-----===[[[ A I D S w i r e D I G E S T 08.30.93 ]]]===----- HIV--Lesbians * Associated Press (08/29/93) Austin, Texas--The myth that lesbians are not at risk for AIDS is being challenged by a case in Austin, Texas, of two gay women who have tested positive for HIV. According to the women's physician, Dr. David Wright, his patients insist that they could not possibly have been infected through needle- sharing or unsafe sex with male partners. It is possible that this is one of the country's first instances of AIDS transmission via woman-to-woman sex. Experts have claimed that HIV transmission via vaginal secretions is possible, and is particularly feasible if the receiving partner has abrasions on the genitals or other body parts which come in contact with the vagina. Susan Chu of the Centers for Disease Control, who conducted a study of 164 infected women, said that while infection from lesbian sex is rare, it is possible. Related Stories: Washington Post (08/30) P. A8; USA Today (08/30) P. D1 A Blood Cell Therapy Is Designed to Act as a Decoy to Lure HIV Away From the Immune Cells It Kills * New York Times (08/30/93) P. D2 Chartrand, Sabra As researchers scramble for an answer to the AIDS problem, a new technique has been patented this month by Sheffield Medical Technologies Inc. Based on the work of Dr. Yves-Claude Nicolau at the Harvard Center for Blood Research, the new therapy involves the insertion of a protein called CD4 into red blood cells. This protein in naturally found on the surface of white immune cells, called T-cells, which HIV kills. Because the virus cannot distinguish between protein found on T-cells and protein inserted in red blood cells, CD4 may be used as a decoy when placed on red blood cells. HIV will see only the protein and bind with it; however, red blood cells are fatal to the virus because they have no nucleus to infect. Clinical trials were encouraging for the company, which plans to begin human tests in January. Sheffield President Douglas R. Eger cautions that, if successful, the technique could be an effective therapeutic treatment, but not a cure. Clinton AIDS Leader Says Funding to Remain Tight * Boston Globe (08/27/93) P. 26 Kong, Dolores AIDS policy coordinator Kristine Gebbie told AIDS researchers, officials, providers, and activists in Boston that funding for AIDS may be scarce due to the expected high cost of national health care reform. AIDS advocates, who have asked for full funding for the Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency Act, hoped that Gebbie would use her influence to encourage President Clinton to address the public about the epidemic and to take other measures to warn the people. While Gebbie disappointed advocates with uncertainty regarding full funding, she did say that Clinton has already asked Congress to increase the act's funding by approximately $200 million. In addition, she said that health care reform would address one of the most important needs of people with AIDS--health insurance. For Black Gays, a 'Double Whammy' * Philadelphia Inquirer (08/30/93) P. B1 Valbrun, Marjorie A block party was the setting for an AIDS fundraiser in Philadelphia, Pa., for gay black men, who are often ostracized by both white gays and black heterosexuals. Black-on-gay racism and gay-on-gay discrimination were concerns discussed at the event, held by the William J. Craig Foundation, which provides support services to homosexual and straight black people who have AIDS. Coordinator Clarence Hudson said that such events are important because they draw attention to the issue of AIDS in the black community in general, and because they reject the stereotype of the homosexual black man. According to city officials, 5 to 10 percent of Philadelphia's black population is gay, and about 60 percent of the city's AIDS population is black. Applicator to Make Condom Use Easier * New York Times (08/30/93) P. D2 Chartrand, Sabra A New Jersey inventor hopes to promote condom use, one of the most effective methods of preventing sexual transmission of the AIDS virus, through an applicator that makes condom use easier. After realizing how many couples do not use prophylactics because of their messiness and inconvenience, consumer products designer Daniel Swisher patented his invention. The applicator is a small case, similar to a woman's compact, which holds a condom package, cuts it open, and allows the man to put the prophylactic on without ever touching it. The device is now under evaluation at the Centers for Disease Control, from which Swisher hopes to obtain a development grant. Woman Being Sued on AIDS Show Says Point Was Missed * Boston Globe (08/26/93) P. 30 Hohler, Bob An actress/comedian who is being sued for her performance during an AIDS awareness program says that the three teenage litigants missed the point of the show. When Suzi Landolphi, 42, brought her Hot, Sexy and Safer Productions, Inc. to a Chelmsford, Mass., high school, she told jokes about oral sex, masturbation, and orgasm. But, says Landolphi in her defense, she also told the student audience that her brother has HIV and that young people