Subject: CDC AIDS Daily Summary for Date: Mon Mar 6 07:01:00 PST 2000 (192 lines) From: National AIDS Info Clearinghouse Copyright 2000, Information, Inc., Bethesda, MD CDC HIV/STD/TB Prevention News Update Monday, March 6, 2000 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. HEADLINES PEER-REVIEWED JOURNALS "Influence of Vitamin D Deficiency and Vitamin D Receptor Polymorphisms on Tuberculosis Among Gujarati Asians in West London: A Case-Control Study (Early Report)" GENERAL MEDIA "AIDS Outbreaks Follow Asia's Heroin Traffic" "New AIDS Campaign Focuses on Men" "Patents: A Human Gene Is Patented as a Potential Tool Against AIDS, But Ethical Questions Remain" "AIDS Conference Set for Indian Tribes" "Technician at GU Tests Negative for Viruses" "New Condoms Don't Cause Latex Allergy" "One in Five Women at Clinic Are Victims of Sexual Assault" "Media Campaign Aimed at STDs Receives Two National Awards" *************************************************************** PEER-REVIEWED JOURNALS *************************************************************** "Influence of Vitamin D Deficiency and Vitamin D Receptor Polymorphisms on Tuberculosis Among Gujarati Asians in West London: A Case-Control Study (Early Report)" Lancet (www.thelancet.com) (02/19/00) Vol. 355, No. 9204, P. 618; Wilkinson, Robert J.; Llewelyn, Martin; Toossi, Zahra; et al. A study of Asians of Gujarati origin living in Britain reveals high rates of tuberculosis (TB) and vitamin D deficiency that are related to vitamin D receptor (VDR) polymorphisms. The researchers studied 126 untreated TB patients and 116 healthy contacts residing in London. Tuberculosis infection was confirmed by culture or biopsy in the patients. After gathering data on vitamin D concentrations in 103 patients and 42 contacts, the researchers discovered that over half of both groups had significantly low 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (serum vitamin D) concentrations. The findings help show there is a high rate of vitamin D deficiency among the Gujarati Asians in London, who also have high incidence of tuberculosis. The deficiency may explain for the high levels of TB, as do polymorphisms in the VDR gene. **************************************************************** GENERAL MEDIA **************************************************************** "AIDS Outbreaks Follow Asia's Heroin Traffic" Washington Post (www.washingtonpost.com) (03/06/00) P. A9; Okie, Susan A new study, led by Chris Beyrer of the Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health, shows that HIV has followed the path of heroin trafficking to regions surrounding Burma, including provinces in China, Vietnam, India, and even Kazakhstan. Burma second only to Afghanistan in producing opium and heroin, is now faced with severe drug and AIDS epidemics to combat. New HIV outbreaks occur along the path of heroin market towns, as local leaders have drug-trafficking armies that grow opium in the northeastern section of the country. The research project Beyrer started 18 months ago, in cooperation with Chinese and Indian researchers, shows that heroin use has been increasing along the border of Vietnam and southern China. This area is mountainous rain forest, which makes it extremely difficult to patrol. Tracing HIV through blood samples, interviews, and data on poppy cultivation reveals the different strains of the virus found throughout the region. According to the study, published in the January issue of AIDS, subtype E is common in China's Guangxi province, while in Yunnan province, along Burma's border, subtype C is prevalent. "New AIDS Campaign Focuses on Men" United Press International (03/06/00); Susman, Ed At the launch of the year 2000 World AIDS Campaign in New Delhi, India, Dr. Peter Piot, executive director of UNAIDS, noted that men should be seen as part of the solution to AIDS and must be involved in prevention efforts. The new campaign will focus on men's role in the AIDS epidemic, including having extramarital sex and the stigma surrounding HIV. Men can help stem the spread of the virus by taking precautions with condoms and not taking drug-related risks. UNAIDS also reported that India, with a population of 1 billion people, has 3.7 million cases of HIV. Officials said there were 1.5 million new HIV infections in Asia last year, with about 1.2 million AIDS-related deaths since the start of the epidemic. "Patents: A Human Gene Is Patented as a Potential Tool Against AIDS, But Ethical Questions Remain" New York Times (www.nytimes.com) (03/06/00) P. C9; Chartrand, Sabra