Subject: CDC NCHSTP Daily News Update Date: Thu Jan 29 08:31:03 PST 1998 (215 lines) From: National AIDS Info Clearinghouse Copyright 1998, Information, Inc., Bethesda, MD From: "Aidsnews" Newsgroups: sci.med.aids Approved: Yes: "S. Hall" ,Jack Hamilton Subject: CDC NCHSTP Daily News Update 01/29/98 Message-ID: <48921@sci.med.aids> Sender: owner-aidsnews@cdcnac.aspensys.com Reply-To: aidsnews@cdcnac.aspensys.com Date: Thu, 29 Jan 1998 09:11:45 CDT Organization: unspecified CDC NCHSTP Daily News Update January 29, 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. CORRECTION: The 01/28/98 edition of the CDC NCHSTP Daily News Update incorrectly stated the title of one of the abstracted articles. The Journal of the American Medical Association abstract, "Evaluation of Case Management of Patients With HIV Infection in France (Letter)," should have been titled "Evolution of Case Management of Patients With HIV Infection in France (Letter)." HEADLINES --------- PEER-REVIEWED JOURNALS "Fulminant Hepatitis Associated With Hepatitis A Virus Superinfection in Patients With Chronic Hepatitis C" GENERAL MEDIA "2 Newborns Are Counted in AIDS Case" "AIDS Deaths in Britain Fell Sharply in 1997" "Gene Approach May Work Against AIDS, Researchers Say" "Across the USA: Washington" "Long Wait for Partners of Man With AIDS" "Rights--Venezuela: Big Victory for AIDS Victims" "PCP Prophylaxis More Frequent at Clinics With Range of HIV Services" *************************************************************** PEER-REVIEWED JOURNALS *************************************************************** "Fulminant Hepatitis Associated With Hepatitis A Virus Superinfection in Patients With Chronic Hepatitis C" New England Journal of Medicine (01/29/98) Vol. 338, No. 5, P. 286; Vento, Sandro; Garofano, Tiziana; Renzini, Carlo; et al. Italian researchers have concluded that individuals with chronic hepatitis C virus infection are at significant risk for fulminant hepatitis and death associated with hepatitis A superinfection. From June 1990 to July 1997, the scientists examined 163 adults with chronic hepatitis B and 432 patients with chronic hepatitis C who were seronegative for HAV antibodies; tests were conducted every four months for serum IgM and IgG antibodies to HAV. Over the course of the study, 10 patients with HBV infections and 17 with HCV infections acquired HAV superinfection. Of these patients, fulminant hepatic failure developed in seven of the HCV-infected individuals, six of whom died. All but one of the HBV patients who developed HAV had uncomplicated courses. Since HAV infection rarely has a fulminant course and is usually non-fatal, the scientists note that "the high mortality rate among our patients with chronic hepatitis C and HAV superinfection (35 percent) is thus surprising, as is the even higher percentage of such patients with fulminant hepatitis (41 percent)." The authors suggest, therefore, that individuals with chronic HCV infection be vaccinated against the hepatitis A virus. **************************************************************** GENERAL MEDIA **************************************************************** "2 Newborns Are Counted in AIDS Case" New York Times (01/29/98) P. A23; Perez-Pena, Richard Two HIV-positive women infected by Nushawn Williams in Chautauqua County, New York, have given birth to HIV-positive babies, bringing the number of people infected by Williams up to 16. Williams is said to have infected 13 women and girls in the county, and one man contracted HIV from one of those women. Health officials note that at least 10 of Williams' partners in New York City have also tested HIV positive, but they say it may never be known whether he was the source of their infection. The officials say they have concluded that Williams directly infected the 13 women in upstate New York because, out of all the sexual partners the women had at the time, Williams is the only one who has tested HIV positive. Ten of those women were exposed to the virus after Williams learned he was infected in September 1996. Chautauqua District Attorney James Subjack plans to prosecute for assault in those instances, setting a legal precedence in New York. New York legislators have cited the Williams case in calling for mandatory name reporting for HIV patients and suggesting legal measures that make it a felony for an HIV-infected individual to fail to warn a sexual partner. "AIDS Deaths in Britain Fell Sharply in 1997" Reuters Health Information Services (01/28/98) According to the U.K. Communicable Disease Surveillance Center, the number of AIDS deaths dropped by 44 percent in the United Kingdom in 1997. AIDS deaths numbered 450 for 1997--the lowest in six years--down from 802 the previous year. AIDS cases also reached their lowest total in