 101 mothers whose toddlers were denied admittance to nursery school because they have hepatitis B appealed to the government for help and an end to discrimination against people with the virus. Our children have already been unfortunate enough to be infected with hepatitis B, and yet [are] treated
ZAMBIA: Zambian AIDS Victims Say Left in Dark Ahead of Poll: Reuters (10.27.08) - Monday, October 27, 2008; Shapi Shacinda; Zambian AIDS activists are decrying the fact that the two top candidates in the country s Oct. 30 presidential election have remained largely silent about how they plan to deal with HIV/AIDS. More than a million of Zambia s 12 million people are HIV- positive. UN figures show almost 56,000 Zambians died of HIV/AIDS-rel
UNITED STATES: Immigrants' Advocates Decry Gardasil Requirement: Los Angeles Times (10.22.08) - Monday, October 27, 2008; Mary Engel; New female immigrants ages 11-26 must be inoculated against human papillomavirus in order to become US residents, despite concerns about adding unnecessary layers to the naturalization process and questions about the HPV vaccine s efficacy for older women, immigration advocates say. A 1996 law stipulates that the US Ci
GEORGIA: A Day for Hope: Southern Voice (Atlanta) (10.24.08) - Friday, October 24, 2008; Matt Schafer; AIDS Walk Atlanta, held on Oct. 19, attracted almost 12,000 participants. Organizers hope the final amount raised by the event, which benefits nine metro Atlanta AIDS service organizations, will come close to last year s total of $1.017 million.
ALABAMA: Red Ribbon Health Fair Scheduled: Birmingham News (10.22.08) - Friday, October 24, 2008; On Tuesday, the Brighton Anti-Drug Coalition and Gateway will host the Red Ribbon Health Fair at the Brighton Community Center. In addition to information of preventing drug abuse, the event will offer free HIV testing and HIV prevention information presented by AIDS Alabama. The free event will be held from 3 to 5 p.m
ILLINOIS: New AIDS Web Site Launched: Windy City Times (10.22.08) - Friday, October 24, 2008; AIDS Foundation of Chicago has kicked off a new Web site whose aim is to serve as a one-stop shop for HIV/AIDS resources, information and events. The site, www.aidsconnect.net, is hosted by AFC s Service Providers Council.
CANADA: Warning out After Toronto Restaurant Worker Tests Positive for Hepatitis A: Canadian Press (10.23.08) - Friday, October 24, 2008; A restaurant worker s diagnosis with hepatitis A prompted Toronto Public Health to issue a warning to patrons of Sushi Haru, 635 College St. Persons who ate food from the establishment between Sept. 30 and Oct. 3 or between Oct. 6 and 10 should be alert for signs of the ailment, authorities said. Post-exposure administ
NORTH CAROLINA: AIDS Service Group to Launch Medical Clinic: Charlotte Observer (10.17.08) - Friday, October 24, 2008; Karen Garloch; The Metrolina AIDS Project of Charlotte opened a new medical clinic on Oct. 20 using a five-year, $360,000 grant from the US Health Resources and Services Administration. The Metrolina Care Network Clinic (MCNC) will offer primary care and other services, including case management, counseling and testing. MCNC will be
MISSOURI: HIV Scare Puts Missouri School in Uncertain Territory: Associated Press (10.24.08) - Friday, October 24, 2008; Cheryl Wittenauer; Students at Normandy High School in Normandy this week were screened for HIV after potentially being exposed to the virus by a newly diagnosed person. The Normandy School District is consulting with national AIDS organizations to help prevent transmission and to counter misinformation. The district does not know the in
UNITED STATES: Serum RPR Testing Predicts Success of Neurosyphilis Treatment: Reuters Health (10.22.08) - Friday, October 24, 2008; New research finds that measuring the serum level of rapid plasma reagin (RPR) can generally predict the success of treatment for neurosyphilis, thereby avoiding lumbar puncture for confirmatory cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) testing. Successful treatment for neurosyphilis is usually defined as normalization of CSF and clin
UNITED KINGDOM: British Doctor Chooses Gardasil Shot over Cervarix: Reuters (10.23.08) - Friday, October 24, 2008; A British doctor says Gardasil - not its competitor Cervarix - is the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine that most UK physicians are prescribing for their own daughters. The NHS [National Health Service] vaccination program may have opted for the bivalent vaccine (Cervarix) to concentrate resources on preventing cervic
CANADA: Boys Need HPV Vaccine, Too; Nobel Winner Says Males Carry Cancer-Linked Virus: Toronto Star (10.23.08) - Friday, October 24, 2008; Trish Crawford; The doctor whose discovery of the link between human papillomavirus (HPV) and cervical cancer earned him this year s Nobel Prize for medicine says boys as well as girls should be vaccinated against the STD. Speaking to some 400 researchers and health specialists in Toronto on Tuesday, Dr. Harald zur Hausen said the imm
NEW YORK: Slip of Needle Could Cost a Life: Times Union (Albany, N.Y.) (10.17.08) - Friday, October 24, 2008; Cathleen F. Crowley; Concerned about the dangers of possible disease transmission via accidental needlesticks, some first-responders and other health care professionals are working to change a New York state law that requires a patient s written consent prior to HIV testing after such mishaps. Dr. Michael Dailey, regional emergency medical
NEVADA: Official: 114 Hepatitis Cases May Trace to Clinics: Associated Press (10.23.08) - Friday, October 24, 2008; Ken Ritter; State health investigators said Thursday that 114 Las Vegas patients may have contracted hepatitis C virus from unsterile medical injection practices first detected Jan. 2. Earlier this year, the Southern Nevada Health District (SNHD) began contacting the outpatients of two endoscopy centers in Las Vegas where investig
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: Free Screenings, Flu Shots at Church Health Fair: Washington Post (10.23.08) - Thursday, October 23, 2008; A free health fair this Saturday at Washington s Greater First Baptist Church will feature screenings for HIV and a variety of other medical conditions, as well as flu shots. The fair will take place from noon to 3 p.m. at 2701 13th St. NW; for more information, telephone Lynell Rawlings at 202-409-5315.
LOUISIANA: Pact Provides Doctors for Ouachita AIDS Inmates: Associated Press (10.10.08) - Thursday, October 23, 2008; A specialist physician from Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center will make regular visits to prisoners with AIDS at Ouachita Parish Correctional Center under an agreement recently announced. For years, inmates with AIDS as well as other prisoners had been treated by general-care doctors from LSU-Monroe. Bu
AUSTRALIA: Funding Needed to Stem Flow of Hepatitis B Cases: Australian Associated Press (10.21.08) - Thursday, October 23, 2008; At the sixth Australasian Viral Hepatitis Conference in Brisbane this week, health experts called for greater attention and funding to hepatitis B in Australia . More than 160,000 Australians are affected by the virus, and some 6,000 new cases are reported each year. Unlike hepatitis C and HIV/AIDS, there is currently
EUROPEAN UNION: EU Awards Rights Prize to Jailed Chinese Dissident Hu: Agence France Presse (10.23.08) - Thursday, October 23, 2008; Yann Ollivier; Today in Strasbourg, France , the European Parliament bestowed a prestigious rights award upon Hu Jia, a Chinese activist noted for his work on behalf of civil rights, the environment, and HIV/AIDS patients. Hu is currently serving a 3.5-year prison sentence in China for inciting subversion of state powe
TEXAS: We Were Wrong' for Sitting on the Sidelines on AIDS, Ad Says: Dallas Morning News (10.17.08) - Thursday, October 23, 2008; Sam Hodges; We were wrong, said an attention-grabbing full-page ad in the Oct. 16th edition of the Dallas Morning News. The ad, placed by the Springcreek Church of Garland, deplored the church s having sat on the sidelines while AIDS devastated Africa. We were wrong; we re sorry. Please forgive us, the ad concluded. Contacted abo
PENNSYLVANIA: Teen Sexuality Topic of Penn State Fayette Workshop: Tribune-Review (Greensburg) (10.19.08) - Thursday, October 23, 2008; Marilyn Forbes; A day-long workshop - Risky Business, Sexually Transmitted Infections/Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Youth - was recently presented at Penn State Fayette-Eberly Campus. Patricia Barthalow Koch, a professor of behavioral health at Penn State s University Park campus and the president of the Society for the Scientific
TURKEY: New TB Blood Test Seen More Accurate: Reuters (10.21.08) - Thursday, October 23, 2008; Michael Kahn; A new blood test, ELISpot, is 1.5 times better at identifying persons with TB than conventional skin testing, researchers reported in a new study. Traditional TB testing involves injecting components of the TB bacterium into the patient s skin; resultant swelling can indicate dormant TB infection. But these tests are p
UNITED KINGDOM: Scouts' 'Be Prepared' Motto Now Includes Sex: Australian Associated Press (10.20.08) - Thursday, October 23, 2008; The London-based Scout Association has introduced new guidelines for sex education. Now, scouts will be taught about contraception, pregnancy testing, and what to do if they believe they are being forced to have sex. They will also visit sexual health clinics and be given free condoms. The Scout Association believes th
CANADA: Opposition to HPV Vaccine 'Dismaying': Daily Herald-Tribune (10.22.08) - Thursday, October 23, 2008; Helen Branswell, Canadian Press; On Monday, the German co-winner of the 2008 Nobel Prize in medicine said he is disappointed that some critics have such trepidation and distrust of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. Dr. Herald zur Hausen is in Canada to give the Gairdner lecture at the University of Western Ontario. It is a little bit dismay
UNITED STATES: Few Adverse Reactions to Cervical Cancer Vaccine: Reuters (10.22.08) - Thursday, October 23, 2008; The human papillomavirus inoculation Gardasil did not cause vaccinated women and girls to suffer a number of adverse events documented since its approval, CDC officials reported Wednesday. Since Merck and Co s HPV vaccine received US approval, CDC and the Food and Drug Administration have monitored its safety. The safe
UNITED STATES: US FDA Expands Approval for Johnson & Johnson HIV Drug: Reuters (10.22.08) - Thursday, October 23, 2008; On Wednesday, Johnson & Johnson announced that its HIV drug Prezista (darunavir) has received US approval for patients just beginning treatment. Prezista was already approved for use in treatment-experienced patients with drug-resistant HIV. The firm said the Food and Drug Administration also finalized its 2006 ini
GEORGIA: Gwinnett School Cautious on TB: Atlanta Journal-Constitution (10.22.08) - Wednesday, October 22, 2008; Craig Schneider; Earlier this month, a Meadowcreek High School student s positive test for TB prompted health authorities to perform skin tests on 170 students and five staff members who had been in close contact with the infected youth. Twenty-five students tested positive for TB exposure, though none showed symptoms of active disease
AUSTRALIA: More Women Having Pap Tests: Government: Australian Associated Press (10.17.08) - Wednesday, October 22, 2008; More than 60 percent of New South Wales women over age 20 are now having regular Pap tests, new government figures show. This is an increase of 95,000 women who ve had a test to check for the onset of cervical cancer in the 12 months to July 2008, said Tony Stewart, the minister assisting the minister for health (cance
AUSTRALIA: Cervical Cancer Vaccines Creator Wins Prime Minister's Science Prize: Australian Associated Press (10.16.08) - Wednesday, October 22, 2008; Queensland Professor Ian Frazer has been awarded the Australian Prime Minister s Prize for Science in recognition of his work to create vaccines against human papillomavirus, certain strains of which cause most cases of cervical cancer. Professor Frazer s work provides invaluable protection against cervical cancer and
CALIFORNIA: San Jose State University: Blood Drive Suspension for 'Discrimination' Against Gay Men Still Stands: University Wire (10.08.08) - Wednesday, October 22, 2008; Joey Akeley, Spartan Daily; Blood drives have been suspended at San Jose State University (SJSU) since Feb. 1 because federal government policies forbidding blood donations by men who have had sex with men (MSM) were considered discriminatory. In March, San Jose- Evergreen Community College took the same action. According to Larry Carr, a public
MISSOURI: 50 at Normandy High Face HIV Risk: St. Louis Post-Dispatch (10.22.08) - Wednesday, October 22, 2008; Blythe Bernhard; After announcing last week that some students at Normandy High School may have been exposed to HIV, health authorities on Tuesday revised to 50 their estimate of students potentially at risk. The matter began as a routine investigation into one HIV diagnosis, which in turn led to concerns about a number of students. Of
MINNESOTA: Ex-Inmates Sue County over TB Infections: St. Paul Pioneer Press (10.21.08) - Wednesday, October 22, 2008; Jeremy Olson; Two former inmates are suing Ramsey County in federal court, alleging that improper TB screening and treatment this spring at the Maplewood workhouse violated their civil rights. According to the lawsuit, staff members ignored signs of an active TB case at the workhouse, despite a written petition by 20 inmates urging
UNITED STATES: HIV Risk Behavior Among Patients with Co- occurring Bipolar and Substance Use Disorders: Associations with Mania and Drug Abuse: Drug and Alcohol Dependence Vol. 92; No. 1-3: P. 296-300 (01..08) - Wednesday, October 22, 2008; Christina S. Meade; Fiona S. Graff; Margaret L. Griffin; Roger D. Weiss; The researchers note that bipolar and substance use disorders often co-occur, and both are associated with impulsivity, impaired judgment and risk-taking. In this study, the team set out to describe the rates of HIV sexual and drug risk behaviors among patients with co-occurring bipolar and substance use disorders; to
CHINA: HIV Infections Up Sharply Among Hong Kong Gay Men: Reuters (10.17.08) - Wednesday, October 22, 2008; Tan Ee Lyn; Effective HIV prevention programs are urgently needed to stop an ongoing increase in new infections among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Hong Kong , experts warn. Hong Kong has seen the number of HIV diagnoses in MSM rise sharply - from 50 cases in 2003 to 67 in 2004, 96 in 2005 and 112 in 2006.
SOUTH AFRICA: Scientists to Test TB Vaccine in Cape Town: Business Day (South Africa) (10.20.08) - Wednesday, October 22, 2008; Tamar Kahn; Local researchers are enrolling adult volunteers in Cape Town in a phase II trial of a potential TB vaccine. The experimental vaccine, found safe in one smaller US trial, was developed by the Dutch pharmaceutical firm Crucell and the not-for-profit Aeras Global TB Vaccine Foundation. The University of Cape Town s Lung
SOUTH AFRICA: South Africa Urges Red Cross to Find New AIDS Strategies: Agence France Presse (10.20.08) - Wednesday, October 22, 2008; On Monday in Johannesburg, South Africa s new minister of health urged attendees at the Seventh Pan-African Conference of Red Cross and Red Crescent societies to seek fresh approaches to fight HIV/AIDS. The gathering included the leaders of all 53 African societies. They look upon us for a change in their plight, said
UNITED STATES: You've Got Mail. And Maybe Something Else: Washington Post (10.21.08) - Wednesday, October 22, 2008; Ishani Ganguli; Since its launch in 2004, more than 30,000 people have accessed inSPOT (www.inspot.org), an online STD notification service. Developed by public health experts for San Francisco men who have sex with men (MSM), the site has expanded to include people of both genders and all sexual orientations, and it has been replicat
SOUTH CAROLINA: Palmetto Family Council Gets $3 Million Abstinence Grant: Associated Press (10.19.08) - Tuesday, October 21, 2008; The US Department of Health and Human Services has awarded a five-year, $3 million abstinence education grant to the Palmetto Family Council, a conservative group. President Oran Smith said PFC will raise matching funds and begin hiring employees for the new project, which will involve promoting abstinence until marria
OREGON: Willamette Student Panel Votes to Put Safe-Sex Posters Back Up: The Oregonian (Portland) (10.16.08) - Tuesday, October 21, 2008; Kimberly A.C. Wilson; Willamette University s House of Hall Representatives has voted to allow dorm resident assistants to display any poster with an appropriate health or safety message, including posters with condoms. Two weeks earlier, a parent had complained after observing a poster reading Strong women protect themselves, with condoms
MASSACHUSETTS: Government Axes 1,000 Jobs and $1 Billion: Boston Herald (10.16.08) - Tuesday, October 21, 2008; Dave Wedge; Facing a $1.4 billion budget shortfall, Gov. Deval Patrick is implementing sweeping cuts in state jobs and programs. Patrick s plan eliminates 1,000 jobs from the state s workforce of 45,000 people. His budget cuts include: $1.5 million from AIDS prevention and treatment services; $611,000 from suicide prevention; $5 m
MALAWI: Malawi Drops HIV Cash Handouts: BBC (10.13.08) - Tuesday, October 21, 2008; Under a new policy, Malawian civil servants with HIV - who previously received an additional $35 a month to help purchase food - will now be given food instead. The money may not be spent on what you intended it for, said Dr. Mary Shawa, who works in the president s office and is responsible for HIV and nutrition. With
KENTUCKY: Louisville HIV/AIDS Cases Rise, Spur Alarm: Courier Journal (Louisville) (10.16.08) - Tuesday, October 21, 2008; Laura Ungar; Louisville recorded double-digit increases in HIV/AIDS cases from 2006 to 2007, with HIV diagnoses up 11 percent - from 155 to 172 - and AIDS diagnoses up 13 percent - from 86 to 97. Statewide, new HIV/AIDS cases declined during the same period. HIV diagnoses across Kentucky fell from 347 in 2006 to 327 last year, whil
AUSTRALIA: Sex Workers Working Within a Legalized Industry: Their Side of the Story: Sexually Transmitted Diseases Vol. 84: P. 393-394 (10.01.08) - Tuesday, October 21, 2008; J. Groves; D.C. Newton; M.Y. Chen; J. Hocking; C.S. Bradshaw; C.K. Fairley; The researchers set out to examine the characteristics and work attitudes of female sex workers in licensed brothels in Victoria, Australia . The cross-sectional study assessed sex workers at 38 of the 92 licensed brothels operating in Victoria in 2006. One hundred eight women were asked to participate; 97 (90 percent)
CANADA: Researchers Test New Rapid Screening Test for Human Papillomavirus: Voice of America (10.09.08) - Tuesday, October 21, 2008; Rose Hoban; Since the 1950s, the Pap smear has been the best tool for detecting cervical cancer and lowering death rates from the disease in the developed world. But many third-world countries lack the laboratories, equipment, expertise, and financial resources for Pap tests to be a viable way to lower rates of cervical cancer, th
SOUTH AFRICA: Do Not Cut Funding for AIDS Vaccine Quest, Activist Urges: Business Day (South Africa) (10.16.08) - Tuesday, October 21, 2008; Tamar Kahn; The AIDS Vaccine 2008 Conference in Cape Town ended on Oct. 15 with calls for a sustained commitment to research, even as the global economy slows and financial markets falter. My argument would be if you are going to cut, don t cut the little teeny bit that can give you the tools to end the epidemic, said Seth Berkley
BOTSWANA: African Leader in AIDS Fight Wins $5 Million Prize: Associated Press (10.20.08) - Tuesday, October 21, 2008; Nancy Zuckerbrod; On Monday, the former president of Botswana was awarded the 2008 Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership for his role in tackling one of the world s highest HIV infection rates. Festus Gontebanye Mogae, who led the southern African nation from 1998 until resigning this year, will receive $5 million over 10
CALIFORNIA: AIDS Office Head Treads Quietly in Sacramento: Bay Area Reporter (10.16.08) - Tuesday, October 21, 2008; Matthew S. Bajko; Since taking office 14 months ago, California s Office of AIDS (COA) chief has been working to implement changes in how the state tackles the epidemic. Dr. Michelle Roland said her first priority was finalizing the confidential name-based HIV/AIDS reporting system. When I first got here the names-reporting still had em
UTAH: Meth Boosting Number of HIV Cases, University Physician Says: Deseret News (Salt Lake City) (10.19.08) - Tuesday, October 21, 2008; Amy K. Stewart; On Saturday, participants at the 20th annual Living With AIDS Conference discussed topics including drug-related HIV risk behaviors and support for people with the disease. The one-day conference, hosted by the People With AIDS Coalition of Utah (PWACU), was held at the Salt Lake Community College campus in Sandy. The
LOUISIANA: AIDS Project Being Launched: Associated Press (10.17.08) - Monday, October 20, 2008; At New Orleans Tulane University on Wednesday, the Southern AIDS Coalition and Test for Life will launch a new effort to call attention to the epidemic s impact on women and minorities. The project s Web site, www.livingquilt.org, will go live at that time: It will present video stories of Southern women living with HI
PENNSYLVANIA: AIDS Walk Raises $425,000 for Services, Prevention: Philadelphia Daily News (10.20.08) - Monday, October 20, 2008; Anna Hyclak; Sunday s 22nd annual Philadelphia AIDS Walk attracted more than 15,000 walkers and runners who raised a record $425,000 for 30 area HIV/AIDS organizations. Participants gathered at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, where organizers displayed AIDS Memorial Quilt panels honoring 40 local residents who died of the disease.
MOZAMBIQUE: Brazil to Speed Up AIDS Project for Mozambique: Associated Press (10.16.08) - Monday, October 20, 2008; At a news conference in Maputo, Brazilian Foreign Minister Celso Amorim said officials of his country have $4 million ready to build an AIDS drug factory first promised to Mozambique five years ago. Another $6 million will be available by the middle of next year, with construction commencing at the end of 2009, Amorim
IRAN: Iran Reports 30 Percent Rise in HIV Infection on 2007: Agence France Presse (10.14.08) - Monday, October 20, 2008; New figures from the health ministry show that 18,320 Iranians have been infected with HIV - up 30 percent from 2007. So far, 1,592 of the infected people have developed AIDS. and 2,800 have died, the ministry said. Of persons with HIV, 93.7 percent are men; 80.8 percent became infected through intravenous drug use; an
CALIFORNIA: Text Message-Based HIV/AIDS Campaign Set to Start in Los Angeles: Advocate (10.10.08) - Monday, October 20, 2008; A grant from Cable Positive - the cable industry s HIV/AIDS nonprofit - will allow AIDS Project Los Angeles to proceed with an innovative new campaign using text messaging, APLA announced on Oct. 8. The health initiative will employ text messaging to directly address HIV-related concerns or questions of at-risk gay and
AUSTRALIA: Attitudes of Men in an Australian Male Tolerance Study Towards Microbicide Use: Sexual Health Vol. 5; No. 3: P. 273-278 (08..08) - Monday, October 20, 2008; Wendy R. Holmes; Lisa Maher; Susan L. Rosenthal; Currently in development to provide additional options to prevent STD infections, vaginal microbicides are generally promoted as a female-initiated product. However, because men may influence product uptake and how it is used, the views of men are important as well. In the current study, 36 men were enrolled in a seven
INDONESIA: Rates of HIV/AIDS in Bali Prostitutes at Alarming Levels: Australian Associated Press (10.17.08) - Monday, October 20, 2008; HIV/AIDS cases are increasing among sex workers in Bali, Indonesia , and efforts to prevent new infections find little support from community and religious leaders, experts said at a recent conference. Earlier this month, Indonesian officials released data showing that 14 percent of sex workers in Bali had HIV during a
CANADA: Two More Boards Decline HPV Vaccine: Edmonton Journal (10.18.08) - Monday, October 20, 2008; Jodie Sinnema; Two more Catholic school boards recently voted not to permit Alberta public health nurses to offer the human papillomavirus vaccine in their school-based inoculation initiatives. The provincial program includes free HPV shots for girls in fifth grade through the support of a $10 million (US $8.4 million) annual federal
SOUTH AFRICA: Integrated Programs Crucial to Beat Disease: Business Day (South Africa) (10.17.08) - Monday, October 20, 2008; Lynn Carlisle; Employee wellness programs (EWPs) in South Africa could benefit by taking a holistic view of health care, said Dr. Burton Shinners, medical adviser at the insurance firm Alexander Forbes Health. Programs that take a wholeness in health approach go from being disease-centered to being people-centered, he said. Mos
GLOBAL: Aid Agencies: World's Poor Will Be Biggest Victims: Associated Press (10.14.08) - Monday, October 20, 2008; Alexander G. Higgins; Charities that provide medicine, food, and other relief to HIV patients in poor countries are warning that the global financial crisis will hurt their ability to help. It is well documented that AIDS is a problem compounded by poverty, said Neil Tobin of UNAIDS in Sierra Leone . Thus the c
UNITED STATES: AIDS Cases Disproportionately Hit Ethnic Group: Sacramento Bee (10.17.08) - Monday, October 20, 2008; Susan Ferriss; Latinos, both US-born and immigrant, are disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS. In 2006, 19 percent of all newly diagnosed HIV cases in the United States were Latinos, who comprise 14 percent of the population. However, public health officials worry the figure may be even higher, since Latinos lag behind other groups
GEORGIA: AIDS Walk on Sunday: Southern Voice (Atlanta) (10.17.08) - Friday, October 17, 2008; Mike Fleming; Organizers for the 2008 AIDS Walk Atlanta & 5K Run hope thousands will turn out this Sunday to support HIV/AIDS awareness and raise funds for 10 local AIDS service organizations. The events will take place at Piedmont Park and Grady High School, 10th St. and Charles Allen Blvd. The run begins at 1:45 p.m. and the w
CALIFORNIA: Silicon Valley Walk for AIDS: Bay Area Reporter (10.17.08) - Friday, October 17, 2008; Cynthia Laird; Thousands of participants are expected for this Sunday s 19th annual Walk for AIDS Silicon Valley, which steps off at Discovery Meadow in San Jose at 10 a.m. A post-walk celebration will begin at noon. Registration starts at 8 a.m. and participants are asked to raise a minimum of $20. The walk is the largest HIV/AIDS f
KENTUCKY: Hope Center Receives HIV, Veterans' Grants: Lexington Herald-Leader (10.10.08) - Friday, October 17, 2008; Beverly Fortune; The Hope Center was recently awarded two grants that will boost its programs for the homeless. The center received a $2.25 million US Department of Health and Human Services grant for HIV outreach, testing, risk-reduction education and substance abuse counseling. Previously, if clients didn t self-report, we had no way
GEORGIA: 25 of 175 Tested at School Had Positive Readings: Associated Press (10.11.08) - Friday, October 17, 2008; Results from recent TB testing performed at Meadowcreek High School in Gwinnett County found 25 of 175 students and staff had positive readings and now must have a chest X-ray. County spokesperson Sloan Roach said the skin test results indicate these people have been exposed to TB at some point in their lives, but none
IDAHO: Health Officials Warn HIV on Rise in Idaho: Associated Press (10.16.08) - Friday, October 17, 2008; New HIV/ AIDS diagnoses in Idaho are up 23 percent this year over last year, officials with the state Department of Health and Welfare are warning. So far in 2008, officials have recorded 25 new HIV cases and 12 new AIDS cases. Department officials say 13 of the new cases involve people under age 25, with many of the r
GEORGIA: Savannah State University Stresses HIV/AIDS Awareness: Savannah Morning News (10.13.08) - Friday, October 17, 2008; Jenel Few; Since 2005, Savannah State University has promoted HIV/AIDS awareness, particularly among young African Americans. The program - operated through SSU s Department of Criminal Justice and Behavioral Sciences with support from the US Center for Substance Abuse Prevention - especially targets first-year students, who ofte
MISSOURI: HIV Alert at School Gets Mixed Reviews: St. Louis Post-Dispatch (10.17.08) - Friday, October 17, 2008; Blythe Bernhard; Nancy Cambria; Steve Giegerich; Some people are praising St. Louis County health officials for recently notifying parents and the public about an HIV exposure risk among Normandy High School students, following a routine investigation into one HIV-positive diagnosis. But others are questioning the aggressive, high-profile response. The county Departm
TANZANIA: Separation of Spouses Due to Travel and Living Apart Raises HIV Risk in Tanzanian Couples: Sexually Transmitted Diseases Vol. 35; No. 8: P. 714-720 (08.01.08) - Friday, October 17, 2008; Debby C.J. Vissers, MSc; Helene A.C.M. Voeten, PhD; Mark Urassa, MSc; Raphael Isingo, MSc; Milalu Ndege; Yusufu Kumogola; Gabriel Mwaluko, PhD; Basia Zaba, MSc; Sake J. de Vlas, PhD; J. Dik F. Habbema, PhD; Persons whose partners are absent may be more vulnerable to risky sexual behavior and thus to HIV, the authors wrote. Such absences may be due to traveling or to living apart (e.g., for work purposes, or in polygamous marriages). In the current study, the researchers investigated the degree to which partner absence lea
INDONESIA: HIV/AIDS Most Prevalent Among Drug Users: The Jakarta Post (10.14.08) - Friday, October 17, 2008; Erwida Maulia; A study released Monday shows Indonesian injecting drug users (IDUs) are at the highest risk of contracting HIV/AIDS. The Indonesian Health Ministry study found that, across the eight provinces surveyed in 2007, the range of prevalence for HIV/AIDS among IDUs was 42.8 to 56 percent. Members of the transgender and trans
GLOBAL: TB Funding Drop Could Hurt AIDS Fight: Los Angeles Times (10.15.08) - Friday, October 17, 2008; Mary Engel; The global economic crisis could push aside the world s TB fight as a priority and consequently jeopardize millions of HIV/AIDS patients, a Pasteur Institute researcher and a recent winner of the 2008 Nobel Prize for medicine warned Tuesday. We are at the period of success with antiretroviral treatment for HIV, said Fr
UTAH: Anonymous Prescriptions for STDs Could Get Committee Support Next Month: Deseret News (Salt Lake City) (10.15.08) - Friday, October 17, 2008; James Thalman; Due to increases in STDs in Utah, the Legislature s Health and Human Services Interim Committee on Wednesday generally endorsed a bill that would allow a physician to provide a prescription to unnamed sexual partners of people who have been diagnosed with an STD. After discussing concerns raised by Sen. Allen Christens
CALIFORNIA: Hepatitis C Support Group Forms: Sacramento Bee (10.14.08) - Thursday, October 16, 2008; Barbara Barte Osborn; On Oct. 29, Placer County Health and Human Services is sponsoring its second hepatitis C support group meeting for those who want to know more about the disease and treatment options. The confidential meetings, moderated by knowledgeable county health staff members, are being held at the Community Health Building, 1148
ILLINOIS: Health Fair to Be Held Saturday in St. Charles: Daily Herald (Chicago) (10.16.08) - Thursday, October 16, 2008; Nancy Gier; The Tri-City Health Partnership health fair will be held this Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon at the Salvation Army, 1710 S. Seventh Ave., St. Charles. Around 25 local agencies will conduct free health screenings, including tests for HIV, high blood pressure, glucose, osteoporosis, and depression. Flu and pneumonia shots
INDONESIA: UN Urges Indonesia to Stop Imprisoning Drug Users: Associated Press (10.16.08) - Thursday, October 16, 2008; Today in Jakarta, UNAIDS warned Indonesia that treating drug users like criminals could cause an explosion in HIV infections. The approximately 28,000 drug users jailed in Indonesia should be in treatment facilities, not in detention centers, said Christian Kroll, the UN global coordinator of HIV/AIDS.