should wait to have sex. The $3.5 million lawsuit, however, charges that Landolphi's act was intimidating, hostile, humiliating, and that required attendance at the event amounted to sexual harassment. WKBD/Harvey Ovshinsky Production 'Close to Home' Wins National Emmy * PR Newswire (08/26/93) Detroit--The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences awarded the national Emmy for Community Service to a documentary about AIDS. The award is presented each year to a local TV station for its outstanding contributions to the community. "Close to Home: The Tammy Boccomino Story" chronicles the true story of a housewife and her young son, who are both infected with HIV. In addition to the Emmy, the film is also the recipient of the 1992 Peabody Award for achievement and meritorious public service in the broadcast field. Update: Barrier Protection Against HIV Infection and Other Sexually Transmitted Diseases * Journal of the American Medical Association (08/25/93) Vol. 270, No. 8, P. 933 It remains true that the most effective method for preventing HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases is to abstain from sexual contact with infected partners. The Public Health Service has, however, also offered the use of condoms as a method of prevention for serodiscordant couples--sexual relationships in which one partner is infected and the other is not. Studies indicate that if couples use a condom properly, consistently, and after each act of intercourse, risk of transmission is significantly decreased. The reports also reassure that condoms, when used correctly, are unlikely to break or slip off. In addition to the effectiveness of latex condoms, the Food and Drug Administration has recently approved a polyurethane female condom. Studies show that the female condom, a lubricated sheath with a ring on each end, is also an effective barrier to HIV and other STDs. As with male condoms, the key to prevention with female condoms is correct and consistent use for each act of intercourse. Medical Briefs * Advocate (09/07/93) Issue 637, P. 39 Cohan, Gary R. Adolescent girls are the next group to emerge as a major segment of the AIDS population, according to an analysis by the United Nations Development Program. The study concluded that sexually active females under age 20 have higher rates of HIV infection than do older women or younger men. Researchers corroborated the data by explaining that because the genital tracts of younger girls are not as fully developed as those of an older women, they are more prone to sexually transmitted diseases. The rate of AIDS infection for teenage girls peaks between ages 15 and 20, according to the study, while male peak occurs between ages 25 to 35. The analysis studied data from 31 European nations, as well as several Asian and African countries. August 31, 1993 Women May Have Contracted HIV Through Lesbian Sex * Reuters (08/30/93) Austin, Texas--Transmission of the AIDS virus through female- to-female sex is rare, but not impossible, say health officials, who are investigating the case of two HIV-positive lesbians. A federal study of 164 homosexual women with AIDS found that all of the subjects had other risk factors that contributed to the development of the disease. About 93 percent of the patients used drug needles, and others had received transfusions before AIDS screening began in 1985. The two women in Austin, however, claim not to have any history of intravenous drug use or bisexuality. If true, this case would confirm experts' suspicions that HIV may be transmitted in vaginal secretions and menstrual blood. Cases of lesbians with AIDS are so uncommon that statistics categorize them under the heading of "other", says Tom Betz, medical director of communicable diseases at the Austin/Travis County Health Department. HIV-Positive Status Brings Attempted Murder Charges in More Sex Cases * Los Angeles Times (08/29/93) P. A27 LoLordo, Ann HIV infection is assuming more relevance in the courtroom, to the dismay of gay-rights advocates and defense attorneys, and to the pleasure of prosecutors and advocates of victims. Sex cases dominate this new attitude toward HIV, as prosecutors begin charging defendants with attempted murder. Opposition insists that this strategy does no more than play on public fear of AIDS. Advocates, however, contend that a person with HIV is a person with a loaded gun and if they fire that gun, that is, deliberately infect someone else, they are guilty of attempted murder. The earliest legal matters involving AIDS were cases of biting and spitting, but now prosecutors focus on rape and other sex crimes, where transmission is most likely to occur. At least 25 states have laws against intentionally exposing an uninfected person to the AIDS virus. Mass. to Conduct First State-Sponsored Study of AIDS Vaccine * United Press International (08/27/93) Boston--Massachusetts will conduct the country's first state- sponsored tests of an AIDS vaccine, announced health officials. Tests of the drug, gb 160, will be done in conjunction with MicroGeneSys Inc. and the Wyeth-Ayerst Research Division at