The CDC National Center for HIV, STD, and TB Prevention provides the following information as a public service only. Providing synopses of key scientific articles and lay media reports on HIV/AIDS, other sexually transmitted diseases and tuberculosis does not constitute CDC endorsement. This daily update also includes information from CDC and other government agencies, such as background on Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) articles, fact sheets, press releases, and announcements. Reproduction of this text is encouraged; however, copies may not be sold, and the CDC HIV/STD/TB Prevention News Update should be cited as the source of the information. Contact the sources of the articles abstracted below for full texts of the articles.
Lancet (01/29/00) Vol. 355, No. 9201, P. 369; Graham, Stephen M.;
Mtitimila, Edward I.; Kamanga, Henry S.; et al.
A new study of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) in
HIV-infected infants describes the rate and outcome of PCP in
Malawian children. After reviewing 16 cases of PCP in 150
children with severe pneumonia, researchers found that the 16
patients with confirmed PCP were also HIV-positive and under six
months of age. Ten of the children with PCP and six of the 21
with bacterial pneumonia died. The researchers concluded that a
fatal outcome was significantly associated with HIV infection.
In Malawi, PCP is common among infants and is difficult to
manage. The HIV-infected infants required more oxygen therapy
and had poorer outcomes than those without HIV. The mortality
rates reflect the difficulty of treating PCP in a setting lacking
many resources, the researchers said.
Los Angeles Times Online (02/13/00) P. A35; Ellingwood, Ken
California's Office of Binational Border Health, which opened
last December in San Diego, has begun battling health issues
along the state's border with Mexico, including tuberculosis (TB)
and the smuggling of pharmaceuticals. The agency, which has a
staff of eight and two specialists, does not treat patients, but
will serve as an information clearinghouse for border projects
that addresses disparities in health conditions. U.S. border
residents have above average rates of hepatitis A and
tuberculosis, and poor sanitation causes higher rates of
dysentery and food poisoning. Mexican border states have higher
AIDS rates than the rest of Mexico, as the communities mix
constantly. The border office aims to design a standard system
for reporting diseases on both sides of the border, and officials
plan to have a specialist focus on cross-border sexually
transmitted diseases like syphilis. While rapid changes are not
likely, experts note that, thanks to a binational network,
cross-border TB patients can now be referred by a doctor in one
country to a doctor in the other nation so the patient does not
have to interrupt treatment when he travels for seasonal
employment.
"U.S. Mayors Announce $915,000 in HIV Prevention Grants"
U.S. Newswire (02/11/00)
The U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM), working with the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention, has announced that it will
award $915,000 for HIV prevention efforts pertaining to three
groups: women at high risk, gay and bisexual men of color, and
Native American tribe/nations. Organizations must apply for the
grants by April 17. USCM executive director J. Thomas Cochran
noted that this year's award total is the second highest in the
16 years the program has been operating. The grants are one-time
awards, and the recipients of them will be announced this summer.
Dayton Daily News (02/13/00) P. 1A; Lamb, Kevin
Dr. Robert Brandt, an AIDS specialist in Dayton, Ohio, believes
the number of local HIV patients is grossly underestimated, as
public resources are overwhelmed. Brandt's practice increased
from 350 to 400 patients last year, and he says that calls to
doctors who treat AIDS in Montgomery County show the area has
1,000 people being treated for HIV or AIDS. The public health
problem is going unchecked, as many people are unaware they
have HIV and are then having sex, thus putting others at risk for
contracting the virus. According to Brandt, the counts are
misleading because the government generally totals the number of
diagnoses in a county, not the number of patients being treated
in-state. Because of this disparity, the Ohio Department of
Health has started collecting HIV patients' ZIP codes in order to
gather more accurate data. The state's statistics will also
reflect all HIV-positive people, not just those with AIDS, since
new treatments have lowered the rate of actual AIDS cases.
Honolulu Star-Bulletin (02/11/00); Altonn, Helen
January was the first month in 15 years that no clients of The
Life Foundation in Hawaii died from AIDS. Paul Groesbeck,
executive director of Hawaii's oldest and largest AIDS
organization, noted that AIDS has not disappeared from the
islands; however, he said the advent of powerful AIDS drugs has
helped to extend patients' lives. Officials estimate there are
2,300 to 3,200 Hawaiians living with HIV. According to the
foundation, more than 1,400 residents of Hawaii have died from
AIDS since 1982.
"Rwanda AIDS Risk Increases; Husband Sharing Causes Concern"
Cleveland Plain Dealer (02/13/00) P. 9A; Gough, David
The genocide that plagued Rwanda in 1994 has left many women
without husbands or children. Finding a new husband, however, is
difficult because so many men died or have been imprisoned for
their roles in situation. Some women are willing to share their
husbands with other women in order to start another family. The
sharing of sexual partners can put these women at risk for
contracting HIV. The practice of sharing men, known as "kwinjira,"
is widespread in rural Rwanda, where adult males compose only 20
percent of the population in some parts. Kwinjira is used by
women to replace the families lost during the genocide, but it is
particularly dangerous when an estimated 11 percent of Rwandans
are infected with HIV. The head of Rwanda's National AIDS
Control Program, Innocent Ntaganira, says that more than half of
the hospital beds are being used for AIDS patients and over
200,000 Rwandans have died from AIDS.
Reuters (02/11/00)
Zambian High Court judge Ireen Mundia has advised women to make
their husbands wear condoms during sex if they suspect or know
that he is having intercourse with other women. Mundia, who made
her comments when presiding over a case in which a woman sued her
husband for cruelty and denial of sex, said the man should honor
his marital obligations but that the wife should also insist on
protection during intercourse. An estimated 20 percent of
Zambians between the ages of 19 and 49 have HIV or AIDS.
Africa News Service (02/11/00)
UNICEF head Carol Bellamy has started a two-week, four-country
tour in Africa to address AIDS, poverty, children, and gender
discrimination. During her trip, Bellamy plans to meet with
national officials, visit rural education projects, and talk to
children and adolescents. The four nations she will visit are
South Africa, Namibia, Mozambique, and Burundi.
Infectious Diseases in Children (01/00) Vol. 13, No. 1, P. 42
A survey of 400 parents and their teenage children in Montana
revealed that over 66 percent believe a recent multimedia
campaign promoting sexual abstinence will help them resist sexual
activity. The campaign was well-understood and led to teen
discussions with parents. About 90 percent of both parents and
teens said they want to see the ads continue.