MICHIGAN: District Halts Sex Education Program: Detroit News (10.14.08) - Thursday, October 16, 2008; Valeria Olander; The Howell Public School District in Michigan has halted a high school sex education program after a guest speaker introduced a cherry-flavored condom during the contraceptive portion of the instruction. While discussions about condoms are allowed within the guidelines approved by the Board of Education for the school
AUSTRALIA: Key Findings from the WHO Collaborative Study on Substitution Therapy for Opioid Dependence and HIV/AIDS: Addiction Vol. 103; No. 9: P. 1484-1492 (09.01.08) - Thursday, October 16, 2008; Peter Lawrinson; Robert Ali; Aumphornpun Buavirat; Sithisat Chiamwongpaet; Sergey Dvoryak; Boguslaw Habrat; Shi Jie; Ratna Mardiati; Azarakhsh Mokri; Jacek Moskalewicz; David Newcombe; Vladimir Poznyak; Emilis Subata; Ambrose Uchtenhagen; Diah S. Utami; Robyn Vial; Chengzheng Zhao; The researchers undertook the current longitudinal cohort study to assess the effectiveness of opioid substitution treatment (OST) in developing/transitional nations. The study was carried out at purposively selected OST sites in Asia ( China , Indonesia , Thailand ), Eastern Eu
SOUTH AFRICA: 'Takalani Sesame' Muppet Boosts HIV Sufferers: The Star (Johannesburg) (10.14.08) - Thursday, October 16, 2008; Nontobeko Mtshali; On Oct. 11, World Hospice and Palliative Care Day, children at the Soweto Hospice and Mapetla Day Care Center received a visit from Kami, the HIV-positive Muppet from the South African version of Sesame Street. Kami plays an important role by helping children affected by HIV/AIDS understand their situation and not feel
AFRICA: A World Away from Wall Street, It's a Real Market Crisis: The Age (Melbourne) (10.16.08) - Thursday, October 16, 2008; Jo Chandler; Today marks World Food Day, and in Mozambique , people are rallying in the streets to demand international action on a food crisis that has gripped impoverished countries around the world in the past year. In the town of Chimoio, the effects of the crisis are profound. Extended families who are trying to care for AIDS
SOUTH CAROLINA: African Americans and HIV: The State (Columbia, S.C.) (10.12.08) - Thursday, October 16, 2008; While African Americans have always had the highest rates of HIV/AIDS and new infections in South Carolina, advocates worry that trend will continue unabated. State surveillance data dating back to 1986 show that from the start the epidemic was worse among blacks than among other racial groups. The gap between blacks a
CALIFORNIA: Awareness Stressed as Number of Latino AIDS Cases Grows: Los Angeles Wave (10.16.08) - Thursday, October 16, 2008; Our Community, Our Responsibility: Latinos in Action, a Los Angeles gathering of public health experts and community leaders on Tuesday, marked the start of a week of AIDS-related testing events centered around National Latino AIDS Awareness Day on Oct. 15. The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation called for a c
THAILAND: Unsafe Sex Major Risk Factor for Deaths Among Thai People: The Nation (Thailand) (10.14.08) - Wednesday, October 15, 2008; Speaking at the Gender, Sexual Health and Healthy Well-Being conference in Thailand on Monday, researcher Yannatorn Jianrattanakul said a sexual questionnaire appearing in print media showed many people do not know how to protect themselves from STDs and unwanted pregnancy. Society has to find out the appropriate way t
SOUTH CAROLINA: Resources & Events: The State (Columbia, S.C.) (10.15.08) - Wednesday, October 15, 2008; The South Carolina HIV/STD 2008 conference runs today through Friday at the Radisson Hotel Columbia and Conference Center. The conference s theme this year is Our 25 Years: Honoring Yesterday, Celebrating Today, Creating Tomorrow. For more information, visit www.schiv-stdconference.org.
WEST VIRGINIA: Chlamydia, Gonorrhea Are Top STDs in West Virginia and Ohio County: Wheeling News-Register (10.13.08) - Wednesday, October 15, 2008; Shelley Hanson; The recent syphilis outbreak was an anomaly for Ohio County, which usually sees zero to two cases per year. Since January, the county has reported seven cases of early syphilis, all in the Wheeling area. The Wheeling-Ohio County Health Department and the state have nearly completed an investigation of the outbreak, sai
SOUTH AFRICA: Why Has HIV Stabilized in South Africa, Yet Not Declined Further? Age and Sexual Behavior Patterns Among Youth: Sexually Transmitted Diseases Vol. 35; No. 10: P. 837-842 (10..08) - Wednesday, October 15, 2008; Itamar Katz, PhD; Daniel Low-Beer, PhD; The authors undertook the current study to understand the stabilization in HIV prevalence in South Africa , and to learn why - despite behavior change and apparently moderate risk behaviors - prevalence has not further declined. They compared HIV prevalence and four HIV-related sexual behaviors in South Africans and Ug
CANADA: Advocates Call on Next Government to Renew Funding for AIDS Social Supports: Canadian Press (10.09.08) - Wednesday, October 15, 2008; Tamara King; Ahead of Tuesday s election, a national coalition of AIDS organizations called on the federal government to restore HIV/AIDS funding cuts that advocates say have hurt the disease fight. The incumbent Conservative Party, which won the election but not a parliamentary majority, has shifted $5.2 million (US $4.4 million)
GLOBAL: Scientists Bleak About AIDS Vaccine Prospects: Associated Press (10.14.08) - Wednesday, October 15, 2008; Clare Nullis; The world markets crisis could temper financial support among governments and philanthropic organizations for HIV/AIDS vaccine research, experts said Tuesday at the AIDS Vaccine 2008 Conference in Cape Town. It s not good news for research in general and vaccine research in particular, said Alan Bernstein, head of the
SOUTH CAROLINA: The List: Waiting for Medicine: The State (Columbia, S.C.) (10.13.08) - Wednesday, October 15, 2008; South Carolina recently began to contribute substantial funding toward its AIDS Drug Assistance Program, a mostly federally funded program for people with little or no health insurance. After intense lobbying by HIV/AIDS advocates and sympathetic lawmakers, the South Carolina Legislature approved $4 million for ADAP in
NEBRASKA: Testing Helps Mark Latino AIDS Awareness Day: Wichita Eagle (10.15.08) - Wednesday, October 15, 2008; Christina M. Woods; Kansas will mark National Latino AIDS Awareness Day today by encouraging Hispanics to get tested for HIV. In the state, about 145 Hispanics have HIV, compared with 308 African Americans and 647 whites, according to a Kansas Department of Health and Environment report from June of this year. Nationally, Hispanics make u
UTAH: Free or Low-Cost HIV Tests Available Today: Salt Lake Tribune (10.15.08) - Wednesday, October 15, 2008; In observance of National Latino AIDS Awareness Day today, the Utah Department of Health is providing free or low-cost rapid HIV testing at all county health department locations and at partnering outreach facilities across the state. It is very important for us to reach out to the Latino community and educate them abo
TENNESSEE: AIDS Awareness Day: Commercial Appeal (Memphis) (10.11.08) - Tuesday, October 14, 2008; In recognition of Latino AIDS Awareness Day, the Community HIV Network will offer free health screenings on Wednesday 2-6 p.m. at Planet Jump, Suite 8, 6662 Winchester, Memphis. Participants can get screened for HIV, cholesterol, blood pressure, iron, glucose, and lead.
NORTH CAROLINA: State Public Health Officials Sponsoring Free HIV Testing in Winston-Salem: Winston-Salem Journal (10.13.08) - Tuesday, October 14, 2008; On Wednesday, the state Division of Public Health is promoting free HIV testing statewide, and it is especially encouraging Latinos to find out their HIV status. Providing free testing across the state on Latino AIDS Awareness Day is one way we can make it easier for people to learn about HIV/AIDS and to find out their
SOUTH AFRICA: South African Health Minister Strikes New Tone on AIDS: Associated Press (10.13.08) - Tuesday, October 14, 2008; Clare Nullis; On Monday, South Africa s new health minister called for a reinvigorated global effort to develop an HIV/AIDS vaccine. I m told that it could take anything from 15 years to a century to get an effective vaccine, Barbara Hogan told the AIDS Vaccine 2008 Conference in Cape Town. I challenge you to look harder and faster.
CALIFORNIA: AIDS Project Spreads Prevention Message in Watsonville: San Jose Mercury News (10.11.08) - Tuesday, October 14, 2008; Roger Sideman; On Friday, HIV prevention workers hosted a health fair targeting Latinos in Watsonville s City Plaza. The event, held ahead of National Latino AIDS Awareness Day, offered free testing, prevention education, and entertainment. The goal, besides testing as many people as possible, is to make this a community event, somet
UNITED STATES: Do Protective Behaviors Follow the Experience of Testing Positive for Herpes Simplex Type 2?: Sexually Transmitted Diseases Vol. 35; No. 9: P. 787-790 (09..08) - Tuesday, October 14, 2008; Richard A. Crosby, PhD; Sara Head, MPH; Ralph J. DiClemente, PhD; Beth Meyerson, PhD; Adewale Troutman, MD; The hypothesis that STD clinic attendees would adopt sexual protective behaviors after receiving a positive test for herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2) was examined in the current study. At a publicly funded STD clinic in a metropolitan area of the southern United States , 360 participants were recruited. Participants comp
CANADA: Alberta Tries to Deal with Catholic Backlash Against HPV Vaccine in Schools: Canadian Press (10.11.08) - Tuesday, October 14, 2008; John Cotter; The Alberta Health department is considering setting up human papillomavirus vaccination programs in the community, in conjunction with school-based programs. Some Catholic school boards are refusing to allow girls to receive the HPV vaccine at their schools because they feel it condones premarital sex. So far, at leas
GLOBAL: AIDS Vaccine Focus Shifts After Disappointments: Reuters (10.12.08) - Tuesday, October 14, 2008; Andrew Quinn; Experts at the AIDS Vaccine 2008 Conference in Cape Town this week will assess the direction of AIDS vaccine research and weigh the value of basic laboratory work as compared to large- scale clinical trials. The Oct. 13-15 conference will also give scientists a chance to delve more deeply into the results of failed vac
MISSOURI: HPV Linked to Spike in Cancers of the Mouth: St. Louis Post-Dispatch (10.13.08) - Tuesday, October 14, 2008; Cynthia Billhartz Gregorian; A decade ago, most of Dr. Brian Nussenbaum s oral cancer patients were men over age 60 who drank heavily and used tobacco. Now, the gender ratio is about even and most are ages 45-55, said Nussenbaum, an ear, nose, and throat doctor at Washington University. He estimated that 70 percent of the tumors he sees on the bac
SOUTH CAROLINA: For Advocates, Reporting System Evolved from Prejudice to Protection: The State (Columbia, S.C.) (10.13.08) - Tuesday, October 14, 2008; Czerne M. Reid; AIDS advocates in South Carolina now approve of the state health department s long-standing practice of recording the name and vital statistics of HIV-positive residents. The practice, begun in 1986, has allowed the state to track the course of the epidemic and to plan prevention and treatment efforts. The confidential
GEORGIA: AIDS Walk Goes 'Green' in Its 18th Year: Southern Voice (Atlanta) (10.03.08) - Friday, October 10, 2008; Ryan Lee; The 18th annual Atlanta AIDS Walk is set for Sunday, Oct. 19, at Grady High School near Piedmont Park. The event s starting point was moved from the park due to concerns arising from the ongoing drought in the Southeast. This year the walk s organizers are taking steps to lessen its impact on the environment by distrib
TEXAS: Latino Task Force to Offer Free HIV Testing Wednesday: Houston Chronicle (10.09.08) - Friday, October 10, 2008; Wednesday, Oct. 15, is the sixth annual National Latino AIDS Awareness Day, and the Latino HIV Task Force will provide free HIV testing from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Clinica Santa Cruz, 8345 Long Point Dr. in Houston. For more information, telephone 713-772-2366.
CANADA: Only Eight of 27 Passengers on Bus with TB-Infected Rider Have Come Forward: Canadian Press (10.09.08) - Friday, October 10, 2008; So far, only eight of 27 passengers being sought by health authorities because they may have been exposed to TB on a Greyhound bus have come forward. Bus number 0367 traveled from Toronto to Detroit on Aug. 31. When the bus arrived at the US border, a woman known by US authorities to be infected with TB was refused ent
OHIO: HPV Vaccine Cost Too Sharp for Some Ohio University Students' Budgets: University Wire (10.07.08) - Friday, October 10, 2008; Libby Cunningham, The Post; For some women in the age group for which it is recommended, the high cost of the human papillomavirus vaccine Gardasil remains a barrier. The Hudson Health Center at Ohio University administers the three-shot Gardasil series at $150 per dose for students without private health insurance and those on the school s plan,
NETHERLANDS: Online-Mediated Syphilis Testing Shows Promise: Reuters (09.16.08) - Friday, October 10, 2008; Online-mediated syphilis testing is helping diagnose syphilis among men who have sex with men (MSM), a new report suggests. The annual number of syphilis cases in Amsterdam increased from 35 to 240 between 1998 and 2004, according to Rik H. Koekenbier of GGD Amsterdam and colleagues. Infections among MSM amounted to 84
UNITED KINGDOM; RUSSIA: Protein Key in New University TB Vaccine: BBC (10.08.08) - Friday, October 10, 2008; For around a decade, scientists at Aberystwyth University in Wales and the Russian Academy of Sciences have been working to develop a more effective TB vaccine. Currently, the only vaccine against TB - Bacille Calmette-Guerin, which was created in 1921 - is only partially effective. The scientists work began in the lat
CHINA: Drug-Resistant HIV Strains Turning Up in China: Reuters (10.10.08) - Friday, October 10, 2008; Tan Ee Lyn; A top AIDS researcher is warning of the emergence of drug- resistant HIV strains in China as the virus moves beyond high- risk groups into the general population. The trends are alarming since the country has only seven of the more than 20 different HIV/AIDS drugs in existence, meaning patients have limited options onc
GLOBAL: Drug Firms Agree to Invest More in AIDS Research: UN: Reuters (10.09.08) - Friday, October 10, 2008; Louis Charbonneau; After meeting with top executives from 17 pharmaceutical companies, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon issued a statement Thursday saying the manufacturers have promised to up their investments in researching AIDS drugs and diagnostic procedures for developing nations. The drug makers also agreed to spend more money to d
UNITED STATES: Elton John AIDS Foundation's Million-Dollar Funding: Windy City Times (10.08.08) - Friday, October 10, 2008; In September, the Elton John AIDS Foundation announced its second round of grants for calendar year 2008, which totaled over $3 million. The new funding brings EJAF s total grant allocations for 2008 to almost $5.2 million. EJAF targets demographic groups and geographic regions that are critically impacted by HIV/AIDS.
UNITED STATES: Cervical Cancer Vaccination Rate at 25 Percent, US Says: Los Angeles Times (10.10.08) - Friday, October 10, 2008; Thomas H. Maugh II; Data released Thursday show about a quarter of US adolescent females received the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine Gardasil last year. For a new vaccine, 25 percent is really very good, said Lance Rodewald, director of CDC s division of immunization. We need to see that rate every year if we are going to meet our goa
NORTH CAROLINA: AIDS Envoy Speaks at Duke for WISER Week: University Wire (10.03.08) - Thursday, October 09, 2008; Jared Goodman, Duke Chronicle; Duke University s WISER Week included a lecture on Oct. 2 by Stephen Lewis, the former UN special envoy for AIDS in Africa and now co-director of the non-governmental organization AIDS Free World. Lewis talk dealt with the impact of HIV/AIDS on Africa s women and girls. Why is the life of a woman or child worth so much
CANADA: Tattoo Parlor Collects Fine; Stigmata Owner Pleads Guilty: Guelph Mercury (10.07.08) - Thursday, October 09, 2008; Joan Larsen, owner of Stigmata Body Art on Carden Street in Guelph, was fined $400 (US $348) on Monday after pleading guilty to one violation under the Health Protection and Promotion Act. Larsen acknowledged she did not comply with a July 2007 order by Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health to produce the results of
GLOBAL: Laureates: Financial Crisis May Hit AIDS Funding: Associated Press (10.08.08) - Thursday, October 09, 2008; Two French scientists who are receiving the Nobel Prize in medicine for discovering HIV are worried that the global financial crisis may reduce funding to fight AIDS. In a meeting Wednesday with French President Nicolas Sarkozy, Luc Montagnier and Francoise Barre-Sinoussi voiced their concerns over how the crisis may a
ARKANSAS: Finance Committee Votes to Support HIV Clinic: Benton County Daily Record (10.08.08) - Thursday, October 09, 2008; Tom Treweek; On Tuesday, the Benton County Finance Committee approved an allocation to the 2009 annual budget to hire an administrator for the Washington County HIV Clinic for one year. The $34,000 appropriation passed by a 4-2 vote. Benton County residents make up 37 percent of the clinic s patients, said Beverly Williams, a justi
CALIFORNIA: Supervisors Cut Health Services: Fresno Bee (10.07.08) - Thursday, October 09, 2008; Barbara Anderson; On Tuesday, Fresno County supervisors reluctantly approved significant cuts to Department of Public Health programs. Tuesday s hearing was the second on plans for trimming $1.6 million from the department this fiscal year. Another hearing on the DPH budget will be held Oct. 21. By a 3-2 vote, the board eliminated publi
CALIFORNIA: Rare Case of TB in Fresno County: Fresno Bee (10.07.08) - Thursday, October 09, 2008; Barbara Anderson; A man now hospitalized in medical isolation has Fresno County s first-ever case of extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB). Dr. Kenneth Bird, the county s TB control and deputy health officer, said the man is from a group at high risk for TB, which can include immigrants and homeless persons. King said the pat
UNITED STATES: Trends in Perinatal HIV Prevention in New York City, 1994-2003: Am Journal of Public Health Vol. 98; No. 10: P. 1857-1864 (10..08) - Thursday, October 09, 2008; Vicki B. Peters, MD; Kai-Lih Liu, PhD, MPH; Lisa-Gaye Robinson, MD; Kenneth L. Dominguez, MD, MPH; Elaine J. Abrams, MD; Balwant S. Gill, PhD; Pauline A. Thomas, MD; The study authors examined trends in perinatal HIV prevention interventions implemented from 1994 to 2003 in New York City to ascertain their success in reducing perinatal transmission. Data from infant records at 22 hospitals were used, with multiple logistic regression employed to analyze factors associated with pren
KENYA: Head of Nairobi AIDS Orphanage Warns of Growing Resistance to Drug Treatment: Voice of America (10.06.08) - Thursday, October 09, 2008; Joe DeCapua; While HIV-infected children at the Nyumbani orphanage in Nairobi can access pediatric AIDS treatment, some face the prospect of failing already limited treatment options. Executive Director Sister Mary Owens recalled the case of one 13-year-old boy named Sammy who died after he stopped responding to AIDS drugs, and she
CANADA: Another Catholic School Board in Alberta Decides Not to Offer HPV Vaccine: Canadian Press (10.08.08) - Thursday, October 09, 2008; Stacy O'Brien; On Tuesday, the Red Deer Catholic Regional School Division Board rescinded an earlier decision to allow fifth-grade girls to receive the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination at school. The unanimous vote means Red Deer now joins several other Catholic school divisions in Alberta that have declined to offer the vaccin
NEW YORK: University at Buffalo Gets Grant to Fight Global AIDS Epidemic: Buffalo News (10.08.08) - Thursday, October 09, 2008; Jay Rey; The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases has awarded the State University of New York-Buffalo (UB) a seven- year, $7.6 million grant for improving quality control of clinical trials for new HIV/AIDS drugs. Under the award, UB s School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Science will create a broad-based pro
CALIFORNIA: Event Raises Money for an Inland Group that Serves About 800 People: Press Enterprise (Riverside) (10.05.08) - Wednesday, October 08, 2008; John Asbury; The Inland AIDS Project s 18th annual AIDS Walk on Saturday drew a crowd of supporters to Fairmount Park. Organizers and walkers expressed hope that the event would help revive awareness of the ongoing epidemic. The word is not getting out and people aren t as concerned, but they should be, said D. Joy Gould, the group
CALIFORNIA: Wilson High TB Tests Come Up Negative: Press-Telegram (Long Beach) (10.07.08) - Wednesday, October 08, 2008; Kevin Butler; Testing carried out last week at Wilson High School after one person was diagnosed with TB has found no additional cases of the disease. About 350 students who may have been directly exposed were tested. Chest X-rays performed on students whose initial skin tests were positive indicated that none had TB. The initial pa
VIETNAM: US Provides HIV/AIDS Prevention Funding: Thanh Nien News (Viet Nam) (10.08.08) - Wednesday, October 08, 2008; Huu Tho; On Tuesday, the US Embassy in Vietnam announced almost $29 million in funding to help the nation fight HIV/AIDS. A five- year social marketing, prevention, and support services project will receive $15 million to target those most at-risk with messages designed to increase safer practices and decrease drug use. A $10 m
CALIFORNIA: DPH Launches Online STD Testing Program: Bay Area Reporter (10.02.08) - Wednesday, October 08, 2008; Liz Highleyman; San Francisco s Department of Public Health is highlighting its STD testing Web site as part of its efforts to fight resurgent syphilis among men who have sex with men (MSM). On Sept. 24, DPH introduced STDTest.org at Gotham Body Piercing and Tattoo, Market and 17th streets, where the department will offer testing outs
TENNESSEE: Clinic Offers Sex Education, Substance Abuse Services to Students: Tennessean (Nashville) (10.03.08) - Wednesday, October 08, 2008; Suzanne Normand Blackwood; The new clinic at Glencliff High School, operated by United Neighborhood Health Services, offers students sexual health and substance abuse counseling and treatment. The clinic does not provide contraceptives, but it can test students for pregnancy and screen and treat STDs. Under state law, Glencliff students can acce
UNITED STATES: HIV Risk-Related Attitudes, Interpersonal Influences, and Intentions Among At-Risk Urban, Early Adolescent Girls: Amer J of Health Behavior Vol. 32; No. 5: P. 497-507 (09.10.08) - Wednesday, October 08, 2008; Jennifer Di Noia, PhD; Steven P. Schinke, PhD; The study authors sought to examine correlates of sexual experimentation and risk among 236 urban, early adolescent girls (age 12.38 + or - 1.2 years) by comparing measures of HIV risk-related attitudes, interpersonal influences, and intentions. Girls in high sexual experimentation and risk groups scored highest on dev
UNITED STATES: No Proof Circumcision Cuts Gay Male HIV Risk: Study: Reuters (10.07.08) - Wednesday, October 08, 2008; Will Dunham; There is insufficient evidence to support male circumcision as a way to protect against HIV or other STDs for men who have sex with men (MSM), CDC researchers reported on Tuesday. This conclusion was based on a meta-analysis of 15 studies involving 53,567 MSM from the United States , Britain,
UGANDA: Cutting HIV: Male Circumcision Booms in Uganda: Agence France Presse (10.07.08) - Wednesday, October 08, 2008; Responding to studies showing that male circumcision reduces the chance of female-to-male HIV transmission by about 60 percent, Uganda s health ministry is planning to promote the procedure countrywide. Now, many men from East African tribes that do not traditionally practice male circumcision are opting to undergo the
SOUTH AFRICA: Boost for AIDS Fight from New Minister: Business Day (South Africa) (10.03.08) - Wednesday, October 08, 2008; Chantelle Benjamin; Speaking in Pretoria on Oct. 2, newly appointed Health Minister Barbara Hogan said the challenges of HIV/AIDS and TB will be top priority as she works to turn around South Africa s health system. Hogan replaced Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, who was removed from the post last month after a new cabinet was formed. Hogan inhe
UNITED STATES: Drug Firms Open Vaults in Search for TB Treatment: Seattle Times (10.07.08) - Wednesday, October 08, 2008; Sandi Doughton; The Seattle-based Infectious Disease Research Institute is spearheading a search for new ways to treat tuberculosis. IDRI has persuaded Eli Lilly and Merck & Co. to open their molecular libraries of more than 500,000 compounds to look for any promising leads. Such libraries, which detail the structure and chemi
WASHINGTON: AIDS Advocates Want to Raise More than Money: Seattle Times (10.05.08) - Tuesday, October 07, 2008; Lornet Turnbull; Organizers of Saturday s Seattle AIDS Walk are hopeful that the event raised community awareness along with much-needed funds for the Lifelong AIDS Alliance. AIDS has become a less visible disease in the scope of things, said Erick Seelbach, director of prevention and education with the alliance. It s difficult to main
DELAWARE: Sun Shines on AIDS Walkers: News Journal (Wilmington) (10.06.08) - Tuesday, October 07, 2008; Robin Brown; The three-event AIDS Walk Delaware concluded on Sunday with walks in Rehoboth Beach and Dover. Together with the Wilmington walk held the previous week, the walks drew a total of about 5,500 people. The 22-year-old fundraiser was presented by AIDS Delaware and the Delaware HIV Consortium, together with agencies such as
GEORGIA: Meadowcreek High to Test for TB Exposure: Atlanta Journal-Constitution (10.07.08) - Tuesday, October 07, 2008; On Wednesday, East Metro Health District nurses will visit Meadowcreek High School in Gwinnett County to administer TB tests to 186 students and seven faculty who were in contact with a student who tested positive for the disease. Vernon Goins, the health district s public information officer, said a physician reported
SOUTH DAKOTA: Program Targets Cancer in Women: Associated Press (10.05.08) - Tuesday, October 07, 2008; The South Dakota Health Department s All Women Count program is now in its 11th year. The outreach offers screening for breast and cervical cancer to women who meet certain age and income guidelines. So far, the program has screened 13,700 women and diagnosed 143 cases of breast cancer and 22 cervical cancer cases, the
MASSSACHUSETTS: Group Offers Latino Men Information on HIV and Other STDs: Bay Windows (Boston) (10.02.08) - Tuesday, October 07, 2008; Dana Rudolph; The Latin American Health Institute is offering a six-week course on HIV and STD prevention. The Many Men, Many Voices Intervention uses a combination of teaching and discussion, said Alfredo Marulanda, LHI s prevention and education case manager, who will facilitate the sessions. The goal is not to lecture people abou
CALIFORNIA: Proposition K Calls for Legal Prostitution in San Francisco: San Francisco Chronicle (10.06.08) - Tuesday, October 07, 2008; John Cot�; A proposal to decriminalize prostitution in San Francisco has local leaders divided. Proposition K would bar the Police Department from investigating and prosecuting prostitution. It would deny funding for the city s First Offender Prostitution Program, or john school, in which persons arrested for soliciting a prostit
AFRICA: Cost-Effectiveness of HIV Monitoring Strategies in Resource-Limited Settings: Archives of Internal Medicine (09.22.08) - Tuesday, October 07, 2008; Eran Bendavid, MD; Sean D. Young, MS; David A. Katzenstein, MD; Ahmed M. Bayoumi, MD, MSc; Gillian D. Sanders, PhD; Douglas K. Owens, MD, MS; Although the number of persons receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in low- and middle-income countries has increased dramatically, optimal disease management is not well-defined, wrote the authors of the current study. A model was developed to compare the costs and benefits of three types of HIV mon
CANADA: Non-Sterile Equipment Forces Piercing Shop Warning: Niagara Falls Review (10.06.08) - Tuesday, October 07, 2008; Niagara Region health officials are warning customers who obtained piercing services from Venom Ink to seek testing for blood-borne diseases. The tattoo and piercing business opened in Niagara Falls, Ontario, in September, and previously operated in St. Catharines in July and August. On Sept. 22, Niagara health officia
GLOBAL: Technology Elite Use Internet to Fight TB: Agence France Presse (10.03.08) - Tuesday, October 07, 2008; On Friday, the Web site www.xdrtb.org debuted. The site uses images of people infected with extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB) to raise awareness of the worldwide problem. XDR-TB is found in 49 countries and is blamed for the deaths of more than 20,000 people annually. Photographers go to the extreme edges of human
FRANCE: Nobel Winner Pessimistic on AIDS Vaccine: Associated Press (10.06.08) - Tuesday, October 07, 2008; John Leicester; Twenty-five years ago, when Pasteur Institute researchers first described the virus that causes AIDS, they believed a global epidemic could be averted. We were very naive, said Francoise Barre-Sinoussi, who, with Luc Montagnier, is receiving the Nobel Prize in medicine for discovering HIV. We naively thought that the d
RHODE ISLAND: Rhode Island Required to Teach About Dating Violence: Associated Press (10.06.08) - Tuesday, October 07, 2008; Eric Tucker; In health classes for seventh- through 12th-graders, Rhode Island school districts this year are expected to begin incorporating lessons on how to identify and avoid dating violence. The Lindsay Anne Burke Act makes Rhode Island the second state to require such lessons, after Texas. And by December, officials hope to h
WASHINGTON: Brewster School Board Won't Seek Grant for Clinic: Associated Press (10.01.08) - Monday, October 06, 2008; The Brewster School Board has decided not to seek a $75,000 state Department of Health grant to open a school-based health clinic, Superintendent Aaron Chavez told the Wenatchee World newspaper. Though school officials said the facility would have focused on general health issues, a large number of residents attended a
NEW YORK: Cicero-North Syracuse Athlete Ill with Hepatitis A: Post-Standard (10.02.08) - Monday, October 06, 2008; James T. Mulder; The news that a member of the varsity football squad at Cicero-North Syracuse High School has been diagnosed with hepatitis A prompted the county health commissioner to recommend that all 55 players on the team undergo vaccination. We do not consider this to be a significant public health threat at this time, said Dr.
FLORIDA: Foundation Sues County for Awarding AIDS Pharmacy Contract to For-Profit Firm: Orlando Sentinel (10.03.08) - Monday, October 06, 2008; The Los Angeles-based nonprofit AIDS Healthcare Foundation is suing Orange County over its award of a contract for AIDS pharmacy services to Bioscript Inc., a for-profit company. County officials said AHF s proposal was $10,000 higher than Bioscript s $70,000 bid. AHF, however, said federal Ryan White AIDS funding rule
TEXAS: Now 25, Waterloo Meets Needs of All Who Seek Counseling: Austin American-Statesman (10.05.08) - Monday, October 06, 2008; Andrea Ball; The Waterloo Counseling Center in Austin is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. When it opened, WCC was the city s first mental health program for gays and lesbians, and it offered comfort to those struggling with relationships, homophobia and the AIDS epidemic. Founder Paul Clover died of the disease in 1994.
FLORIDA: Upcoming Seminar to Focus on the Negative Effects of HIV/AIDS: South Florida Sun-Sentinel (10.04.08) - Monday, October 06, 2008; C. Ron Allen; One in four African Americans in Palm Beach County is infected with HIV/AIDS. In response, the county health department and the Ujima Men s Collective, an organization for black gay men, are hosting a three-day conference beginning Friday. The Dare 2B A.W.A.R.E conference will be held Oct. 10-12 at the Hilton Palm Beac
CALIFORNIA: Syphilis Spikes Upward in San Francisco: Bay Area Reporter (10.02.08) - Monday, October 06, 2008; Matthew S. Bajko; From January to August of this year, syphilis cases in San Francisco were up 54 percent over the same period in 2007, from 305 to 409. City health officials estimate the year-end tally for early syphilis cases will be 493 - the highest number since 2005, when the agency recorded 551 cases. I am very concerned about thi
UNITED STATES: Support for Comprehensive Sexuality Education: Perspectives from Parents of School-Age Youth: Journal of Adolescent Health Vol. 42; No. 4: P. 352-359 (04..08) - Monday, October 06, 2008; Marla E. Eisenberg, ScD, MPH; Debra H. Bernat, PhD; Linda H. Bearinger, PhD; Michael D. Resnick, PhD; Controversy about school-based sexuality education in public schools has continued over the past decade, despite mounting evidence that comprehensive sexuality education effectively promotes sexual health and that parents support these programs in public schools, explained the study authors, who sought to replicate an
SOUTH AFRICA: Zulus Eagerly Defy Ban on Virginity Test: Washington Post (09.26.08) - Monday, October 06, 2008; Karin Brulliard; Last year, South Africa enacted a ban on virginity testing, a traditional practice condemned by human rights activists and feminists, for girls younger than 16. Despite the ban, the custom continues for thousands of Zulu girls, as many Zulus see in it the promise of abstinence until marriage and a way to prevent HIV.
SWEDEN: Research on AIDS Virus and Cancer Wins Nobel Medicine Prize: Agence France Presse (10.06.08) - Monday, October 06, 2008; Pia Ohlin; The Nobel Prize in medicine, announced today, will be shared among three scientists credited with the discovery of the viruses behind AIDS and cervical cancer. One half of the award went to France s Francoise Barre- Sinoussi and Luc Montagnier for linking HIV to AIDS. The pair s discovery was one prerequisite for the c
UNITED STATES: US Cuts Off Family Planning Group in Africa: Associated Press (10.02.08) - Monday, October 06, 2008; Matthew Lee; On Thursday, the US State Department and the Agency for International Development (USAID) announced they recently took action against one of the world s largest family planning organizations. USAID said it determined the UK-based Marie Stopes International charity supports Chinese family planning programs that include
MEXICO: 5,000 Prophylactics Swiped from Mexico Condom-Mobile: Associated Press (10.02.08) - Friday, October 03, 2008; Maria Gallucci; A truck used by AIDS activists to distribute condoms across Mexico was reported stolen on Sunday, then recovered on Wednesday, but without its cargo of 5,000 condoms. Also stolen were sound equipment and a motor used to inflate a 23-foot condom, though the giant condom itself was left behind along with 800 HIV tests. P
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: Elder Think Tank Offers HIV Discussion: Metro Weekly (Washington) (10.02.08) - Friday, October 03, 2008; Yusef Najafi; The Center, Washington s gay community center, is presenting a seminar, HIV over 50, to help educate seniors about the continuing threat of AIDS. The meeting is part of The Center s ongoing Elder Think Tank gatherings. Speakers will include Dr. Shannon Hader, chief of the D.C. HIV/AIDS Administration, and Dr. Linda Gre
CALIFORNIA: AIDS Walk More than a Fundraiser: Press Enterprise (Riverside) (10.01.08) - Friday, October 03, 2008; Jennifer Whitaker; On Saturday in Fairmount Park in Riverside, the Inland AIDS Project will host its 18th annual AIDS Walk. Jayne Hansen, event coordinator, described the walk as not only a fundraiser but also kind of a pep rally to get people refocused on the importance of addressing AIDS in our community. Since people are living longer
DELAWARE: AIDS Walk Succeeds - in a Big Way: News Journal (Wilmington) (09.29.08) - Friday, October 03, 2008; Robin Brown; Following a successful event in Wilmington on Sunday that drew more than 4,500 people, the three-part AIDS Walk Delaware concludes this weekend with walks this Sunday in Dover at Silver Lake Park and in Rehoboth Beach at Grove Park. For more information, visit www.aidswalkdelaware.org.