a dozen locations statewide. The trials are scheduled for 15 months, but when they would begin was not disclosed. AIDS Treatment Documentary Premieres Amidst Controversy * PR Newswire (08/30/93) San Francisco--The medical world is criticizing a documentary about an unapproved medical treatment called ozone therapy, which may allegedly deter cancer and AIDS. Canadian filmmaker Geoffrey Rogers' "Ozone and the Politics of Medicine" describes a potential breakthrough drug that is dismissed by health officials, although millions of patients in Europe have already used it. Rogers includes scientific evidence that ozone can inhibit cancer cells and inactivate viruses. A recent study by the Canadian military and the International Red Cross discovered that monkeys injected with blood plasma tainted with SIV, the primate equivalent of the AIDS virus, died within two weeks. Monkeys receiving ozone injections, however, remained healthy and were not infected. The Food and Drug Administration has condemned ozone therapy, and even labeled its use as health care fraud. The drug gained national attention last month when the famous New York doctor Robert Atkins lost his medical license over a complaint about the use of ozone therapy. Dr. Atkins' license was subsequently reinstated. National AIDS Commission Chairman In Cleveland * PR Newswire (08/30/93) The National Commission on AIDS officially goes out of business on Sept. 3. On that day, the chairperson of the commission, Dr. June E. Osborn, will address the City Club of Cleveland, Ohio. Osborn has held her position for more than four years and has steered the National Commission through hard times. According to the City Club, it is unlikely that anyone else in the United States knows more than Osborn does about what is happening in the battle against AIDS. Osborn's final address as the chair of the National Commission on AIDS is co-sponsored by the City Club and the Citizens Committee on AIDS/HIV. Dorian Corey Is Dead; A Drag Film Star, 56 * New York Times (08/31/93) P. A18 Drag film star Dorian Corey has died at age 56 of AIDS. Corey was featured in the award-winning documentary "Paris Is Burning," a film about female impersonators. Corey himself was a participant in drag life off-screen, and performed regularly in New York. He also owned a clothing establishment, Corey Design. Flood Damage * Advocate (09/07/93) Issue 637, P. 24 Gallagher, John Hazards and hardship await those with AIDS in the aftermath of recent flooding in the Midwest, say activists. The destruction, which spanned 10 states, left a small fraction of HIV-positive people without homes and no place to go, since many temporary shelters refuse them. Thousands more salvaged their homes, but now must face the dangers of contaminated floodwaters. The flood spread raw sewage and farm waste, unearthed coffins, and exposed chemicals from septic tanks. According to Randy Cantrell, executive director of HIV Education, Liasion, and Prevention, an AIDS organization in Missouri, the floodwaters carry opportunistic infections, including meningitis and hepatitis. Cantrell adds that hospitals will see in increase in pneumocytis carinii pneumonia and diphtheria as well. This highlights the problem of the floodwaters hampering access of AIDS patients to the health care they require. Finally, state governments may order cutbacks in order to rebuild after the disaster; AIDS organizations may be in a financial crunch themselves, and will find AIDS fundraising difficult. Should HIV-Infected Immigrants Be Barred From the United States? * Health Vol. 7, No. 5, P. 24 Nickles, Don and Berenson, Aimee As controversy continues to swirl around AIDS, the issue of immigration, too, is in heated debate. The United States currently prohibits the entry of HIV-infected immigrants. Sen. Don Nickles (R-Okla.) asserts that if immigrants bring HIV into the country, even more Americans will contract the virus, and that it will spread further into the heterosexual population. Nickles claims that the addition of HIV-infected people to the 1 million already here would be a burden on the health care system. Aimee Berenson, who is legislative counsel with the AIDS Action Council, charges that the ban is a disguise for hatred of foreigners, people of color, and people with AIDS. She cites that 60 percent of the immigrants admitted in the past 10 years were from countries with low rates of HIV infection, and that there is no evidence that there are great numbers of infected immigrants waiting to get into the United States. Berenson contends that even if infected immigrants were permitted, they would not increase the rate of infection for Americans because AIDS is not transmitted casually, and because they are taught how to prevent it once they get here. Medical Briefs * Advocate (09/07/93) Issue 637, P. 40 Cohan, Gary R. While one study estimates the risk of HIV infection after a needle stick as 0.36 percent, or one transmission per 278 exposures, others indicate a few cases of infection which resulted from splashing blood from a contaminated needle on the skin or in mucous membranes. Because of the