six years, measuring 1,386 cases in 1997. Health officials attribute the fall in incidence and mortality to treatments that prolong the development of AIDS from HIV infection. The agency also reported that the number of HIV infections due to male homosexual contact has fallen steadily since 1991, although the rate of heterosexual HIV transmission has increased over the same period. "Gene Approach May Work Against AIDS, Researchers Say" Reuters (01/28/98) U.S. government researchers claim that antisense gene therapy may prove successful in combating AIDS, noting that the technique can boost the immune systems of monkeys infected with SIV. Researchers at the National Human Genome Research Institute; the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute; and Johns Hopkins University created a mirror-image of the Tat and Rev RNA genes, which control the proteins HIV makes to help itself replicate inside CD4 cells. They introduced antisense Tat and Reve genes into some monkey CD4 cells and then reintroduced the cells into three of six monkeys, all of whom were then infected with SIV. In the journal Nature Medicine, the researchers report that the antisense genes started producing mirror-image RNA, which connected to the HIV's RNA and kept it from functioning properly. While all six animals contracted SIV, the data suggest that the three who received the gene therapy appeared to have slower emergence of symptoms and lowered virus levels in the blood and lymph nodes. "Across the USA: Washington" USA Today (01/29/98) P. 12A In Washington state, Governor Locke's advisory council is suggesting the use of codes to replace names in reporting HIV infections. The council noted that by using codes, data could be collected without endangering people's privacy. "Long Wait for Partners of Man With AIDS" United Press International (01/28/98) A 33-year-old man just out of prison may have infected up to 10 women and girls in Michigan with HIV. Health officials also note that 60 men, women, and teenagers who had sexual contact with James Jones or his partners have thus far tested HIV-negative. Testing will continue for several more months, however, because infection does not always show up immediately. Jones--who was released from prison last summer after serving four years for a sex offense--has pleaded guilty to one count each of third-degree criminal sexual conduct, failing to inform a sex partner he is HIV-positive, and being a habitual sex offender. "Rights--Venezuela: Big Victory for AIDS Victims" IPS Wire (01/28/98) The Supreme Court of Venezuela has ruled in favor of four HIV-infected military personnel, upholding the civil rights of AIDS patients in discrimination cases. Upon learning that the four soldiers had tested positive for HIV, the army publicly exposed their condition, leaving them open to ridicule. However, in his ruling, Judge Alfredo Ducharne wrote that the government is responsible for the guarantee of the human dignity--as well as the economic, social, psychological and health needs of AIDS patients. One of the lawyers responsible for bringing the trial to court, Edgar Carrasco, noted that few precedents exist in developing countries in which legal responsibility for HIV-positive individuals lies upon the state. Carrasco is director-general of the non-governmental group Citizens Action against AIDS The soldiers went on forced medical leave when their infections were detected, but they continue to receive pay, thereby upholding their right to work. With a population of 22.8 million residents, Venezuela has 7,024 reported AIDS patients, more than 4,000 of whom have died. "PCP Prophylaxis More Frequent at Clinics With Range of HIV Services" Reuters Health Information Services (01/28/98) A report in the January issue of the Journal of General Internal Medicine suggests that patients attending clinics offering a larger range of HIV services are more likely to receive prophylaxis for Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia than those attending non-HIV focused clinics. The study, conducted by Dr. Barbara Turner of Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia and colleagues, examined more than 1,800 HIV-positive Medicaid patients treated at 125 New York clinics. The results showed that patients attending clinics with three or more HIV-related services had a 36 percent lower risk of developing PCP than patients attending clinics offering one or no HIV services. In conclusion, the researchers assert their support for efforts now underway in New York for the transfer of HIV-positive Medicaid patients to HIV-focused managed care settings. ***************************************************************** 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. 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