Subject: CDC AIDS Daily Summary for Date: Wed Mar 8 07:01:00 PST 2000 (170 lines) From: National AIDS Info Clearinghouse Copyright 2000, Information, Inc., Bethesda, MD CDC HIV/STD/TB Prevention News Update Wednesday, March 8, 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 "More Needle Provisions Called for in Ireland" GENERAL MEDIA "Monitoring Tightened for Genetic Research" "U.S. Hospital Needle Pricks Top 1,000 a Day--CDC" "Doctors Will Be Required to Report HIV Cases; Not Identities" "Few Attend Hearings on Needles" "Few Rape Victims Complete Anti-AIDS Therapy" "41 Students Will Get TB Treatment; But Only 2 at Paschal Have Active Symptoms" "HIV Infection Soars Among S. African Teenage Girls" "French Army Cancels AIDS Victims List Amid Outcry" *************************************************************** PEER-REVIEWED JOURNALS *************************************************************** "More Needle Provisions Called for in Ireland" Lancet (www.thelancet.com) (03/04/00) Vol. 355, No. 9206, P. 818; Birchard, Karen The Merchant's Quay needle-exchange project in Dublin, Ireland, has released a new set of recommendations. The report, titled "Making Contact: An Evaluation of a Needle Exchange," calls for syringe-vending machines, pharmacy involvement in the distribution of needles, and mobile needle exchanges. According to the study, which was based on 1,300 participants in the needle exchange, one-third reported borrowing and lending syringe equipment, and women were more likely than men to share needles and take part in risky sex. Nearly half of the subjects said they had no other contact with treatment services. During the 18-month study, there was a 71 percent reduction among participants in borrowing drug injecting equipment **************************************************************** GENERAL MEDIA **************************************************************** "Monitoring Tightened for Genetic Research" Washington Post (www.washingtonpost.com) (03/08/00) P. A3; Weiss, Rick The Clinton administration has announced two initiatives that aim to ensure the safety of patients in gene therapy experiments. Gene therapy researchers will now be required to give the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) detailed descriptions of how their medical experiments are reviewed for safety. The second initiative requires the National Institutes of Health and the FDA to convene quarterly meetings to allow gene therapy researchers to share reports from their studies, including safety measures. The new requirements come after the September death of a gene patient at the University of Pennsylvania. Also, in the wake of a scare that treatments in a Memphis trial may have been tainted with HIV and hepatitis, FDA officials have sent letters to gene therapy researchers requesting further assurances that the viruses and cells they use are not contaminated. "U.S. Hospital Needle Pricks Top 1,000 a Day--CDC" Reuters (03/07/00) New research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that about 384,000 needle stick or similar injuries occur among healthcare workers in hospitals every year, possibly exposing them to viruses like hepatitis and HIV. The researchers said that while their estimate is lower than previously published statistics, the high volume still reflects the critical need for hospitals to adopt prevention strategies. The CDC study, presented to the International Conference on Nosocomial and Health-Care-Associated Infections meeting in Atlanta, did not attempt to determine how many workers became infected from the needle sticks. The report also did not include healthcare workers who are not in a hospital setting. "Doctors Will Be Required to Report HIV Cases; Not Identities" Boston Globe Online (www.boston.com/globe) (03/08/00) The Vermont Health Department will soon require doctors to report HIV-positive patients by a coded system. By reporting individuals with HIV and not just those with full-blown AIDS, health officials will be able to more accurately track the spread of HIV. Supporters of the unique identifier system note that in addition to providing information about the HIV epidemic, it will also protect patients' privacy. The new system will take effect on March 24. Approximately 165 people in Vermont have AIDS and as many as 250 have HIV, according to the Health Department. "Few Attend Hearings on Needles" Washington Post--PG Extra (www.washingtonpost.com) (03/08/00) P. M2; Schwartzman, Paul Low turnout at a recent series of public forums about a proposed needle exchange program for intravenous drug users in Prince George's County, Maryland, has some county council leaders perplexed. Only a combined total of 17 residents attended the forums, which supporters of the measure say is indicative of public support. However, others speculate that the public did not know of the meetings, because opposition to the program does exist. The needle exchange proposal was introduced in February, and will be reviewed by the council's health committee later this month. Prince George's County recorded more than 3,200 AIDS cases last year, second in Maryland to Baltimore. "Few Rape Victims Complete Anti-AIDS Therapy" Vancouver Sun (www.southam.com/vancouversun) (03/08/00) P. A4; Fayerman, Pamela A study conducted at Vancouver General Hospital's emergency department shows that only 11 percent of rape victims offered HIV prevention treatment completed the one-month pill supply. Dr. Ellen Wiebe, co-author of the report, cited the pills' side effects and the patients' socioeconomic status as two reasons for low compliance. Poorer rape victims have unstable lives and may not be able to take medication regularly. The 16-month study involved 258 people who had been sexually assaulted, with 71 accepting HIV treatment but only eight completing the full course of medication. "41 Students Will Get TB Treatment; But Only 2 at Paschal Have Active Symptoms" Fort Worth Star-Telegram Online (www.startext.net) (03/07/00) P. 1; Deller, Martha Although 41 of 525 students at Fort Worth's Paschal High School have tested positive for exposure to tuberculosis (TB), only two sisters have active symptoms of the disease. The 41 students being treated are not infectious and will stay in school while receiving treatment, according to officials. The two sisters--one of whom was hospitalized in late February and whose disease has been confirmed--will remain at home for several weeks while being treated; the other sister's infection has been labeled as suspect. "HIV Infection Soars Among S. African Teenage Girls" Reuters (03/07/00) A new Cape Town health department survey shows that the rate of HIV among South African female teenagers has climbed even higher for the already at-risk group. According to the study, the rate of infection in 1998 was 21 percent for 15- to 19-year-olds--a 65 percent increase from the previous year. Health director Ivan Thomas blamed the rise on AIDS-related myths, including one that having sex with a virgin can cure the disease. "French Army Cancels AIDS Victims List Amid Outcry" Reuters (03/07/00) Following widespread outcry from AIDS groups and civil liberties activists, France's Defense Ministry has canceled plans to create a list of HIV-infected individuals in the army. Laws in France ban lists based on personal characteristics, but the army received permission from the national civil liberties commission so it could better coordinate treatment. The opposing groups questioned the use of such a list and expressed doubts about its confidentiality. **************************************************************** The PreventioNews Mailing List is maintained by the National