NEW YORK: State Budget Cuts Hit Local AIDS Agencies: Times Union (Albany, N.Y.) (09.30.08) - Friday, October 03, 2008; Sharon Hong; New York s state budget reductions are hurting AIDS service providers in the Capital Region, advocates say. Gov. David Patterson instituted a 3 percent budget cut for all state agencies in the spring, and he ordered additional cuts after a midyear report predicted a $630 million shortfall this year and a $5 billion def
FLORIDA: Reports Suggest that Socially Conservative Attitudes, Common in Southern Cities Such as Jacksonville, Make It More Difficult to Fight the Spread of AIDS: Florida Times-Union (09.30.08) - Friday, October 03, 2008; Jeremy Cox; A report released in July by the Southern AIDS Coalition (SAC) cites social conservatism as one of the key reasons why the South leads the nation s four regions in the number of AIDS cases. Shame and fear of stigmatizing reactions on the part of others may lead to reluctance to seek testing and treatment for HIV and ot
UNITED STATES: Study Finds Association Between Hepatitis B and Pancreatic Cancer: New York Times (09.30.08) - Friday, October 03, 2008; Denise Grady; Pancreatic cancer patients are more likely to have been infected with hepatitis B virus than those without the cancer, according to new research. HBV is known to cause liver cancer in some patients, but this is the first time an association has been made between HBV and pancreatic cancer. Further research is necessary
CANADA: Officials Seek 27 People in Windsor, Ont., Who Rode Bus with TB-Infected Passenger: Canadian Press (10.02.08) - Friday, October 03, 2008; Michael Oliveira; On Thursday, public health officials urged passengers of a Greyhound bus that departed Toronto en route to Detroit on Aug. 31 to get tested for tuberculosis. A Canadian passenger on the bus had previously tested positive for TB in the United States and was refused entry when the bus arrived at the Detroit border, said
SOUTH AFRICA: South Africa to Draw a Line Under Years of Denial About HIV/AIDS: The Guardian (London) (10.03.08) - Friday, October 03, 2008; Alex Duval Smith; On Thursday, South Africa s new health minister promised to get things right by treating the country s HIV/AIDS epidemic seriously after years of gross government neglect. You don t have to be a health expert to understand the challenge this country is facing when it comes to the AIDS pandemic, said Barbara Hogan, who
ALASKA: Some Alaska Students Seek More Sex Education: Associated Press (10.01.08) - Friday, October 03, 2008; Some Anchorage students are petitioning the state to teach comprehensive sex education in schools instead of leaving sexual health instruction up to individual districts. Since late August, the group Vox (Voices for Planned Parenthood) has collected 1,100 names on a Planned Parenthood petition. University of Alaska-Anc
UNITED STATES: CDC Says 1.1 Million Americans Infected with HIV: Reuters (10.02.08) - Friday, October 03, 2008; Will Dunham; An estimated 1.1 million Americans were living with HIV at the end of 2006, CDC reported Thursday. The prevalence rate, 447.8 cases per 100,000 population, was based on reports of new HIV infections from 40 states with the best data, AIDS diagnoses and deaths from all 50 states, and extended back-calculation. The numbe
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: Sheryl Lee Ralph, Vincent Hughes Host Sit-In for HIV/AIDS Awareness: Washington Informer (10.02.08) - Thursday, October 02, 2008; Mercia Williams-Murray; More than 50 people gathered on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial Saturday for a sit-in to raise HIV/AIDS awareness and lobby the federal government to focus more resources on fighting the disease. Among the participants, who wore red clothes, were actress and HIV activist Sheryl Lee Ralph and her husband, Pennsylvania
CALIFORNIA: Calabash Art Show: Bay Area Reporter (10.02.08) - Thursday, October 02, 2008; Cynthia Laird; The Sonoma County AIDS food bank Food for Thought is holding its eighth annual fall Calabash fundraising event this Sunday, Oct. 5. This year, 100 artists have donated pieces for auction. The Occidental Arts and Ecology Center is sponsoring the event, which will be held 1-5 p.m. at the organic gardens, 6550 Railroad Av
OHIO: Budget Cuts Will Hurt Ohio Families: Columbus Dispatch (10.01.08) - Thursday, October 02, 2008; Alan Johnson; Mark Niquette; Darrell Rowland; Among the $198.3 million in new state budget cuts announced by Gov. Ted Strickland s office Tuesday, HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment programs were cut by $400,452; abstinence and adoption education programs were cut by $300,000; county mental health agencies lost $10.2 million; and childhood immunization programs rec
FLORIDA: Update Your Sex Education: St. Petersburg Times (09.30.08) - Thursday, October 02, 2008; Molly Arost Staub; Older adults re-entering the dating scene may need a refresher course on how to protect themselves from STDs, according to Dr. Michelle Blodgett. Men may be particularly susceptible [to STDs] if they re dating younger women who have had multiple partners or have used drugs, said Blodgett, director of the Counseling Cen
TENNESSEE: Activist Urges AIDS Tests, Condoms in Shelby County Jail: Commercial Appeal (Memphis) (10.02.08) - Thursday, October 02, 2008; Alex Doniach; At a Shelby County Commission meeting on Wednesday, longtime activist Novella Smith Arnold urged the county Sheriff s Office to allow jail inmates access to condoms and require they be tested for HIV. AIDS is still alive and well, Arnold told the commission s law enforcement committee. It s still coming out of the jail
UNITED STATES: Sexual Risk Behaviors and Sexually Transmitted Infection Prevalence in an Outpatient Psychiatry Clinic: Sexually Transmitted Diseases Vol. 35; No. 10: P. 877-882 (10..08) - Thursday, October 02, 2008; Cynthia King, MD, MPH; Jacqueline Feldman, MD; Yvonne Waithaka, MPH; Inmaaculada Aban, PhD; Jianfang Hu, MS; Sijian Zhang, MS; Edward Hook III, MD; Laura H. Bachmann, MD, MPH; The authors report that almost 3 percent of Americans experience severe and persistent mental illness (SPMI). Behaviors that put these individuals at risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are commonplace, yet few data describe the prevalence of risk behaviors or STIs among persons affected by SPMI. In the curr
UNITED STATES: HIV/AIDS Emerged as Early as 1880s: National Geographic News (10.01.08) - Thursday, October 02, 2008; Amitabh Avasthi; New research suggests that AIDS among humans occurred at least three decades earlier than previously thought. Rapid urbanization in west-central Africa was the turning point that allowed the pandemic to start, said Michael Worobey, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Arizona-Tucson and the study s lead autho
CHINA: HIV Up Sharply Among Women, Gay Men in China: Reuters (10.01.08) - Thursday, October 02, 2008; Tan Ee Lyn; A study of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in China s southwestern Yunnan province shows the virus is spreading from high-risk groups into the wider population. The province borders Laos , Myanmar , and Vietnam and has a long history of opium and heroin trade.
UNITED STATES: HIV Advocates Demand Re-Gaying of Prevention: Gay City News (New York City) (09.25.08) - Thursday, October 02, 2008; Duncan Osborne; Citing CDC data, AIDS advocates are calling for a renewed focus on preventing HIV infections among gay men, by both the government and the gay community itself. New HIV/AIDS diagnoses increased 8.6 percent among men who have sex with men (MSM) during 2001-2006, and MSM was the sole transmission category to increase, CD
CALIFORNIA: California to Cover Cost of Screening for HIV: New York Times (10.02.08) - Thursday, October 02, 2008; Rebecca Cathcart; When Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) on Tuesday signed AB 1894 into law, California came closer than any other state to making HIV testing a routine part of health care, as recommended by CDC in 2006. Authored by Assembly member Paul Krekorian (D), the measure requires private health insurance companies in the state to
UTAH: Conference Topic: Living with AIDS: Deseret News (Salt Lake City) (10.01.08) - Wednesday, October 01, 2008; The 20th annual Living With AIDS Conference will be held on Oct. 18 at the Salt Lake Community College Miller Campus, Room 209, 9750 S. 300 West. The one-day conference is designed for people living with the disease, their family members, caregivers, friends, and AIDS service providers. The event runs from 9 a.m. to 5
NORTH CAROLINA: UNC Charlotte Says Student Has Tuberculosis: Associated Press (10.01.08) - Wednesday, October 01, 2008; University of North Carolina-Charlotte officials are tracking down 45 potential contacts of a student diagnosed with tuberculosis. The infected student lives in private, off- campus housing. The university s health center is urging those persons to come in for a skin test to determine if they need treatment.
CALIFORNIA: TB Testing Recommended at North High: Press Enterprise (Riverside) (09.30.08) - Wednesday, October 01, 2008; Shirin Parsavand; Riverside County Department of Public Health officials are recommending that 150 students and staff at North High School in Riverside be tested for TB following the diagnosis of a student there. The health department is working with school officials to identify those who were in close and prolonged contact with the inf
MAINE: Forum Explores Aging with HIV/AIDS: Bangor Daily News (09.27.08) - Wednesday, October 01, 2008; Meg Haskell; The graying of the HIV/AIDS epidemic and how it is affecting Maine residents was the topic of a half-day conference Friday hosted by the University of Maine Center on Aging and the School of Social Work. The matter becomes more relevant as more HIV/AIDS patients survive into their senior years, thanks to improved treat
CANADA: Incidence of and Risk Factors for Sexual Orientation- Related Physical Assault Among Young Men Who Have Sex with Men: Am Journal of Public Health Vol. 98; No. 6: P. 1028-1035 (06..08) - Wednesday, October 01, 2008; Thomas M. Lampinen, PhD; Keith Chan, MSc; Aranka Anema, MSc; Mary Lou Miller, RN; Arn J. Schilder; Martin T. Schechter, MD, PhD; Robert Stephen Hogg, PhD; Steffanie A. Strathdee, PhD; The researchers completed a prospective open cohort study in Vancouver, British Columbia, in which young men who have sex with men (MSM) were surveyed annually to determine the incidence, prevalence, and risk factors for physical assaults related to the their sexual orientation. Correlates of such assaults before enrol
THAILAND: 'Water Exchange' Method Helps Sex Education in Schools: The Nation (Thailand) (09.22.08) - Wednesday, October 01, 2008; Ten institutions in the Rajabhat University system are training instructors on how to teach sex education in ways that engage students. Teenpath trainees use group activities and dialogue to make teaching the course to high schoolers easier. Water exchange is an activity my secondary students like, said Piyanan Maklohl
CANADA: Unique Maternity Program Takes Care of HIV-Positive Women Having Babies: Canadian Press (09.30.08) - Wednesday, October 01, 2008; Tamsyn Burgmann; The Canadian Pediatric AIDS Research Group reports that 150 to 175 babies are born to HIV-positive mothers in Canada each year. Proper treatment can reduce a mother s chance of transmitting the virus from 30 percent to less than 1 percent. Yet fear of mistreatment drives many infected women to deliver their babies at h
UNITED STATES: A Shot of Bias or Duty? Officials Defend HPV Vaccination Rule as Groups Raise Concerns: Dallas Morning News (09.28.08) - Wednesday, October 01, 2008; Thalia I. Longoria; A requirement by the Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS) that females ages 11-26 seeking permanent residence in the United States be vaccinated against human papillomavirus (HPV) went into effect July 1. The vaccine adds around $375 to the status change fee of $1,410. It is also gender-specific and the only vacc
UNITED STATES: New Institute to Focus on AIDS Vaccine: Reuters (09.30.08) - Wednesday, October 01, 2008; Maggie Fox; On Tuesday, researchers announced that a new HIV vaccine research center will open in California. The $30 million facility is a joint project of the La Jolla, Calif., -based Scripps Research Institute (SRI) and the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI). The world needs an AIDS vaccine to turn the tide on this de
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: The Fight Against AIDS Marches On: Washington Informer (08.14.08) - Tuesday, September 30, 2008; Angela Swinson Lee; AIDS Walk Washington, which benefits the Whitman-Walker Clinic, will be held on Saturday, Oct. 4, at Freedom Plaza. Organizers are hoping for 10,000 participants and have set a fundraising goal of $1.2 million. For more information, visit www.aidswalkwashington.org.
KENTUCKY: 4,000, Along with Some Pets, Walk for AIDS: Courier Journal (Louisville) (09.29.08) - Tuesday, September 30, 2008; Andrew Wolfson; Sunday s 16th annual Louisville AIDS Walk drew more than 4,000 participants, some of whom brought their animal companions, and raised $178,000. The money, up by about $8,000 from last year s walk, will support a range of services for HIV/AIDS patients, including housing, food, medication co-pays, counseling, and legal
CALIFORNIA: TB Case Reported at College Campus: San Diego Union-Tribune (09.28.08) - Tuesday, September 30, 2008; Officials of the San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency report that a student at Southwestern College s Higher Education Center in National City has been diagnosed with tuberculosis. The student attended classes during the summer and fall of this year. The college has notified about 75 students and faculty w
INDIANA: HIV/AIDS and the Black Church: Indianapolis Recorder (08.08.08) - Tuesday, September 30, 2008; Meghann Estrada; Several groups in Indianapolis are working to involve the black church more deeply in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Kimberly Wells said the Bridging the Gap Project she directs is a health initiative that works in minority communities using a three-pronged strategy of awareness, application, and advocacy to provide HIV/A
WASHINGTON: Central Valley Considers New Sex Ed Plan: Spokesman-Review (09.25.08) - Tuesday, September 30, 2008; Nina Culver; On Monday, Central Valley s School Board discussed a plan to remove a lesson from a proposed new sex education curriculum that would have provided detailed instruction on condom use. The move followed vocal parental opposition to the lessons at the board s May and June meetings. Central Valley has long taught abstinenc
UNITED STATES: Virginity Pledges Among the Willing: Delays in First Intercourse and Consistency of Condom Use: Journal of Adolescent Health Vol. 43; No. 4 P. 341-348 (09..08) - Tuesday, September 30, 2008; Steven C. Martino, PhD; Marc N. Elliott, PhD; Rebecca L. Collins, PhD; David E. Kanouse, PhD; Sandra H. Berry, MA; The authors sought to examine longitudinal relationships between virginity pledging in adolescence and both sexual initiation and condom use. Previous studies showed mixed results and may not adequately control for pre-pledge differences between pledgers and non-pledgers, they noted. Data from a national sample of 12-
AFRICA: Africa a Challenge in Fighting HIV/AIDS: Business Day (South Africa) (09.29.08) - Tuesday, September 30, 2008; Judy Gilmour; In October 2005, the US President s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief tapped PHD, a division of Fuel Logistics Group, to ensure the quality and supply of antiretrovirals and other medicine for 18 African countries. The task can be complex, said Dr. Iain Barton, PHD s CEO. Besides a lack of infrastructure, there are restra
CANADA: Dispute Over Anti-Syphilis Campaign Blamed for Departure of Public Health Doctors: Canadian Press (09.29.08) - Tuesday, September 30, 2008; Jim MacDonald; Brian Mason, leader of the New Democratic Party, says political interference is likely to blame for the departure last spring of three of Alberta s top public health officials. At least one of the doctors resigned because the deputy minister scrapped plans for a broad public awareness campaign targeting syphilis, Mason
GEORGIA: Georgia Budget Cuts May Impact Federal AIDS Funding: Southern Voice (Atlanta) (09.26.08) - Tuesday, September 30, 2008; Ryan Lee; State budget cuts Gov. Sonny Perdue ordered last month could jeopardize federal Ryan White AIDS funding next year, say patient advocates and Department of Human Resources (DHR) employees. To cover a $1.6 billion shortfall in state revenues, Perdue asked all agencies to plan budgets envisioning cuts of 6 percent, 8 perc
UNITED STATES: US Eases Visa Rules for HIV-Positive Visitors: Agence France Presse (09.29.08) - Tuesday, September 30, 2008; On Monday, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said it will ease and speed up visa processing for HIV-positive visitors to the United States . The announcement comes months after President Bush signed legislation lifting a 21-year ban on travel to the United States by people with HIV/AIDS. Previously, only those
CANADA: HPV Decision Puts Girls at Risk: Health Minister: Edmonton Journal (09.27.08) - Monday, September 29, 2008; The decision by Calgary Catholic School District trustees not to allow public health workers to administer the human papillomavirus vaccination in its schools has drawn criticism from Alberta s health minister. The Catholic school trustees and [Bishop] Fred Henry have to answer to their parents as to why they made this
UNITED STATES: Congress Sends Bush Tuberculosis Elimination Bill: Associated Press (09.26.08) - Monday, September 29, 2008; A bill awaiting action by President Bush would authorize $1.7 billion over five years to fund grants for TB-related projects at CDC. Rep. Gene Green (D-Texas) introduced the bill in the House; he said it uses a three-prong strategy recommended by the Institute of Medicine. The Senate gave voice-vote approval to the bil
UNITED NATIONS: Anti-Poverty Summit Raises $16 Billion: UN Chief: Agence France Presse (09.26.08) - Monday, September 29, 2008; Gerard Aziakou; On Thursday at the close of a one-day summit called to review progress on the Millennium Development Goals, UN Secretary- General Ban Ki-moon announced, We have full commitment from many countries in pledges to help the world s poor, around the $16 billion mark. This is exactly the kind of broad, global coalition we ne
MICHIGAN: Young, Black, Gay and Vulnerable: Detroit Free Press (09.24.08) - Monday, September 29, 2008; Desiree Cooper; Gay African-American males ages 13-24 comprise 17 percent of total HIV/AIDS cases in Detroit, according to the Michigan Department of Community Health. Over the past decade, HIV infection rates have been rising among this demographic while declining for most others. Launched two years ago, the Real Enough 2 Change (R.E
MINNESOTA: Hopkins High Won't Open Teen Clinic: Star Tribune (09.17.08) - Monday, September 29, 2008; Aimee Blanchette; A planned satellite office of the West Suburban Teen Clinic (WSTC) at Hopkins High School has been indefinitely postponed. The clinic, offering contraception and STD testing, would have been the first of its kind in a suburban Minnesota school. District staff proposed opening the branch in May following the results of
BOTSWANA: The Impact of Universal Access to Antiretroviral Therapy on HIV Stigma in Botswana: Am Journal of Public Health Vol. 98; No. 10: P. 1865-1871 (09..08) - Monday, September 29, 2008; William R. Wolfe, MD; Sheri D. Weiser, MD, MPH; Karen Leiter, JD, MPH; Wayne T. Steward, PhD, MPH; Fiona Percy-de Korte, DPH; Nthabiseng Phaladze, PhD; Vincent Iacopino, MD, PhD; Michele Heisler, MD, MPH; In the current study, the researchers sought to examine the impact of treatment access on HIV stigma in Botswana three years after the introduction of a national universal antiretroviral treatment program. Prevalence and correlates of HIV stigma were studied using a population-based survey of 1,268 adults in 2004. Mult
SOUTH AFRICA: South Africa's Removal of Health Minister Praised: Associated Press (09.26.08) - Monday, September 29, 2008; Clare Nullis; Within hours of taking office, new South African President Kgalema Motlanthe announced Thursday that Manto Tshabalala- Msimang would no longer serve as health minister. On Friday, AIDS activists hailed the decision, saying Tshabalala-Msimang caused hundreds of thousands of South African AIDS patients to die unnecessari
CALIFORNIA: Cost Versus Coverage; Schwarzenegger Weighs 10 Bills to Expand Health Insurance: Los Angeles Times (09.29.08) - Monday, September 29, 2008; Jordan Rau; Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is considering 10 bills that would expand what health insurers are required to cover in California. The measures would require insurers to pay for HIV tests for people without symptoms of the infection; human papillomavirus testing; maternity services; mental health disorders; cleft palate de
INDIANA: 2006 Estimate: 639 New HIV Infections: Indianapolis Star (09.22.08) - Monday, September 29, 2008; Shari Rudavsky; CDC s latest estimates of disease incidence, including people who may not know they are infected, show Indiana had 639 new HIV cases in 2006. Previously, the Indiana State Department of Health only knew how many people were diagnosed with HIV/AIDS each year. The purpose of this [new estimate] is to tell us where this e
UNITED STATES: Ranbaxy AIDS Drugs Won't Be Funded by US After FDA Inspection: Bloomberg News (09.25.08) - Monday, September 29, 2008; Justin Blum; On Wednesday, the President s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) said an import alert affects three AIDS drugs used in the overseas program. Citing violations at two manufacturing plants, the Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) on Sept. 16 blocked from the US market more than 30 generic drugs made by India s phar
GREECE: Tuberculosis Hits 34 North Korean Seamen in Greece: Associated Press (09.26.08) - Friday, September 26, 2008; In Piraeus, Greece s main port, the North Korean freighter Rakwon 2 has been quarantined because all 34 seamen aboard have been diagnosed with TB. According to a statement by the Merchant Marine Ministry, the ship arrived in January to undergo repairs. It had completed a second trial for seaworthiness when one seaman w
SOUTH AFRICA: South Africa's Controversial Health Minister Out: Associated Press (09.25.08) - Friday, September 26, 2008; South Africa s new president, Kgalema Motlanthe, was inaugurated Thursday and quickly set about naming a cabinet, which included the reassignment of Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang as a minister in the presidency. Tshabalala-Msimang has long been criticized for publicly doubting the efficacy of antiretroviral
FLORIDA: Outreach Workers Battle AIDS Denial on St. Lucie Streets: Scripps Treasure Coast Newspaper (09.25.08) - Friday, September 26, 2008; Hillary Copsey; A year ago, statistics showed St. Lucie County had the highest HIV rate in Florida for black women and the sixth-highest for white women. But as HIV prevention outreach staff from In the Image of Christ work on the streets at night, offering condoms and free oral swab HIV screening to residents, they hear a lot of deni
NEW HAMPSHIRE: An AIDS Organization in Gilsum Says Town Restrictions Are Unlawful: Keene Sentinel (09.24.08) - Friday, September 26, 2008; Casey Farrar; In a lawsuit being filed in Cheshire County Superior Court, AIDS Services for the Monadnock Region (ASMR) alleges that Gilsum town officials violated the state Constitution by restricting who may reside at a group home for people living with HIV/AIDS or chronic illness, or in recovery from substance abuse. After almost
KENYA: Using Mass Media Campaigns to Promote Voluntary Counseling and HIV Testing Services in Kenya: AIDS Vol. 22; No. 15: P. 2019-2024 (09..08) - Friday, September 26, 2008; Elizabeth Marum; Gwendolyn Morgan; Allen Hightower; Carol Ngare; Miriam Taegtmeyer; Kenya has rapidly scaled up its voluntary HIV counseling and testing (VCT) services, from three sites in 2000 to 585 by June 2005. Beginning in 2002, these services were promoted by a four-phase, professionally designed mass media campaign. In the current study, the authors sought to assess the impact of this campaig
CANADA: Calgary Catholic Board Rejects Cervical Cancer Precaution: Edmonton Journal (09.26.08) - Friday, September 26, 2008; Michelle Lang, Calgary Herald; Citing religions concerns, Calgary Catholic School District trustees voted on Wednesday not to participate in Alberta s new province-wide, school-based program to inoculate fifth- grade girls against human papillomavirus (HPV). The district s student population is about 44,000, including 3,460 pupils in fifth grade, ma
CHINA: China AIDS Survey Finds High Levels of Ignorance, Stigma: Deutsche Presse-Agentur (09.26.08) - Friday, September 26, 2008; UNAIDS on Friday released results of a survey of mostly young Chinese showing that many do not understand how HIV is transmitted, while stigma against those with the disease remains widespread. Among 6,000 people surveyed in six cities, more than 48 percent believed HIV can be transmitted by mosquitoes, and 83 percen
TEXAS: Emergency HIV Prescription Information for Hurricane Evacuees: The Tribune (Humble) (09.24.08) - Friday, September 26, 2008; In the aftermath of Hurricane Ike, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has activated the Emergency Prescription Assistance Program to assist evacuees in 42 storm-affected Texas counties. EPAP will provide a one-time, 30-day supply of drugs to treat acute conditions and will replace maintenance prescription drugs or
NORTH CAROLINA: All N.C. Prisoners to Be Tested for HIV: News and Observer (Raleigh NC) (09.25.08) - Friday, September 26, 2008; Mandy Locke; Beginning Nov. 1, HIV testing will become a routine part of both intake screening and annual physical exams for all North Carolina prison inmates. Prisoners will have the option to refuse the test, however. Dr. Peter Leone, medical director of the HIV/STD Prevention and Care Branch of the N.C. Division of Public Health
ILLINOIS: AIDS Walk Raises More than $400,000: Chicago Free Press (09.25.08) - Thursday, September 25, 2008; Matt Simonette; Last Saturday s 2008 AIDS Run and Walk benefiting the AIDS Foundation of Chicago raised approximately $400,000, said AFC spokesperson Maude Carroll, adding that officials are still tabulating the returns. More than 7,000 people participated in the event, including elected officials and community leaders.
FLORIDA: Free HIV Tests Being Offered on Sept. 27: Scripps Treasure Coast Newspap (09.24.08) - Thursday, September 25, 2008; A health fair this Saturday will offer free HIV testing and other health screenings from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Good News Baptist Missionary Church, Avenue E and Ninth Street, in Fort Pierce. The fair is being sponsored by the Afro-American Ministers Council. The testing will be performed by the St. Lucie County Health D
SOUTH CAROLINA: Fort Mill Church Hosts HIV Awareness Event Saturday: Fort Mill Times (09.24.08) - Thursday, September 25, 2008; Jonathan Allen; Two area HIV/AIDS organizations, the Metrolina AIDS Project and the Catawba Care Coalition, are partnering together to raise awareness of the disease at an event this Saturday. The outreach targets the Paradise community and will be held from noon to 3 p.m. at the Bethlehem Baptist Church, 601 Joe Louis St., Fort Mill.
CALIFORNIA: Health Cuts Rejected: Fresno Bee (09.24.08) - Thursday, September 25, 2008; Barbara Anderson; Fresno County supervisors on Tuesday rejected a budget proposal that included closing an AIDS clinic, citing the burden it would cause to other agencies. The cuts, proposed by county Public Health Officer Dr. Edward Moreno, were suggested as a way to help slash $2 million from the county s Department of Public Health b
CHINA: Saving 'Face' and 'Othering': Getting to the Root of Barriers to Condom Use Among Chinese Female Sex Workers: Sexual Health Vol. 5; No. 3: P. 291-298 (08..08) - Thursday, September 25, 2008; Jenifer Chapman; Claudia S. Estcourt; Zhou Hua; Sexual transmission of HIV between female sex workers (FSW) and clients accounts for a growing proportion of new infections in China , whose HIV epidemic is among the world s most rapidly expanding. Successful HIV prevention relies on the delivery of relevant, culturally appropriate messages to influence behavior chang
SOUTH AFRICA: TB Patients 'Need AIDS Drugs Early': Business Day (South Africa) (09.18.08) - Thursday, September 25, 2008; Tamar Kahn; HIV-positive TB patients have a much better chance of survival when placed on antiretroviral therapy earlier, researchers recently reported. Due to growing concerns about TB drug resistance, patients are usually treated for TB immediately, then given ARVs months later. TB is the most common opportunistic infection for
ASIA-PACIFIC: WHO Identifies Diseases, Warming as Asia-Pacific Health Challenges: Deutsche Presse-Agentur (09.25.08) - Thursday, September 25, 2008; John Grafilo; At meeting of the World Health Organization s Regional Committee in Manila this week, the outgoing regional director of WHO s Western Pacific Office enumerated the health issues facing the Asia-Pacific region. We have many challenges in the years to come, said Shigeru Omi. In addition to the unfinished agenda of commun
SOUTH CAROLINA: Teen Pregnancy Rates Up in South Carolina After Decade Decline: Associated Press (09.15.08) - Thursday, September 25, 2008; Jeffrey Collins; South Carolina s teen pregnancy rate climbed throughout 2004- 2006, after nearly unbroken declines from 1994 to 2003, according to the state Department of Health and Environmental Control. Groups that work with adolescents say the data point to the need for abstinence education and age-appropriate lessons about contrac
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: D.C. Aims to Publicize City's HIV/AIDS Epidemic: Washington Post (09.24.08) - Thursday, September 25, 2008; Petula Dvorak; In the District of Columbia, where an advocacy group s latest report lists much work to be done in the fight against HIV, Mayor Adrian M. Fenty on Wednesday announced a large-scale social marketing campaign to help curb the AIDS epidemic s impact. The report by the DC Appleseed Center for Law and Justice credits the ci
CALIFORNIA: California Slashes HIV/AIDS Prevention Funding in New Budget: Advocate (09.24.08) - Thursday, September 25, 2008; On Tuesday, the 85th day of the current fiscal year, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed California s $143 billion budget. Before signing it, the governor sliced $510 million from the spending plan. Two programs called vital by AIDS activists were spared cuts: the AIDS Drug Assistance Program and the Therapeutic Monitori
MASSACHUSETTS: Gloucester's Pregnancy Draft Policy Released: Associated Press (09.24.08) - Wednesday, September 24, 2008; In response to a dramatic increase in teen pregnancies, Gloucester Public Schools on Tuesday released a draft proposal to offer an abstinence-based, comprehensive sex education curriculum and to maintain school-based child care services. Three options are also up for discussion at Wednesday s School Committee meeting c
CALIFORNIA: Casino Worker Diagnosed with TB: Desert Sun (Palm Springs) (09.21.08) - Wednesday, September 24, 2008; A worker at the Spa Resort Casino Palm Springs, 401 E. Amado Road, has been diagnosed with TB, the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians said Saturday. Riverside County Department of Public Health officials say the risk of transmission to others is low. The employee is currently on leave and undergoing treatment, said
NEW YORK: At UN, Protesters Target Iran on Rights: Washington Post (09.24.08) - Wednesday, September 24, 2008; Nora Boustany; In New York on Monday, a day before Iran s president was to speak at the UN, human rights advocates protested Iran s deteriorating rights record, including its detention in late June of two physicians working to prevent HIV. Brothers Arash and Kamiar Alaei have been arrested and held without charge virtually incommunic
BRAZIL: Adherence to Antiretroviral Therapy for Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Among Drug Users: A Systematic Review: Addiction Vol. 103; No. 8: P. 1242-1257 - Wednesday, September 24, 2008; (08..08)::Monica Malta; Steffanie A. Strathdee; Monica M.F. Magnanini; Francisco I. Bastos; To identify factors associated with non-adherence to HIV treatment among HIV-positive drug users (DU), the researchers concluded a systematic review of studies assessing adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) among this population. Seven electronic databases were searched for peer- reviewed papers pu
UNITED KINGDOM: Blocking Transmission: The Engineer (London) (09.22.08) - Wednesday, September 24, 2008; A new nipple shield capable of disinfecting breast milk as it passes through holds hope for preventing mother-to-baby HIV transmission, researchers say. The device is the result of work begun at the International Design Development Summit last August at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Stephen Gerrard, a Cambridg
AUSTRALIA: Hepatitis C Sufferers Miss Out on Treatment: The Age (Melbourne) (09.24.08) - Wednesday, September 24, 2008; Julia Medew; New figures from the National Center in HIV Epidemiology and Clinical Research in Sydney show that more than 98 percent of the 200,000 Australians living with hepatitis C did not receive treatment last year. Just 3,539 Australians with the infection accessed treatment in 2007. In contrast, around 65 percent of the esti
KENYA: Kenyan MPs Admit to Circumcision: BBC (09.23.08) - Wednesday, September 24, 2008; Muliro Telewa; In the western Kenyan city of Kisumu on Monday, three government ministers and a member of parliament revealed they had undergone male circumcision. Five additional MPs announced their intention to have the procedure - all part of an effort to promote the practice, which research has shown cuts the risk of female-to-ma
GLOBAL: One out of Five Injecting Drug Users Worldwide Believed to Be HIV-Positive: Reuters Health (09.23.08) - Wednesday, September 24, 2008; New estimates by an international panel of experts calculate that nearly 16 million people in the world are injection drug users (IDUs), and about 20 percent of them are believed to be HIV-positive. The researchers, Dr. Bradley M. Mathers of the University of New South Wales and colleagues from the 2007 Reference Group
KENTUCKY: No More Abstinence Education?: Lexington Herald-Leader (09.16.08) - Wednesday, September 24, 2008; Mary Meehan; A coalition of six organizations is urging Kentucky to forego $820,000 annually in federal abstinence-only funds, saying the sex education programs are fear-based, promote gender stereotypes, and are ineffective. The groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and Planned Parenthood of Kentucky, advocat
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: Report Faults District's HIV/AIDS Awareness: Washington Post (09.24.08) - Wednesday, September 24, 2008; Petula Dvorak; A new report by the DC Appleseed Center for Law and Justice says that while the District government has made progress in tackling the HIV/AIDS epidemic, it must do more to raise public awareness of the problem. It is the fourth report the prominent advocacy group has released since it began tracking the District s HIV/
NEW YORK: AIDS Council Receives $89,435 for Education: Times Union (Albany, N.Y.) (09.19.08) - Tuesday, September 23, 2008; Cathleen F. Crowley; The US Department of Justice has announced it is providing $89,435 for the AIDS Council of Northeastern New York in Albany. The group will use the funds to expand its HIV and STD education messages targeting youths in Columbia, Essex, Greene, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Warren, and Washington counties. Through a campaign uti
CHINA: China Warns of Tougher Punishment for Bad Blood: Associated Press (09.23.08) - Tuesday, September 23, 2008; Thousands of people in China became infected with HIV in the 1990s through unsanitary blood-buying schemes backed by the government, a scandal that led to increased control of the blood trade. Today in Beijing, stricter penalties were announced for those whose violation of the policies results in illness. According to
ZIMBABWE: Zimbabwe AIDS Activists Say Food Now More Critical than Drugs: Voice of America (09.22.08) - Tuesday, September 23, 2008; Carole Gombakomba; The National Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS is calling on Zimbabwe s government and central bank to provide food for its 120,000 members through the government s Basic Commodity Supply Side Intervention program. The Ministry of Health said it is trying to increase the supply of antiretrovirals to people with HI
NEW YORK: Clinic on Wheels Called a Success: Buffalo News (09.22.08) - Tuesday, September 23, 2008; Sandra Tan; A mass hepatitis A vaccination effort in Amherst on Sept. 13 is considered a public health success on two fronts: It provided a public service, and it showed that a drive-through emergency response program using real patients and real vaccine could work on a large scale. In all, 1,385 people received hepatitis A vaccin
CANADA: At-Risk Girls from Poor Areas Are Twice as Likely to Have Sex in Early Teens: Hamilton Spectator (09.17.08) - Tuesday, September 23, 2008; Jessica Murphy; A new study finds that young girls who have a history of behavioral problems and live in poor neighborhoods are twice as likely as their peers to have sex in early adolescence. Researchers cited peer characteristics, deviant peers and older male friends, as partly accounting for early sexual debut. The results suggest
SOUTH KOREA: Sexual Assaults in Schools on Steady Rise: Korea Times (09.22.08) - Tuesday, September 23, 2008; Bae Ji-sook; Government data show that sexual assaults in elementary, middle and high schools increased by 43 percent from 2006 to 2007 in South Korea . Last year, the number of assaults reached 67, according to data submitted by Rep. Kim Choon-jin of the Democratic Party to the National Assembly.