uncertainty surrounding the chances of contracting HIV after a needle injury, and because of the controversy about the value of AZT as a treatment, Dr. Gary R. Cohan suggests using universal cautions when handling patients with the AIDS virus. These procedures include washing hands before and after contact with an infected person, use of gloves when handling all bodily fluids, proper use and disposal of needles, and hygiene for clothing and linen. September 1, 1993 AIDS Prevention Rule Debuts * USA Today (08/31/93) P. 8C Duncan, Jeff High school football players with open wounds or bloody jerseys must exit the game for at least one down, dictates the new rule passed in January by the National Federation of State High School Associations. The guidelines, effective this football season, were designed to prevent transmission of HIV or other blood-borne infections. The blood rule is applicable not only to football, but to all secondary athletics in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. General suggestions from the federation include wearing gloves to discard or disinfect bloody jerseys, and covering open wounds. Although the rule complicates the game somewhat, coaches seem to be in favor of it. Killer Virus Hits at Heart of Economy * Financial Times--Africa (Great Britain) (09/01/93) P. 13 Kibazo, Joel Since AIDS first surfaced to begin its destruction 12 years ago, sub-Saharan Africa has been hit hard, accounting for more than half of the world's AIDS population. With about 1.2 million Africans dead from the disease, and an estimated 14 million infections projected by the year 2000, many fear the depressing financial implications of the epidemic. In these countries, AIDS is concentrated in people between the ages of 20 and 45--the strongest segment of the labor force. Furthermore, it is largely the higher-paid, better-educated workers who are becoming infected, because the higher the income, the more sexual activity. Ill health due to the disease and requests for funeral attendance have caused a tremendous drop in productivity levels and a loss in output. AIDS is now the leading cause of mortality in sub-Saharan Africa. The progression of the disease may completely reverse the continent's development. Argentina Ministry of Health Approves Disease Detection International's Seven-Minute, Whole Blood AIDS Test for Use in National Program * PR Newswire (08/31/93) Irvine, Calif.--A patented, seven-minute, whole blood AIDS test has been evaluated and approved by the Argentina Ministry of Health for use in Argentina's National Program for the Fight Against Human Retrovirus and AIDS. The SeroCard HIV-1 test for the antibody to the AIDS virus was submitted by Disease Detection International Inc., a company that develops, manufactures, and markets quick diagnostic tests for sexually- transmitted and infectious diseases. DDI is awaiting official documentation on how it will supply the test to the agency. NABI Establishes Scientific Advisory Board With Immunologists, Virologists and Pediatricians From Leading Medical Institutions * PR Newswire (08/31/93) Miami--North American Biologicals, Inc. has formed a panel of health experts from top medical institutions to advise the company as it develops plasma-based therapeutic products for the treatment of immune system disorders and infectious diseases. NABI is currently developing and supplying for trials HIVIG, an immune globulin containing HIV antibodies. The Scientific Advisory Board is made up of five members, all with areas of expertise in immunology, virology, and medicine. The board members are Adamadia Deforest, Ph.D.; F. Blaine Hollinger, M.D.; Pearay Ogra, M.D.; Richard Stiehm, M.D.; and Richard J. Whitley, M.D. Lightening Up: Utilizing Humor in the Battle Against AIDS * Los Angeles Times--Washington Edition (08/26/93) P. B9 Pacheco, Patrick Where gay jokes and satire have been used in the past as a shield against bigots, they are now being applied to a more serious adversary--AIDS. In the past decade or so, in light of the tremendous emotional and physical pain experienced by those infected with the fatal disease, the arts have responded in like with solemn and serious works. Now, some artists are employing the strategy of humor in coping with the issue. This approach has heightened sensitivity in several areas: it makes the audience uncomfortable, often has an irreverent attitude about death, and is sometimes in bad taste. In addition, some gay activists criticize the use of unflattering stereotypes of homosexuals. But playwright Paul Rudnick says that this type of "black" humor forces the audience to face the issues; he contends that whatever element makes viewers uncomfortable is probably something important. Rudnick says that his comedy hit "Jeffrey" will make audiences examine characters and accept them as human. Update: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome-- United States, 1992 * Journal of the American Medical Association (08/25/93) Vol. 270, No. 8, P. 930 The Centers for Disease Control released a report summarizing AIDS statistical findings from 1991 to 1992. According to