Human Genome Sciences has patented a gene that can possibly fight AIDS. The human gene, CCR5, produces a receptor or entry point for HIV to enter cells, and blocking the receptor could block HIV from infecting the body. People born without this receptor gene can be immune to HIV. Debate over patenting human biology has intensified, since many leaders believe that it is unethical to patent a gene and place money matters over medical discovery. William Haseltine, chairman of Human Genome, notes that "we do not use our patents to prevent anyone in academics of the nonprofit world from using these materials for whatever they want, so long as it is not commercial. National Institutes of Health researchers discovered in 1996 that people lacking CCR5 appear to be immune to HIV infection. "AIDS Conference Set for Indian Tribes" Washington Times (www.washtimes.com) (03/06/00) P. A10 The Catawba Indian Nation is helping organize the first conference on AIDS for Eastern tribes. The conference follows the deaths of two Catawba from AIDS-related illnesses and seven reported cases of AIDS in the 2,100-member tribe. Working with state, local, and private agencies, the Catawba plan to hold the Southern Regional Gathering of Native Americans HIV/AIDS, STDs, Drug and Alcohol Abuse Conference in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, in late March. "Technician at GU Tests Negative for Viruses" Washington Post (www.washingtonpost.com) (03/04/00) P. B1; Goldstein, Avram Former Georgetown University Hospital employee Jeffrey Royal, who admitted to stealing patients' painkillers and replacing them with saline injections, has tested negative for HIV and hepatitis B and C. Health officials note that while it is encouraging the results came back negative, the estimated 600 radiology patients who may have been affected by Royal's actions are not completely out of danger, since it can take months for HIV and hepatitis to show up on tests. The incident has led Georgetown University to investigate implementing pre-employment drug screening, testing which most hospitals already conduct. "New Condoms Don't Cause Latex Allergy" United Press International (03/06/00); Susman, Ed Researchers from France have found that adding steps to the manufacturing process of condoms can produce ones that do not cause allergic reactions among users. Dr. David Levy, a researcher at Hopital Tenon in Paris, said the steps involve washing the prophylactics before they are packaged, which gets rid of the proteins on the rubber that cause latex allergies. Levy's study, reported at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology, is the first to test deproteinized condoms in practice. A survey of 19 people, including 14 women, found that none of the subjects reported allergic type reactions from using the new condoms during intercourse. "One in Five Women at Clinic Are Victims of Sexual Assault" Fox News Online (www.foxnews.com) (03/03/00); Nordenbrock, Cassandra C. Researchers from the United Kingdom have found that over one in five women attending a sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinic report having been sexually assaulted at some time and continue to experience psychological distress. The study of 268 women who visited an STD clinic indicates that sexual assault can have disabling psychological as well as physical effects. Nearly 22 percent of the women reported being sexually assaulted in the past, from one month to 36 years before the survey. The researchers, who report their findings in the journal Sexually Transmitted Infections (2000;76:49-50), suggested that the presence of a clinical psychologist may be useful to women attending STD clinics. "Media Campaign Aimed at STDs Receives Two National Awards" Infectious Diseases in Children (www.slackinc.com/idc.htm) (02/00) Vol. 13, No. 2, P. 48 A media campaign aimed at teenage awareness of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) has received national awards for excellence from the American Academy of Nursing and the Health Improvement Institute. Titled "Know the Facts. Know for Sure," the STD prevention campaign--from by the American Social Health Association--aimed to reach teens between the ages of 15 and 19 in areas near Jackson, Mississippi, and Rio Grand Valley, Texas. The effort included messages about the risks for STDs; how if left untreated, an STD can cause serious consequences; and that the only way to be sure is to get tested. ****************************************************************