CANADA: Winnipeg Private Schools Opting Not to Vaccinate Girls Against HPV: Canadian Press (09.17.08) - Tuesday, September 23, 2008; Jen Skerritt; Ahead of the start of a school-based human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination program in Winnipeg, at least four private schools have notified health officials they will not vaccinate sixth-grade girls against the STD. The province s $10.8 million (US $10.4 million) program is set to begin the first week of October. The
CANADA: Backers of British Columbia's Drug-Injection Site Condemn Tories for Not Expanding Program: Canadian Press (09.22.08) - Tuesday, September 23, 2008; Steve Mertl; On Monday, North America s only supervised injection site marked its fifth year operating in Vancouver s Downtown Eastside neighborhood. Its supporters, including AIDS researchers and physicians, say Canada s federal government is ignoring Insite s proven benefits for ideological reasons. A court battle is underway to
CANADA: AIDS Drugs Flow After Four-Year Mess: Toronto Star (09.23.08) - Tuesday, September 23, 2008; Tanya Talaga; Four years after Canada passed legislation intended to speed poor nations access to cheap generic drugs for AIDS and other deadly diseases, AIDS drugs are finally bound for Rwanda . But the Canadian manufacturer of the drugs, Apotex Inc., says the law complicates the process unnecessarily, and it does not plan to parti
UNITED STATES: Administration Urged to End HIV Travel Ban: Associated Press (09.20.08) - Tuesday, September 23, 2008; Jim Abrams; On July 30, President Bush reversed a 15-year-old ban on travel into the United States by people with HIV/AIDS. But before the statutory ban can effectively be ended, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must write a new rule, submit it for public comment, and finalize it. Lawmakers and advocacy groups who
LOUISIANA: NO/AIDS Walk: Times-Picayune (New Orleans) (09.18.08) - Monday, September 22, 2008; Sunday, Sept. 28, is the date for the 19th annual NO/AIDS Walk at Audubon Park. The sponsor, NO/AIDS Task Force, hopes to raise $200,000. For more information, visit www.noaidstaskforce.org or telephone 504-821-2601 ext. 218.
CHINA: 121 More HIV Cases Found in Hong Kong: Xinhua (09.16.08) - Monday, September 22, 2008; In the second quarter of this year, 121 new HIV cases were diagnosed in Hong Kong , according to the Department of Health. The routes of transmission were heterosexual exposure, 33 cases; same-sex exposure, 33; exposure through drug injection, nine; exposure through blood or blood product infusion, two; undetermined ex
PAPUA NEW GUINEA: Consumer Pressures Raise PNG AIDS Rate: Australian Associated Press (09.19.08) - Monday, September 22, 2008; At the recent AIDS conference in Lae, Papua New Guinea , an expert reported that more than 70 percent of the nation s young women are engaging in secret, casual sex due to consumer pressures. The women, said Charles Pepe of the Marobe Province AIDS Council, are enjoying the pleasures of easy money and ignoring the ris
ZIMBABWE: Months of Crisis and Economic Collapse Raise HIV Risk to Zimbabwean Youth: Voice of America (09.15.08) - Monday, September 22, 2008; Carole Gombakomba; Zimbabwe s spiral of economic and social disintegration has left the country s young people especially vulnerable to HIV, and experts point to this as a particular problem for the new national unity government. A 2007 study conducted by the University of Zimbabwe and international researchers found that one in four Zim
OHIO: More Money Key to Preventing AIDS, Advocates Say: Plain Dealer (Cleveland, O.H.) (09.17.08) - Monday, September 22, 2008; Angela Townsend; Cleveland HIV/AIDS advocates echo the remarks of national health leaders who told a House subcommittee on Sept. 16 that the fight against the disease needs more funding. The programs that desperately need funding aren t getting the necessary resources that they need, said Earl Pike, executive director of the AIDS Taskf
OREGON: Benton County Sex Health Program Cut Back: Associated Press (09.20.08) - Monday, September 22, 2008; A loss in federal funding means a popular sexual health outreach program geared toward men will scale back this fall. Male Advocates for Responsible Sexuality (MARS) pairs college-age male interns with groups and individuals to discuss topics like abstinence and healthy relationships. The program was created through Be
UNITED STATES: Same-Sex Attraction Disclosure to Health Care Providers Among New York City Men Who Have Sex with Men: Archives of Internal Medicine Vol. 168; No. 13: P. 1458-1464 (07.14.08) - Monday, September 22, 2008; Kyle T. Bernstein, PhD, ScM; Kai-Lih Liu, PhD; Elizabeth M. Begier, MD, MPH; Beryl Koblin, PhD; Adam Karpati, MD, MPH, Christopher Murrill, PhD, MPH; Though CDC recommends that men who have sex with men (MSM) undergo at least annual HIV screening, a large number of HIV infections among this population go undetected, explained researchers in the current study. They sought to examine the association between disclosing to their medical providers (e.g., physicians, nurs
AUSTRALIA: Chlamydia Wiped Out in 20 Years: Australian Associated Press (09.19.08) - Monday, September 22, 2008; Tamara McLean; New mathematical modeling suggests that a vaccine to prevent chlamydia could eliminate the STD within two decades, researchers reported at the Australasian Sexual Health Conference 2008 in Perth. While scientists have been unsuccessful in developing such a vaccine, even an imperfect one could dramatically lower chlamyd
CHINA: Cervical Cancer Test Poised to Be a Boon in Developing World: Agence France Presse (09.21.08) - Monday, September 22, 2008; An affordable and simple test for 14 high-risk strains of human papillomavirus (HPV) was highly accurate in a trial in rural China , researchers reported Sunday. Routine cervical cancer screening has cut mortality from the disease in advanced industrial nations by 50-80 percent. However, the sophisticated laboratory eq
GLOBAL: Global Financial Crisis May Hurt UN Poverty Fight: Associated Press (09.22.08) - Monday, September 22, 2008; Edith M. Lederer; On Monday, 34 heads of state and 11 heads of government will meet in New York for a high-level UN session on African development, while UN officials warn the slowing global economy and US financial meltdown threaten to sap development efforts. Last week, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he worried the treacherous
CALIFORNIA: Insurers Will Pay for HIV Screening if Governor Signs Bill: SanFernando Valley Business J (09.15.08) - Monday, September 22, 2008; Nadra Kareem; Late last month, the California Legislature passed AB 1894, landmark legislation that would require health insurers in the state to cover routine HIV testing. If signed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, it would become the first law of its kind in the nation. AB 1894 was introduced by Assembly member Paul Krekorian and is
NEW YORK: AIDSWalk 2008 Set for Sept. 28: Times Union (Albany, N.Y.) (09.18.08) - Friday, September 19, 2008; AIDSWalk 2008, sponsored by the Community AIDS Partnership of the Capital Region to raise funds for local AIDS agencies, will take place at Washington Park in Albany on Sunday, Sept. 28, beginning at 2 p.m. Panels from the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt will be on display, and entertainment, food and drink will be p
SOUTH DAKOTA: State Tracks TB Cases: Associated Press (09.13.08) - Friday, September 19, 2008; South Dakota is seeing a small increase in TB cases this year, according to the state Health Department. Ten cases have been diagnosed so far in 2008, compared to 13 for all of 2007 and the 10-year average of 16. This year s case count includes six people diagnosed in one extended Sioux Falls family.
CHINA: UNAIDS Honors China Basketball Icon Yao Ming, Others for AIDS Work: Xinhua (09.17.08) - Friday, September 19, 2008; In a ceremony Wednesday at Beijing s Tshinghua University, Dr. Peter Piot bestowed the UNAIDS Award for Outstanding Contributions to the AIDS Response upon three individuals. Houston Rockets center Yao Ming was honored for his public efforts to counteract discrimination against those with AIDS. Also recognized were Ser
CHINA: China Should Compensate HIV-Hit Blood Donors: UN Official: Agence France Presse (09.18.08) - Friday, September 19, 2008; UNAIDS chief Dr. Peter Piot on Thursday urged China s government to compensate the thousands of people who became infected with HIV through a government-backed blood-buying program. Many of the 40,000 HIV patients in Henan, one of the provinces hit hardest by the virus, became infected in the late 1990s through the u
GEORGIA: Gwinnett County: TB Cases Climb to No. 2 Spot in Georgia: Atlanta Journal-Constitution (09.18.08) - Friday, September 19, 2008; Gracie Bond Staples; Gwinnett County is seeing a spike in TB cases so far this year, said Vernon Goins, public information officer for the East Metro Health District, which includes Gwinnett, Newton, and Rockdale counties. The increase has already drained the agency s resources, he said. Gwinnett has logged 61 confirmed TB cases so far thi
GEORGIA: AIDS Survival Project to Close at Year's End: Southern Voice (Atlanta) (09.19.08) - Friday, September 19, 2008; Laura Douglas-Brown; The member-based, peer-led information and support group AIDS Survival Project announced this week it will cease the majority of its services by year s end due to flagging financial support. After months of discussion, the board for Atlanta s second-oldest HIV organization on Aug. 14 voted unanimously to close responsi
UNITED STATES: Researchers Pan Abstinence-Only Sex Education: United Press International (09.17.08) - Friday, September 19, 2008; Studies published in a special edition of Sexuality Research & Social Policy enumerate numerous problems with abstinence-only sex education. Abstinence-only programs have a broad variety of problems with accuracy, efficacy, and ethics, said a statement by Dr. John S. Santelli of Columbia University s Mailman School
MALAWI: Malawi Beauty Salons Part of Reproductive Health Strategy: Voice of America (09.15.08) - Friday, September 19, 2008; Lameck Masina; In conservative Malawi , women generally defer to men on whether to use condoms to prevent pregnancy and STDs. But a new program aims to educate women about female condoms as a way to prevent the spread of HIV and give them more control over their reproductive health. The effort is run by the UN Population Fund and the
AUSTRALIA: Warning on AIDS in Asia-Pacific: The Age (Melbourne) (09.18.08) - Friday, September 19, 2008; Julia Medew; Australia must be involved in preventing HIV in the Asia- Pacific region or risk a worsening epidemic knocking on its door, according to the head of the Red Cross global HIV program. A recently reported cluster of HIV infections acquired by heterosexual Australian men during brief visits to
UNITED STATES: TV Shows Also Send Health Message; Grey's Study Shows People Remember Info: USA Today (09.17.08) - Friday, September 19, 2008; Mary Brophy Marcus; A study released Tuesday by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that people who watch the top-rated medical drama Grey s Anatomy remember health messages featured in episodes. Experts at Kaiser worked with Grey s Anatomy scriptwriters to plant HIV/AIDS information into an episode that aired in May. In that story, a brok
UNITED STATES: Hepatitis B Plan Seeks to Aid High-Risk Groups: San Francisco Chronicle (09.19.08) - Friday, September 19, 2008; Elizabeth Fernandez; New CDC guidelines released Thursday recommend hepatitis B virus (HBV) testing for all US residents who were born in Asia or Africa, as well as for injection drug users and men who have sex with men. There are better treatments available than ever before, said Dr. John W. Ward, director of CDC s division of viral hepat
ILLINOIS: AIDS Run & Walk Aims for $500,000: Chicago Free Press (08.27.08) - Thursday, September 18, 2008; Matt Simonette; The AIDS Foundation of Chicago is holding its AIDS Run & Walk Chicago 2008 to raise money for AFC and 100 other community- based organizations on Saturday, Sept. 20, in Grant Park. Since 2001, the event has raised more than $1.3 million, and organizers hope to raise $500,000 this year. A Health & Fitness Villag
NEW YORK: New York Measured in Numbers: New York Times (09.18.08) - Thursday, September 18, 2008; Fernanda Santos; On Wednesday, New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg s office released the annual Mayor s Management Report for fiscal year 2008, which showed among other items that the city doubled the number of condoms it distributed compared with FY2007. There were 3,305 new adult AIDS cases diagnosed in New York in FY2008, amounting
CALIFORNIA: Complementary Health Agency Set to Receive Help: Bay Area Reporter (09.18.08) - Thursday, September 18, 2008; Seth Hemmelgarn; The Immune Enhancement Project (IEP), a nonprofit that provides services including acupuncture and therapeutic massage to people with AIDS and other conditions, announced on Sept. 12 that it would close by the end of the month. Now, city officials say they are evaluating ways to help the agency. IEP s budget for this f
UNITED STATES: HPV Knowledge Among HPV+ Women: Amer J of Health Behavior Vol. 32; No. 5: P. 477-487 (09.10.08) - Thursday, September 18, 2008; Ellen M. Daley, MPH, PhD; Karen M. Perrin, RN, MPH, PhD; Cheryl Vamos, MPH; Candace Webb, MPH, CHES; Trish Mueller, MPH; Jennifer L. Packing-Ebuen, MA, MPH; Holly L. Rayko, MA, MPH; Mary McFarlane, PhD; Robert J. McDermott, PhD, FAAHB; The goal of the current study was to assess knowledge and information seeking among women recently diagnosed with human papillomavirus (HPV). A two-phase mixed methods design was employed. In both phase I (qualitative) and phase II (quantitative), women with scheduled gynecological exams and Pap smears at clinic sites
CANADA: Report Urges Long-Term Funding for HPV Vaccine: Toronto Star (09.17.08) - Thursday, September 18, 2008; Donovan Vincent; Toronto Public Health is recommending that city board of health officials urge the province to provide longer-term funding for a program to vaccinate eighth-grade girls against human papillomavirus (HPV). A report detailing that and other recommendations will be submitted to the board s Thursday meeting at city hall.
BRAZIL: Brazil to Make Generic Version of Key AIDS Drug: Reuters (09.17.08) - Thursday, September 18, 2008; On Wednesday, Brazil announced it will begin producing a generic version of the AIDS drug efavirenz , a key medicine in the country s free HIV/AIDS treatment program. The locally made version is expected to be approved and ready for use in the program by early next year, Health Minister Jose Temporao said at a press co
AUSTRALIA: Australian Mining Boom Linked to HIV Spike: Reuters (09.17.08) - Thursday, September 18, 2008; Michael Perry; A new report by the National Center in HIV Epidemiology and Clinical Research in Sydney shows Australia s HIV infection rates jumped by nearly 50 percent in the past eight years. While men who have sex with men still account for the majority of new infections, cases are growing rapidly among heterosexual men in the cou
UNITED STATES: HIV/AIDS Ad Campaign Sends Message to Hispanics: Miami Herald (09.18.08) - Thursday, September 18, 2008; Erika Beras; At today s opening session of the 2008 US Conference on AIDS in Fort Lauderdale, an ad campaign aiming to raise HIV/AIDS awareness in the Hispanic community will debut. The public service announcements feature personal stories of Hispanics living with the disease and those who love them. They were created by Univisi�n
UNITED STATES: Officials Call HIV Epidemic a Crisis: Los Angeles Times (09.17.08) - Thursday, September 18, 2008; Cynthia Dizikes; African Americans, Latinos, and men who have sex with men (MSM) are the groups hit hardest by the US HIV epidemic, and more must be done to protect and educate them about the virus, the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform was told on Tuesday. We need to do so much more than we re doing right now, said Dr
CANADA: Walk for Life on Sept. 21 to Benefit AIDS Saint John: Telegraph-Journal (New Brunswi (08.28.08) - Wednesday, September 17, 2008; The 15th annual Walk For Life is scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 21 in Saint John. The walk is sponsored by ScotiaBank and AIDS Saint John. The HIV/AIDS service organization has set a goal of $15,000 (US $13,921) for its fundraising efforts surrounding the walk, which steps off at noon at Market Square and continues along
MONTANA: University of Montana to Show AIDS Quilt: Associated Press (09.12.08) - Wednesday, September 17, 2008; From Sept. 18 to Sept. 21, the University of Montana-Missoula will display a portion of the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt. The display will feature 101 quilt panels commemorating the lives of some 800 people who died of AIDS. The exhibition will be the largest display of quilt panels in Montana to date.
FLORIDA: Lake Health Department Offers Free HIV Testing: Orlando Sentinel (09.17.08) - Wednesday, September 17, 2008; Debbie Manis; The Lake County Health Department is seeking to eliminate barriers to testing by offering free HIV tests this Thursday. From 9 a.m. to noon at the Leesburg Community Medical Center, 1210 W. Main St., the health department will draw blood to test for HIV, with results available in around three weeks. No appointment is n
TEXAS: No Easy Answers in Abilene's Teen Pregnancy Debate: Abilene Reporter News (09.13.08) - Wednesday, September 17, 2008; Loretta Fulton; Texas has one of the highest teen pregnancy rates in the United States , and from 2004 to 2005, Taylor County s rate was even higher. In 2005, 120 females ages 13-17 got pregnant in the county, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. I kept thinking for the last 20 years I would work myself out of a
NEW YORK: Getting a Healthy Boost: Buffalo News (09.14.08) - Wednesday, September 17, 2008; Maki Becker; Over the weekend, Erie County provided follow-up hepatitis A booster shots to customers of the Wegmans on Sheridan Drive in Amherst, where a produce worker tested positive for the disease in February. Patients did not have to leave their cars, since the shots were administered drive-through style at the Amherst Highway
AFRICA: Cost-Effectiveness of Rapid Point-of-Care Prenatal Syphilis Screening in Sub-Saharan Africa: Sexually Transmitted Diseases Vol. 35; No. 9: P. 775-784 (09..08) - Wednesday, September 17, 2008; Chara E. Rydzak, BA; Sue J. Goldie, MD, MPH; With prevalence rates as high as 17 percent, syphilis remains a major public health problem among pregnant women in sub- Saharan Africa. Yet while screening and appropriate treatment of pregnant women can prevent complications for mothers and devastating consequences for infants, traditional screening algorithms requir
AUSTRALIA: Viagra, Ice Linked to HIV, but Don't Blame Drugs: Expert: Australian Associated Press (09.17.08) - Wednesday, September 17, 2008; Tamara McLean; Gay men in Australia who take the erectile dysfunction drug Viagra or stimulants like ice (crystal methamphetamine) to enhance sexual pleasure are at greater risk of acquiring HIV, according to a study presented today at the Australasian Sexual Health Conference 2008. However, the drugs are not to blame; rather, the me
AUSTRALIA: 'Snip' Protects Some Gay Men from HIV: Study: Australian Associated Press (09.17.08) - Wednesday, September 17, 2008; Tamara McLean; Findings reported at the Australasian Sexual Health Conference 2008 shed new light on male circumcision s role in preventing HIV infection. We have shown for the first time that [men who have sex with men] who predominantly take on the insertive role in sex are less likely to contract HIV if they ve been circumcised,
AUSTRALIA: Warning Issued over HIV Rise: The Age (Melbourne) (09.17.08) - Wednesday, September 17, 2008; Julia Medew; New HIV diagnoses rose 5 percent in Australia last year, to 1,051 from 998 cases in 2006, according to a report released today in Perth at the Australasian Sexual Health Conference 2008. Since 1999, HIV diagnoses have increased by almost 50 percent, the National Center in HIV Epidemiology and Clinical Research in Sydne
UNITED STATES: FDA Blocks Imports from India's Generic Drug Giant: Associated Press (09.16.08) - Wednesday, September 17, 2008; Lauran Neergaard; The Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday banned the importation of more than 30 generic drugs manufactured by Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd. of India . FDA said its inspections earlier this year of the company s manufacturing facilities found violations at two Indian plants, said Deborah Autor, director of FDA s
CALIFORNIA: Lake Merritt AIDS Walk Raises Record Amount: Bay Area Reporter (09.11.08) - Tuesday, September 16, 2008; The fourth annual East Bay AIDS Walk drew some 500 participants to Lake Merritt on Sept. 6, raising a record $89,514 for East Bay AIDS groups. Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums addressed the walkers, who enjoyed a barbeque after the event.
OHIO: Free Screenings Offered: Plain Dealer (Cleveland, O.H.) (09.09.08) - Tuesday, September 16, 2008; Uninsured women can receive free screening for cervical cancer this Saturday from 8:30 a.m. until noon at Akron General Hospital s Health Center. Prevention and wellness information will be offered, as well as help linking to area sources of health care. Preregistration is required; telephone 330-344- 2462.
TEXAS: Hip-Hop Artists Raise HIV/AIDS Awareness: Dallas Morning News (09.15.08) - Tuesday, September 16, 2008; Bryan Shettig; More than 3,000 people took HIV tests to get free tickets to a concert presented on Sunday at the Dallas Palladium Ballroom by the new local initiative Hip-Hop for HIV. The concert was a cooperative effort by the city, KBFB-FM, the Martin Luther King Jr. Family Clinic, and Radio One. We want to test across the board,
ETHIOPIA: Jolie and Pitt Give $2 Million to Fight Disease in Ethiopia: Agence France Presse (09.15.08) - Tuesday, September 16, 2008; The nonprofit Global Health Committee announced Monday that movie stars Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have donated $2 million to help Ethiopian children with AIDS and TB. The money will be used to create a center for AIDS and tuberculosis-affected children in the capital city of Addis Ababa, and to help establish a prog
TAIWAN: Hepatitis C Patients May Have Abnormal Blood Sugar: Reuters (09.10.08) - Tuesday, September 16, 2008; Blood sugar, or glucose, abnormalities are common and easily underestimated among patients with chronic hepatitis C infection, Dr. Ming-Lung Yu of Taiwan s Kaohsiung Medical University and colleagues report. In their study, the researchers compared the prevalence and characteristics of glucose abnormalities among 522 c
AUSTRALIA: HIV Cluster for Aussie Businessmen on Work Trips: Australian Associated Press (09.16.08) - Tuesday, September 16, 2008; Tamara McLean; The Cairns Sexual Health Service is warning health experts and the public alike about a cluster of HIV cases among Australian businessman who travel abroad. CSHS will report to the Australasian Sexual Health Conference 2008 in Perth on Friday it has diagnosed HIV in six men in the past 10 months after fly in, fly out
AUSTRALIA: Chlamydia Screening for All Youngsters: Expert: Australian Associated Press (09.15.08) - Tuesday, September 16, 2008; Tamara McLean; Australia should begin universally screening teens for chlamydia to curb the STD s quickly rising rates, a European expert told the Australasian Sexual Health Conference 2008 in Perth on Monday. New statistics reveal that about 5 percent of Australians under age 25 have chlamydia. The disease burden is still eno
AUSTRALIA: No Cancer Vaccine for Boys, Model Suggests: Australian Associated Press (09.16.08) - Tuesday, September 16, 2008; Tamara McLean; A new mathematical model to be presented at the Australasian Sexual Health Conference 2008 in Perth on Wednesday shows little benefit to giving boys the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine Gardasil. Gardasil protects against HPV strains linked to 90 percent of genital warts and 70 percent of cervical cancers. Under a na
SOUTH CAROLINA: State Sharpens Its Focus on HIV: The State (Columbia, S.C.) (09.13.08) - Tuesday, September 16, 2008; Czerne M. Reid; Estimates released Friday show the rate of new HIV infections among African Americans in South Carolina is six times that of other races combined. Men are infected at double the rate of women, and people ages 13-29 are infected at a higher rate than people age 30 and older, the data show. The disparity is there among [
CANADA: Saskatchewan Government Offers Free Vaccine Against Cervical Cancer for Girls in Grades 6, 7: Canadian Press (09.09.08) - Monday, September 15, 2008; Saskatchewan girls in sixth and seventh grades can receive free immunizations against human papillomavirus, the cause of most cases of cervical cancer, thanks to some $9 million (US $8.4 million) in federal funding over the next three years. After that, the province will pay for the shots. Parents are being sent inform
UGANDA: International Rescue Committee Calls for Investment to End Uganda's Hepatitis E Epidemic: Agence France Presse (09.12.08) - Monday, September 15, 2008; A hepatitis E outbreak has sickened some 7,100 people and killed at least 121 in northern Uganda , where many people are still living in refugee camps. On Friday, the International Rescue Committee called for greater action to stop the virus. Despite aggressive emergency interventions over the past 11 months, the outbr
TANZANIA: US Gives Tanzania $99 Million for Diseases, Farm Loans: Reuters (09.02.08) - Monday, September 15, 2008; Tanzania s government reports it has received a $99 million aid package from the United States . Some $34 million will go to fight malaria, the cause of 55 percent of hospital admissions of expectant mothers and children under age five. About $45 million will target HIV, which reportedly infects about 2 million of the
UNITED STATES: Survey Looks at Teens, Unprotected Sex: USA Today (09.11.08) - Monday, September 15, 2008; Sharon Jayson; In a new study, young people asked why they had unprotected sex said they feared a condom would reduce pleasure or their partner would disapprove. The researchers - from Emory University, the University of Miami-Florida, and Bradley Hasbro Children s Research Center - recruited 1,400 youths (ages 15-21) who reported un
CALIFORNIA: Proposition to Protect Sex Work Splits San Francisco: Los Angeles Times (09.15.08) - Monday, September 15, 2008; John M. Glionna; A proposition on the Nov. 4 ballot in San Francisco would ban using public resources to investigate or prosecute sex workers on prostitution charges. Proposition K would require police to target those who physically prey on sex workers, including thieves and johns, and allow the city to focus energies on public health,
ILLINOIS: State Blocks Funding for AIDS Group: Chicago Sun-Times (09.15.08) - Monday, September 15, 2008; Chris Fusco; Illinois is auditing the Chicago not-for-profit Let s Talk, Let s Test Foundation over how it spent public health funds last year, officials said. While the review is underway, the state is withholding $1.2 million to LTLTF that was scheduled for disbursement months ago, foundation officials say. The funds were to come
UNITED KINGDOM: National Study of HIV Testing in Men Who Have Sex with Men Attending Genitourinary Clinics in the United Kingdom: Sexually Transmitted Infection Vol. 84: P. 265-270 (08..08) - Monday, September 15, 2008; H.L. Munro; C.M. Lowndes; D.G. Daniels; A.K. Sullivan; A.J. Robinson; In the current study of men who have sex with men (MSM) and attend genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinics, the researchers sought to determine what proportion of the men are offered and accept HIV testing, and to examine the clinic and patient characteristics associated with offer and acceptance. The cross-sectional stud
UNITED STATES: Sexual Violence Victimization History and Sexual Risk Indicators in a Community-Based Urban Cohort of 'Mostly Heterosexual' and Heterosexual Young Women: Am Journal of Public Health Vol. 98; No. 6: P. 1015-1050 (06..08) - Monday, September 15, 2008; S. Bryn Austin, ScD; Andrea L. Roberts, PhD; Heather L. Corliss, MPH, PhD; Beth E. Molnar, ScD; In the current study, the researchers sought to assess sexual violence victimization in childhood and sexual risk indicators in young adulthood among women participating in the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods. In 2000, a cohort of 391 primarily Latina and black women ages 18-24 completed a compreh
GLOBAL: Child Deaths Fall Slightly to 9.2 Million in 2007: UN: Reuters (09.11.08) - Monday, September 15, 2008; Michael Kahn; The number of children worldwide who died before their fifth birthday was down slightly last year, UNICEF said Friday. In 2007, child deaths totaled 9.2 million, down from 9.7 million in 2006 and 12.7 million in 1990, according to UNICEF. Since 1960, the global under-five mortality rate has declined more than 60 percen
UNITED STATES: Merck Vaccine Wins OK for Vaginal Cancer: Reuters (09.12.08) - Monday, September 15, 2008; The Food and Drug Administration on Friday said it has approved the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine Gardasil to protect against vaginal and vulvar cancers, which affect some 5,000-5,500 US women each year. The Merck & Co. vaccine was already approved for abnormal and precancerous vaginal and vulvar lesions, but
INDIA: 'Condom' Ring-Tone a Hit in India: Reuters (09.11.08) - Friday, September 12, 2008; C. Vidya Shankar, MD; Organizers report that a mobile phone ring-tone in which harmonizing voices sing condom, condom repeatedly has been downloaded more than 270,000 times in India and other nations since its launch last month. Produced by the BBC World Service Trust in India, the ring-tone s purpose is to fight AIDS stigma and anti-sex ed
NEW YORK: Walk to Beat the Clock: New York Times (09.12.08) - Friday, September 12, 2008; On Saturday in Manhattan, a 4K walk in Carl Schurz Park will be held to raise awareness of cervical cancer prevention. The park is at East End Avenue and 86th Street; registration begins at 8 a.m.; the walk steps off at 9:15 a.m.; speeches and entertainment will follow. The registration fee is $30 per person; free for
MARYLAND: Health Officials Hope to Raise STD Awareness: Washington Post (09.11.08) - Friday, September 12, 2008; The health departments of Prince George s and Montgomery counties are cooperating on a new awareness campaign that aims to reduce the area s high rates of STDs. Maryland ranks fifth in the United States for the number of primary and secondary syphilis cases and third for the number of AIDS cases reported, said Donald
CALIFORNIA: Bakery's Transformation Nearly Complete: Contra Costa Times (09.09.08) - Friday, September 12, 2008; Cecily Burt; On Sept. 22, the HIV/AIDS organization Vital Life Services (VLS) is set to open in its new location on San Pablo Avenue in Oakland. Staffers and work crews are making last-minute preparations to ready the commercial storefront in North Oakland, near the Emeryville border, for a private fundraising event this Saturday.