this data, the number of reported cases of AIDS moved up to 47,095 from 45,499, a 3.5 percent increase. Like previous years, the majority of infected persons were gay or bisexual men, although the number of such cases declined. Reported cases for women, however, increased 9.8 percent, with highest rates for black and Hispanic women. The number of instances of HIV transmission through infected-needle drug use rose slightly, but now accounts for nearly one-fourth of all reported cases. The largest proportionate increase, however, occurred in cases where infection was through heterosexual contact. The next largest increase was in prenatal transmission. The CDC notes that these data have implications. For example, the difference in race may indicate that certain groups are at higher risk than others, and the increase in heterosexual cases highlights the need to continue the safe-sex campaign and promote condom use. Medical Briefs * Advocate (09/07/93) P. 39 Cohan, Gary R. HIV-infected patients who are treated with AZT long before their T-cell counts drop to hazardous levels can slow the development of AIDS, according to a three-year study. European and Australian researchers discovered that patients taking high doses of AZT twice daily were only about half as likely as patients taking placebos to develop full-blown AIDS. Dr. John Bartlett of the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine explained that, although all HIV infections should probably be treated with AZT, the benefits weigh heavily in favor of those with T- cell counts over 300 to 400. Six-Year Diet Study: Nutrients May Reduce AIDS Risk * AIDS Treatment News (08/20/93) No. 181, P. 3 James, John S. A major study, based on six-year data of 296 healthy, HIV- positive men in San Francisco, suggests that several nutrients may reduce progression to AIDS. The participants provided a nutritional questionnaire as well as accounts of their dietary intake, which were then analyzed by special computer software to calculate how much of each nutrient was consumed. After six years, the data was analyzed to determine if any total intake of a particular nutrient coincided with a change in the rate of progression to AIDS. Thirty-six percent of the group developed AIDS, higher intake of all 11 micronutrients was associated with significantly higher CD4 counts, and patients taking vitamins were only 70 percent as likely to progress to AIDS than those who were not. The results suggest, but by no means prove, that nutrients like iron, vitamin E, and riboflavin may have significance in deterring the development of AIDS. While researchers shy from basing recommendations on a preliminary study, they do feel that nutrition deserves more attention than it has been getting. HIV Pathogenesis * AIDS Treatment News (08/20/93) No. 181, P. 5 James, John S. Based on an experiment of 80 HIV-positive patients, a study from Greece reported that AIDS patients who had allergies experienced a more rapid decrease in T-helper counts than did those who were non-allergic. The difference was statistically significant, and the two categories may have benefited from different treatments. Researchers found that while AZT by itself effectively increased T-helper counts in non-allergic patients, it did not do the same for those with allergies. Alpha interon, or intron, however, raised T-helper counts in allergic patients to an even higher level than that of non- allergic subjects. Allergies were identified through blood and skin tests, as well as a questionnaire. September 2, 1993 New Stamp Urges AIDS Awareness * Washington Post (09/02/93) P. B2 McAllister, Bill Postmaster General Marvin Runyon, with the help of White House AIDS policy coordinator Kristine Gebbie and others, unveiled the design of a new stamp promoting AIDS Awareness in a ceremony yesterday. The stamp features a red ribbon, which is a common symbol of the AIDS movement, and the simple wording 'AIDS Awareness.' The issue of the stamp follows much opposition, for some officials have claimed that, like the stamp created to battle alcoholism, an AIDS stamp would be a failure. Runyon, however, cited other stamps dealing with health and social problems, which he said laid the groundwork for the AIDS stamp. The new postage stamp is scheduled for issue on Dec. 1, which is also World AIDS Day. Related Stories: Baltimore Sun (09/02) P. 10A; Philadelphia Inquirer (09/02) P. A6 D.C. AIDS Agency Firings Upheld * Washington Post (09/02/93) P. C3 Goldstein, Amy Vincent C. Gray, the director of Washington, D.C.'s Department of Human Services, upheld the dismissal of the chief of the top AIDS agency in the District of Columbia after allegations of improprieties. Chief of the Agency for HIV/AIDS, Caitlin Ryan, was accused two months ago of improperly steering an AIDS education campaign contract away from a clinic run by the health minister of the Nation of Islam. Administrators Floyd H. Agostinelli and Elizabeth Kilpatrick were also dismissed, while Clifford Roberson and Joan Wright-Andoh were issued 30-day suspensions without pay. The action against Ryan was initiated when Abdul Alim