Subj : News Update 18 June 1/2 To : ALL From : PAUL BUSBY Date : Sun Jun 18 2000 06:04 am CDC HIV/STD/TB Prevention News Update Friday, June 18, 1999 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. HEADLINES PEER-REVIEWED JOURNALS "Increasing Probability of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HHV-8 With Increasing Maternal Antibody Titer for HHV-8" "An Unusual Cluster of Cases of Castleman's Disease During Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy for AIDS" GENERAL MEDIA "WHO: Diseases That Kill Millions Can Be Stopped" "The War on Disease Is Worth Fighting" "AIDS Activists Dog Gore a 2nd Day" "Health: Call for Universal Antenatal HIV Screening" "Phone Cards to Be Used in AIDS Awareness Program" "California Develops TB Guide" INFORMATION FROM THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION "Notice to Readers: Opening of Nonoccupational HIV Postexposure Prophylaxis Registry" "Notice to Readers: National HIV Testing Day--June 27, 1999" *************************************************************** PEER-REVIEWED JOURNALS *************************************************************** "Increasing Probability of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HHV-8 With Increasing Maternal Antibody Titer for HHV-8" New England Medical Journal (06/17/99) Vol. 340, No. 24, P. 1923; Sitas, Freddy; Newton, Robert; Boshoff, Chris In a follow-up to their recent study, Freddy Sitas, of the South African Institute for Medical Research, and colleagues report in a letter to the editor that they investigated the effect of maternal titer of antibody to human herpesvirus 8 on mother-to-child transmission. The team's previous research showed that 42 percent of the children whose mothers were HHV-8-seropositive were also seropositive, compared to 1 percent of the children whose mothers were HHV-8-seronegative. According to the scientists, the findings of the new study "suggest that a high viral load of HHV-8 may increase the likelihood of transmission of the virus from mothers to their children." "An Unusual Cluster of Cases of Castleman's Disease During Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy for AIDS" New England Journal of Medicine (06/17/99) Vol.340, No. 24, P. 1923; Zietz, Christian; Bogner, Johannes R.; Goebel, Frank-Detlef; et al. Castleman's Disease, a lymphatic hyperplasia, has two variants: hyaline vascular and the plasma cell type. In a letter to the editor, researchers from Ludwig Maximilians University in Munich report that they observed a clustering of rapidly progressing multicentric Castleman's disease of the plasma-cell type. All of the patients had HHV-8, while two had a history of Kaposi's sarcoma and a third had sarcomatoid Kaposi's sarcoma lesions. The authors assert that the clustering is unusual because it is a rare disease, it should be handled as a medical emergency, and symptoms of Castleman's disease occurred after starting highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Investigators advise doctors treating HHV-8-positive patients with HAART to frequently monitor them for signs of Castleman's disease. **************************************************************** GENERAL MEDIA **************************************************************** "WHO: Diseases That Kill Millions Can Be Stopped" Washington Post (06/18/99) P. A24; Brown, David The World Health Organization announced Thursday that infectious diseases are responsible for 48 percent of deaths worldwide in people under age 45 and most of these diseases could be easily prevented or treated. The burden of infectious diseases is particularly heavy for the developing world, where it is a serious impediment to economic growth. The WHO report found that more money from wealthy nations and the commitment of poor nations to use the money judiciously would significantly ease the burden of infection. Six illnesses were cited as causing about 90 percent of deaths from infectious diseases. These illnesses are respiratory infections, which kill 3.5 million people a year; AIDS, 2.3 million people; diarrheal infections, 2.2 million people; tuberculosis, 1.5 million people; malaria, 1.1 million people; and measles, which results in about 900,000 deaths worldwide. The WHO found that 20 percent of children are not vaccinated against measles and five other childhood infections. In addition, only half of the WHO's member states follow the organization's guidelines for the treatment of tuberculosis. Failure to ensure that tuberculosis patients take specific combination drugs for six months accounts for the increased prevalence of drug-resistant TB. The WHO said that aggressive treatment of venereal diseases, as well as education in schools and free condom distribution would help stem the spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. The report also noted that developing countries set aside less than 10 percent of foreign aid and charitable donations for health care. "The War on Disease Is Worth Fighting" Washington Post (06/18/99) P. C11; Mann, Judy Washington Post columnist Judy Mann discusses the findings of the World Health Organization's study on the economic burden of disease. Mann notes the WHO's warning that many diseases, including tuberculosis, are developing drug resistance. WHO official David Heymann noted that whereas five years ago there was very little drug-resistant TB in Eastern Europe, now "20 percent of those with TB in prisons have drug-resistant TB. It costs 50 times more to treat." Resistance to the antibiotics tetracycline and penicillin, which are used to treat gonorrhea, has also become problematic, particularly with the rise in global travel. Mann also cites a survey conducted for the Global Health Council which found that American consider global infectious diseases a high priority. Council head Nils Daulaire noted, however, that the public has not yet connected fighting infectious diseases and economic development and political stability. According to Mann, "An alliance between the global health community and the national security community, with the strong support the American public already shows, could help make the WHO's plan of action a reality." "AIDS Activists Dog Gore a 2nd Day" Washington Post (06/18/99) P. A12; Babcock, Charles R.; Connoly, Ceci AIDS activists have disrupted Vice President Al Gore's presidential campaign tour for a second day in a row. Gore has been accused by activists of favoring the profiteering of drug companies over saving the lives of HIV-infected individuals in South Africa. At issue is Gore's involvement in a dispute with the South African government about a law passed in that country that U.S. drug companies regard as an infringement of patent laws; the law would allow South Africa to buy anti-AIDS drugs for >>> Continued to next message --- þ wcQWK 5.00 ÷ * Origin: "THE WORLD BEYOND" - Leaving the Others Behind!! (1:250/502) .