NEBRASKA: Sexual Diseases Remain Rampant: Omaha World-Herald (09.10.08) - Friday, September 12, 2008; Judith Nygren; On Tuesday, the Douglas County Board was urged to take STD prevention efforts to the next level. New and better ways are needed to reach people ages 15-24, who comprise the majority of the county s cases, said health experts. Douglas County Health Director Dr. Adi Pour said the county s chlamydia rate is 62 percent hig
UNITED STATES: Relations Between Sexually Transmitted Infection Diagnosis and Sexual Compulsivity in a Community- Based Sample of Men Who Have Sex with Men: Sexually Transmitted Infection Vol. 84: P. 324-327 (08..08) - Friday, September 12, 2008; B. Dodge; M. Reece; D. Herbenick; C. Fisher; S. Satinsky; N. Stupiansky; The researchers undertook the current study to assess the relationship between sexual compulsivity and a history of sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing and diagnosis in a community-based sample of men who have sex with men (MSM) in a mid-size, Midwestern US urban area. The setting of the study was Indianapolis
INDIA: 1.5 Million Female Condoms for Indian Sex Workers: Times of India (09.09.08) - Friday, September 12, 2008; The National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) is launching a female condom social marketing campaign in four Indian states this year, rolling out about 1.5 million of the products with the help of 200 non-governmental partners. The NGOs will target sex workers, who comprise a large core risk population. Unprotected sex
GLOBAL: The Invisible Worldwide HIV Epidemic: MSM: Windy City Times (09.10.08) - Friday, September 12, 2008; Bob Roehr; In many regions of the world, national and locally sponsored HIV prevention initiatives have left men who have sex with men (MSM) out of the picture, advocates said at a Mexico City meeting on HIV/AIDS and MSM before the recent International AIDS Conference. MSM are systematically missing in most of our national survei
CANADA: Number of Newly Reported HIV Cases in Alberta Up 29 Percent from Two Years Ago: Canadian Press (09.12.08) - Friday, September 12, 2008; Bill Kaufmann; New HIV cases in Alberta increased 29 percent in 2007, with the majority of cases reported in people ages 25-29, AIDS advocates report. In 2007, the province logged 225 new HIV cases - up from 175 two years ago. Of these, 99 were in Calgary and 89 in Edmonton. Calgary has now overtaken Edmonton for having the largest p
UNITED STATES: Detailed Study on Spread of HIV in US: New York Times (09.12.08) - Friday, September 12, 2008; Gardiner Harris; A highly detailed CDC analysis of HIV incidence in the United States found that in 2006, the disease continued to affect men who have sex with men (MSM) more than any other group. MSM represented the most new infections among white, black, and Hispanic populations. Most infected women acquired HIV heterosexually, with
DELAWARE: AIDS Walk Recruiters Get Busy: News Journal (Wilmington) (09.01.08) - Thursday, September 11, 2008; Robin Brown; Recruiting is now underway for participants in this year s 22nd annual AIDS Walk Delaware. Three separate walks make up the event: These are set for Sept. 28 in Rockford Park in Wilmington, Oct. 5 at Silver Lake Recreation Area in Dover, and Oct. 5 at Grove Park in Rehoboth Beach. The walk is the premier public event f
UTAH: AIDS Group to Open Thrift Store: Deseret News (Salt Lake City) (09.08.08) - Thursday, September 11, 2008; The People with AIDS Coalition of Utah is negotiating to purchase a building in South Salt Lake to use as a thrift store whose proceeds will support the organization and its programs for people affected by HIV. It s going to open up so many new possibilities for our organization, said Executive Director Toni Johnson.
TEXAS: Get Tested for HIV, Get in Dallas Concert Free: Fort Worth Star Telegram (09.06.08) - Thursday, September 11, 2008; Darren Barbee; A Sept. 14 free concert at Dallas City Hall will feature such hip-hop acts as David Banner, Mike Jones and Bun B, but the only way to get in is to get tested for HIV. It s the ticket money can t buy, said the Rev. John Reed, outreach coordinator for the AIDS Outreach Center in Fort Worth. Testing is being offered in Fo
UNITED KINGDOM: Cancer Jab Campaign Takes to the Internet: The Guardian (London) (09.02.08) - Thursday, September 11, 2008; Sarah Bosely; A school-based effort to vaccinate girls against the STD human papillomavirus will soon get underway in the United Kingdom , and an ad campaign utilizing social networking sites is being launched to build acceptance of the plan. The campaign will feature TV and radio ads as well, and it will also target parents. In tri
UNITED STATES: A Cluster Analysis of Drug Use and Sexual HIV Risks and Their Correlates in a Sample of African-American Crack Cocaine Smokers with HIV Infection: Drug and Alcohol Dependence Vol. 97; No. 1-2: P. 44-53 (09.01.08) - Thursday, September 11, 2008; Lena Nilsson Schonnesson; John Atkinson; Mark L. Williams; Anne Bowen; Michael W. Ross; Sandra C. Timpson; In this cross-sectional study, the researchers sought to classify a sample of HIV-positive African-American crack cocaine smokers into homogenous HIV drug use and sexual risk groups using a two-step multivariate cluster analysis. The subjects of the study were 258 crack smokers. Cluster analysis revealed three distinct
NETHERLANDS: STDs Increase HIV Risk if Exposed: United Press International (09.09.08) - Thursday, September 11, 2008; People with chlamydia, genital herpes , gonorrhea, and syphilis are at an increased risk for HIV infection if they are exposed to the virus, findings from Dutch researchers show. Teunis B.H. Geijtenbeek and colleagues at Amsterdam s VU University Medical Center used an ex vivo human skin explant, isolation of cells fro
UNITED STATES: Herpes Drug May Help Control AIDS Virus: Reuters (09.11.08) - Thursday, September 11, 2008; Maggie Fox; A cheap, generic treatment used against herpes can also lower HIV viral load, researchers reported Wednesday. However, acyclovir works against HIV only in tissues that are also infected with herpes. The findings could help explain why some studies have shown that patients taking acyclovir have a lower HIV viral load, w
CANADA: Health Minister Addresses Drugs: Guelph Mercury (09.02.08) - Thursday, September 11, 2008; Jessica Smith; In a speech to the Canadian Medical Association (CMA) last month, Health Minister Tony Clement questioned the ethics of physicians who support Insite, Vancouver s supervised drug injection site. During a recent stop in Guelph, he elaborated on that speech. The part of the doctor s oath that counts is: first do no harm,
BURKINA FASO: Baylor's West African AIDS Project Perseveres: Houston Chronicle (09.07.08) - Thursday, September 11, 2008; Alexis Grant; Baylor College of Medicine s International Pediatric AIDS Initiative began operating in Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso , two years ago. And though the remote, landlocked location and cultural difficulties have hindered the project, it is taking in new patients. Compared with other sites in Africa where the Baylor initiat
SOUTHERN AFRICA: Films to Fight AIDS: Business Day (South Africa) (09.06.08) - Thursday, September 11, 2008; Wilson Johwa; Organizations from nine Southern African nations have collaborated to produce nine country-specific short films about HIV prevention. The films will be broadcast on television across the region as the Untold series, a project managed by the Johannesburg-based, non-governmental health and development communications grou
MICHIGAN: AIDS Rates Double for Michigan Youth: Detroit News (09.10.08) - Thursday, September 11, 2008; Delores Flynn; In Michigan, the HIV/AIDS rate among people ages 13-24 nearly doubled from 2002 to 2006, from 5.7 cases per 100,000 residents to 9.7, state Department of Community Health data show. Experts attribute the increase among young people to a number of factors, including an invincible mindset, decreased awareness of the epid
FLORIDA: AIDS Walk St. Petersburg: St. Petersburg Times (09.10.08) - Wednesday, September 10, 2008; Some 3,500 participants are expected for Saturday s AIDS Walk St. Petersburg, which begins with registration at 8 a.m. at North Shore Park. The march steps off at 10 a.m. The Pinellas County HIV/AIDS nonprofit ASAP is hosting the event. Leashed pets are welcome. For more information, visit http://www.aidswalkstpete.org
OHIO: Youth Activists Sought: Plain Dealer (Cleveland, O.H.) (09.09.08) - Wednesday, September 10, 2008; High school and college students are being sought for the Ohio Youth Leadership Council, a project of the AIDS Taskforce of Greater Cleveland and Advocates for Youth. The purpose of the council is to support and promote evidence-based, comprehensive sex education. Ten students will be chosen to participate; the time co
GLOBAL: Gates Foundation Looks for Unorthodox Projects: Seattle Times (09.09.08) - Wednesday, September 10, 2008; The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has announced the second round of its Grand Challenges Explorations grants. Proposals will be accepted online until Nov. 2; grantees will receive $100,000 each. The proposals must present an innovative approach and deal with one of the following topic areas: new vaccines for diar
FLORIDA: State Bureau Not 'Giving Up' on St. Lucie County's HIV Prevention Efforts: Scripps Treasure Coast Newspaper (09.09.08) - Wednesday, September 10, 2008; Hillary Copsey; Several St. Lucie County agencies have learned they will not receive funding from a $4.2 million federal grant to Florida for HIV prevention programs. Earlier this year, Healthy Start Coalition, Project Response, and In the Image of Christ Inc. each applied to the state Department of Health for the money - all were tur
ARKANSAS: University of Arkansas Health Center Offers Free STD Testing: University Wire (09.08.08) - Wednesday, September 10, 2008; Leanna Payton, Arkansas Traveler; The Pat Walker Health Center at the University of Arkansas is hoping to curb the high rate of STD infections among college students by offering confidential, low-cost, and convenient testing. The center, located on campus, provides chlamydia and gonorrhea testing for $32, while a Pap smear costs around $65. Many types
UNITED STATES: Risk of Fractures Higher in HIV-Infected Patients: Voice of America (09.09.08) - Wednesday, September 10, 2008; Rose Hoban; Bone fracture prevalence is higher among HIV-positive patients than among HIV-negative patients, according to a new study. Dr. Steven K. Grinspoon of Harvard University and Massachusetts General Hospital and colleagues examined a large database at the hospital. The database included 8,525 HIV- positive and 2,208,792 HI
ITALY: New Cervical Cancer Test Beats Pap Smear: Reuters (09.09.08) - Wednesday, September 10, 2008; Michael Kahn; A refined test for cervical cancer identified 50 percent more dangerous lesions than Pap smears and required fewer women to be referred for colposcopy examination, Italian researchers said Tuesday. Guglielmo Ronco, a cancer epidemiologist at the Center for Cancer Prevention in Turin, and colleagues used the traditional
AUSTRALIA: Women 'Embarrassed' to Get Pap Smears: Sydney Morning Herald (09.10.08) - Wednesday, September 10, 2008; One in 10 Australian women ages 28-34 has never had a Pap smear, despite the government s recommendation for screening every two years. These findings are from a recent online survey of 1,003 women conducted by Australia s Cancer Council. Many women delayed getting a Pap test, which is used to detect changes in cervica
CAMBODIA: Cambodia Faces New HIV Threat with Condom Campaign at Risk: Official: Agence France Presse (09.10.08) - Wednesday, September 10, 2008; A police crackdown on prostitution and a lack of funding are threatening the continued success of Cambodia s program of 100 percent condom use among sex workers, a health official said Wednesday. Before the launch of the program, which provides sex education and condoms to sex workers, Cambodia had the region s worst H
ARKANSAS: Panel: Stigma Hinders HIV Treatment: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (09.09.08) - Wednesday, September 10, 2008; Seth Blomeley; At a Monday meeting at the Capitol, an AIDS expert told the state HIV/AIDS Minority Task Force that AIDS-related stigma among black residents in the Arkansas Delta hinders efforts to fight the disease. The task force is holding several public meetings throughout the state and will issue disease-fighting recommendations
NEBRASKA: AIDS Walk Set in Kearney: Omaha World-Herald (09.06.08) - Tuesday, September 09, 2008; Sunday, Sept. 14 is the date for the 17th annual Tri-Cities AIDS Walk, which will step off at 1 p.m. from the University of Nebraska-Kearney Health and Sports Center. The money for the walk goes directly to benefit clients in the area who are HIV-positive or have AIDS, said Andrew Brackett, a case manager for the Nebra
UNITED NATIONS: UN Academic Seminar to Provide Ideas to Halt HIV/AIDS Epidemic in Africa: Xinhua (09.08.08) - Tuesday, September 09, 2008; A one-day seminar taking place Tuesday at the United Nations University seeks to facilitate research by international academic institutions toward the goal of halting HIV s spread across Africa. Cornell University is helping organize the Social and Economic Dimensions of HIV/AIDS in Africa Symposium, which will focus i
NEW YORK: AIDS Agency Scrubs Addition Plans: Buffalo News (09.05.08) - Tuesday, September 09, 2008; Henry L. Davis; Citing rising construction costs and state budget cuts, AIDS Community Services (ACS) on Thursday said it is dropping plans to build a 24,000-square foot addition to its Buffalo headquarters and will renovate the facility instead. We need to move forward and invest in the current space that we have, said Christopher Vo
FLORIDA: Florida Transgenders Find Home of Their Own: Orlando Sentinel (09.05.08) - Tuesday, September 09, 2008; Arelis Hernandez; On July 1, the Orlando region s first housing facility for HIV-positive transgender residents opened. Orlando s Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS, which targets low-income patients at risk of homelessness, arranged the accommodations. The Center for Multicultural Wellness and Prevention pays the facility s re
UNITED STATES: Binge-Drinking Women 'Take Risks': Sunday Age (Melbourne) (09.07.08) - Tuesday, September 09, 2008; Mario Xuereb; A new study suggests that women who binge drink are much more likely to consent to risky sex acts and to acquire an STD. In the research, 671 STD clinic male and female attendees were tested for STDs and interviewed about recent drug/alcohol use and risky sexual behaviors. Most participants were heterosexual. The resul
SOUTH AFRICA: Manto Upbeat on HIV but Many Are Dubious: The Star (Johannesburg) (09.09.08) - Tuesday, September 09, 2008; Louise Flanagan; HIV prevalence declined among pregnant women in South Africa last year, suggesting a downward trend in HIV, the Ministry of Health reported in a new survey. But the methodology used for disease surveillance was changed only two years ago, making it difficult to make a claim of trends yet, some said. The report foun
CANADA: Government Urged to Do More in Fight Against HIV in Africa: Edmonton Journal (09.07.08) - Tuesday, September 09, 2008; Matthew Pearson; On Saturday, about 200 people gathered for a rain-soaked march and rally at the steps of Canada s Parliament in one of dozens of events organized by Grandmothers to Grandmothers to press the government to do more about AIDS globally. Across the nation, some 200 chapters of Canadian Grandmothers for Africa have raised $
CHINA: AIDS Rampant Among Beijing Gays: Xinhua (09.05.08) - Tuesday, September 09, 2008; The results of a survey of 1 million blood samples collected in Beijing between January and July this year revealed a high HIV infection rate among men who have sex with men (MSM) in the capital city. He Xiong, deputy director of the Beijing Center of Disease Control and Prevention, said that up to 5 percent of MSM in
UNITED STATES: HIV Rates Spur Outreach to African Immigrants: Washington Post (09.02.08) - Tuesday, September 09, 2008; Karin Brulliard; In some US cities, including Washington, health experts are seeing a rise in HIV infection rates among African immigrants. However, the true number is not known since many health departments do not ask patients where they were born, causing some African immigrants to be categorized in surveys as black or African Americ
MISSISSIPPI: AIDS Support Group Set to March in Mississippi: Associated Press (09.07.08) - Monday, September 08, 2008; In a move it hopes will help lead to the development of a national strategy to fight the epidemic, the Campaign to End AIDS will hold a march leaving Jackson on Sept. 13 and arriving in Oxford on Sept. 23. Eric Bailey, who will lead the march, said Mississippi was chosen as the location because the group views it as th
CALIFORNIA: Tuberculosis Patient Put in Medical Isolation: Associated Press (09.07.08) - Monday, September 08, 2008; San Bernardino County health officials have placed a TB patient into medical custody for failing to comply with treatment and ignoring isolation orders. The patient was treated for TB in Las Vegas on Aug. 7, but officials suspected the person was not adhering to treatment or remaining in isolation. On Aug. 28, official
UNITED STATES: List of Medications with Potential Safety Problems: Associated Press (09.05.08) - Monday, September 08, 2008; The Food and Drug Administration is investigating a number of drugs for potential problems. The products and the reason for investigation include the HIV medication Intelence, for bleeding into joints; and the chronic hepatitis B drug Tyzeka, for nerve damage.
ILLINOIS: Groups Create HIV Video: Windy City Times (09.03.08) - Monday, September 08, 2008; Amy Wooten; Three Chicago-area groups collaborated to produce a new HIV educational video geared toward youths. HIV: Hey, It s Viral! uses music and animation to teach the basics about HIV prevention and transmission. The video will have its premiere in Chicago this week. The groups - Beyondmedia Education, About Face Youth Theatr
CALIFORNIA: Clovis Patients Must Wait to Learn Whether They're Infected: Fresno Bee (08.29.08) - Monday, September 08, 2008; Pablo Lopez; Clovis Community Medical Center officials have contacted 14 patients who may be at risk for exposure to HIV and other blood-borne infections after coming in contact with surgical instruments that may not have been completely sterile. The patients were offered routine lab checks as a precautionary measure, said Dr. Thom
OHIO: City-Run Clinic Shifting Focus to Curable STDs: Columbus Dispatch (09.06.08) - Monday, September 08, 2008; Misti Crane; Columbus Public Health s medical director and assistant health commissioner recently said the city s sexual health clinic will no longer treat genital warts as a part of its services. Dr. Mysheika LeMaile-Williams said as many as 15 people a day are turned away because the clinic is over capacity. Bacterial STDs like c
UNITED STATES: All Types of Sexual Activity Carry Some STD Risk: Reuters (09.02.08) - Monday, September 08, 2008; An expert panel of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) is advising doctors to have frank discussions with patients about all of their sexual activities and counsel them on STD risks. Many people engage in noncoital sexual activities such as oral sex, anal sex, and mutual masturbation to limit
MEXICO: Street Tactics Deployed in the War Against HIV: Voice of America (08.28.08) - Monday, September 08, 2008; Rosanne Skirble; For the past decade, the AIDS advocacy group Colectivo Sol s van has delivered condoms and HIV prevention services to communities across Mexico . The success of the outreach prompted the Mexican government to adopt the idea in 2006, and now similar vans make the rounds in every Mexican state. Colectivo Sol s approa
VIRGINIA: Eastern Virginia Medical School: Receives $100 Million for HIV Research: Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk) (09.08.08) - Monday, September 08, 2008; Elizabeth Simpson; The US Agency for International Development has awarded a $100 million grant to Eastern Virginia Medical School to develop a microbicide to prevent the transmission of HIV. The money will be directed to the EVMS CONRAD program, formerly known as Contraceptive Research and Development, whose 1986 creation was funded by
CALIFORNIA: AIDS Walk Saturday at Lake Merritt: Contra Costa Times (09.04.08) - Friday, September 05, 2008; Angela Hill; The fourth annual East Bay AIDS Walk steps off Saturday at 10 a.m. near the bandstand at Lakeside Park at Lake Merritt in Oakland. All funds raised go directly to nonprofits in Alameda and Contra Costa counties. Last year s walk attracted about 400 participants who raised more than $53,000. Organizers this year hope to
CALIFORNIA: Tuberculosis Case Found at Hospital: Press Enterprise (Riverside) (09.04.08) - Friday, September 05, 2008; Lora Hines; A nursing assistant at Corona Regional Medical Center in Riverside County is suspected of having an active case of TB, hospital spokesperson Linda Pearson said Wednesday. During routine annual screenings for all hospital employees at Corona Regional Medical Center, a suspected case of tuberculosis was identified. We no
SWAZILAND: UN Study Says Polygamy Main AIDS Driver in Swaziland: Agence France Presse (08.29.08) - Friday, September 05, 2008; A recently released UN study found that traditional practices viewed as important for keeping Swazi society together are driving the country s HIV/AIDS epidemic. Polygamy, widow inheritance, multiple female partners, and extramarital relationships are increasing Swazis vulnerability to HIV, according to the UN Developm
UNITED STATES: FDA Approves Hepatitis B Viral DNA Test: United Press International (09.04.08) - Friday, September 05, 2008; The first hepatitis B virus (HBV) nucleic acid test to measure the amount of viral DNA in a patient s blood has won Food and Drug Administration approval. The COBAS TaqMan HBV Test extracts and then amplifies sections of viral DNA from human plasma or serum, said FDA , adding that this gives health care professionals a
CALIFORNIA: Auntie Helen's Offers Compassionate Service: San Diego Union-Tribune (08.30.08) - Friday, September 05, 2008; Rachel Cromidas; San Diego-based Auntie Helen s Fluff n Fold laundry and thrift store is celebrating 20 years of serving area AIDS patients. On Aug. 2, the nonprofit honored its staff of 80 volunteers for providing clean laundry to almost 350 San Diego County residents and providing hundreds more with additional assistance in the form
ARKANSAS: Washington County HIV Clinic Does a Lot with a Little: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (08.24.08) - Friday, September 05, 2008; Bobby Ampezzan; The Washington County HIV Clinic, in operation in northwest Arkansas since 1992, provides important services to patients including HIV counseling and testing, and lifesaving drug treatments to low-income residents. It is the only HIV- dedicated clinic in the state. Through the years, the clinic s funding has steadily d
UNITED STATES: Dimensions of Sexual Orientation and HIV- Related Risk Among Adolescent Females: Evidence from a Statewide Survey: Am Journal of Public Health Vol. 98; No. 6: P. 1051-1058 (06..08) - Friday, September 05, 2008; Carol Goodenow, PhD; Laura A. Szalacha, EdD; Leah E. Robin, PhD; Kim Westheimer, MA; In order to identify factors that may place adolescent females at risk of HIV/AIDS, the researchers assessed the relationship of two dimensions of sexual orientation - sexual identity, and sex of partners - with self-reported behaviors and experiences. Data were gathered on sexually experienced high school females from
UNITED STATES: Condom Use and Hip Hop Culture: The Case of Urban Young Men in New York City: Am Journal of Public Health Vol. 98; No. 6: P. 1081-1085 (06..08) - Friday, September 05, 2008; Miguel A. Munoz-Laboy, DrPH; Daniel H. Castellanos, MA, MPH; Chanel S. Haliburton, MPH; Ernesto Vasquez del Aguila, MA, MPhil; Hannah J. Weinstein, BA; Richard G. Parker, PhD; The researchers conducted a cross-sectional survey of 95 African-American and Latino men (ages 15 to 25) as part of a four-year ethnographic study in New York City. The purpose of the current study was to explore how the men s perceptions and participation in hip hop culture - urban social and artistic expressions, suc
UNITED KINGDOM: Cancer Jab Is Offered to Girls: Belfast Telegraph (09.03.08) - Friday, September 05, 2008; Claire Harrison; On Wednesday, the chief medical officer kicked off Northern Ireland s human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination program at St. Joseph s College in Belfast. The vaccine, which protects against strains of the STD linked to 70 percent of cervical cancers, will be offered this autumn to school girls ages 12- 13, while a catch
TANZANIA: Baylor Expands Its Fight Against AIDS to Tanzania: Houston Chronicle (09.03.08) - Friday, September 05, 2008; Todd Ackerman; A recently announced $22.5 million grant from the President s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief will allow Baylor College of Medicine s Pediatric AIDS Initiative (PAI) to expand to a seventh African country. With the funding, Baylor will build two centers and satellite clinic facilities in Tanzania . Tanzania i
NORTH CAROLINA: State's Sex Education Debate Reignited: News and Observer (Raleigh NC) (09.04.08) - Friday, September 05, 2008; Thomas Goldsmith; In most North Carolina counties, public school-based sex education must focus on abstinence only. Debate continues, however, between abstinence-only proponents and advocates of comprehensive sex education. Surveys show that 60-70 percent of North Carolina high school seniors have had intercourse. About 20,000 teenage N
PHILIPPINES: Philippines Endorses Condoms Despite Church: Agence France Presse (08.28.08) - Thursday, September 04, 2008; At a media briefing on Aug. 28, Health Undersecretary Mario Villaverde said the nation s Health Department will promote condoms to fight the spread of HIV even though the highly influential Roman Catholic Church opposes all forms of artificial contraception. The use of condoms to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS is diffe
NEW YORK: Syracuse University Food Service Worker Found to Have Hepatitis A: Post-Standard (09.03.08) - Thursday, September 04, 2008; Charley Hannagan; The news that a food service worker at Syracuse University has hepatitis A has prompted health officials to advise some of the patient s co-workers to undergo vaccination for the viral disease. A university spokesperson said the employee showed symptoms on Friday and was diagnosed with the infection. The patient worked
COLORADO: No Evidence of TB Spread at Denver Financial Firm: Rocky Mountain News (09.04.08) - Thursday, September 04, 2008; Julie Poppen; On Wednesday, public health officials said they are not aware of any other TB cases linked to a TIAA-CREF employee with an active case of the disease. We don t know whether it s drug- resistant or not, but even if it is drug-resistant, it is treatable, said Dee Martinez, a spokesperson for Denver Public Health. The air
NEW YORK: Foreclosures Mean Crises for HIV-Positive Renters: New York Times (08.26.08) - Thursday, September 04, 2008; April Dembosky; Foreclosure rates in New York City doubled from 2004 to 2007, according to a study by the Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy at New York University. In recent months, at least 50 HIV-positive renters have complained to New York City housing organizations about being forced out or threatened with eviction du
AUSTRALIA: Anaphylaxis Risk Higher than Normal with HPV Vaccine, but Still Rare: Reuters Health (09.03.08) - Thursday, September 04, 2008; A new report shows that the risk of anaphylaxis following immunization with the quadrivalent human papillomavirus vaccine (Gardasil) is higher than with other commonly administered vaccines; however, the absolute risk is still very low. In 2007, Australia began administering the HPV vaccine free to all females ages 12
MEXICO: Lifting the Veil on AIDS in a Mexican Prison: New York Times (08.26.08) - Thursday, September 04, 2008; Marc Lacey; Population Services International, a US organization, has set up an AIDS awareness program in five Mexican prisons, including the crowded Oriente prison on the outskirts of Mexico City. Even though scientific surveys of AIDS rates in Mexican prisons do not exist, prisoners and advocates alike believe a need exists for
GLOBAL: Cervical Cancer Advances Give Hope to Poor: Reuters (08.28.08) - Thursday, September 04, 2008; Michael Kahn; At the recent World Cancer Congress in Geneva, researchers said effective vaccines to prevent cervical cancer could help women in developing countries, but their cost would have to be subsidized or reduced to a point where governments could afford them. Cervical cancer is the second-most common type of cancer among wom
BRAZIL: Brazil Rejects Gilead's AIDS Drug Patent: Reuters (09.03.08) - Thursday, September 04, 2008; On Wednesday, a health ministry spokesperson confirmed that Brazil has rejected a patent request for Gilead s AIDS drug tenofovir . The announcement paves the way for the generic version of the drug to be used in the country s free HIV/AIDS treatment program. In April, the ministry said tenofovir, used by 31,300 patien
UNITED STATES: Mercer Researcher's Program to Fight Expansion of STDs Grows: Macon Telegraph (08.28.08) - Thursday, September 04, 2008; Julie Hubbard; A novel program for teenagers to help prevent STDs and HIV is scheduled to roll out in American Indian schools next fall. Called STAND, Students Together Against Negative Decisions, it trains teen leaders to be role models and educate their school peers about abstinence and safe sex. Mike Smith, the Mercer University r
TEXAS: Samaritan House Receives Nearly $1 Million Grant to Help People with HIV/AIDS: Fort Worth Star Telegram (08.23.08) - Wednesday, September 03, 2008; Diane Smith; Samaritan House, a Tarrant County facility that helps low- income people living with HIV/AIDS, is receiving a $950,966 grant from the Housing and Urban Development Department s Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS program. HOPWA awarded $19.3 million to 18 programs nationwide; Fort Worth was the only Texas commu
COLORADO: Denver Public Health Reports Case of Active TB: Associated Press (09.03.08) - Wednesday, September 03, 2008; A Denver employee of the financial services firm TIAA-CREF has been diagnosed with an active case of TB and is under home quarantine, Denver Public Health officials said Tuesday. The worker is receiving medication and is expected to recover, said Dee Martinez, a spokesperson for the department. Co- workers are being ch
MALAWI: Free AIDS Drugs Reduce Malawi Death Rates: Reuters (08.25.08) - Wednesday, September 03, 2008; Mabvuto Banda; The provision of free drugs is being credited for a steep drop in AIDS-related deaths in Malawi , according to the nation s principal secretary for HIV/AIDS. I am happy that AIDS- related deaths have decreased by over 75 percent over the last four years in comparison with the AIDS-related deaths we had in 2003-04, beca
MAINE: Peabody to Close Its AIDS Housing: Portland Press Herald (08.27.08) - Wednesday, September 03, 2008; Kelley Bouchard; Meredith Goad; Maine s only assisted-living facility specifically for people with HIV/AIDS will close by the end of the year, according to officials with the Frannie Peabody Center (FPC), the nonprofit that runs Peabody House. The six-bed facility in Portland s West End opened in 1995. Peabody House s pending closure reflects the fac
INDIANA: Lessons of Past Helping Curb Syphilis Outbreak: Indianapolis Star (08.25.08) - Wednesday, September 03, 2008; Shari Rudavsky; A sharp rise in cases of syphilis this year in Marion County prompted local health officials to intervene to prevent the spread of the STD. By mid-August, Indianapolis had 89 cases, more than any year since 2001. However, new cases now appear to be tapering off. For right now, we re looking like we re able to contain t
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: DC Hopes Needle Exchanges Curb Soaring AIDS Rate: Associated Press (08.23.08) - Wednesday, September 03, 2008; Brian Westley; Though it is estimated that one in 20 District of Columbia residents is HIV-positive, the highest rate of any US city and one that rivals some developing nations, officials there see hope. In December, Congress lifted a decade-long ban prohibiting the District from using local money to support needle exchange programs.
UNITED STATES: STDs Common Among Arrested Teenagers: Reuters (08.25.08) - Wednesday, September 03, 2008; A new study found high rates of STDs among adolescent arrestees and endorsed the concept of testing such youths soon after they are detained. The study s setting was Hillsborough County, Fla., where participants were recruited from among all youths processed during the last half of 2006. Teens who voluntarily submitted
AFRICA: Circumcision Problems Impair HIV Prevention - Study: Reuters (09.01.08) - Wednesday, September 03, 2008; Laura MacInnis; A World Health Organization (WHO) study released Monday raises doubts about the rapid implementation of male circumcision as a strategy to fight HIV/AIDS in Africa, where researchers found shocking rates of complications from the procedure. Studies have shown that male circumcision reduces the risk of female-to-male HI
PENNSYLVANIA: Health Department Seeks Roughly $1.7 Million in Federal Grants: Philadelphia Inquirer (08.27.08) - Wednesday, September 03, 2008; Angela Couloumbis; In a switch from a years-old policy, the state Department of Health is applying for approximately $1.7 million in federal abstinence-only grants. DOH supports comprehensive sex education and endorses teaching students about contraception as well as abstinence. A spokesperson acknowledged the conflict but said DOH does
CALIFORNIA: No More Needles in Trash, State Says: San Diego Union-Tribune (08.31.08) - Wednesday, September 03, 2008; Mike Lee; A state law in effect from Sept. 1 bars California residents from throwing medical sharps - including needles, syringes, and lancets - into regular trash or recycling bins. The law seeks to protect waste workers and others from potentially disease-transmitting needle sticks. However, some advocates worry it will compli
NEW JERSEY: Bon Jovi Touting Low-Income Housing in Newark: Associated Press (08.29.08) - Tuesday, September 02, 2008; Rock star and New Jersey native Jon Bon Jovi will be back in his home state Tuesday to unveil, with Gov. Jon Corzine and Mayor Cory Booker, a plan to build a new 51-unit housing complex in Newark s North Ward. The new development will offer residential and support services for homeless people living with AIDS.