Muhammad, director of the Abundant Life Clinic, complained to the mayor that Ryan and the others interfered improperly in the clinic's bid for the contract. Ryan says she is innocent and will appeal her punishment. AIDS activists expressed concern that the agency would be without a chief at such a critical time during the epidemic, and are considering a new chief. Health Care Providers Sign Unique $25 Million Agreement * Business Wire (09/01/93) San Francisco--Chronitech Homecare Services Inc. has signed a $25-million-a-year joint venture with the country's largest private home health care company, Kimberly Quality Care. Chronitech will provide oral medication to Kimberly Quality Care's HIV patients in San Francisco and West Hollywood, and infusion supplies and drugs to Kimberly Quality Care pharmacies in the western United States. Kimberly Quality Care is a nursing care provider whose homecare infusion program is necessary for people living with AIDS. Chronitech operates two retail specialty pharmacies. Baltimore Plans to Begin Needle Exchange Program * Baltimore Sun (09/02/93) P. 1A Bor, Jonathan Baltimore, Md., hopes to distribute clean needles to about 1,000 drug users in an effort to curb the spread of the AIDS virus through shared syringes, said Dr. Peter Beilenson, the city's health commissioner. Beilenson announced that health educators and nurses will operate a center not only to exchange needles, but to provide other services such as TB testing, screening for sexually-transmitted diseases, and referrals to drug rehabilitation programs. The details of the needle exchange are still sketchy as Baltimore officials try to circumvent a legal obstacle. A state law prohibits the possession and distribution of any drug paraphernalia, including drug needles, and the state legislature has rejected Baltimore's request for exemption. Mayor Kurt L. Schmoke said that he will find a way to overcome that barrier, for the IV drug community is in desperate need of help. About 40,000 Baltimore addicts are HIV-positive, and four more are infected each day. Belgian Child Faces Anti-AIDS Graffiti at School * Reuters (09/01/93) Guissard, Gerard Bilstain, Belgium--Three-year-old Lucas Van de Broecke, an HIV- positive adopted child from Poland, faced anti-AIDS graffiti such as "Damn AIDS" and "No AIDS Here" on his first day of nursery school in the eastern Belgium hamlet of Bilstain. Already, two parents have executed threats to remove their children from the school if the little boy with HIV was permitted to attend. The graffiti and the attempted boycott of the school occurred despite efforts by educational authorities to dispense accurate information about AIDS and its risks. The Van de Broeckes have already noticed symptoms of full-blown AIDS in Lucas, and want him to spend the rest of his short life in happiness. Erecting Barriers to Slow the Spread of AIDS * Toronto Globe and Mail (Canada) (08/31/93) P. A17 Mackie, Iain D. The intentional spread of AIDS is an emerging problem that the criminal justice system is not prepared to handle, says Iain D. Mackie, associate professor of medicine at the University of Western Ontario. Mackie, who is director of the HIV care program at St. Joseph's Health Centre in Ontario, has several recommendations for dealing with people who deliberately infect others. First, he says, government and health authorities must make it clear that these acts will not be tolerated; at the same time they must respect the right of HIV-infected people to have fulfilling, safer sex. Specific laws should be drawn with the input of people with AIDS, support groups, public health officials, and legal experts, Mackie advises. Finally, those who deliberately infect others need to be educated on the rights and responsibilities of informing sexual partners about HIV status. Mackie suggests community support groups made up of people who have intentionally infected someone else, doctors, psychologists, and health care officials. Mackie feels that these offenders should be imprisoned only as a last resort. HIV/AIDS Video Targets Foodservice Industry * Midwest Foodservice News (07/93-08/93) Vol. 11, No. 5, P. 1 The National Restaurant Association and the American Red Cross have teamed up to produce "HIV/AIDS: What You Need to Know," an educational video about the deadly disease and its transmission in the workplace. The 13-minute program deals with common misperceptions that can be detrimental to an industry that depends on its workers to maintain good public relations and profitability. The video also covers protections and requirements offered by the Americans with Disabilities Act. The NRA has made the video available to the 150,000 foodservice outlets its 18,000 members represent nationwide. The tape can also be obtained by any restaurateur. HIV in South Africa * Lancet (08/28/93) Vol. 342, No. 8870, P. 557 O'Farrell, Nigel AIDS continues to grow among core groups, and spread to rural areas of South Africa, yet the government's response is less than urgent, says Nigel O'Farrell of the Department of Genitourinary Medicine at St. Thomas' Hospital in London. Much