Subject: CDC NCHSTP Daily News Update Date: Thu Jan 22 07:31:03 PST 1998 (219 lines) From: National AIDS Info Clearinghouse Copyright 1998, Information, Inc., Bethesda, MD CDC NCHSTP Daily News Update January 22, 1998 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 NCHSTP Daily News Update should be cited as the source of the information. Copyright 1998, Information Inc., Bethesda, MD. HEADLINES --------- PEER-REVIEWED JOURNALS "Trichomonas Vaginalis and Amplification of HIV-1 Transmission" GENERAL MEDIA "A Key Is Found to HIV's Survival" "Ban Urged on Animal-to-Human Transplants" "HIV Epidemic Among Drug Users at 'Saturation'" "AIDS Deaths [in Virginia] Down by 48 Percent in First Half of '97" "HIV Neutralization Assay Can Screen Candidate Vaccines" "Science & Health Bulletin: Angola--Tuberculosis" "Across the USA: New Mexico, Illinois" "The Search For Blood Substitutes" *************************************************************** PEER-REVIEWED JOURNALS *************************************************************** "Trichomonas Vaginalis and Amplification of HIV-1 Transmission" Lancet (01/17/98) Vol. 351, No. 9097, P. 213; Sorvillo, Frank; Kerndt, Peter In a letter to the editor of The Lancet, Frank Sorvillo and Peter Kerndt, both of the HIV Epidemiology Program at the County of Los Angeles Department of Health Services, assert that Trichomonas vaginalis may amplify HIV-1 transmission in industrialized countries. The authors cite high rates of trichomonas among HIV-1-infected women at a Los Angeles County clinic; the disease was the most common sexually transmitted disease among the women studied. Trichomonas vaginalis elicits a heavy local immune response, resulting in an infiltration of leukocytes even in symptom-free patients. Approximately 50 percent of infected women show puntate hemorrhages upon colposcopy observation; Sorvillo and Kerndt state that these lesions in the genital region may increase the HIV-1 portal of entry or exit, thereby amplifying HIV-1 transmission in both HIV-positive and negative individuals. The symptomless nature and protracted carriage of Trichomonas may also contribute to increased transmission. In conclusion, the authors note that "even if trichomonas amplifies HIV-1 transmission by a small degree, the amount of HIV-1 transmission attributable to this agent and its impact on epidemic spread many be substantial because the infection is common." **************************************************************** GENERAL MEDIA **************************************************************** "A Key Is Found to HIV's Survival" Philadelphia Inquirer (01/22/98) P. A2; Collins, Huntly Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have discovered a mechanism by which HIV may evade the immune system, according to an article published in the journal Nature. Soon after infection with a virus, human cells mount a molecule on their surface that informs the killer T-cells that the cells are infected and should be eliminated. However, the researchers report that the nef gene appears to prevent that warning flag from being raised very high, thus making it difficult for the killer T-cells to recognize and destroy the HIV-infected cells. Based on laboratory experiments, the results are in line with studies that suggest that deletions of nef may explain why some HIV-infected individuals have not yet developed AIDS. The researchers, led by Nobel laureate David Baltimore, say they now plan to study additional long-term survivors who are infected with nef-intact HIV. "Ban Urged on Animal-to-Human Transplants" Philadelphia Inquirer (01/22/98) P. A10; Neergaard, Lauran On Wednesday, the journal Nature published a call to ban experiments involving the transplant of animal organs into humans until the risks of new epidemics are better understood--a highly controversial request because of the hopes held by many that such transplants can save human lives. Fritz Bach, a xenotransplantation researcher at Harvard University and one of the seven health experts that issued the call for a moratorium, said: "It is a situation where what we the medical establishment .... want to do puts the public at risk" of new diseases that could prove to be as dangerous as AIDS. The call for a ban came after the Food and Drug Administration began discussions regarding tighter controls over animal transplants. Although no one is certain about the possibilities of introducing new diseases to humans in this fashion, the FDA temporarily halted pig studies until more research is conducted. While most agree that animal-to-human transplants could pose some risks, some believe that it is worthwhile to take the chance. "HIV Epidemic Among Drug Users at 'Saturation'" CNews Online (01/21/98) Canadian health officials said Wednesday that while an HIV outbreak among drug addicts in Vancouver appears to have peaked, it still holds a great deal of potential danger. Research shows that the use of dirty, infected needles throughout the poverty-ridden area near the center of the city has led to a higher concentration of the virus--a situation which Martin Schechter, who heads the study, called the "saturation effect." Schechter's