IVORY COAST: HIV-Positive Ivorians to Receive Free Antiretroviral Treatment: Agence France Presse (08.29.08) - Tuesday, September 02, 2008; According to a decree signed by Health Minister Remi Allah Kouadio, effective Aug. 20, antiretroviral treatment for people with HIV/AIDS is now offered free in public health centers in Ivory Coast . The costs of the initiative are largely being borne by the US President s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief and the Global F
LOUISIANA: Flocks Watch Ministers Take HIV Test: Times-Picayune (New Orleans) (08.25.08) - Tuesday, September 02, 2008; Katy Reckdahl; In New Orleans on Aug. 24, more than 2,000 congregants in seven predominantly African-American churches watched as their pastors took HIV tests and exhorted them to do the same. I believed that the black church in New Orleans has been a little too silent, for the most part, said the Rev. Tom Watson of Watson Memorial T
CALIFORNIA: Hundreds Flock to Test Infants for TB at Kaiser: San Francisco Chronicle (08.29.08) - Tuesday, September 02, 2008; Elizabeth Fernandez; State and local health officials say nearly 1,000 infants may have been exposed to TB by a nurse in the maternity ward at Kaiser Permanente s San Francisco Medical Center. On Aug. 26, Kaiser officials said a night-shift worker in the postpartum unit of the maternity ward had developed active TB. The nurse was an employ
NEW YORK: HIV Is Spreading in New York City at Three Times the National Rate, a Study Finds: New York Times (08.28.08) - Tuesday, September 02, 2008; Sewell Chan; The incidence of new HIV infections in New York City is three times the national rate, according to a study recently released by the city s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. The city s prevalence rate is 72 new infections per 100,000 people, compared to 23 per 100,000 nationally. The study estimated that 4,762 N
UNITED STATES: HIV Treatment May Provoke Asthma in Kids: Reuters (08.26.08) - Tuesday, September 02, 2008; Karla Gale; A new study shows that highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) may increase the risk of asthma in young children. Dr. William T. Shearer of the Texas Children s Hospital in Houston and colleagues studied the rate of asthma in children born to HIV-positive mothers, comparing 193 children infected with HIV (113 trea
ZIMBABWE: Zimbabwe Imposes New Checks on Aid Agencies: Agence France Presse (09.02.08) - Tuesday, September 02, 2008; Though last week it lifted a ban on humanitarian agencies operating in the country, Zimbabwe s government has announced strict new conditions on non-governmental groups (NGOs), the state-run Herald newspaper reported today. NGOs will be required to submit details of their programs and funding, in addition to reporting
NEW YORK: NY Wants HIV/AIDS Patients to Move to HMOs: Associated Press (08.22.08) - Tuesday, September 02, 2008; Valerie Bauman; The director of New York s Medicaid program, Deborah Bachrach, is recommending that HIV-positive New York City residents who receive Medicaid benefits be switched from fee-for-service plans to managed care plans. The state Department of Health has conducted studies that show that all patients, including HIV/AIDS patien
UNITED STATES: Eight States Cut from System that Tracks Rate of HIV: New York Times (08.23.08) - Tuesday, September 02, 2008; Shaila Dewan; On Aug. 22, CDC announced that eight states and Puerto Rico will no longer receive federal funds for its advanced HIV monitoring system. The system, which distinguishes between new infections and older ones, produced CDC s recent estimate showing that annual HIV infections were about 40 percent higher than previously t
CANADA: Leading Canadian AIDS Researcher Given France's Highest Honor: Canadian Press (08.21.08) - Friday, August 22, 2008; Dr. Mark Wainberg has been awarded France s highest honor for his work in HIV/AIDS. Wainberg was named a Chevalier, or knight, of the Legion d honneur. In 1984, Wainberg founded McGill University s AIDS Center and also co-chaired the International AIDS Conference that year. He serves as an advisory committee chair for
INDIANA: Northern Indiana County Warns of Hoax STD Calls: Associated Press (08.21.08) - Friday, August 22, 2008; St. Joseph County Health Department officials say residents should disregard any automated calls they receive purportedly from the agency about possible exposure to HIV or STDs. The messages are a hoax, said the department, adding that it would never leave personal medical information on an answering machine or through
ALASKA: Cases of Infectious Diseases Drop in Alaska: Associated Press (08.09.08) - Friday, August 22, 2008; A new report by the state Department of Health and Social Services shows a drop in cases of HIV/AIDS and other STDs in 2007. New AIDS cases fell 35 percent, from 46 in 2006 to 30 last year; new HIV infections dropped 31 percent, from 88 cases in 2006 to 61 cases last year. These declines mostly reflect a statistical sp
UNITED STATES: Risk Factors for Prevalent and Incident Trichomonas vaginalis Among Women Attending Three Sexually Transmitted Disease Clinics: Sexually Transmitted Diseases Vol. 35; No. 5: P. 484-488 (05.08.08) - Friday, August 22, 2008; Donna J. Helms, MPH; Debra J. Mosure, PhD; Carol A. Metcalf, MBChB, MPH; John M. Douglas, Jr., MD; Kevin C. Malotte, DrPH; Sindy M. Paul, MD, MPH; Thomas A. Peterman, MD; Trichomonas vaginalis is the most common nonviral STD in the United States . It may be associated with adverse birth outcomes, and it may increase susceptibility to or transmission of HIV. The authors undertook the current study to describe the epidemiology of T. vaginalis in STD clinics and to characterize the risk fa
BOTSWANA: Research Canadian Mathematicians, Grad Students to Tackle Disease with Numbers: Telegraph-Journal (New Brunswi (08.14.08) - Friday, August 22, 2008; Canadian Press; A group of 25 African and Canadian graduate students and two leading mathematicians are teaching students in Botswana how diseases like HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria can be controlled by using math equations and formulas. What we re trying to do with our team is develop these mathematical models so that when there s a disea
AUSTRALIA: Sex and the Septuagenarian: The Age (Melbourne) (08.19.08) - Friday, August 22, 2008; Annie Lawson; New research indicates the degree to which older Australians are sexually active and their potential risk for STDs. Professor Victor Minichiello, who heads the school of health at the University of New England in Armidale, New South Wales, took part in the study, which was conducted among patients at Sydney s largest s
CANADA: Fewer Teens Report Having Intercourse: Canadian Press (08.20.08) - Friday, August 22, 2008; Lauren La Rose; Fewer Canadian teens ages 15-19 are reporting having sexual intercourse, bringing the rate down to 43 percent in 2005 from 47 percent in 1996-1997, according to Statistics Canada . Data for the study came from 4,500 respondents to the 1996-1997 National Population Health Survey and about 10,000 respondents to each of t
UNITED STATES: Dating Violence Can Affect Teenagers, Too: Reuters (07.22.08) - Friday, August 22, 2008; Amy Norton; In a nationally representative poll of US teenagers, serious dating violence, including physical abuse, sexual assault or being threatened with a weapon, was reported by 2.7 percent of girls and 0.6 percent of boys. The results were derived from a telephone-based survey completed by 3,614 adolescents ages 12 to 17. K
GEORGIA: HIV Effort Cut in Georgia: Atlanta Journal-Constitution (08.22.08) - Friday, August 22, 2008; Craig Schneider; On Thursday, CDC officials confirmed that Georgia is no longer among the states taking part in its state-of-the-art program to track HIV incidence. Georgia had been participating for the past three years, receiving more than $1 million to conduct the advanced testing, which can distinguish longstanding HIV infections f
RWANDA: To Help Control Infectious Diseases, Hospital's Design Keeps Fresh Air in Mind: New York Times (08.19.08) - Thursday, August 21, 2008; Bina Venkataraman; Health experts are taking a fresh look at how hospital design can help prevent the spread of airborne diseases like tuberculosis. It s not revolutionary or difficult, said Dr. Peter Drobac, a clinical advisor with Partners in Health who is advising Rwanda s government on the construction of a new hospital in the Burera
ZIMBABWE: Extended Political Turmoil Puts Zimbabwe's HIV/AIDS Gains at Risk: Voice of America (08.18.08) - Thursday, August 21, 2008; Carole Gombakomba; Speaking on condition of anonymity, representatives of two Zimbabwean non-governmental organizations serving HIV/AIDS patients said their work remains significantly curtailed by a government ban on the distribution of humanitarian aid by NGOs. Although Health Minister David Parirenyatwa said the ban would be lifted whe
UTAH: Davis STD Rates Down for 1st Time in Years: Standard-Examiner (Ogden) (08.13.08) - Thursday, August 21, 2008; Loretta Park; Davis County health officials are projecting that gonorrhea and chlamydia infections there will decline in 2008, the first such drop in 10 years. This year, Davis County is on target to have 180 chlamydia cases, down from 191 in 2006. And it is set to have just 11 gonorrhea cases, down from 20 in 2006. Reasons for the
SOUTH CAROLINA: Groups Team Up to Fight HIV: Sun News (Myrtle Beach) (08.18.08) - Thursday, August 21, 2008; Janelle Frost; Women who are victims of sexual attacks can now access free medicines to prevent HIV, as well as follow-up care, thanks to two Myrtle Beach area nonprofits. Careteam, an HIV/AIDS group serving Horry, Georgetown, and Williamsburg counties, and the Rape Crisis Center (RCC) are teaming up to provide post- exposure prophyl
CALIFORNIA: City Applies for Renewal of HIV Prevention Funds: Bay Area Reporter (08.21.08) - Thursday, August 21, 2008; Seth Hemmelgarn; San Francisco s health department will soon apply for CDC funding for several ongoing HIV prevention efforts. The application was prepared by the department s HIV prevention section and approved Aug. 14 at the Prevention Planning Council meeting, during which an interim progress report included brief previews of the ci
UNITED STATES: Researchers Question Wide Use of HPV Vaccines: New York Times (08.21.08) - Thursday, August 21, 2008; Elisabeth Rosenthal; New analyses of the two human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines raise doubts about their cost and effectiveness at preventing cervical cancer. Merck & Co. s Gardasil and GlaxoSmithKline s Cervarix target two HPV strains responsible for an estimated 70 percent of cervical cancers. Gardasil also protects against two othe
UNITED STATES: National LGBT Youth Group Comments on New HIV Numbers: Windy City Times (08.20.08) - Thursday, August 21, 2008; Amy Wooten; CDC s new HIV incidence estimates, which found the US epidemic is and has been worse than previously known, also showed that new HIV infections are highest among those age 29 and under. That means there is a need for an updated social marketing approach to grab the attention of youth, said the National Youth Advocacy C
UNITED STATES: AIDS Workers Aim to Lift Black Community's Shroud of Silence: Fort Worth Star Telegram (08.07.08) - Thursday, August 21, 2008; Cary Darling; Regarding HIV s disproportionate impact on African Americans, observers cite a range of possible reasons, including: *Silence. If we could just break the silence, I think that we can prevent a lot of [HIV/AIDS] in the African-American community, said the Rev. John Reed, a volunteer at the AIDS Outreach Center in Fort W
OHIO: Teens' Charity Drive Exceeds $1 Million: Cincinnati Enquirer (08.18.08) - Wednesday, August 20, 2008; Steve Kemme; When Indian Hill eighth-graders at Country Day School launched HOPE (Help Other People Endure) five years ago, they never suspected they would raise more than $1 million through car washes, t-shirt sales, and events to help a poverty-stricken Zulu South African village hard hit by AIDS. Having now just graduated high s
ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA: Antigua May Have Its Largest HIV/AIDS Numbers This Year: Antigua Sun (St. John's) (08.19.08) - Wednesday, August 20, 2008; Denesha Whyte; The island nation of Antigua and Barbuda has recorded almost double the HIV diagnoses in the first half of this year compared to the same period last year, according to the AIDS Secretariat. From January to June this year, there were 45 HIV/AIDS cases reported, up from 24 cases during the first six months last year.
PENNSYLVANIA: Group Offers Hope for Those with HIV/AIDS: Philadelphia Inquirer (08.16.08) - Wednesday, August 20, 2008; Kia Gregory; Recently, the nonprofit group One Day at a Time (ODT) held its 16th annual candlelight HIV/AIDS vigil in a hardscrabble North Philadelphia neighborhood. Some 200 people attended the gathering, hoping to bring light into a community saddled with shame and fear of being stigmatized by the disease. Philadelphia health dep
MICHIGAN: Syphilis Outbreak in Flint Coming to a Close, Officials Say: Michigan Messenger.com (08.19.08) - Wednesday, August 20, 2008; Todd A. Heywood; Genesee County health officials say the largest outbreak of syphilis in years appears to be waning. Based upon the diagrams I have seen so far, the outbreak has already peaked, and we are on the downslide, said Mark Valacak, county Health Department spokesperson. So far this year, officials have confirmed 70 syphilis c
DELAWARE: Missing the Most at Risk: News Journal (Wilmington) (08.18.08) - Wednesday, August 20, 2008; Adam Taylor; Many African Americans in Wilmington are not accessing the city s needle exchange, even though they make up 67 percent of state residents with HIV/AIDS. Wilmington s five-year pilot exchange has been running since February 2007. The program, which uses a van to distribute needles at locations across the city, was appro
UNITED STATES: HAART Improves Syphilis Serologic Response Rates in HIV Patients: Reuters Health (08.19.08) - Wednesday, August 20, 2008; New research indicates that in patients co-infected with HIV, highly active antiretroviral therapy reduces syphilis serologic failure rates. Syphilis and [HIV] frequently coexist in patients, but the effects of immunosuppression on the course of syphilis are unknown, wrote the study s authors, Dr. Khalil G. Ghanem of J
CANADA: Appeal in Case of Vancouver's Safe-Injection Site to Be Heard Next April: Canadian Press (08.14.08) - Wednesday, August 20, 2008; James Keller; On Thursday, the Court of Appeal for British Columbia announced that on April 27, 2009, it will hear the federal government s request to have drug laws apply to a supervised injection facility in Vancouver. Launched in 2003 under an exemption to Canadian drug laws, Insite allows addicts to inject their drugs while unde
UNITED KINGDOM: GPs 'Can't Read Hepatitis C Results': Belfast Telegraph (08.12.08) - Wednesday, August 20, 2008; Jane Kirby; A recently released poll found that while nine out of 10 UK general practitioners routinely administered hepatitis C tests, 38 percent were unable to read the results correctly, and 32 percent did not actively follow up with patients testing positive for the virus. More than two-thirds of the GPs, 77 percent, did not c
GEORGIA: AIDS Finds a Hidden Niche in Georgia: Atlanta Journal-Constitution (08.17.08) - Wednesday, August 20, 2008; Craig Schneider; The number of Georgians with HIV/AIDS leaped almost 27 percent from 2004 to 2007, reaching a cumulative total of 32,740 people, the state Division of Public Health reported recently. And those infected are increasingly younger, rural, black or female, and harder to reach with services and prevention messages, say healt
INDIA: Condom Ringtone Launched in India: Agence France Presse (08.19.08) - Tuesday, August 19, 2008; A new cell phone ringtone takes aim at Indians reluctance to discuss condom use. The condom a cappella ringtone, in which voices harmonize while singing condom, condom! is being funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The idea is to tackle the inhibitions and taboos that can be associated with condoms, said
NORTH CAROLINA: New HIV Cases Put at 2,200: News and Observer (Raleigh, NC (08.06.08) - Tuesday, August 19, 2008; According to CDC s improved method of estimating HIV infections, about 2,200 North Carolinians acquired the virus in 2006 - 953 more cases than the estimate of 1,247 found in the state s epidemiological survey. We know that science- based prevention interventions and testing work to help prevent the spread of HIV, said
ARKANSAS: African Methodist Episcopal Women's Group to Sponsor HIV Tests: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (08.16.08) - Tuesday, August 19, 2008; Heather Hahn; On Saturday, the Women s Missionary Society (WMS) of the AME Church s Arkansas Conference sponsored free HIV testing at Shorter College in North Little Rock. The tests were administered by the Arkansas Department of Health, with results available in 15 to 20 minutes. Claudia Smith, health coordinator for WMS in the AME
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA; VIRGINIA: Stigma Remains an Obstacle to Treatment: Washington Post (08.05.08) - Tuesday, August 19, 2008; Brittney Johnson; Many patients still sneak into the Whitman-Walker Clinics to make sure no one sees them going into the area s largest non- governmental HIV/AIDS service provider, said Justin Goforth, WWC s director of medical adherence. That stigma is perhaps greatest among recent Latino immigrants, and compounding it are sentiments a
UNITED STATES: Rapid HIV Test Has High False-Positive Rate: Reuters (08.05.08) - Tuesday, August 19, 2008; An assessment of rapid HIV testing offered in emergency room settings found the OraQuick ADVANCE Rapid HIV-1/2 Antibody Test produced a high rate of false-positives. Between February and October 2007, 849 adults who visited the emergency department at Boston s Brigham and Women s Hospital consented to rapid HIV testing
SOUTH AFRICA: Cash Rewards Could Encourage HIV Testing: Business Day (South Africa) (08.01.08) - Tuesday, August 19, 2008; Tamar Kahn; Despite high-profile public HIV awareness campaigns, less than a third of South Africans have been tested for HIV, according to the Human Sciences Research Council. In response, a Cape Town-based nonprofit is offering cash rewards for testing to unemployed day laborers, a group it already serves. Men on the Side of the
CANADA: Online Campaign Urges Sexually Active Youth to Practice Safe Sex, Get Tested: Canadian Press (08.18.08) - Tuesday, August 19, 2008; Andrea Gordon; A new HIV testing campaign kicked off Monday with a Web site accessible only in Canada , luvu2.ca. The One Life initiative aims to reach young Canadians where they are - online and listening to music. One Life uses an online video featuring the hit U2 song One, recorded by hip-hop artist Mary J. Blige, to promote HIV t
CALIFORNIA: Into US, into Riskier Sex: Dallas Morning News (08.11.08) - Tuesday, August 19, 2008; Laurence Iliff; Research presented at the 17th International AIDS Conference in Mexico City suggests that migrants from Mexico put themselves at greater risk of HIV infection after arriving in the United States . Melissa Sanchez of the California HIV/AIDS Research Program at the University of California presented the study, whose resu
UNITED STATES: Hit by HIV, Black Women Reach In to Cope, Out to Empower: Fort Worth Star Telegram (08.07.08) - Tuesday, August 19, 2008; Jan Jarvis; AIDS workers say many factors contribute to HIV s disproportionate impact on African-American women. But really what is happening doesn t have anything to do with race, said Vera Owens of the Los Angeles-based Minority AIDS Project. Many black women, she said, are so used to being caregivers that they fail to care for
UNITED KINGDOM: Scheme Helps Kids to Tackle AIDS: Belfast Telegraph (08.16.08) - Monday, August 18, 2008; On Aug. 27, the Church of Ireland will kick off an initiative, Let s Go Tackle AIDS, aimed at helping children better understand the HIV/AIDS epidemic. In addition, the project will seek to raise funds to assist people in Africa affected by HIV. The launch will take place at the Diocesan Center in Londonderry, where th
SOUTH KOREA: South Korean Non-Governmental Organization Joins Global AIDS Fight: Korea Times (08.10.08) - Monday, August 18, 2008; Kim Se-jeong; Save the Children Korea, founded in 1953, has no direct AIDS projects in South Korea due to the nation s relatively low caseload: Just 744 new HIV infections were diagnosed last year, bringing the total number of cases to 4,343, according to the Korean AIDS Information Center. However, SCK is active in the fight elsewh
CHINA: Beijing Advocates Safe Sex During Olympics: Xinhua (08.15.08) - Monday, August 18, 2008; Taking advantage of the opportunity to push HIV prevention to an international audience during the Olympic Games, Beijing s health bureau has distributed 400,000 free condoms to more than 90,000 rooms in 424 hotels rated three stars or better. The bureau also provided the hotels with 250,000 free educational pamphlets
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: D.C. Clinic's HIV Case Numbers Surge: Washington Blade (08.15.08) - Monday, August 18, 2008; Lou Chibbaro Jr.; The number of HIV-positive test results at Whitman-Walker Clinic increased by 232 percent this year, though the clinic did not test more patients, officials there said recently. In the first half of this year, Whitman-Walker tested about 6,500 patients and 266 were found to be HIV-positive. The clinic tested roughly th
THE AMERICAS; AFRICA: Genital Herpes Treatment Does Not Prevent HIV: Reuters (08.11.08) - Monday, August 18, 2008; C. Vidya Shankar, MD; At the 17th International AIDS Conference in Mexico City, Dr. C. Celum of the University of Washington-Seattle and colleagues presented findings showing that long-term treatment of genital herpes with acyclovir does not lower the rate of HIV infection. Noting that prior infection with herpes simplex virus type 2 (H
PERU: Extensively Drug-Resistant TB Curable with Aggressive Outpatient Treatment: Reuters Health (08.06.08) - Monday, August 18, 2008; Aggressive treatment of extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB) in HIV-negative patients can achieve high cure rates even in developing countries, a new study finds. Defined as Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains with resistance to at least isoniazid, rifampin, and members of three of six classes of second-line drugs, X
AFGHANISTAN: In War-Torn Afghanistan, the Number of AIDS Cases Is on the Rise: Chicago Tribune (08.10.08) - Monday, August 18, 2008; Kim Barker; Though Afghanistan has recorded only 435 HIV diagnoses, health officials there and elsewhere say cases probably number in the thousands, and conditions are ripe for an epidemic. HIV awareness is lacking; the health care infrastructure is rudimentary; and even many Afghani doctors know little or nothing about HIV/AIDS.
UNITED STATES: American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Recommends Routine, Opt-Out HIV Screening for All Women: Reuters Health (08.01.08) - Monday, August 18, 2008; The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recently recommended routinely screening all women ages 19-64 for HIV, regardless of risk factors, unless the patient declines. Targeted screening is recommended for women outside that age group who are at high risk for the disease, ACOG said. Retesting should be
UNITED STATES: Low Hepatitis B Vaccination Rates Seen in Newborns: Reuters (08.01.08) - Monday, August 18, 2008; A new CDC survey finds that just 50 percent of newborns receive the first dose of hepatitis B vaccine prior to hospital discharge, with vaccination rates varying widely among cities and states. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommended in 1991 that all newborns receive the first injection of the hepa
ILLINOIS: Grant to Help House HIV/AIDS Patients: Chicago Tribune (08.14.08) - Friday, August 15, 2008; The US Department of Housing and Urban Development has awarded the AIDS Foundation of Chicago a three-year grant of nearly $1.4 million to provide housing assistance to low-income people with HIV/AIDS. AFC said the money will provide subsidies and support services to 33 households per year. It is the lead agency for th
UGANDA: Uganda Hepatitis Epidemic Toll Rises to 110: Agence France Presse (08.14.08) - Friday, August 15, 2008; Unsanitary conditions are to blame for a hepatitis E outbreak in northern Uganda s Kitgum district that has killed 110 people since October, the health ministry said Thursday. The biggest problem has been personal hygiene, which is far below standards, said epidemiologist Joseph Wamara. Many of these people have been c
MARYLAND: Sex Workers Become Integral Part of AIDS Data and Outreach: Baltimore Examiner (08.14.08) - Friday, August 15, 2008; Sara Michael; Baltimore health officials are taking steps to integrate sex workers into the fight against HIV/AIDS, from data collection to outreach. There s a growing recognition at the health department of the importance and need for better outreach and services to this group of women, said Dr. Joshua Sharfstein, the city s health
CANADA: 'Found' Needles Pose Low Infection Risk for Kids: Reuters Health (08.08.08) - Friday, August 15, 2008; Joene Hendry; A new study of children who were accidentally stuck with discarded syringes concludes that the risk of acquiring a blood-borne infection from such injuries is very low. However, the authors said parents should seek immediate medical advice whenever a child is stuck with a potentially contaminated needle, and children s
CHINA: Beijing Provides 100,000 Condoms for Athletes: Reuters (08.12.08) - Friday, August 15, 2008; Belinda Goldsmith; UNAIDS , the Beijing organizing committee and the International Olympic Committee are providing 100,000 condoms for the 10,500 athletes taking part in the summer Games. There are many young, strong, single people in the athletes village and, like everywhere, some will fall in love or other things, so we need to make
MALAYSIA: Conservative Malaysia Faces Uphill Battle in HIV Fight: Reuters (07.31.08) - Friday, August 15, 2008; Tan Ee Lyn; HIV prevention workers in predominantly Muslim Malaysia have the government s official support, including for programs that distribute condoms and sterile needles. On the ground, however, the story is different. Prevention workers say outreach is difficult in the nation, where sodomy is illegal and illicit drug use is
THAILAND: In Thailand, HIV-Positive Drug Users Struggle to Get Lifesaving Treatment: Voice of America (08.13.08) - Friday, August 15, 2008; Aaron Goodman; Some AIDS activists and human rights groups say that drug addicts in Thailand are routinely denied HIV treatment, and the country s emphasis on criminal drug laws has made addiction treatment more difficult. They also contend that a 2003 crackdown resulted in nearly 3,000 extrajudicial killings, leading some addicts to
CANADA: Syphilis Awareness Campaign Scratched by Health Minister: Edmonton Journal (08.15.08) - Friday, August 15, 2008; Alexandra Zabjek; Health Minister Ron Liepert said Thursday he does not support a general syphilis education campaign in Alberta, where some public health experts believe the disease has reached a critical level. Syphilis rates in Alberta began to rise in 2005. Since then, five infants have died of congenital syphilis. In 2007, the prov
UNITED STATES: Gift Cards Key to New AIDS Prevention Strategy: Associated Press (08.08.08) - Friday, August 15, 2008; Mike Stobbe; Building upon good results when the program was piloted in North Carolina, CDC is rolling out a two-year, $1.5 million effort that rewards gay male opinion leaders for pushing anti- HIV behavior change. With $1 million CDC funding, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services instituted the program, which
UNITED STATES: New Shot Requirements Make Becoming a Resident Tougher: San Antonio Express-News (08.12.08) - Friday, August 15, 2008; Don Finely; The US Citizenship and Immigration Service (CIS) has added more vaccines to the long list of medical requirements for people seeking to become legal permanent US residents. The five newly required vaccines are for hepatitis A, human papillomavirus (HPV), rotavirus, meningococcal disease, and shingles (herpes zoster).
