Date: Fri, 21 Jan 1994 11:41:11 -0400 (EDT) From: "ANNE WILSON, CDC NAC" Subject: CDC AIDS DAILY SUMMARY 01/20/94 AIDS Daily Summary January 20, 1994 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National AIDS Clearinghouse makes available the following information 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, and the CDC Clearinghouse should be cited as the source of this information. Copyright 1993, Information, Inc., Bethesda, MD "Monkey AIDS Virus Isolated in Lab Worker" Baltimore Sun (01/20/94) P. 14A For the first time, medical researchers have isolated simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV), the equivalent of AIDS found in monkeys, in the blood of a laboratory worker who was exposed to an infected animal. The findings, reported in the New England Journal of Medicine, confirm that "the risk of human infection with SIV is no longer merely hypothetical," according to the research team led by Dr. Rima Khabbaz of the Centers for Disease Control. The researchers said that the worker, whose skin came in contact with infected blood, tested positive for the virus more than three years ago, but has displayed no symptoms indicative of a crippled immune system. Researchers are studying whether the worker's immune system will be able to stave off any illness that might be caused by SIV and whether SIV infection might be able to provide protection from HIV, the human AIDS virus. "Australian Man Charged With Spreading AIDS Virus" Reuters (01/20/94) Melbourne--An HIV-infected Australian man has been charged with three counts of reckless endangerment by having unprotected sex. The 27-year-old man, who remains unnamed, is scheduled to appear in court on March 9, where he will face a prison sentence of 10 years. According to police, privacy provisions of the Victorian Health Act prevented them from disclosing how many people were infected and their gender. Melbourne's The Age newspaper, however, reported that as many as 10 women in the township of Queenscliff had taken blood tests since the investigation began last week. At least one of the women had tested HIV-positive, said the paper. The investigation was prompted following complaints about the man, who had been receiving treatments at a clinic. "Prison Sentence Ruled Out for Woman Who Shot Husband" Washington Post (01/20/94) P. B3 (Valentine, Paul W.) A federal judge yesterday refused to consider a prison sentence for a woman who shot and wounded her husband, claiming that he abused her and deliberately infected her with HIV. The defense for Deborah Ann Callahan testified that the 36-year-old mother of three suffered 21 years of physical, mental, and sexual abuse at the hands of her husband Timothy. In addition, according to Shirley Watts, Callahan's attorney, Timothy Callahan "knowingly and intentionally transmitted" HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. These factors, said Watts, "significantly provoked" Deborah Callahan to shoot her husband. U.S. District Judge Marvin J. Garbis, calling the defendant's situation a "human tragedy," waved aside federal sentencing guidelines that called for Callahan to serve as many as three years in prison. Instead, he sentenced her to six months of home detention and three years probation. "AIDS Guidelines" Associated Press (01/19/94) (Coleman, Brenda C.) Chicago--In hopes of conquering doctors' reluctance to treat HIV patients, the American Medical Association is mailing a detailed treatment guide about the virus to all of the nation's 192,000 primary-care physicians. The 25-page "AMA Guidelines on Early HIV Intervention" cover taking sexual and drug histories and counseling about AIDS risk and prevention. The publication also addresses physical exams, lab tests, treatments, nutrition, psycho-social and dental health, and resources for doctors who want to learn more. According to a 1990 survey of general-care physicians, 50 percent said they would not treat HIV patients if given a choice. While most doctors said they felt a responsibility to treat such patients, four out of five felt they needed more medical knowledge. The AMA guidelines were initiated at the request of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and AMA members who wanted more help in dealing with the AIDS virus, said Dr. M. Roy Schwarz, senior AMA vice president for medical education and service. "The ones who are most reluctant are ones who have never seen a case, have limited knowledge, and are older," he observed. The guidelines, which cost about $100,000 to develop, are being paid for by Burroughs Wellcome Co., the manufacturer of AZT. A similar set of guidelines for generalists, non-physicians, and the public is slated for release by the U.S. Public Health Service today. "AIDS--NYC" Associated Press (01/19/94) Albany, N.Y.--The life expectancy of men in New York City has fallen for the first time in this century and, according to health officials, AIDS is the cause of the decline. Life expectancy for the city's male population dipped from 68.9 years in 1981 to 68.6 years in 1991, say statistics released by the state Health Department on Wednesday. Meanwhile, life expectancy for men in the rest of the state, as well as for women throughout the state, improved. In 1981, only one death had been attributed to AIDS. By the end of 1993, however, the deaths of nearly 300,000 men were linked to the deadly disease, the Health Department estimated. New York City has more AIDS cases than any other city in the nation, according to Peter Slocum, spokesperson for the Health Department. He added that the state began tracking life expectancy around 1900. "Scientists Call for Pardon in French AIDS Scandal" Reuters (01/19/94) (Raitberger, Francois) Paris--Some 100 French and foreign doctors and researchers have asked President Francois Mitterrand to pardon two French former health officials who have been imprisoned for distributing blood products known to be contaminated with AIDS. In an open letter to Mitterrand, the group said that public rage over the estimated 400 deaths and more than 1,250 infections had prevented a fair trial, and that Michel Garretta and Jean-Pierre Allain were made scapegoats for the deaths of the hemophiliacs involved. Garretta, former head of the national blood bank, and Allain, ex-director of blood transfusion research, were accused of using contaminated blood stocks to cut expenses, rather than importing products disinfected by a new heating technique. They were convicted of fraud, criminal negligence, and failure to assist persons in danger. The group of doctors and scientists, however, say that because so little was known about AIDS at the time of the scandal, the jailing of the health officials could hamper medical advances. Their request for a pardon angered the families of hemophiliacs, who had pressed for harsher charges and sentences. Justice Minister Pierre Mehaignerie, who investigates pardons, said there were "other solutions possible" in Garretta's case, and that Allain was not eligible for a pardon because he appealed his case. President Mitterrand was in Bulgaria and his office said he had not yet seen the letter. "Playboy and MBf Introduce Line of Condoms in Taiwan; Announce Sony CD Valentine's Day Promotion Tie-In" Business Wire (01/19/94) Chicago--As a prelude to the February introduction of Playboy condoms in Taiwan, Playboy Enterprises Inc., MBf USA Inc., and Sony Music Entertainment (Taiwan) Ltd. have collaborated on the creation of a promotion that reminds couples of the importance of safe sex. The promotion involves a CD set of love songs, each of which includes two compact discs, called "All for Love" and "Love Supreme." The discs feature international artists such as George Michael, Sade, Gloria Estefan, and Wu Luan Chen Kung. Each set includes a Playboy condom and safe sex information pamphlet. "Condoms are a new product category for Playboy and are a natural product extension for us," said Playboy Chief Marketing Officer Robert Beleson. "Playboy has always advocated the most current, factual, and honest information and advice on sex and relationships. It is fitting that we develop with MBf this most personal health care product for the '90s." The new condoms, set for release next month, are available in five styles and meet international criteria for reliability and safety. "No Privacy After All" National Law Journal (01/10/94) Vol. 16, No. 17, P. 6 A state appeals court in Atlanta has overturned a decision to award $500,100 to an AIDS-infected man whose identity was revealed during a television interview. A three-judge panel of the Georgia Court of Appeals had let stand the monetary damages awarded to Edward S. Worth in his privacy lawsuit against Macon's WMAZ-TV. In a majority decision on Dec. 27, however, the court reversed itself, stating that Worth had waived the right to privacy when he disclosed his illness to a number of persons.