Subject: CDC AIDS Daily Summary for Date: Thu Jun 1 07:01:01 PDT 2000 (191 lines) From: National AIDS Info Clearinghouse Copyright 2000, Information, Inc., Bethesda, MD CDC HIV/STD/TB Prevention News Update Thursday, June 1, 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 "Isolation, Purification and Immunological Characterization of Novel Low Molecular Weight Protein Antigen CFP 6 From Culture Filtrate of M. Tuberculosis" GENERAL MEDIA "World Bank Cites Itself in Study of Africa's Bleak Performance" "U.N. Reports More Girls in School but Epidemic of Domestic Violence" "Key Health Data for City Show Improvement; Trends Include Decline in Teen Birth Rate" "Council Hears Pleas on Safety-Needle Bill" "Alameda County Limits AIDS Awareness Ads; Content Deemed Too Racy for Billboards" "Japan Proposes $100 Mil. G-8 Fund for Diseases" "Access to Triple HIV Therapy Might Reduce Cost of Treating Opportunistic Infections" "US Boosts AIDS Awareness Assistance to Angola, Calls for Peace, Fair Polls" *************************************************************** PEER-REVIEWED JOURNALS *************************************************************** "Isolation, Purification and Immunological Characterization of Novel Low Molecular Weight Protein Antigen CFP 6 From Culture Filtrate of M. Tuberculosis" Vaccine Online (www.elsevier.com:80/inca/publications/store/3/0/5/2/1) (06/15/00) Vol. 18, No. 25, P. 2856; Bhaskar, Sangeeta; Khanna, S. P.; Mukherjee, Rama Researchers from India purified a novel immunogenic antigen, CFP 6, using a culture filtrate of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The purified CFP 6 was studied for its ability to encourage responses in the peripheral blood lymphocytes of five groups of people: those who were not treated, active pulmonary tuberculosis patients, patients after two to three months of chemotherapy, vaccinated professional contacts, and vaccinated/nonvaccinated healthy controls. According to the authors, from the National Institute of Immunology in New Delhi and the New Delhi TB Center, the protein generated high proliferative responses in both healthy individuals and those recovering from infection. The researchers also noted that the protein caused an potent immune response in vitro and in an in vivo animal model. **************************************************************** GENERAL MEDIA **************************************************************** "World Bank Cites Itself in Study of Africa's Bleak Performance" New York Times (www.nytimes.com) (06/01/00) P. A13; Kahn, Joseph A new study from the World Bank, prepared with the United Nations and African development institutions, cited only a few nations in Africa that have made their way from extreme poverty. The countries include Uganda, Ghana, and Mozambique. The report also noted that conditions in sub-Saharan Africa are deteriorating as AIDS, malaria, and civil unrest take their toll. Africa continues to be devastated by AIDS, accounting for 70 percent of the reported cases in the world. According to experts, life expectancy on the continent is expected to drop 20 years as a result of the epidemic. While corruption, war, and disease are the key reasons behind Africa's bleak performance, the World Bank accepted part of the blame, noting that it and its sister agencies have spent billions on poorly planned programs. "U.N. Reports More Girls in School but Epidemic of Domestic Violence" Fox News Online (www.foxnews.com) (05/31/00); Lederer, Edith M. The United Nations said Wednesday that more girls are attending school, but they still face an epidemic of violence worldwide. According to the reports, women are generally marrying later and having fewer children; however, they account for nearly 50 percent of HIV and AIDS cases and the majority of the world's illiterate population. "The World's Women 2000," a 180-page report from the U.N. Statistics Division, and "Domestic Violence Against Women and Girls," a study by the U.N. Children's Fund, were released in advance of the upcoming U.N. women's conference. The five-day meeting will assess progress made since the 1995 U.N. women's conference in Beijing. While some progress has been made for women's rights, females still remain in positions of little or no authority in many countries. "Key Health Data for City Show Improvement; Trends Include Decline in Teen Birth Rate" Baltimore Sun (www.sunspot.net) (05/31/00) P. 2B; Sugg, Diana K. New