IDAHO: Tuberculosis Notifications Go Out in South Idaho: Associated Press (08.05.08) - Thursday, August 14, 2008; The Southwest District Health Department has sent out warnings to 497 people who may have been exposed to a man with active TB in the Canyon County Work-Release Center, health officials said. The investigation is focusing on the January-May time period, which encompasses the duration the man was in the program up until
MINNESOTA: Some 140 Ex-Inmates Sought amid TB Outbreak at Ramsey County Workhouse: St. Paul Pioneer Press (08.13.08) - Thursday, August 14, 2008; Jeremy Olsen; On Wednesday, Ramsey County health officials said they are trying to notify more than 140 former inmates of the county workhouse in Maplewood to come in for testing after an inmate there was found to have active TB. Investigators believe the active case was missed during testing at intake, and the inmate potentially ex
UGANDA: Ugandan Hepatitis E Outbreak Kills Nine in a Week, Monitor Says: Bloomberg News (08.13.08) - Thursday, August 14, 2008; Fred Ojambo; Since July 17, Uganda s Health Ministry has recorded 25 deaths in an outbreak of hepatitis E, including at least nine people in the last week, according to the Daily Monitor newspaper. Since the outbreak was first detected in October, the fecal- orally transmitted disease has infected 6,563 people and killed 106 in the
FLORIDA: Florida State University Block Party Fosters HIV/AIDS Awareness: University Wire (08.04.08) - Thursday, August 14, 2008; Molly Chess, FSView & Florida Flambeau; Phi Beta Sigma s second HIV/AIDS Awareness Block Party, held on July 31 in Florida State University s Union Courtyard, was this year dedicated to a fraternity brother personally affected by the disease. He has an immediate relative who contracted the virus, said Micah Johnson, past president and the event s founder. T
NORTH CAROLINA: Study Targets HIV Rate in Group: Winston-Salem Journal (08.12.08) - Thursday, August 14, 2008; Richard Craver; Next month, Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center (WFUBMC) will begin a two-year study looking into whether a lack of trust in the health care system is contributing to a disproportionately higher AIDS mortality rate among Latinos. WFUBMC researchers will initially enroll 200 Hispanic participants who are eithe
INDIA: Abused Indian Women at Greater Risk of HIV: Study: Reuters (08.12.08) - Thursday, August 14, 2008; Jason Szep; On Tuesday, Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) researchers said married women in India who are physically and sexually abused by their husbands have nearly four times the HIV infection risk as married women who are not abused. The study confirms earlier reports suggesting that men who engage in extramarital sex, in
UNITED STATES: Smoking Crack May Speed Up HIV Course in Women: Reuters Health (08.06.08) - Thursday, August 14, 2008; Megan Rauscher; A new study concludes, Use of crack cocaine independently predicts AIDS-related mortality, immunologic and virologic markers of HIV-1 disease progression, and development of AIDS- defining illnesses among women. The subjects of the research were 1,686 HIV-positive women enrolled at six US research centers in the Women
UGANDA: Uganda Turns to Mass Circumcision in AIDS Fight: Reuters (08.13.08) - Thursday, August 14, 2008; Frank Nyakairu; Ugandan officials are using the month-long traditional circumcision season practiced by some tribes to promote mass male circumcision as a way to prevent HIV/AIDS. Some studies suggest that when used in conjunction with other prevention methods such as consistent condom use, male circumcision could reduce a man s risk
FLORIDA: Experts Try to Close Health Care Gap: Orlando Sentinel (08.13.08) - Thursday, August 14, 2008; Arelis Hernandez; Seven specific health care issues - cancer, diabetes, heart disease, oral health, adult and childhood immunizations, maternal/infant health, and HIV/AIDS - are key topics at this week s Minority Health Disparities Summit in Tampa. According to Dr. Emile Commedore, director of the state Office of Minority Health, Florid
TEXAS: Different Fight for Latinos: Late HIV Detection, Cultural Differences Worsen AIDS Crisis: Dallas Morning News (08.11.08) - Thursday, August 14, 2008; Jessica Meyers; Hispanics comprised 15 percent of the US population but accounted for 22 percent of new HIV/AIDS cases in 2006. More than 8,000 Texas Hispanics are living with AIDS. In Texas, 32 percent of Hispanics with HIV progress to an AIDS diagnosis within just one month of learning they carry the virus; this compares to 24 perce
SOUTH AFRICA: South African Drug Company Recalls AIDS Treatment Medicines: Agence France Presse (08.08.08) - Wednesday, August 13, 2008; The South African pharmaceutical company Adcock Ingram said Friday it is recalling two of its generic AIDS drugs due to improper labeling. Adco-Nevirapine tablets, with batch number 1J, and expiry January 2009, and Adco-Zidovudine tablets, batch number 1Z and expiry date November 2008 should be returned without delay,
AUSTRALIA: Cervical Cancer Vaccine Boost: The Age (Melbourne) (08.11.08) - Wednesday, August 13, 2008; Nick Miller; On Monday, a register that will monitor Australia s program to vaccinate young women against cervical cancer opened in Melbourne. The National Human Papillomavirus Register will record all inoculations from councils, schools, general practitioners, and nurses throughout the country. The $23.5 million (US $20.4 million)
WASHINGTON: Getting the Pills to HIV/AIDS Patients: Seattle Post Intelligencer (08.12.08) - Wednesday, August 13, 2008; Cherie Black; For HIV/AIDS patients, treatment regimens can be complicated to manage and adhere to properly. Homelessness, mental illness, drug addiction, and other problems just compound these difficulties. In response, several Seattle organizations are simplifying medication management, helping to persuade patients to begin treatm
CONNECTICUT: Blacks' AIDS Help Falters: Hartford Courant (08.01.08) - Wednesday, August 13, 2008; Tina A. Brown; An estimated 2,055 Hartford residents have HIV/AIDS, of whom 38 percent are black and 40 percent are Hispanic. In New Haven, 1,550 people have HIV/AIDS. Advocates worry that programs in these cities that target underserved populations affected by HIV are suffering from a lack of resources. In recent developments: *The
UNITED STATES: Parasitic Worms May Help Fuel AIDS Epidemic: Study: Reuters (07.22.08) - Wednesday, August 13, 2008; Will Dunham; New findings suggest that people infected with the parasitic worm that causes schistosomiasis may be much more susceptible to infection with HIV. Schistosomiasis is found mostly in developing countries with unsanitary water supplies, and the new evidence may help explain why sub-Saharan Africa has been disproportionate
EASTERN EUROPE: Post-Soviet Dislocation Has Worsened Spread of AIDS: Inter Press Service (07.31.08) - Wednesday, August 13, 2008; Claudia Ciobanu; Poverty, social dislocation, increased availability of injection drugs, and crumbling health care systems have all helped HIV/AIDS spread among former nations of the Soviet Union. In most other East European countries, the HIV epidemic peaked in 2000-2001, and efforts to curb it have achieved some success. According to
SUDAN: War and Poverty Driving Up HIV Cases in Sudan: Associated Press (08.10.08) - Wednesday, August 13, 2008; Sarah El Deeb; AIDS experts speaking Sunday in Sudan s capital of Khartoum said an estimated 1.6 percent of the nation s 37 million people have HIV, but that better tracking would certainly reveal a higher actual case count. Poverty and the migration of war refugees are chiefly to blame. The war that continues to rage in Darfur has d
NORTH CAROLINA: An Old Scourge Persists in N.C.: Immigrants Face a Growing TB Risk: News and Observer (Raleigh, NC (08.06.08) - Wednesday, August 13, 2008; Kristin Collins; The proportion of tuberculosis diagnoses among foreign-born persons in North Carolina has risen dramatically, alongside the number of immigrants to the state. In 1983, foreign-born people represented less than 3 percent of the state s cases. That figure rose to 26 percent in 2000 and now stands at 40 percent. If we con
UNITED STATES: FDA Approves Gilead AIDS Drug for Hepatitis B: Associated Press (08.12.08) - Wednesday, August 13, 2008; Marcus Wohlsen; On Monday, Gilead Sciences Inc. announced that the Food and Drug Administration has approved its HIV drug Viread ( tenofovir ) as a treatment for hepatitis B. The approval was based on two clinical trials demonstrating that Viread is more effective than Hepser
GLOBAL: Next World AIDS Conference Set for Vienna 2010: Agence France Presse (08.08.08) - Tuesday, August 12, 2008; The International AIDS Society s 17th International AIDS Conference wrapped up Friday in Mexico City with the announcement that the next IAC will take place in Vienna, Austria , in 2010. The society said Vienna was chosen due to its proximity to Eastern Europe and Central Asia, where HIV infections have jumped by 150 p
IVORY COAST: US Health Secretary to Make AIDS Visit to Ivory Coast: Embassy: Agence France Presse (08.11.08) - Tuesday, August 12, 2008; On Monday, the US embassy in Abidjan announced that US Secretary of Health and Human Services Michael Leavitt will arrive Wednesday to spend two days in Ivory Coast . The US President s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief has allocated $120 million from April 2008 to March 2009 for disease-fighting efforts in Ivory Coast, a
NEW YORK: The Bronx Takes the Fight Against HIV to the Next Level: New York Amsterdam News (07.16.08) - Tuesday, August 12, 2008; Damaso Reyes; The New York City Department of Health and hundreds of community groups have launched a new initiative aimed at encouraging all residents of the Bronx between ages 18 and 64 to learn their HIV status within the next three years. Although HIV treatments have successfully prolonged the lives of infected people, new infec
CALIFORNIA: Supervisors Split, but OK Extension of Syringe Program: Sacramento Bee (08.06.08) - Tuesday, August 12, 2008; Hudson Sangree; Despite complaints about discarded syringes in Woodland City, Yolo County supervisors voted 3-2 to extend and fund a needle exchange program for another year. The county health officer said the Syringe Exchange Program (SEP) is warranted to prevent HIV and hepatitis from spreading among injection drug users (IDUs). Th
SOUTH AFRICA: TB Drug Interferes with Key AIDS Treatment: Study: Agence France Presse (08.03.08) - Tuesday, August 12, 2008; In a study presented ahead of the 17th International AIDS Conference in Mexico City, researchers led by Andrew Boulle of the University of Cape Town found the TB drug rifampicin reduces concentrations of an HIV/AIDS treatment widely used in Africa and other hard-hit regions. From 2001 to 2006, a group of patients in
GLOBAL: Few HIV Patients Tested for Tuberculosis: Reuters (08.08.08) - Tuesday, August 12, 2008; C. Vidya Shankar, MD; An unacceptable 1 percent of HIV patients worldwide have been screened for tuberculosis, researchers from the Advocacy to Control TB Internationally (ACTION) coalition said at the 17th International AIDS Conference in Mexico City. According to the ACTION report, World Health Organization statistics show that just 3
INDIA: Vast Distances a Barrier to Combating HIV/AIDS in India: Reuters (08.08.08) - Tuesday, August 12, 2008; Tan Ee Lyn; Free antiretroviral treatment (ART) is not enough to stem HIV/AIDS in India , because many patients are too far away to access it, doctors there say. And many patients who travel long distances to reach one of India s 147 ART centers eventually drop out of care. There s no seat and I am very weak, Sambit said of the t
MEXICO; UNITED STATES: Tijuana's AIDS Epidemic Is a Binational Threat: Washington Post (08.01.08) - Tuesday, August 12, 2008; Ceci Connolly; Tijuana, the chaotic border city of 1.5 million people, is the front line of Mexico s war on HIV/AIDS. Though Mexico has one of the lowest HIV rates in the Americas, Tijuana has a rate nearly triple the national average - around one in 125 adults is infected. And because Tijuana serves as an entrance point for workers
GLOBAL: Global AIDS Prevention Gives Short Shrift to Gays: Associated Press (08.09.08) - Tuesday, August 12, 2008; Julie Watson; Although HIV infections among men who have sex with men (MSM) are rising in many countries, UNAIDS figures show that in 2006, less than 1 percent of the $669 million spent globally on HIV prevention targeted these men. This is the smallest proportion of money targeting any at-risk population. Many MSM insist they are n
NEW YORK: New York HIV Cases Underreported: Newsday (Melville) (08.05.08) - Tuesday, August 12, 2008; Delthia Ricks; Based on CDC s revised estimate of HIV incidence in the United States , there were 6,200 more HIV cases in New York state in 2006 than previously thought, state health officials recently said. The CDC report, based on more accurate data and direct testing that distinguished recent from long-term infections, showed the
TEXAS: Tuberculosis on the Rise: Associated Press (07.30.08) - Monday, August 11, 2008; The Brazoria County Health Department is treating at least 15 cases of tuberculosis, double the number of cases it has handled in recent years. Marie Beth Jones, a county spokesperson, said as many as 90 people may have been exposed to TB, and officials are administering skin tests to determine whether they have the in
AFGHANISTAN: Only 2,500 Afghans HIV-Positive, but Several Risks: Ministry: Agence France Presse (08.07.08) - Monday, August 11, 2008; On Thursday, Afghanistan s health ministry reported there are an estimated 2,000-2,500 HIV cases in the country, though only about 435 cases have been recorded. The prevalence of HIV in Afghanistan is currently considered low, the ministry said. However, factors including the growth in heroin injection, low condom use,
ZIMBABWE: UNICEF Head Concerned over Spread of HIV in Mozambique: Agence France Presse (08.03.08) - Monday, August 11, 2008; At the end of a three-day visit to Mozambique on Aug. 2, UNICEF Executive Director Ann Veneman said the agency is concerned by high levels of HIV infection in the country. The spread of the virus, she said, is being fueled partly by an influx of prostitutes from Zimbabwe . We are working with t
CALIFORNIA: Sex-Linked Diseases Rise: Press Enterprise (Riverside) (08.07.08) - Monday, August 11, 2008; Lora Hines; Cases of two of the most common STDs continued to rise in Riverside County last year, a recent survey from the public health department showed. Chlamydia infections increased 24 percent, from 5,112 cases in 2006 to 6,328 in 2007. The county s gonorrhea tally rose from 1,015 in 2006 to 1,168 in 2007. Statewide, chlamydi
PAKISTAN: Taboos About Sex Hinder Efforts to Fight AIDS in Pakistan, Study Says: New York Times (07.22.08) - Monday, August 11, 2008; Donald G. McNeil Jr.; Islamic law prohibits sex outside of marriage, and many Pakistanis believe HIV/AIDS is not a problem in Muslim countries, so safe-sex education is rare. But while religious views and taboos about sex make addressing HIV in Pakistan problematic, India and Bangladesh , which have similarly conservative Muslim
CANADA: Syphilis Kills Five Alberta Babies: Edmonton Journal (08.07.08) - Monday, August 11, 2008; Alexandra Zabjek; Alberta health officials are grappling with an ongoing syphilis outbreak that has led to the deaths of five infants since 2005. [Congenital syphilis] is totally preventable, said Dr. James Talbot, associate medical health officer for Capital Health. That s both a source of frustration to us and the feeling that we have
GLOBAL: WHO Publishes How-To Guide on Fighting AIDS: Reuters (08.05.08) - Monday, August 11, 2008; Maggie Fox; At the 17th International AIDS Conference in Mexico City, the World Health Organization released a guidebook to help low- and middle-income countries combat HIV/AIDS. Every day, more than 6,800 people become infected with HIV and more than 5,700 die, mostly because they have no access to HIV prevention, treatment, and
GLOBAL: War on AIDS: Money Nightmare Seems Set to Return: Agence France Presse (08.08.08) - Monday, August 11, 2008; Richard Ingham; Efforts to extend HIV treatment to developing countries, where 90 percent of those infected live, have made a Herculean advance since the start of the decade. Still, less than a third of the 9.7 million poor people needing HIV treatment receive it, according to UNAIDS . Without a cure or vaccine, as more people become
GLOBAL: Seeking Better Laws on HIV: New York Times (08.09.08) - Monday, August 11, 2008; Lawrence K. Altman; The 17th International AIDS Conference in Mexico City finished Friday with calls to end the criminalization of high-risk behavior and stigma against groups at risk for the disease. Criminalization is a poor tool for regulating HIV infection and transmission, Edwin Cameron, an HIV-positive South African Supreme Court of
SOUTH CAROLINA: South Carolina Keeping Tabs on New HIV Cases: The State (Columbia, S.C.) (08.10.08) - Monday, August 11, 2008; Czerne M. Reid; New CDC estimates showing national HIV incidence is higher than previously believed were based on data from 22 states, including South Carolina. CDC estimates that about 900 people in the state acquired HIV in 2006, slightly more than South Carolina s actual number of diagnoses for that year. Nationally, about 25 perce
IRAN: EU Presidency Calls on Iran to Free AIDS Doctors: Agence France Presse (08.06.08) - Friday, August 08, 2008; On Wednesday, the French European Union presidency called on Iran to release two physicians - brothers who are known for their pioneering work in HIV/AIDS. The presidency of the European Union Council calls on the Iranian authorities to free Arash and Kamiar Alaei and drop all charges against them, said the EU stateme
CARIBBEAN: Homosexuality Must Be Legal to Beat Caribbean AIDS: Activists: Agence France Presse (08.08.08) - Friday, August 08, 2008; The Caribbean, whose HIV/AIDS epidemic is second only to that in sub-Saharan Africa, must decriminalize sex between men to thwart the spread of the virus, experts said Thursday at the 17th International AIDS Conference in Mexico City. Psychologists from Jamaica and
UNITED STATES: Among Gays, Young Partiers Spread HIV: Study: Reuters (08.07.08) - Friday, August 08, 2008; Tan Ee Lyn; Young gay and bisexual men who binge drink and abuse drugs are more likely to transmit HIV to others, partly explaining HIV s growth in that population, US researchers told the 17th International AIDS Conference in Mexico City Thursday. Men who have sex with men (MSM) accounted for 53 percent of new HIV infections in t
KENYA; SOUTH AFRICA: Male Circumcision Could Be Even Greater Boon than Thought: Agence France Presse (08.08.08) - Friday, August 08, 2008; Richard Ingham; Circumcision may offer even more protection against female-to- male HIV transmission than previously revealed, as well as partial protection against human papillomavirus (HPV), researchers said Thursday at the 17th International AIDS Conference. Among 2,784 men who were randomly circumcised or not in a study in Kisumu,
FORMER SOVIET UNION: Former Soviet States at AIDS Tipping Point: Experts: Agence France Presse (08.06.08) - Friday, August 08, 2008; Richard Ingham; Experts at the 17th International AIDS Conference in Mexico City this week voiced fears that the HIV epidemic could be poised to leap from high-risk groups to the general populations of the nations of the former Soviet Union. While some progress has been made toward providing antiretrovirals to infected persons in the
MEXICO: Vulnerable to HIV, Resistant to Labels: New York Times (08.07.08) - Friday, August 08, 2008; Marc Lacey; Elisabeth Malkin; Lawrence K. Altman; AIDS experts say the challenge of preventing AIDS in Latin American countries such as Mexico, where the 17th International AIDS Conference is taking place, is made far more difficult by machismo and negative attitudes toward homosexuality. HIV/AIDS is concentrated in Mexico among men, particularly those who have sex wi
GLOBAL: Wider Treatment of HIV Could Reduce Risk of New Infections: Business Day (South Africa) (08.07.08) - Friday, August 08, 2008; Tamar Kahn; Some experts this week at the 17th International AIDS Conference in Mexico City spoke of treatment for prevention, stressing that treating more people with HIV would not only prolong their lives but also reduce their risk of transmitting the virus. No one is talking about treating our way out of the epidemic, but by tr
UNITED STATES: Efforts to Stem AIDS Increase Get Failing Grade from Activists: Palm Beach Post (08.07.08) - Friday, August 08, 2008; Antigone Barton; AIDS activists are mulling the ramifications of CDC s revised estimates of HIV incidence in the United States , which found that 40 percent more people were newly infected each year than was previously believed. Though the report showed a roughly stable US epidemic since the late 1990s, men who have sex with men (MSM)
UNITED STATES: US Rate of HIV Testing Still 40 Percent: Los Angeles Times (08.08.08) - Friday, August 08, 2008; Thomas H. Maugh II; CDC researchers reported on Thursday that slightly more than 40 percent of US adults have been tested for HIV. Meanwhile, an estimated 250,000 Americans are believed to be infected but do not know it. These findings help confirm that new strategies are warranted to increase HIV testing, particularly among persons who a
WEST VIRGINIA: Conference to Look at Health Disparities: Associated Press (08.06.08) - Thursday, August 07, 2008; HIV/AIDS and chronic diseases will be on the agenda at the Fourth Minority Health Disparities in Rural Appalachia Conference being held Thursday and Friday in Beckley. South Central Educational Development is sponsoring the meeting, which is being held at Mountain State University.
MEXICO: Court Has HIV-positive Mexican Soldier Reinstated: Associated Press (08.05.08) - Thursday, August 07, 2008; A Mexican federal court has ruled in favor of a soldier with 20 years of service who was booted from the military six years ago after testing positive for HIV. The Center for Justice, Peace and Development, which had taken up the soldier s cause, announced the decision on Tuesday. The settlement includes back pay. Mexi
CANADA: Clement Pans WHO's Stand on Safe Injection Sites: Daily Herald-Tribune (08.06.08) - Thursday, August 07, 2008; Canadian Press; The World Health Organization has highlighted safe injection sites, like Vancouver s Insite, as priority interventions that nations should implement to stem the spread of HIV. But Tony Clement, Canada s health minister, expressed disagreement with that position while attending a WHO-sponsored event on harm reduction at
CHINA: HIV Drug Resistance Found in China's Poorest: Study: Reuters (08.06.08) - Thursday, August 07, 2008; Tan Ee Lyn; Nearly 18 percent of HIV patients receiving antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) in China had developed drug-resistant virus by 2006-2007, according to a study presented in Mexico City at the 17th International AIDS Conference. China launched its free national HIV/AIDS treatment program in 2003, but with only seven HIV drugs av
SWAZILAND; MOZAMBIQUE: HIV Patients Fare Just as Well with Nurses: Studies: Reuters (08.07.08) - Thursday, August 07, 2008; Tan Ee Lyn; According to recent studies, HIV patients receiving drug treatment who were cared for by trained nurses did just was well, if not better, than patients treated by physicians. The issue, discussed at the 17th International AIDS Conference in Mexico City, is key because of the scarcity of physicians, especially in certai
MEXICO: AIDS Stigma Rampant in Mexico: Houston Chronicle (08.03.08) - Thursday, August 07, 2008; Marion Lloyd; Deep-rooted homophobia and AIDS stigma prevent many people from testing for HIV, seeking HIV/AIDS care and, in some cases, even from receiving it, patients and experts said at the 17th International AIDS Conference in Mexico City. Many compared the discrimination to that facing US patients in the 1980s, when the predom
GLOBAL: Female Condoms Put HIV Prevention in Women's Hands: Deutsche Presse-Agentur (08.07.08) - Thursday, August 07, 2008; Sumita Thapar; A new report released at the 17th International AIDS Conference in Mexico City called Failing Women, Withholding Protection calls for increased use of the female condom to help prevent HIV infections. According to the report by Oxfam and the World Population Foundation, the female condom is currently the only woman- co
AFRICA: Africa's 'Champions' Take Up Cause of AIDS Prevention: Agence France Presse (08.06.08) - Thursday, August 07, 2008; Richard Ingham; Prominent Africans, led by former Botswanan President Festus Mogae, launched a campaign called Champions for an HIV-free Generation to lobby African governments to do more to prevent AIDS. The initiative was announced at the 17th International AIDS Conference in Mexico City. Founding members of the group include Joaqui
GLOBAL: AIDS, Millennium Goals Imperiled by Health Worker Shortage: Agence France Presse (08.06.08) - Thursday, August 07, 2008; The lack of doctors and nurses in poor countries could make it impossible to meet key global HIV treatment and prevention goals, a senior UN official said Tuesday on the sidelines of the 17th International AIDS Conference. UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) include as targets the curbing of HIV infections and impro
GLOBAL: New Focus on Children at AIDS Seminar: New York Times (08.07.08) - Thursday, August 07, 2008; Lawrence K. Altman; On Wednesday at the first-ever plenary session on children at an International AIDS Conference, researchers said efforts to fight HIV among children are lagging in developing nations. Even as governments and donors are helping expand treatment access, including to prevent mother-to-child HIV transmissions, too little m
UNITED STATES: Worth the Risk of Rankling to Say: AIDS Is a Black Disease: Philadelphia Inquirer (08.07.08) - Thursday, August 07, 2008; George Curry; African Americans are disproportionately represented among the ranks of those with HIV/AIDS. While blacks represent just 13 percent of the US population, they account for nearly half of all Americans living with HIV. And yet, Every time I say, AIDS is a black disease, it irks everyone, said Phill Wilson, president and
NEW MEXICO: AIDS Cases on Rise Among Hispanics in New Mexico: Associated Press (08.05.08) - Wednesday, August 06, 2008; In a statement Tuesday, the state Health Department said New Mexico has seen a steady increase in new HIV/AIDS cases among Hispanics since 2003. Through the end of last year, the department had registered 1,322 people with HIV and 2,155 people with AIDS. Hispanics were 45 percent of the state s cases in 2007, while Cau
CANADA: Canada Pledges $45 Million to Help Fight HIV in Africa, Health Minister Says: Canadian Press (08.05.08) - Wednesday, August 06, 2008; In an announcement Monday in Mexico City at the 17th International AIDS Conference, Federal Health Minister Tony Clement said Canada will spend an additional $45 million (US $43 million) to fight HIV/AIDS in Africa, chiefly in South Africa and Mozambique . Clement said the funding
GLOBAL: Global AIDS Fund Says Cash Requests Have Tripled: Agence France Presse (08.04.08) - Wednesday, August 06, 2008; The current level of requests submitted to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria - $6.4 billion - is triple that of previous years, fund representatives said Monday at the 17th International AIDS Conference. Ninety-seven nations have pending requests for assistance. Since its inception in 2002, the Global Fund
UNITED STATES: Behavior of Crack-Cocaine Users May Lead to Spreading of HIV: South Florida Sun-Sentinel (08.05.08) - Wednesday, August 06, 2008; June Torbati; An experimental program in Miami is helping to link HIV- positive crack-cocaine users presenting to the emergency department with HIV/AIDS care and treatment, according to preliminary findings presented Monday at the 17th International AIDS Conference in Mexico City. We were told over and over by the HIV clinicians tha
ZIMBABWE: Nevirapine Persistence Raises HIV Resistance Concerns: Reuters Health (08.05.08) - Wednesday, August 06, 2008; Previous studies have shown that maternal and neonatal treatment with nevirapine can reduce an HIV-positive mother s chance of infecting her newborn to about 13 percent, roughly halving the risk, though the treatment also carries the risk of promoting drug-resistant virus. New research presented Tuesday at the 17th Int
GLOBAL: Religion Acts as Barrier to HIV Prevention, Activists Say: Deutsche Presse-Agentur (08.05.08) - Wednesday, August 06, 2008; Sumita Thapar; While many faith-based communities are active against HIV/AIDS, religion also can be a barrier to HIV prevention, AIDS activists and experts said at the 17th International AIDS Conference in Mexico City. Education, awareness, and consistent condom use can stop HIV from spreading, but religious condemnation of condoms a
GLOBAL: Don't Make Criminals Out of Drug Users: Experts: Reuters (08.05.08) - Wednesday, August 06, 2008; Tan Ee Lyn; Intravenous drug users (IDUs) who are HIV-infected often do not get the AIDS drugs they need and are treated inhumanely, hurting HIV prevention efforts, experts said at the 17th International AIDS Conference in Mexico City. According to Paisan Suwannawong of the non-governmental Thai AIDS Treatment Action Group, drug u
GLOBAL: New AIDS Vaccine Blueprint Calls for More Focus: Reuters (08.05.08) - Wednesday, August 06, 2008; Maggie Fox; The head of the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) on Tuesday called for continuing investment into vaccine research, but he said future trials must be more focused, and candidates that fail to show strong promise should be dropped. Developing an AIDS vaccine may take more time and innovation than we might ha
GLOBAL: Behavioral Approaches Overlooked in AIDS Fight: New York Times (08.06.08) - Wednesday, August 06, 2008; Lawrence K. Altman; According to AIDS experts at the 17th International AIDS Conference in Mexico City, not enough is being done to use behavioral approaches to prevent HIV infections worldwide. They recommended combining measures such as delayed intercourse, condom use, decreasing drug abuse, needle exchange programs, and male circumcisi
UNITED STATES: HIV Cases Abound, New CDC Data Show: Philadelphia Tribune (08.05.08) - Wednesday, August 06, 2008; Ayana Jones; CDC estimates showing HIV is - and has been - worse in the United States , especially among blacks, did not shock some African Americans who work with HIV/AIDS service organizations. The study s estimate of 56,300 new infections in 2006 was 40 percent higher than CDC s previous incidence estimate. The new estimate did
UNITED STATES: HIV-Positive Migrants Accuse US of Neglect: Associated Press (08.04.08) - Wednesday, August 06, 2008; Julie Watson; The death of a 23-year-old HIV-positive Mexican immigrant in a US migrant detention center has sparked discussion at the 17th International AIDS Conference in Mexico City. Human rights activists say the death shows the failure of immigration officials to deal humanely with HIV-positive detainees among the 30,000 migran
MEXICO: Indian Brothers Pedal from Canada to Mexico for AIDS Awareness: Agence France Presse (08.04.08) - Tuesday, August 05, 2008; Two Indian brothers who bicycled all the way from Toronto arrived Sunday in Mexico City and promptly joined hundreds of people in a demonstration demanding universal access to antiretrovirals. Surya and Giri Markala saw the journey as a way to bridge the gap between the previous and current host cities of the Internati
INDIA: WHO Approves 18th Ranbaxy HIV Drug: Associated Press (08.01.08) - Tuesday, August 05, 2008; On Friday, India s Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd. announced the World Health Organization had approved its version of abacavir . The approval brings to 18 the number of Ranbaxy- manufactured antiretrovirals on WHO s prequalification list. Agencies like U
MEXICO: Merck to Sell Mexico Reduced-Price AIDS Drugs: Associated Press (08.01.08) - Tuesday, August 05, 2008; At a news conference on Friday, Health Secretary Jose Angel Cordova said Merck & Co. has agreed to sell its AIDS drugs Stocrin and Isentress to the Mexican government at discounts of up to 40 percent. He said some 22,000 patients are receiving Stocrin from Mexico s Public Health Department, while about 200 patients
GLOBAL: AIDS Survey Signals 'Downturn in Treatment': USA Today (08.04.08) - Tuesday, August 05, 2008; Steve Sternberg; A survey of almost 3,000 HIV/AIDS patients in 18 nations suggests that half appeared to be stopping or failing to begin drug therapy due to side effects. I think what we may be seeing here is a downturn in treatment, said study author Jose Zuniga of the International Association of Physicians in AIDS Care. These drugs
UNITED KINGDOM: Anti-AIDS Gel Might Help Men Too, Study Finds: Reuters (08.04.08) - Tuesday, August 05, 2008; Maggie Fox; British scientists are reporting encouraging results in their study of whether a gel containing the AIDS drug Viread (tenofovir) might prevent HIV transmission during anal intercourse. Dr. Martin Cranage of St. George s University, London, and colleagues reported the finding. In the experiment, macaque monkeys were tre
AFRICA: Barriers to Anti-HIV Circumcision Campaign Not So Bad: Agence France Presse (08.04.08) - Tuesday, August 05, 2008; Recent studies in Kenya and Zambia indicate that circumcision, which has been shown to cut HIV infection dramatically, is positively viewed and does not increase risk-taking behavior. The studies were conducted in Africa, and the data were presented by US researchers at the 17th International AIDS Conference in Mexico
CANADA: Drug Addicts Benefit from HIV Drugs, Too: Study: Reuters (08.03.08) - Tuesday, August 05, 2008; Tan Ee Lyn; HIV-infected injection drug users can benefit from AIDS drugs the same as other patients with the virus, Canadian researchers reported Sunday at the 17th International AIDS Conference in Mexico City. Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) is often withheld from injection drug users (IDUs) infected with [HIV] base
UNITED STATES: HIV Risk from Heterosexual Intercourse May Be Underestimated: Agence France Presse (08.05.08) - Tuesday, August 05, 2008; The standard method for assessing the risk of HIV infection among heterosexuals could be underestimating the potential for transmission, according to a new overview of published evidence. The study was presented at the 17th International AIDS Conference in Mexico City. Currently, epidemiologists widely believe that HIV
UNITED STATES: Treat HIV Sooner for Better Results, Say New AIDS Guidelines: Agence France Presse (08.03.08) - Tuesday, August 05, 2008; A US panel of the International AIDS Society has published new guidelines advising that people infected with HIV receive antiretroviral drug treatments earlier than previously recommended. The previous guidelines, issued 12 years ago, suggest that physicians initiate drug treatment after HIV has significantly affected
GLOBAL: Gay, Bisexual Men Still at High Risk for HIV: Study: Reuters (08.04.08) - Tuesday, August 05, 2008; Tan Ee Lyn; Globally, men who have sex with men are 19 times more likely to be infected with HIV than the general population, yet MSM are ignored by many UN member states that pledged to monitor the disease among at-risk groups, according to a report by the American Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR). Among the 128 country repor
UNITED STATES: Clinton: Widen AIDS Effort in US: Washington Post (08.05.08) - Tuesday, August 05, 2008; Ceci Connolly; Former President Bill Clinton on Monday pledged his foundation s support to fighting HIV domestically, citing new CDC data that revised annual US HIV incidence estimates upwards by 40 percent and showed HIV s disproportionate impact among blacks. For Americans, this should be a wake-up call, said Clinton, addressing se
UNITED STATES: Mixed Results for Growth Hormone in HIV Patients: Associated Press (08.03.08) - Monday, August 04, 2008; Lindsey Tanner; A small study has shown that low-dose injections of human growth hormone (HGH) given to HIV-positive patients reduced fat deposits around abdominal organs by about 10 percent and lowered blood pressures and triglycerides. However, the injections resulted in elevated blood sugar levels. The results were being presented
GLOBAL: Researchers Look to Pill, Taken Daily, to Avert HIV: New York Times (08.04.08) - Monday, August 04, 2008; Lawrence K. Altman; Researchers are conducting and planning clinical trials worldwide to test the concept that a daily dose of antiretroviral drugs, called PrEP, for pre-exposure prophylaxis, can prevent HIV infection. The AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition (AVAC) presented a report about the trials Sunday at the 17th International AIDS Conf
KENYA: Teen Prostitution Up After Kenya's Election Crisis: Associated Press (07.31.08) - Monday, August 04, 2008; Mathews Ndangi; Elizabeth A. Kennedy; Medical and human rights experts are concerned about a rise in prostitution and sexual exploitation in areas of Western Kenya , a hotspot of violence and turmoil following the country s disputed presidential elections in December. The bloodshed forced tens of thousands of children to leave school and devastated Kenya s
MEXICO: Swiss Report on Sex Stirs Controversy at Conference: Agence France Presse (08.04.08) - Monday, August 04, 2008; Christine Courcol; A mixed reception - cheers, and some tough questions - greeted a team of Swiss researchers Sunday at the 17th International AIDS Conference in Mexico City. The scientists presented their study, first released in January, which suggests serodiscordant couples can safely have unprotected sex provided the HIV-infected par
MEXICO: War on AIDS Will Be Long, More Funds Needed, Conference Told: Agence France Presse (08.04.08) - Monday, August 04, 2008; Richard Ingham; The 17th International AIDS Conference got underway Sunday in Mexico City, with attendees hearing a message that progress against the disease remains elusive and much more funding is needed. As the fight against AIDS nears the end of its third decade, we are still facing a huge shortfall in resources, said Ban Ki-moon.
UNITED STATES: CDC Criticized for Delays in Release of AIDS Data: Wall Street Journal (08.04.08) - Monday, August 04, 2008; Marilyn Chase; Activists have voiced frustration with the delays involved in CDC s release of its revised US HIV incidence, saying opportunities were missed to act earlier on the data. On Saturday at the 17th International AIDS Conference in Mexico City, CDC reported that there were an estimated 56,300 new HIV infections in the
UNITED STATES: Higher Rate of New HIV Cases: San Francisco Chronicle (08.03.08) - Monday, August 04, 2008; Matthew B. Stannard; In the United States in 2006, 56,300 new HIV infections occurred, according to CDC s first national estimate of HIV incidence based on direct measurement. CDC released the report Saturday at the 17th International AIDS Conference in Mexico City. The previous estimate of 40,000 new infections annually had been based on
MINNESOTA: Rise in Tuberculosis Cases Prompts CDC Investigation: St. Paul Pioneer Press (07.30.08) - Friday, August 01, 2008; Julie Buntje; For the first time, Minnesota health officials have asked for CDC s assistance in investigating a TB outbreak. Since April, Nobles County has recorded four cases of active TB, including two adults and two children under age five, and nine suspected cases. According to Nobles-Rock Community Health Services (NRCHS), the
UNITED STATES: Drop in HIV Risk Behaviors Seen in US High School Students: Reuters Health (07.31.08) - Friday, August 01, 2008; The proportion of US high school students engaging in sexual behavior that puts them at risk of HIV infection has declined since 1991, though not equally by race and sex, according to a new CDC study that analyzed Youth Risk Behavior Surveys. From 1991 to 2007, the percentage of high school students reporting sexual ex
KENYA: Eighty Percent of HIV-Positive Kenyans Unaware of Status: Survey: Agence France Presse (07.29.08) - Friday, August 01, 2008; Findings from the Kenya AIDS Indicator Survey, released Tuesday, show as many as four out of five HIV-infected persons do not know their status. The survey, carried out between August and December 2007, is the country s first since 2003. It did not include children. Some 57 percent of HIV-positive Kenyans said they had
LATIN AMERICA; CARIBBEAN: Stigma Remains Major Barrier in Anti-AIDS Fight: Inter Press Service (07.29.08) - Friday, August 01, 2008; Emilio Godoy; In Latin America and the Caribbean, the HIV/AIDS epidemic remains stable, according to the UNAIDS report released Tuesday. But discrimination, stigma, ignorance, and homophobia are hampering HIV/AIDS prevention efforts in the region, where the disease mostly affects gay men, sex workers, and other high-risk groups.
