The CDC National Center for HIV, STD, and TB Prevention provides the following information as a public service only. Providing synopses of key scientific articles and lay media reports on HIV/AIDS, other sexually transmitted diseases and tuberculosis does not constitute CDC endorsement. This daily update also includes information from CDC and other government agencies, such as background on Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) articles, fact sheets, press releases, and announcements. Reproduction of this text is encouraged; however, copies may not be sold, and the CDC HIV/STD/TB Prevention News Update should be cited as the source of the information.
Clinical Pediatrics (11/99) Vol. 38, No. 11, P. 625; Turner,
Barbara J.; Cocroft, James; Hauck, Walter W.; et al.
HIV-infected children may be more prone to injuries than
uninfected ones. A study of injury rates using Injury Severity
Scores (ISS) in New York State showed that HIV-positive children
had slightly more injuries than a population of African-American,
inner-city children under the age of five. The comparison
population had a rate of 16.76 injuries per 100 child-years,
compared to 19.34 for the infected group. In the HIV group,
predictors of injuries included younger maternal age and delivery
outside of New York City. Use of cocaine was linked to a higher
rate of possibly intentional injuries, while illegal drug and
alcohol use were associated with higher ISS. The researchers
concluded that primary care providers should help families with
low-cost safety equipment and precautions to help prevent
injuries.
"Can Immune Systems Be Trained to Fight HIV?"
Science (11/19/99) Vol. 286, No. 5444, P. 1470; Balter, Michael
At the Cent Gardes international AIDS meeting outside Paris in
October, the focus was on the latest work toward building the
body's immune system to control HIV without the help of drugs.
Studies of HIV-infected patients showed some signs of resistance
when removed from drug therapy for a short time among those whose
infection was caught early. Others did not fare nearly as well,
but the experiments have given insight into what immune responses
are necessary for combating the virus, and how to boost those
responses. In fact, short therapy stoppages may even prove to be
somewhat helpful to the immune systems among the early detectees,
because the resulting increase in HIV in the bloodstream causes a
reaction of increase in anti-HIV cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL)
white blood cells that remain there after therapy starts again.
The same occurs in patients whose detection of the virus was in
later stages, but the CTLs seem to be ineffective in combating
HIV. A possible conclusion is the creation of a stimulus that
reproduces the effect of therapy stoppage in the form of a
vaccine, but the development of such will not be easy, according
to researchers. The only such vaccine in testing at the moment
is Remune, marketed by Agouron Pharmaceuticals and Immune
Response, based on the research of Jonas Salk. Remune is a whole
HIV particle without its infectious abilities, but its
effectiveness is not yet conclusive. Remune-backed T-cells fight
more strongly against HIV, but they cannot resist it totally.
The next step may be to combine the two experiments to find a
stronger system than either one is alone.
USA Today (12/03/99) P. 14A; Sternberg, Steve
New research shows how the body's immune system defenses locate
possible threats. Using X-ray crystallography, the scientists
focused on the CD4 T cell, which HIV knocks out when it attacks.
The breakthrough, reported in the journal Science, may help
doctors develop vaccines against cancer and diabetes. According
to lead researcher Ellis Reinharz of Harvard University and the
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, the new information could also
allow doctors to develop CD4 T cells that attack microbes and
cancer.
Fox News Online (12/02/99)
A new poll of over 1,200 adults has found that seven out of 10
Americans think it is important to find better ways to treat and
prevent AIDS. The same number think the government should spend
more money on AIDS treatment and research. The poll, conducted
by Louis Harris & Associates for the American Foundation for AIDS
Research (amfAR), showed that 58 percent of those surveyed think
the nation is doing a mediocre job in HIV prevention and only 5
percent think current HIV/AIDS treatments are adequate. Dr.
Jeffrey Laurence, the senior scientific consultant to amfAR, said
that the public seems very aware of AIDS and the available drug
treatments--a dramatic change from the 1980s.
"Blacks to Be Focus of Area AIDS Battle; Alarming Jump in Rate of
HIV Infection Cited"
Houston Chronicle (12/02/99) P. A37; Byars, Carlos; Berger, Eric
In Houston, health officials announced on Wednesday, World AIDS
Day, that HIV prevention efforts in the area will focus on
African Americans. Between 1994 and 1998, African Americans
accounted for 40 percent of new AIDS cases in Houston and Harris
County--up from 24 percent between 1981 and 1993. Mayor Lee
Brown noted that African Americans now account for 61 percent of
HIV cases in Houston and Harris County, calling it an "alarming,
undeniable increase." Brown detailed a new effort to encourage
safe sex and to reduce needle sharing in several at-risk
communities. The program, estimated to cost about $3 million,
will focus on African-American women, gay and bisexual
African-American men, and African Americans in jail.
"C$50 Million to Help Fight HIV in Africa"
CNews Online (12/01/99)
The Canadian government announced Wednesday that it will give
C$50 million to help fight AIDS in Africa over the next five
years. The funds will be used for education, training, and
prevention efforts. Health Minister Allan Rock stated that some
marginalized groups are rapidly becoming infected with HIV,
including the Aboriginal community and injection drug users.
Statistics from Health Canada show that approximately 55,000 to
60,000 Canadians have contracted HIV.
Deseret News Online (12/02/99); Van Eyck, Zack
As part of World AIDS Day events in Utah, 250 people gathered at
the state capitol to discuss AIDS and remember those who died
from the disease. Sydnee Steadman, a community health specialist
with the state Department of Health, spoke about both the need
for continued prevention efforts and the avoidance of
complacency. According to Steadman, about 300 people in Utah
under age 25 have HIV or AIDS. However, many more are at risk
because young people with sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)
are at high risk for HIV infection, and about 2,000 Utahns under
the age of 25 are infected with an STD.
Africa News Service (12/02/99)
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni announced this week that the
country's national HIV infection rate is now about 10 percent,
down from 30 percent in 1991. In a speech on Wednesday, Dr.
Philip Byaruhanga, the minister of state for health, cited
prevention and control efforts as factors behind the decline.
Museveni also revealed that the rate of sexually transmitted
diseases has dropped substantially, but he pointed out that the
HIV infection rate is still too high.
Reuters (12/02/99)
The Mine Workers Union of South Africa has announced that it will
provide its members with the drug AZT free of charge if they are
raped. The South African government has refused to provide the
medication for free, citing a lack of funds. South Africa has
one of the highest rape rates in the world, as well as one of the
fastest-growing rates of HIV infection. President Thabo Mbeki
recently voiced doubts about AZT's safety and refused to provide
the drug to HIV-infected pregnant women.
Reuters (12/02/99)
Myanmar officials have stated that the country can control its
AIDS epidemic, adding that they believe some Western countries to
have exaggerated the severity of the problem. Health Minister
Major-General Kat Sein was quoted as saying that necessary
control measures were being performed in Myanmar. However, the
World Health Organization estimates that the number of HIV cases
in the country has been grossly underestimated by the government,
and UNICEF estimated last year that up to 2.4 percent of the
adults in Myanmar were infected with HIV.