The CDC National Center for HIV, STD, and TB Prevention provides the following information as a public service only. Providing synopses of key scientific articles and lay media reports on HIV/AIDS, other sexually transmitted diseases and tuberculosis does not constitute CDC endorsement. This daily update also includes information from CDC and other government agencies, such as background on Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) articles, fact sheets, press releases, and announcements. Reproduction of this text is encouraged; however, copies may not be sold, and the CDC HIV/STD/TB Prevention News Update should be cited as the source of the information. Contact the sources of the articles abstracted below for full texts of the articles.
Journal of the American Medical Association (01/05/00) Vol. 283,
No. 1, P. 74; Sulkowski, Mark S.; Thomas, David L.; Chaisson,
Richard E; et al.
Because the use of antiretroviral drugs in treating HIV can cause
hepatotoxicity, researchers evaluated the effects of the drugs in
people with hepatitis C or B virus and attempted to determine
which drug combinations were more likely to cause such liver
problems. The study included 298 patients who started new
antiretroviral therapy between January 1996 and January 1998,
with 71 percent receiving protease inhibitors. The other
patients received dual nucleoside analog regimens. Of the two
groups, chronic hepatitis C and B virus infection was found in 52
percent of the protease inhibitor group and 2.7 percent of the
those receiving nucleoside analog drugs. Overall, severe
hepatotoxicity was seen in about 10 percent of the patients. Of
these 31 individuals, all but six stopped therapy. The
researchers concluded that hepatotoxicity occurs in association
with antiviral treatment, but the risk was greater for patients
taking ritonavir. The risks for nelfinavir, indinavir, and
nucleoside analog regimens were similar, and no deaths were
associated with the toxicity. The authors conclude that
antiretroviral therapies should be given to HIV-infected people
who also are infected with hepatitis B or hepatitis C.
"U.S. Funds Sought to Eradicate Tuberculosis"
USA Today (01/13/00) P. 9D; Manning, Anita
U.S. Rep. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) announced Wednesday that he will
co-sponsor legislation to increase the budget for international
tuberculosis (TB) control from $25 million in 1999 to $100
million. In making his announcement, Brown noted, "TB will kill
at least 2 million people this year, more than any other year in
history." He added, however, that if preventive measures are not
taken, over 70 million people worldwide could die from the
disease during the next 20 years, with nearly 1 billion more
infected. Werner Christie, head of the Stop TB Initiative, a
global partnership of health agencies, government health leaders,
and advocacy groups, also said that political will is needed to
provide poorer countries with drugs to fight the disease. The
Stop TB steering committee will meet this week to set an agenda
for an upcoming meeting in Amsterdam.
Boston Globe Online (01/13/00)
A nearly $12.5 million grant provided in part by the Ryan White
CARE Act will provide funding for HIV/AIDS services in the Boston
area. This year's funding is $1.8 million more than last year's
grant. U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.), one of the two key
sponsors of the Ryan White CARE Act of 1990, noted that the
measure will be before Congress for extension this year and he
will push to have it continue.
"Teen Birthrate Takes a Big Toll in Brazil"
Washington Post (01/13/00) P. A13; Buckley, Stephen
The birthrate among teenagers in Brazil has soared, even as
commercials and clinics support birth control methods and provide
condoms. Programs designed to reduce the number of pregnancies
have seen little success as the media and the annual Carnaval
party send mixed messages about sex to teens. Between 1993 and
1998, the birthrate for girls aged 15 to 19 increased 19 percent.
About 40 percent of pregnant teens leave school, making pregnancy
prevention a chief priority for the Health Ministry. Brazil's
teenagers are also having sex earlier, many at age 12 or 13.
They agree that television has an immense impact on their lives,
as many forego relationships in place of quick sexual encounters
called ficars. The ficar, a verb meaning "to stay" in Portugese,
has evolved from kissing and hugging to a short sexual episode
with near strangers. Men seem to have control over ficars, and
they often oppose using condoms.
Reuters (01/12/00)
A school bus driver with active tuberculosis (TB) has apparently
infected up to 30 students in West Virginia with TB, but none of
the children have the active form of the disease. Health
officials note that about 700 students in the Kanawha County
School District must be tested and re-tested for the disease
throughout the semester. Children who test positive for TB will
receive preventive antibiotics to reduce their chances of
developing active TB.
Mobile Register Online (01/13/00); Helms, Jean Lakeman
Alabama health officials announced Wednesday that there is no
sign of active tuberculosis (TB) in the crew of the cargo ship
Birknes, which was stopped when a crew member who was put ashore
in the Bahamas was diagnosed with active TB. The 20 crew members
of the Cypriot ship, which was en route to France with a
20,000-ton shipment of soybeans, were voluntarily quarantined
while health officials conducted skin tests and chest X-rays on
them. The Mobile County Health Department was alerted to the
threat by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the
ship made port in Mobile on Tuesday.
Reuters Health Information Services (01/12/00)
Research by the EuroSIDA Study Group suggests that HIV-infected
intravenous drug users are 27 percent less likely to receive
highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) than other HIV
exposure groups. The scientists, who evaluated more than 6,600
HIV patients, also found that the drug users responded to the
treatment similarly to other groups of patients. The researchers
found no differences in the likelihood of receiving HAART in
homosexual versus heterosexual subjects. The findings, published
in the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes
(1999;22:369-378), suggest that drug users with HIV may have a
worse prognosis and more AIDS-related illnesses if they continue
to receive HAART less often than other groups.
PANA Wire Service (01/12/00)
Nigeria has formed a new committee, led by President Olusegum
Obasanjo, that will coordinate all activities of the country's
HIV/AIDS campaign. According to a spokesman, the new body was
formed to fulfill the president's promise to increase public
awareness about AIDS and to provide official commitment to
fighting the epidemic. Statistics show that more than 29,000
Nigerians have died from AIDS since 1986.
"Talking Clock With Anti-AIDS Message"
PANA Wire Service (01/12/00)
In the Kenyan town of Kisumu, provincial commissioner Peter
Raburu is using an "anti-AIDS talking clock," which plays HIV
prevention messages in many languages every hour for students.
Kisumu, located in the western part of the country, has the
highest HIV prevalence rate in Kenya. Raburu believes the clock
will help to educate students about the disease, particularly in
rural areas. The commissioner also suggested that the clock,
invented by Kenyan Morgan Odhiambo, will help to reduce the costs
involved in organizing anti-AIDS campaigns.