study, known as the Vancouver Injection Drug Use Study, found that levels of new infection fell 5 percent toward the end of last year and the beginning of this year, from an 18 percent infection rate recorded in mid-1997. However, most health officials agree that the crisis is far from over, as cheap housing and a surfeit of drugs continues to draw people to the area. "AIDS Deaths [in Virginia] Down by 48 Percent in First Half of '97" Washington Post (01/22/98) P. D3 Virginia's Department of Health announced Wednesday that AIDS-related deaths in the state fell by 48 percent during the first half of 1997 compared to the same period in 1996. The reduction--to 213 deaths last year compared to 410 in 1996--has been linked to HIV testing, earlier treatment, and improved drug therapies. The rate of AIDS deaths dropped 10 percent from 1995 to 1996. "HIV Neutralization Assay Can Screen Candidate Vaccines" Reuters Health Information Services (01/21/98) In the January issue of the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes and Human Retrovirology, researchers suggest that a new polymerase chain reaction assay that measures HIV-1 neutralization may be useful for determining immune responses to experimental HIV vaccines. Dr. Girish N. Vyas of the University of California at San Francisco and colleagues report that passive immunization with virus-neutralizing antibodies demonstrated protective effects against HIV-1 in animal models; these antibodies could be drawn out via active immunization. According to the researchers, the test is based on detection of intracellular HIV-1 long terminal repeat (LTR) fragments using "a heminested polymerase chain reaction (HNPCR) amplification of the 5' LTR sequences." After testing the assay for measuring virus neutralization of HIV immune globulin and with five viral isolates and six monoclonal antibodies, the researchers concluded that the LTR-HNPCR offered results comparable to those found using other virus-neutralizing antibody assays. "Science & Health Bulletin: Angola--Tuberculosis" PANA Wire Service (01/21/98) The Kwanza-Norte Province of Angola recorded 288 cases of tuberculosis during 1997, with six TB-related deaths. Adeline Nobre de Melo, the province's medical officer, noted that there were fewer TB-related deaths reported during 1997 than in 1996. According to a 1996 health report, though, one-third of Angolans carry Koch Bacilli, which causes tuberculosis. Other Angolan provinces--Bie, Huambo, Cabinda, Benguela, Melange, and Zaire--report that TB infection is widespread. The country does not have a systematic TB prevention system. Tuberculosis kills an estimated 600,000 people annually in Africa--spurred on by malnutrition, unhygienic living conditions, and a shortage of drugs. "Across the USA: New Mexico, Illinois" USA Today (01/22/98) P. 7A On February 2, New Mexico will launch a needle-exchange program to stem the spread of HIV. Officials hope to have the program established in Roswell, Las Cruces, and Farmington by the end of March. Meanwhile in Illinois, Mutual of Omaha Insurance was sued by the Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund and the AIDS Legal Council of Chicago for allegedly breaking the law by severely restricting HIV-related health-care coverage. "The Search for Blood Substitutes" Scientific American (02/98) Vol. 278. No. 2, P. 72; Nucci, Mary; Abuchowski, Abraham As a result of diminishing blood reserves, researchers are looking for viable blood substitutes. Among the many benefits of engineering blood substitutes is the reduced risk of contracting a blood-borne disease from a transfusion. As of June 1997, more than 8,000 people had developed AIDS as a result of contaminated blood transfusions, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. These statistics do not reflect actual HIV infections, since AIDS symptoms can take many years to emerge. Figures published in the New England Journal of Medicine show that a blood transfusion recipient has a one in 63,000 chance of contracting the hepatitis B virus and a one in 103,000 chance of contracting hepatitis C. Three blood alternatives--perfluorocarbon-based (PFC), hemoglobin-based, and bovine-based substitutes--are currently under development. However, PFC-based compounds must address the problems of retention, toxicity, a short circulating life, and the threat of over-delivery of oxygen. Hemoglobin must be produced in incredibly large amounts, requiring massive, costly production facilities. Animal-based blood transfusions, meanwhile, face the risk of transmitting disease to the recipient. ***************************************************************** The AIDSNews Mailing List is maintained by the CDC National Center for HIV, STD and TB Prevention. Regular postings include the CDC NCHSTP Daily News Update, conference announcements, clinical trials information, current funding opportunities, and selected MMWR articles. To SUBSCRIBE, send the command "subscribe aidsnews firstname lastname" to the address listproc@aspensys.com. To UNSUBSCRIBE, send the command "unsubscribe aidsnews" to the address listproc@aspensys.com. 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