MEXICO: Many with HIV Hide Attendance at AIDS Conference: Agence France Presse (08.01.08) - Friday, August 01, 2008; Sofia Miselem; For some of the thousands of people who will convene in Mexico City next week for the 17th International AIDS Conference, the stigma that surrounds HIV/AIDS in their home countries means attending it carries personal risks. Many of those who are coming have told their work or families that they are going on vacation,
CALIFORNIA: New Web Site Offers Information on HIV/AIDS Plague in Black Communities: New York Beacon (06.19.08) - Friday, August 01, 2008; Kim Tolley; OneLove, a project of Ontrack Resources funded by the California Office of AIDS, has established a Web site that tackles the impact of AIDS and health disparities among the state s African Americans. The site was designed as an educational resource to coordinate statewide prevention services, epidemiological data, rese
UNITED STATES: AIDS Patients, Abbott Agree to Settle Lawsuit: Associated Press (07.30.08) - Friday, August 01, 2008; Paul Elias; Pending an appeals court resolution of three technical legal questions, Abbott Laboratories on Wednesday agreed to pay between $10 million and $27.5 million to settle an antitrust lawsuit over the drug maker s 400 percent price hike of Norvir . Abbott s medication is a key component in several AIDS cockt
UNITED STATES: AIDS Risk to US Employees Raised as Government Ignores Policy: Bloomberg (07.31.08) - Friday, August 01, 2008; John Lauerman; Avram Goldstein; In 2006, CDC called for HIV testing to become a routine part of health care for persons ages 13-64. These guidelines replaced earlier ones that called for testing only of persons deemed at high risk and those with symptoms of HIV infection. Yet two years later, neither Medicare nor the federal government s own employee
UNITED STATES: Southern Christian Leadership Conference Blasts Racism in New Orleans: Times-Picayune (New Orleans) (07.31.08) - Thursday, July 31, 2008; Jennifer Evans; On Monday, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference wrapped up its 50th annual convention in New Orleans. During the meeting, SCLC criticized New Orleans for the lack of opportunity for black city residents to help rebuild their community, and it announced a national HIV testing campaign. The civil rights group com
CALIFORNIA: HIV Report Shows Continued Declines: Bay Area Reporter (07.31.08) - Thursday, July 31, 2008; Matthew S. Bajko; Continuing a trend first noted in 2003, the number of San Francisco residents newly diagnosed with HIV declined again last year, according to a new report from the city s Department of Public Health. AIDS cases decreased as well, though AIDS deaths held steady. Key facts from the 2007 HIV/AIDS Epidemiology Annual Repor
AFRICA; INDIA: Cellulose Gel May Increase Vaginal HIV Transmission: Reuters Health (07.30.08) - Thursday, July 31, 2008; The fact that more than 50 percent of adults with HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa are women demonstrates the urgent need for female-initiated methods of HIV prevention. But newly published research reports a set-back to efforts to formulate a vaginal gel to prevent transmission of the virus. The candidate gel, formulate
GLOBAL: Orthodoxy Under Attack as Global AIDS Conference Musters: Agence France Presse (07.30.08) - Thursday, July 31, 2008; Richard Ingham; Some 22,000 activists, experts, and policymakers are heading to Mexico City for the 17th International AIDS Conference next week. The gathering marks the first time the IAC has been held in Latin America. The meeting comes as the UN reports that while new HIV infections continue to increase, global prevalence has plate
CANADA: Manitoba Chiefs Demand Ottawa Show What It's Doing to Stop TB: Canadian Press (07.26.08) - Thursday, July 31, 2008; Jen Skerritt; The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs is calling for an investigation into what federal health officials are doing to control infectious diseases like TB in First Nations communities. From January to April of this year, data show 58 percent of the province s TB cases occurred in a federal health jurisdiction, which includes
CHINA: China Maintains HIV/AIDS Entry Ban Despite Olympic Scrutiny: Agence France Presse (07.31.08) - Thursday, July 31, 2008; Guy Newey; China is ignoring calls to lift its longtime ban on HIV- positive foreign visitors ahead of the Olympic Games in Beijing in August, despite recently removing a ban on visitors with leprosy. Short-term entrants to China are required to declare their HIV status upon entry, while long-term stays require compulsory tests
UNITED STATES: Ban on Travelers with HIV to US Is Partly Lifted: Los Angeles Times (07.31.08) - Thursday, July 31, 2008; Vimal Patel; On Wednesday, President Bush signed into law a measure that provides $48 billion to combat HIV/AIDS and other diseases globally, and ends a longstanding policy banning HIV-positive people from traveling to the United States . However, the repeal of the 1993 travel ban does not remove all impediments for HIV-positive fo
ALABAMA: STDs Have Stronghold in Deep South: Birmingham News (07.28.08) - Thursday, July 31, 2008; Dave Parks; Amid a growing HIV epidemic in the South, public health experts are also focusing their attention on the region s historically high STD rates. At a recent Southern AIDS Coalition meeting in Birmingham, Dr. Jane R. Schwebke, an infectious-disease specialist at the University of Alabama-Birmingham, noted that STDs often
COLORADO: Health Officials Suspect Tuberculosis: Rocky Mountain News (07.29.08) - Wednesday, July 30, 2008; An employee at the Golden-based Jacobson Companies beverage distribution center is suspected of having TB, officials at Denver Health Medical Center said. The patient, who was referred by his doctor, has been confined to his home until laboratory tests are completed. Officials began testing the patient s co-workers on
UNITED STATES: Bush to Sign $48 Billion AIDS Legislation: USA Today (07.30.08) - Wednesday, July 30, 2008; Today, President Bush will sign into law a five-year, $48 billion global AIDS bill. The President s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief program is credited with saving millions of lives in Africa and elsewhere.
SOUTH AFRICA: Adolescent and Adult Participation in an HIV Vaccine Trial Preparedness Cohort in South Africa: Journal of Adolescent Health Vol. 43; No. 1: P. 8-14 (07..08) - Wednesday, July 30, 2008; Keren Middelkoop, MBChB; Landon Myer, MA, MPhil, PhD; Daniella Mark, BSocSc (Hons), MSocSc; Sibonisile P. Mthimunye; Joalida Smit, BA (Hons), MA; Robin Wood, BM, BCh, FCP, MMed; Linda- Gail Bekker, MBChB, FCP, PhD; In the current study, the researchers analyzed adult and adolescent data from a cohort study conducted to assess the feasibility of involving adolescents and adults in HIV vaccine-related studies. While the importance of including adolescents in HIV prevention trials has been noted, few experiences have been reported f
AUSTRALIA: Australia's Rising HIV Rates in Spotlight: Australian Associated Press (07.30.08) - Wednesday, July 30, 2008; Tamara McLean; HIV rates are increasing in Australia , placing it among other nations trending against a global stabilization of new infections, according to a new UNAIDS report. After declining sharply in the 1990s, new HIV diagnoses in Australia have increased, from the 763 reported in 2000 to 998 reported in 2006, states the repo
ASIA: AIDS Hitting Asian Gays at High Rates: UN: Agence France Presse (07.30.08) - Wednesday, July 30, 2008; Tosin Sulaiman; On Tuesday, the chief of UNAIDS sounded a warning: All over Asia, there are now epidemics of HIV in men who have sex with men [MSM] of the same magnitude that we saw in [the United States ] 25 years ago. The phenomenon among MSM is something that has been detected fairly recently, said Dr. Peter Piot.
RUSSIA; EASTERN EUROPE: UNAIDS Chief Concerned About Russia, Eastern Europe: Agence France Presse (07.29.08) - Wednesday, July 30, 2008; Tosin Sulaiman; The 2008 UNAIDS report on the global epidemic issued Tuesday is undoubtedly the most positive report the agency has issued, said Dr. Peter Piot, executive director. The number of young people using condoms is increasing, and they are waiting to have sex and reporting fewer sexual partners, the report found. The ov
GLOBAL: AIDS-Related Deaths Decline 10 Percent in 2007: Los Angeles Times (07.30.08) - Wednesday, July 30, 2008; Thomas H. Maugh II; On Tuesday, UNAIDS issued a hopeful biennial report on the global AIDS epidemic ahead of the 17th International AIDS Conference in Mexico City, which opens Sunday. Some of the most dramatic data show the push to make AIDS treatment accessible in poorer nations is paying off, with AIDS deaths dropping globally by 10 per
NEVADA: Genetic Tests Find Hepatitis C Sources: Las Vegas Review-Journal (07.25.08) - Wednesday, July 30, 2008; Annette Wells; Southern Nevada Health District (SNHD) officials said Thursday that genetic testing has uncovered two sources for seven hepatitis C infections linked to the Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada (ECSN) in Las Vegas. SNHD senior epidemiologist Brian Labus said one source underwent a procedure July 25 and the other Sept. 2
UNITED STATES: US Blacks, If a Nation, Would Rank High on AIDS: New York Times (07.30.08) - Wednesday, July 30, 2008; Lawrence K. Altman; Black America, if viewed as a separate nation, would rank 16th highest among the world s countries for the number of people living with HIV, according to a report released Tuesday. Indeed, the number of African Americans with HIV is larger than the infected populations of seven of the 15 nations that receive support fr
CALIFORNIA: Uneducated in Safe Sex, Inland Seniors Get AIDS: Press Enterprise (Riverside) (07.09.08) - Tuesday, July 29, 2008; Julia Glick; More than 20 percent of new Riverside County HIV/AIDS cases are age 50 and older, up from about 15 percent a decade ago, the county Department of Public Health reported recently. Most new cases are senior gay men, but aging heterosexuals, especially women, are also getting infected, said Danyte Mockus, author of the re
NEW YORK: Supporting Safe Sex: Gay City News (New York City) (07.17.08) - Tuesday, July 29, 2008; Duncan Osborne; On July 15, the Prevention Planning Group for New York City voted 29-0 to recommend changing a 1985 state code that bans sex in commercial venues, saying it interferes with HIV outreach work and should instead ban unprotected sex. The 50- member advisory body includes 40 community members and 10 government members; how
ETHIOPIA; INDIA; UGANDA: Short Course of Nevirapine Does Not Cut Eventual HIV Transmission via Breastfeeding: Reuters Health (07.24.08) - Tuesday, July 29, 2008; A new report suggests that while a six-week course of nevirapine may reduce the immediate risk of HIV transmission to babies breastfed by infected mothers, it does not significantly affect the risk of transmission at six months. The results were based on studies from Ethiopia ,
UNITED STATES: Meditation Slows AIDS Progression: Study: Reuters (07.24.08) - Tuesday, July 29, 2008; Maggie Fox; A new study finds that meditation improved CD4 T-cell counts in AIDS patients. The researchers studied 67 HIV-positive adults from the Los Angeles area, most of whom reported highly stressful lives. The average participant in the study was male, African American, homosexual, unemployed, and not on ARV [antiretroviral]
SWAZILAND: Swaziland: AIDS Creating a Society in Distress: Inter Press Service (07.24.08) - Tuesday, July 29, 2008; James Hall; HIV/AIDS is having an unprecedented impact on the small mountainous kingdom of Swaziland . At 33.4 percent, its HIV/AIDS adult prevalence rate is the highest in the world. Life expectancy there has dropped from 60 years to 31 years, and one in three Swazi children is orphaned or left vulnerable by the disease. The
SOUTH AFRICA: South African Boys Often Forced to Have Sex: Study: Reuters (07.28.08) - Tuesday, July 29, 2008; Michael Kahn; Two of every five South African males ages 10-19 report they have been raped, a new survey has found, complicating HIV/AIDS prevention efforts in the nation. The study involved 127,000 boys in 1,200 schools across the nation. This study uncovers endemic sexual abuse of male children that was suspected but hitherto only
BRAZIL: Latin American Breast Milk Banks Catch On Worldwide: Deutsche Presse-Agentur (07.29.08) - Tuesday, July 29, 2008; Veronica Sardon; Brazil has a national network of 192 breast milk banks that can treat milk from HIV-positive mothers, allowing them to safely breastfeed their infants without the risk of infection. The country is now sharing its technology with banks across Latin America, and is looking at ways to adapt it for Africa. According
IOWA: Iowa Schools Weigh Changes in Sex Education: Des Moines Register (07.20.08) - Tuesday, July 29, 2008; Staci Hupp; Iowa will pass up the chance to use federal funds to support abstinence-only sex education, after Gov. Chet Culver s office announced that the program was just too prescriptive. However, community groups can still tap federal resources to teach abstinence-only in willing schools. What is mandated by the state for sex e
ZIMBABWE: Zimbabwe Journalist Wins CNN Award: CNN.com (07.24.08) - Monday, July 28, 2008; CNN s African Journalist of the Year prize has been awarded to Hopewell Rugoho-Chin ono. The Zimbabwean journalist received the recognition for his documentary Pain in My Heart, which chronicles his nation s struggle against HIV/AIDS. Selected from among 1,911 entries from Africa, the film also won the Henry J. Kaiser
GLOBAL: Bill Clinton to Visit Africa, Mexico for Anti-AIDS Campaign: Agence France Presse (07.22.08) - Monday, July 28, 2008; Former President Bill Clinton will depart July 29 for an international trip to promote his Clinton Foundation s new initiatives against AIDS and malaria. This year, I am excited to take our work to the next level with new projects that will make a tremendous difference in turning the tide of HIV/AIDS, improve lives, an
TANZANIA: Tanzania Says to Triple HIV Therapy Patients: Reuters (07.28.08) - Monday, July 28, 2008; George Obulutsa; In Tanzania , where an estimated 2 million among the population of almost 40 million are HIV-infected, the health minster today announced plans to triple the number of people receiving free antiretrovirals. We plan on providing antiretroviral therapies to 250,000 people by the end of this year, 350,000 by the end of 20
NEW YORK: City HIV Budget Cuts, Gay Men React: Gay City News (New York City) (07.17.08) - Monday, July 28, 2008; Duncan Osborne; Many gay men in New York City reacted ambivalently to news that the city is cutting HIV/AIDS spending, even as new infections, especially among younger men of color, continue to increase. The administration of Mayor Michael Bloomberg said it cut only about $1.3 million from the health department s HIV/AIDS services bud
AUSTRALIA: New Hope for HIV Sufferers: The Age (Melbourne) (07.24.08) - Monday, July 28, 2008; Julia Medew; In a year-long multinational study, most HIV patients with triple-class drug resistance who had been failing therapy achieved an undetectable viral load by taking raltegravir in combination with other HIV drugs, researchers report. In the study, 61.8 percent of those taking Merck & Co. s HIV integrase inhibitor ach
SOUTH AFRICA: Military Still 'Not Keen' on Employing HIV- Positive People: Business Day (South Africa) (07.25.08) - Monday, July 28, 2008; Wilson Johwa; Despite a recent Pretoria High Court ruling that the South African National Defense Force (SANDF) had to consider HIV- positive soldiers for promotion, one plaintiff says he continues to be overlooked. Sipho Mthethwa was among three plaintiffs to take SANDF to court in May, arguing that its HIV/AIDS policy discriminate
AUSTRALIA: Vaccines to Dramatically Curb Cervix Infections: Australian Associated Press (07.23.08) - Monday, July 28, 2008; Tamara McLean; Two human papillomavirus infections targeted by both the Gardasil and Cervarix vaccines will fall by more than half by 2010, according to a study predicting the success of Australia s national immunization program. And by 2050, infections by high-risk HPV types 16 and 18 will have fallen by a staggering 92 percent, the
VATICAN CITY: Dissident Catholic Groups Call on Pope to End Condom Ban: Agence France Presse (07.25.08) - Monday, July 28, 2008; Martine Nouaille; Around 60 Catholic organizations have signed an open letter urging Pope Benedict XVI to reverse the Vatican s opposition to contraception. The letter, published Friday in Milan s Corriere della Sera newspaper, marked the 40th anniversary of Pope Paul VI s encyclical Humanae Vitae ( On the Regulation of Birth ), which c
UNITED KINGDOM: Doctors 'Miss Early HIV Symptoms': BBC (07.22.08) - Monday, July 28, 2008; Almost half of all early-stage HIV infections in the United Kingdom are being missed, the National AIDS Trust (NAT) said recently. Approximately 7,000 new HIV cases occur annually in Britain, and as many as 50 percent are believed to be transmitted by people who are in the early stages of their own infection. The f
UNITED STATES: Bush Eager to Sign Bill Tripling AIDS Assistance: Associated Press (07.26.08) - Monday, July 28, 2008; Deb Riechmann; In his weekly radio address on Saturday, President Bush said he looks forward to signing a five-year, $48 billion global AIDS bill approved by the House Thursday. I thank members of Congress from both sides of the aisle for working with my administration to pass this important bill, and I will be honored to sign it int
ILLINOIS: BEHIV Receives Education Grant: Windy City Times (07.23.08) - Friday, July 25, 2008; The Illinois State Board of Education has awarded $50,000 to Better Existence with HIV (BEHIV). The Chicago-based AIDS group will use the money to fund its age-appropriate presentations in schools. In fiscal year 2008, BEHIV s Education Outreach effort reached some 12,000 Chicago-area students. For more information, vi
NEBRASKA: Omaha-Area Adult Reported with TB: Omaha World-Herald (07.24.08) - Friday, July 25, 2008; Michael O'Connor; Health officials from the state and from Douglas and Sarpy counties are working cooperatively to investigate a case of active TB in an Omaha-area adult. Ten of the patient s co- workers have been tested for the disease; all were negative. The patient, now on leave from work, is avoiding contact with the public and is t
OHIO: Cleveland Drug Trial to Test HIV Prevention for Women: Plain Dealer (Cleveland, O.H.) (07.22.08) - Friday, July 25, 2008; The AIDS Clinical Trials Unit at Case Western Reserve University and University Hospitals in Cleveland and the University of Pittsburgh are recruiting women for a study that will test two approaches to HIV prevention. Both methods use the HIV drug tenofovir ( Vir
FRANCE; UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: GeoVax Partners with French Firm: Atlanta Journal-Constitution (07.25.08) - Friday, July 25, 2008; Bill Hendrick; On Thursday, Atlanta-based GeoVax Labs Inc. announced a new partnering agreement under which a component of its candidate HIV vaccine will be manufactured by the French firm Vivalis. GeoVax has reported progress toward Phase II preventive clinical human trials of its vaccine and plans to move into therapeutic human tri
NEW YORK: Four in 10 Gay Men Don't Tell Doctors: New York Daily News (07.23.08) - Friday, July 25, 2008; Jordan Lite; On Wednesday, New York City health officials said doctors and gay male patients alike are missing HIV testing opportunities because of a communication gap. Just four in 10 men who have sex with men (MSM) have discussed their sexuality with a health care provider, a Health Department survey of 452 gay men found. Black,
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: District Fights Its Own AIDS Battle: Washington Post (07.23.08) - Friday, July 25, 2008; Pamela Constable; Each week, counselors with La Clinica del Pueblo go wherever Latino men gather in the District of Columbia, hoping to bring HIV/AIDS education to a population that has both a high AIDS rate and cultural barriers that make acknowledging the crisis difficult. In 2006, Hispanics in the District had the highest rate of new
CANADA: Drugs Add 13 Years to Average Life of HIV Patient: Reuters (07.24.08) - Friday, July 25, 2008; Maggie Fox; Highly active antiretroviral therapy has boosted the average expected lifespan of an HIV patient by 13 years, Canadian researchers report. However, patients treated late in the course of the disease and those who acquired HIV through IV drug use did not live as long, scientists found. British Columbia Center for Excell
AUSTRALIA: Both Drugs and Condoms Needed to Stop HIV: Study: Reuters (07.24.08) - Friday, July 25, 2008; Tan Ee Lyn; People with HIV on effective antiretroviral therapy should not stop using condoms on the assumption their infection is not sexually transmissible, a new study reports. In fact, HIV infections could quadruple if those responding well to antiretrovirals stopped using condoms, said Australian researchers. Their findings r
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: AIDS Among Latinos on Rise: Washington Post (07.23.08) - Friday, July 25, 2008; Ceci Connolly; At 14 percent of the United States population, Hispanics constitute the largest and fastest-growing minority group in the nation. And though Hispanics accounted for 22 percent of new HIV and AIDS diagnoses reported to federal officials in 2006, the disease s impact on the community has received less attention than AIDS
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Officials: Search for HIV Vaccine Needs Overhaul: Associated Press (07.24.08) - Friday, July 25, 2008; Kevin Freking; Development of an effective vaccine against HIV/AIDS will require a paradigm shift in researchers approaches, a broad team of scientists wrote in Friday s edition of the journal Science. Design of a vaccine that blocks HIV infection will require enormous intellectual leaps beyond present day knowledge, they concluded.
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Congress Sends Bush Legislation Tripling Funds for Fighting AIDS Around the World: Associated Press (07.24.08) - Friday, July 25, 2008; Jim Abrams; On Thursday, the House of Representatives voted 303-115 in favor of reauthorizing the President s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). The five-year, $48 billion bill now heads to President Bush for his signature. The current $15 billion program, which expires at September s end, has placed some 1.7 million people
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Serono Official Pleads Guilty in AIDS Device Case: Associated Press (07.24.08) - Thursday, July 24, 2008; The medical director for Serono Laboratories, which manufactures the AIDS drug Serostim, pleaded guilty Wednesday to promoting the off-label use of adulterated scientific instruments to drive up sales of the drug. Norma Muurahainen admitted guilt to three misdemeanor charges of causing the introduction of the fixed dev
YEMEN: Hodeidah Launches Training Session on HIV Infection: United Press International (07.23.08) - Thursday, July 24, 2008; On Wednesday, Social Orientation House taught 60 street children in Hodeidah about HIV prevention in a UNICEF-funded session. The effort also aimed to build the children s problem-solving skills to help them leave the streets. The group is important to reach because street children are often targeted for trafficking an
IRAN: Iran Urged to Free HIV Pioneers: BBC (07.22.08) - Thursday, July 24, 2008; Human Rights Watch is calling on Iranian authorities to release or charge two prominent HIV/AIDS doctors who are due to take part in the 17th International AIDS Conference next month in Mexico City. Drs. Arash Alaei and Kamyar Alaei were detained last month without explanation; their location remains unknown; and they
ILLINOIS: Group Offers Free HIV Testing: Austin Weekly News (Chicago) (07.23.08) - Thursday, July 24, 2008; La Risa Lynch; In a bid to combat HIV/AIDS in Chicago s West Side, several community groups are teaming up to create a mobile outreach program for those most at risk. The South Austin Community Coalition Council (SACCC), the Westside Health Authority, Haymarket Center and Test Positive Aware Network (TPAN) have launched Taking It to
GLOBAL: Diabetes Makes People More Vulnerable to TB: Study: Reuters (07.15.08) - Thursday, July 24, 2008; Will Dunham; Having diabetes nearly triples a person s risk of developing active TB, a new study finds. There is evidence that diabetes predisposes people to TB infection and impairs their ability to respond to infection. To better understand the link between TB and diabetes, researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health exami
CANADA: Trend Reversing Itself? B.C. Report Suggests Fewer Teens Are Having Sex: Daily Herald-Tribune (07.18.08) - Thursday, July 24, 2008; Sean Patrick Sullivan, Canadian Press; Results from the latest survey of British Columbia teenagers show the number of youths who say they have had sex dropped by a third between 1992 and 2003. Among boys, 23 percent reported sexual intercourse in 2003, down from 34 percent in 1992. Among girls, 24 percent said they had had intercourse, down from 29 percent
JAPAN: HIV Couples Barred from IVF Therapy: Daily Yomiuri (Tokyo) (07.20.08) - Thursday, July 24, 2008; Japan s Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry has postponed plans to use in vitro fertilization for two couples who are both infected with HIV. The IVF was approved by Tokyo s Ogikubo Hospital in January of last year, but the ministry said more deliberation and ethical examination is needed. In an unusual move, a ministry
SOUTH AFRICA: Tests on 'HIV Pill' to Stave Off AIDS: Business Day (South Africa) (07.23.08) - Thursday, July 24, 2008; Tamar Kahn; On Tuesday in Cape Town, the Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation announced plans to test whether a pill provides protection from HIV for men at high risk of contracting the virus. Project Manager Earl Burrell said the pre-exposure prophylaxis strategy - in which persons are given drugs to help them fight infection - is already
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: US Government to Release Revised US HIV Estimates: Reuters (07.22.08) - Thursday, July 24, 2008; Maggie Fox; On Tuesday, CDC announced the publication date for its much- anticipated revised estimate of the number of Americans who acquire HIV every year. The data will be released on Aug. 3 in the Journal of the American Medical Association , CDC said. In a Dear Colleague letter, CDC said the new incidence estimates are based
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Foreign-Born TB Cases Need Better Control, US Says: Associated Press (07.23.08) - Thursday, July 24, 2008; Lindsey Tanner; A CDC report released Tuesday finds high rates of TB among immigrants to the United States , even as the nation s overall TB rate continues to fall. Examining data from 2001 to 2006, the researchers determined that the overall US TB rate is less than five cases per 100,000 people. In contrast, rates of at least 250 cas
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: FDA Urges Genetic Test Before Giving AIDS Drug: New York Times (07.24.08) - Thursday, July 24, 2008; Andrew Pollack; Today, the Food and Drug Administration is expected to issue an advisory calling on physicians to perform a genetic test on patients prior to prescribing the AIDS drug abacavir, made by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and sold under the name Ziagen . Abacavir is
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO: Congo Kids to Get Free AIDS Checks and Malaria Drugs: Agence France Presse (07.15.08) - Wednesday, July 23, 2008; Health Minister Emilienne Raoul recently announced a new campaign that will provide free HIV tests and malaria medication to children up to age 15 and to pregnant women. But she warned: The medicines are for the sick and must not end up on the streets and in neighboring countries. The theft and resale of medicines on t
AFRICA: Red Cross Launches Massive Africa AIDS Appeal: Agence France Presse (07.22.08) - Wednesday, July 23, 2008; On Tuesday, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said it needs $21 million for a three-year AIDS treatment program in West and Central African countries. IFRC s HIV program officer for the region said Burkina Faso , the Central African Republic , the De
CANADA: B.C. Health Authority Issues Public Advisory for At- Risk People to Get HIV Test: Canadian Press (07.22.08) - Wednesday, July 23, 2008; A new public advisory issued by the Northern Health Authority urges at-risk residents of northwest British Columbia to get tested for HIV. The region logs around a dozen new HIV cases every year, although 26 people tested positive in 2006. Nancy Dhaliwal, a public health nurse with the Northern Health Unit in Terrace,
ILLINOIS: In Inner City, Risk Is Reality of Sex: Chicago Tribune (07.20.08) - Wednesday, July 23, 2008; Johnathon E. Briggs; I ve got news for fans of Sex and the City : If that TV show, now a hit movie, were about black women, HIV might have been diagnosed in one of them. That s right. If the show had been Sex in the Inner City chronicling the sexually liberated adventures of four black women - let s call them Wanda, Jalissa, Tracy, and Ki
FLORIDA: Teach Teens Safe Sex, ACLU Tells Volusia: Orlando Sentinel (07.17.08) - Wednesday, July 23, 2008; Denise-Marie Balona; The American Civil Liberties Union is calling on Volusia County school administrators to switch from abstinence-only sex education to a curriculum that includes the facts about how to prevent pregnancy and STDs. Parents and educators favoring the change cite recent research showing that abstinence-only programs do not
UNITED STATES; UNITED KINGDOM: Gene Variation May Raise Risk of HIV, Study Finds: New York Times (07.17.08) - Wednesday, July 23, 2008; Nicholas Wade; A genetic variation that protected people in sub-Saharan Africa from a now-extinct form of malaria could also have left their ancestors more vulnerable to HIV, according to a new study by US and UK researchers. The variation in a single unit of DNA could account for 11 percent of the HIV infections in Africa, they sugg
RUSSIA: Russia Scorns Methadone for Heroin Addiction: New York Times (07.22.08) - Wednesday, July 23, 2008; Michael Schwirtz; Methadone is endorsed by the UN and 55 countries, including the United States , to wean addicts from heroin. However, methadone maintenance therapy is an especially touchy subject in Russia , where IV drug use is the leading cause of HIV/AIDS. At a February conference in Moscow, several dozen specialists gathered at a
GLOBAL: New Report Calls for Greater Condom and Contraceptive Funding: Voice of America (07.22.08) - Wednesday, July 23, 2008; Joe De Capua; On Tuesday, Population Action International released highlights of a report showing donor support for condoms and contraceptives in developing countries remains far below estimated need. PAI will formally present the report next month at the 17th International AIDS Conference in Mexico City. HIV prevention must include
ARIZONA: Study Links Virus to Rare Cancer in Heterosexual Men: Arizona Daily Star (Tucson) (07.08.08) - Wednesday, July 23, 2008; Aaron Mackey; While the risks of human papillomavirus (HPV) to women are well-documented, preliminary research shows the virus may pose a cancer risk to heterosexual men, too. Most people who contract HPV resolve the infection on their own. Certain HPV strains can cause genital warts, and some types are linked to cervical cancer in
UNITED STATES: FDA, CDC Back Merck's Gardasil Shot as Safe: Reuters (07.22.08) - Wednesday, July 23, 2008; Lisa Richwine; After reviewing more than 9,700 reports of health problems following injections of Gardasil, the Food and Drug Administration and CDC on Tuesday confirmed the safety of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. Based on the review of available information by FDA and CDC, Gardasil continues to be safe and effective, and i
CANADA: Toronto Photo Show Documents Legacy of HIV/AIDS: Toronto Star (07.22.08) - Tuesday, July 22, 2008; Paola Loriggio; Living With, which opens today in downtown Toronto s Brookfield Place, documents the toll of AIDS in Rwanda , where some 200,000 among the population of 9 million are living with the disease. The exhibit is the product of six photojournalists and an intern who spent almost two years documenting conditions in the Afric
EL SALVADOR: 307 New HIV Cases Found in El Salvador: Xinhua (07.09.08) - Tuesday, July 22, 2008; Testing carried out on El Salvador s National HIV Test Day, June 27, turned up 307 new cases among 55,016 people tested. Fifty-six percent of the newly diagnosed persons were men, the Health Ministry said. The free tests were conducted by Salvadoran Institute for Social Security clinics. The ministry said 949 HIV cases
NICARAGUA: European Union to Fund Anti-AIDS Program in Nicaragua: Xinhua (07.22.08) - Tuesday, July 22, 2008; The European Union will take the lead role in funding a new anti-AIDS effort in Nicaragua , an EU representative announced Monday. The campaign is a joint effort of the EU and Italian and Nicaraguan non-governmental organizations, which will respectively contribute 75 percent, 15 percent, and 10 percent of the three-ye
LATIN AMERICA: Lack of Sexual Knowledge Blamed for HIV/AIDS Among Latin American Youths: Xinhua (07.20.08) - Tuesday, July 22, 2008; In a statement issued Sunday, an AIDS expert with the UN Population Fund said sexual ignorance is to blame for the spread of HIV among Latin American youths. The adult world has not been able to recognize the sexual culture of the youths, said Raquel Child. She called for more effective prevention measures and for stro
TENNESSEE: Harriet Tubman Express Teens Educate Community About HIV/AIDS: The Chattanoogan (07.07.08) - Tuesday, July 22, 2008; On July 1, a group of local teens went door-to-door in Chattanooga s Harriet Tubman Housing Development to educate their peers about HIV/AIDS. The teenagers are affiliated with the Harriet Tubman Express, a joint venture of the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Health Department and the Tennessee Department of Human Services
FLORIDA: Funds Sliced for HIV Youth Program in South Florida: South Florida Sun-Sentinel (07.12.08) - Tuesday, July 22, 2008; June Torbati; A small, youth-based HIV/AIDS program in South Florida is set to lose a large chunk of its funding. Charles Crew, run by the Royal Palm Beach-based group Treasure the Children, sends 30 young people from Broward, Palm Beach, and Miami-Dade counties to speak about HIV prevention and education at after- school programs,
UNITED STATES: Repeat TB Test Urged for Kids Adopted from Overseas: Reuters (07.11.08) - Tuesday, July 22, 2008; Anne Harding; A new study supports the need for repeat TB testing on children adopted from overseas. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all children adopted from countries where TB is endemic be tested upon arrival in the United States . AAP suggests that malnourished children who test negative be retested later. How
SOUTH AFRICA: Transfusion of Blood Safer from HIV than Ever