Date: Fri, 01 Jul 1994 09:20:00 -0400 (EDT) From: "ANNE WILSON, CDC NAC" AIDS Daily Summary July 01, 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 1994, Information, Inc., Bethesda, MD ************************************************************ "An AIDS Epidemic Is Taking Hold in Asian Countries" "Abidjan Prostitutes Lead Their Own AIDS Campaign" "HIV Rapist Sentenced" "Japan--AIDS" "Catholic Charities Announces Coordinator for HIV Program in San Mateo" "'93 Home Service Insurers' AIDS Claims Rose 20%" "Drink Beer, Fight AIDS" "AIDS Digest: And in Brief..." "Death on Tap" ************************************************************ "An AIDS Epidemic Is Taking Hold in Asian Countries" USA Today (07/01/94) P. 3D; Friend, Tim; Levy, Doug; Healy, Michelle The number of global AIDS cases has skyrocketed 60 percent in the past year, reports the World Health Organization, which estimates that there are 4 million AIDS cases and 17 million cases of HIV infection worldwide. While most infections are found in sub-Saharan Africa, the health agency warns that the greatest danger is in Asia, which has experienced an eightfold increase in AIDS cases over the past year. Of particular concern, says WHO, is the spread of the disease among female prostitutes in Thailand, India, and other countries. Related Story: Philadelphia Inquirer (07/01) P. A4 "Abidjan Prostitutes Lead Their Own AIDS Campaign" Reuters (07/01/94); Griffiths, Thalia Ivory Coast is one of the African nations most affected by AIDS, and the city of Abidjan is especially ravaged. There, the national public health institute, INSP, has trained many of the city's 12,000 prostitutes to become leaders in an AIDS education campaign. They are paid $90 a month to hold several information sessions each week in bars, brothels, and clubs throughout the city. Women are also urged to seek treatment at the prostitutes' clinic set up by the U.S.-funded research project Retro-CI. While there is no cure for HIV/AIDS, other treatable sexually transmitted diseases facilitate the spread of the virus. Dr. Peter Ghys, head of Retro-CI's sexually transmitted diseases section, is preparing a project to examine how intervention against STDs prevents HIV infection, but also to encourage at-risk women to protect themselves. "The population of prostitutes and their clients constitutes the epicenter of the HIV epidemic," he says. "HIV Rapist Sentenced" Houston Chronicle (06/30/94) P. 20A A California man who infected his wife's seven-year-old daughter when he raped her at their wedding reception received a prison sentence of 38 years. Frank C. Bridges, 43, pleaded guilty to several sex charges, which included special allegations of committing a sex offense while knowingly infected with AIDS. "Japan--AIDS" Associated Press (06/28/94) As Japan prepares to welcome participants to the annual AIDS conference this August, the country is struggling to avoid bad publicity over tough laws disallowing the import of foreign condoms or the entry of former prostitutes. The Justice Ministry, which enforces these rules, says that while the conference is important, so are the laws--like the one that bars people likely to endanger the population, including former and current prostitutes and people with drug abuse or criminal records. Many former addicts and prostitutes, however, have moved on to become AIDS educators. Japan's immigration laws, complain some activists, will deny entry to some important speakers. As far as the law against importation of foreign condoms in bulk for distribution, the Justice Ministry has allowed the conference's organizing committee to avoid marring Japan's reputation by classifying the condoms as educational materials instead of medical supplies. "Catholic Charities Announces Coordinator for HIV Program in San Mateo" Business Wire (06/29/94) Catholic Charities, located in San Francisco, has named Sandra Barocio as program coordinator for the new HIV Food and Emergency Services Program in San Mateo County. In May, the AIDS Program of San Mateo awarded the non-profit services organization a $200,000 contract to establish a program to provide food and emergency vouchers to HIV/AIDS patients throughout the county, beginning July 1. Barocio comes to the organization from her former position as food program coordinator for Ellipse Peninsula AIDS Services. "'93 Home Service Insurers' AIDS Claims Rose 20%" National Underwriter (06/06/94) Vol. 98, No. 23, P. 34; Knowles, Robert G. The frequency and dollar amount of AIDS death claims in 1993 increased by one-fifth over 1992 figures, according to a survey of 36 home service companies conducted by the Life Insurers Conference in Atlanta. Among those companies, 5,540 death claims for mortality related to HIV/AIDS were reported, generating $25.5 million worth of claim payments. Last year, AIDS-related death was the primary cause of death among American males between the ages of 25 and 44, and the fourth-leading killer of women in the same age category, reports the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Overall, the AIDS-related disease is the eighth-largest cause of death in the United States, according to the CDC. "Drink Beer, Fight AIDS" Newsweek (06/27/94) Vol. 123, No. 26, P. 8; Howard, Lucy; Hamilton, Kendall Denver attorney Mike Beery, with the help of Iowa's Dubuque Brewing Co., recently created Pink Triangle Beer, a microbrew targeting the gay community. For each case of Pink Triangle sold, between $1 and $1.50 is contributed to AIDS charities. So far, $5,000 has been donated, according to Dubuque's marketing director Keith Johnsen. Although distribution is currently restricted to a few selected markets, wider distribution is promised for the near future. "AIDS Digest: And in Brief..." Washington Blade (06/24/94) Vol. 25, No. 26, P. 30; van Hertum, Aras The Food and Drug Administration has granted Carrington Laboratories of Irving, Texas, approval to conduct a clinical trial of acemannan, an aloe vera extract, to treat HIV infection. "Death on Tap" Advocate (06/28/94) No. 658, P. 16 For the second time within a year, there has been concern over the safety of Milwaukee's tap water for AIDS patients. Upon discovering traces of the parasite cryptosporidium in tap water, city health officials on May 19 issued a boil-water order, conjuring up memories of an eight-day crisis last year, in which 400,000 fell ill and at least one person died. Since that catastrophe, New York City, Washington, D.C., and Las Vegas have experienced similar emergencies. The AIDS Daily Summary will not publish on Monday, July 04, 1994 in observance of Independence Day. Publication will resume on Tuesday, July 05.