needed counseling and education programs still have not been implemented. Rather, AIDS has assumed a high profile primarily through the assistance of the World Health Organization's global program on AIDS. However, non-governmental community organizations are beginning to set an example of what needs to be accomplished on a larger scale. Traditional healers are treating high numbers of STD cases and have realized the role of genital ulcer disease, a problem common in uncircumcised men, in transmitting HIV. Furthermore, healers are also recommending to societies who do not circumcise to do so as prevention against the virus. O'Farrell says that although the African National Congress has acknowledged the importance of this epidemic in South Africa, it has shown that AIDS education is low on the political agenda. Liposomal Doxorubicin in AIDS-Related Kaposi's Sarcoma * Lancet (08/21/93) Vol. 342, No. 8869, P. 497 Hengge, U.R., et al Liposome-encapsulated cytotoxic agents are less toxic and more effective than traditional chemotherapy in some experimental tumors, report U. R. Hengge et al., researchers of dermatology and venerology. The researchers studied the safety and efficacy of liposomal doxorubicin in 21 subjects infected with AIDS- related Kaposi's sarcoma. All patients in the low-risk sample achieved and maintained partial remission, that is, there was at least a 50 percent reduction in the diameters of lesions without the surfacing of new lesions. In the high-risk group, nine achieved partial remission and one showed no measurable change; however, over the course of the study, six of the patients in this category died. The researchers concluded that low doses of liposomal doxorubicin induces partial tumor regression in patients with AIDS-related Karposi's sarcoma, and that tolerance for the drug appears highest in low-risk patients. September 3, 1993 Schaefer Yields to Support Needle Exchange Program * Baltimore Sun (09/03/93) P. 1B Frece, John W. and Daemmrich, JoAnna After initially opposing efforts by Baltimore officials to implement a needle exchange program, Gov. William Donald Schaefer announced that he would support emergency legislation that would permit the city to distribute clean syringes to drug users. Plans by Baltimore Mayor Kurt L. Schmoke and Health Commissioner Peter Beilenson to begin such a program had been at a standstill because the General Assembly refused to exempt the city from a law prohibiting the possession or distribution of needles, or any other drug paraphernalia. Although he says that he personally opposes needle exchanges, Gov. Schaefer said he would tolerate a strictly regulated program on a trial basis. The exchange aims to prevent the spread of AIDS by drug users through shared needles. Studies show that about 70 percent of AIDS cases in Baltimore are among intravenous drug users. On 'Light,' Clear Talk About a Present Danger: AIDS * USA Today (09/03/93) P. 3D Gable, Donna In an effort to increase AIDS awareness, Arsenio Hall and Paula Abdul will host a two-hour special on ABC Saturday at 8 p.m. In a New Light '93 combines education with music and comedy, yet, according to executive producer Joseph Lovett, promises to be "the frankest discussion of clinical sexuality in prime time since the AIDS crisis began." The program will present graphic information on how AIDS is transmitted and how it can be prevented. The Names Project AIDS Memorial Quilt serves as the backdrop for participating celebrities, including Elizabeth Taylor, Cindy Crawford, Luke Perry, Lily Tomlin, and Hulk Hogan. British Women in AIDS Scare From Infected Health Worker * Reuters (09/02/93) London--Seven British women were offered AIDS tests and counseling after health officials discovered that a male nurse who helped deliver their babies was HIV-positive. There was a chance of transmission because the nurse gave the women injections during delivery, but Dr. Myrtle Summerly, the North Staffordshire Health Authority's director of public health medicine, said that there was virtually no risk to the women, and no risk at all to the newborns. The nurse's condition was revealed when an acquaintance reported his illness to the health authority. He has been ordered to take immediate leave from his position at North Staffordshire Hospital in Stoke-on- Trent, central England. State to Sponsor Trial of Vaccine for People With HIV * Boston Globe (09/02/93) P. 25 Lehman, Betsy A. Massachusetts will host the first state-sponsored trial of an AIDS vaccine, and will also contribute $150,000 to the evaluations from a voluntary HIV/AIDS tax checkoff fund. There are approximately 30,000 state residents who are infected with HIV, but the trials will enroll only 140 patients to test the vaccine GP 160. This study differs from others not only because it is the first to be state-sponsored, but also because it is the first to use gamma interferon, an immune system booster. The trial is also the first to test only those showing advanced signs of the disease, with CD4 cell counts under 400. The vaccine, which is manufactured by MicroGeneSys, is intended to treat those