statistics show that Baltimore's rates of teenage birth and sexually transmitted diseases have decreased. Dr. Peter Beilenson, the city's health commissioner, said that medical advances and lifestyle changes have helped save more babies and improve overall health. The number of syphilis cases in the city decreased by 65 percent from 1997 to 1999, in part because of increased staffing at city clinics and education of physicians. In addition, the city's needle exchange program helped to reduce the HIV infection rate among drug users 30 percent between 1994 and 1998. Gonorrhea cases fell 45 percent from 1992 to 1999, and Beilenson suggested that the increased availability of condoms and peer counseling on abstinence helped to bring about the reduction in teen births. However, cancer and heart disease continue to be common problems, and the number of preschoolers immunized in the past year fell from about 84 percent to 80 percent. In 1999, the number of tuberculosis cases recorded in Baltimore hit a low for the third straight year, and AIDS cases have decreased 46 percent in the last several years. "Council Hears Pleas on Safety-Needle Bill" Washington Post (www.washingtonpost.com) (06/01/00) P. B3 On Wednesday, public health officials called on the Washington, D.C. city council to pass laws requiring the use of safety needles for healthcare workers to protect against accidental needle sticks. Such injuries put the workers at risk for contracting diseases like HIV and hepatitis B and C. Groups opposing the idea noted that dentists and other specialists should not be required to use safety needles because the devices would not work in their kinds of practices. "Alameda County Limits AIDS Awareness Ads; Content Deemed Too Racy for Billboards" San Francisco Chronicle (www.sfgate.com/chronicle) (05/31/00) P. A17; Heredia, Christopher AIDS awareness ads depicting two bare-chested African-American men about to have sex have been deemed too suggestive for billboards and bus benches in Alameda County, California. The ads will instead be put on matchbooks and condom packages placed in gay bars. The Board of Supervisors decided the campaign should not be viewed in places where parents might object. The plan was to place the ads in districts where gay men and intravenous drug users go to party and have casual sex. African Americans account for over half of all the AIDS cases diagnosed each year in the county since 1995. The ads sought to target minorities with the message to get tested for HIV and to increase condom use. "Japan Proposes $100 Mil. G-8 Fund for Diseases" Kyodo News Service (home.kyodo.co.jp) (06/01/00) Japan has proposed forming a $100 million fund for AIDS and other infectious diseases as part of the Group of Eight summit in July. According to G-8 sources, Japan will also work to create a task force on infectious diseases with leaders at the summit in Okinawa. Funding would come primarily from G-8 nations, with private sector financial cooperation. The fund, geared toward assisting work by nongovernmental organizations, would help by increasing the efficiency and integrating G-8 measures on infectious diseases. "Access to Triple HIV Therapy Might Reduce Cost of Treating Opportunistic Infections" Reuters Health Information Services (www.reutershealth.com) (05/31/00) A static model developed by Dr. Jerry Tolson of Glaxo Wellcome and colleagues, based on drug use and treatment of opportunistic infections, shows that the cost of switching HIV patients from monotherapy to triple-drug therapy with zidovudine is balanced by the decrease in costs for treating the diseases. The model, reported in the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes (2000;23:302-313), would increase New York's budget spending by 115 percent per patient, but overall medical systems costs per enrollee would also drop 0.4 percent. According to the researchers, the study reveals that triple-drug antiretroviral therapy can help reduce medical care systems costs. "US Boosts AIDS Awareness Assistance to Angola, Calls for Peace, Fair Polls" Agence France Presse (www.afp.com) (05/30/00) The United States has increased assistance to anti-AIDS programs in Angola, while calling for an end to its civil war. U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Susan Rice, said $3 million will fund an HIV/AIDS awareness program in Luanda, Angola's capital. The donation is part of a $38 million humanitarian support package.