already infected with the virus. The drug has been given to thousands of patients around the world and appears to be safe, says Dr. Alfred DeMaria, one of the primary investigators in the study. School Condom Program Called Successful * Washington Post (09/02/93) P. DC10 Harris, Hamil R. A condom program in Washington, D.C., schools, implemented in an effort to prevent the spread of AIDS, has been called a success and will be continued in the new academic year. Last year, free access to condoms from school nurses was available in all high schools and four junior highs; consequently, reported cases of sexually-transmitted diseases dropped almost 29 percent. The program's strategy aims especially to control the spread of AIDS, as the teenage group is considered particularly vulnerable to the virus. Recent studies indicate that 1 in 45 District adolescents may be HIV-positive. College Athletes: Bar HIV Infected * Washington Post (09/02/93) P. D2 Nearly two-thirds of college athletes participating in contact sports would support a ban restricting HIV-infected players from competition, according to a survey at the University of Michigan. The questionnaire listed football and men and women's basketball as contact sports. Of those athletes competing in other sports, more than half agreed that players with HIV should be barred. Douglas McKeag, one of the authors of the survey, said that there is no proof that AIDS can be transmitted through contact during a game, but no one wants to be the one to find out that it can. McKeag and other researchers surveyed 2,505 athletes in 11 colleges and universities, including ones from the Big Eight, the Pac-10, the ACC, and the Ivy League. Women Offered a New Condom * New York Times (09/02/93) P. B7 A new protection against AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases has arrived in the form of a female condom. A polyurethane sheath with flexible rings at each end which the woman inserts into the vagina before intercourse, the female condom will be available this week through Planned Parenthood of Connecticut. At first, the device will be available only to health and family planning clinics. Patricia Baker, executive director of Planned Parenthood of Connecticut, says that the female condom is "a step forward for women who are concerned about their health yet whose partners don't use male latex condoms." It is the first method of contraception to protect women against STDs. Rhone-Poulenc Rorer and the Circle of Care Brings Smiles to Town; Comedienne Elayne Boosler Takes Part in a Day of Special Programs * PR Newswire (09/01/93) Collegeville, Pa.--Rhone-Poulenc Rorer Inc., a global pharmaceutical company, and The Circle of Care, two family- oriented AIDS clinics, will mark the fourth anniversary of their partnership with a "Family Day" celebration. Internationally-acclaimed comedienne Elayne Boosler will host the festivities, to be held Sept. 8 at the Academy of Natural Sciences. The Circle of Care clinics are located in the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and St. Christopher's Hospital for Children, and serve HIV-infected children and their families throughout the Delaware Valley. Their services include medical care, transportation, counseling, and community education. Rhone-Poulenc has made a five-year pledge to underwrite the health care component of the program. Robert E. Cawthorn, chairman and CEO of RPR, will present checks to the hospitals as the fourth installment of their pledge. Boosler will present checks to the hospitals and to the Circle of Care from "Caring in Concert 1992," a benefit concert in which she performed. She will also emcee this year's concert, which stars Aretha Franklin. East Bay AIDS Food Bank Changes Hands * PR Newswire (09/01/93) Oakland, Calif.--The Center for AIDS Services East Bay AIDS Food Bank is now operated by Project Open Hand, with temporary funding from Alameda County. The $15,000 from the county will keep the food bank running for about three months. The mayors of both Oakland and Berkeley have asked their city councils for grants, and additional funding requests have been filed with government agencies in an effort to keep the food bank open. Jerry De Jong, executive director of the Center for AIDS Services, explained that his organization financially could not maintain the program at the necessary level because of limited resources. NOTE: Compilation by Michael Tidmus : AIDSwire. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to republish on electronic media for which no fee is charged, provided the complete text of this notice is attached to any republished portion or portions. * From the AIDS Daily Summary. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National AIDS Clearinghouse has made this information available as a public service only. Providing this information does not constitute endorsement by the CDC, the CDC Clearinghouse, or any other organization. Reproduction of this text is encouraged; however, copies may not be sold. Copyright 1993, Information, Inc., Bethesda, MD. -----===[[[ A I D S w i r e D I G E S T 08.30.93 ]]]===----- .