Date: Thu, 15 Jun 1995 09:32:22 +0500 From: ghmcleaf{CONTRACTOR/ASPEN/ghmcleaf}%NAC-GATEWAY.ASPEN@ace.aspensys.com Subject: CDC AIDS Daily Summary 06/15/95 AIDS Daily Summary June 15, 1995 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 1995, Information, Inc., Bethesda, MD ************************************************************ "Guards Don Gloves as Gay Officials Visit White House" "Goal of Gay March Is Freedom Plaza" "Critics Maintain Budget's One-Time Savings Could Bring More Pain Later" "Across the USA: Nevada" "India Said to Sit on a Tuberculosis Time Bomb" "U.N. Warns of AIDS-Orphan Explosion in Cambodia" "Update: Trends in AIDS Among Men Who Have Sex with Men--United States, 1989-1994" "Diarrhea, and the Experimental Treatment Saccharomyces boulardii" ************************************************************ "Guards Don Gloves as Gay Officials Visit White House" Washington Post (06/15/95) P. A1; Kamen, Al Elijay B. Bowron, director of the Secret Service, said on Wednesday that he regretted that White House guards wore rubber gloves when admitting a group of homosexual elected officials to a Tuesday meeting with senior administration officials. While "it is not the policy of the Secret Service to wear gloves merely based on known sexual preference," the officers "have discretion to wear protective gloves in the performance of their duties," he explained. The incident outraged gay officials, who called it a bitter reminder of the need for more AIDS education. A White House spokesman said, "It's safe to say that the chief of staff and others were distressed by that and believe it to be an error of judgment." White House Chief of Staff Leon E. Panetta has asked the Treasury Department, which oversees the Secret Service uniformed officers, to investigate the incident. Related Stories: Wall Street Journal (06/15) P. A1; New York Times (06/15) P. B10 "Goal of Gay March Is Freedom Plaza" Washington Post (06/15/95) P. D5; Loose, Cindy In its 20th year, the Freedom Festival--a celebration of gay pride for gay men and lesbians in the Washington, D.C., area--has developed from a one-afternoon block party to a week-long series of political, social, and cultural events. Some of the various events are a forum for deaf gay people, drag softball, and a dance for HIV-infected people and their families. "Because the community is very diverse, we wanted to offer things that reflect all those interests, so everyone could participate," said festival co-chairwoman Lois Wesly. At the festival's opening last Sunday, there was a silent march to lay roses at the Dupont Circle Fountain as a tribute to friends and family members who have died of AIDS. This Sunday's march past the White House to Freedom Plaza, where a giant party will be held, is expected to attract a crowd of at least 25,000. The featured entertainers include singer Martha Wash, the Village People, and the Gay Men's Chorus of Washington. "Critics Maintain Budget's One-Time Savings Could Bring More Pain Later" New York Times (06/15/95) P. B8; Myers, Steven Lee; Fein, Esther B. On Wednesday, elected officials and advocates criticized New York City's budget agreement as painful for New Yorkers, while fiscal monitors cautioned that the deal could come undone and force additional budget cuts in the future. The city Health Department will lose more than $3 million. As a result, it will have to cut back on some medical supplies and provide less clinic care and fewer services to people with AIDS, explained agency spokesman Sam Friedman. "Across the USA: Nevada" USA Today (06/15/95) P. 7A The Washoe (Nev.) County School Board rejected a proposal to allow people with AIDS to speak with sixth-grade students. It also decided not to include a gay youth hot line phone number on cards given to high school students. "India Said to Sit on a Tuberculosis Time Bomb" Reuters (06/14/95); Ramachandran, Hari A World Health Organization (WHO) expert said on Wednesday that although India--with more than half its adult population infected with the tuberculosis (TB) germ--is sitting on a time bomb, the disease can be contained. "The situation is getting critical because of multi-drug resistant strains of TB" that have occurred in New Dehli, Bangalore, and other parts of the country, said Kraig Klaudt, a senior official in WHO's Global Tuberculosis Program. Normally, only 5 to 10 percent of those infected with the TB bacillus become ill, said Klaudt. However, a person co-infected with TB and HIV is 30 times more likely to become ill with TB than a person only infected with the TB bacillus. "The dual TB/HIV epidemic is on a deadly collision course in India," he noted. Klaudt said that the spread of TB could be stopped by using directly observed treatment, short-course (DOTS), in which health workers watch the patient take the medicine for the entire chemotherapy period. DOTS has nearly doubled the cure rates in India's three pilot programs, he said. "U.N. Warns of AIDS-Orphan Explosion in Cambodia" Reuters (06/14/95) Cambodia may face a significant increase in the number of children orphaned by AIDS-associated deaths, said Margaret De Monchy, a senior United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) official, on Wednesday. The UN is worried about a possible explosion of AIDS cases because of the country's large sex industry. De Monchy said that the number of children left parentless by the disease could be similar to some African countries--such as Uganda, where there are currently 300,000 orphans. The World Health Organization estimates that at least 6,000 Cambodians are infected with the virus that causes AIDS. "Update: Trends in AIDS Among Men Who Have Sex with Men--United States, 1989-1994" Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (06/02/95) Vol. 44, No. 21, P. 401 Almost 35,000 cases of AIDS among men whose only reported exposure to HIV was sexual contact with other men were reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 1994. Between 1989 and 1994, rates of AIDS-defining opportunistic infections (AIDS-OIs) for men who have sex with men (MSM) rose more than 30 percent from 12.1 to 15.9 cases per 100,000 males over the age of 13. Geographically, there were significant increases in the Midwest and South, while smaller increases were seen in the West and the Northeast during that five year period. There were also varying increases by race and ethnicity. Proportionately, the greatest leaps were seen among black, Hispanic, American Indian/Alaskan Native, and Asian/Pacific Islander males with 79 percent, 61 percent, 77 percent, and 55 percent increase, respectively. Finally, there were substantial differences in rates according to the size of the metropolitan statistical area (MSA). During 1989, for example, the rates were lowest in rural areas. These areas, as well as MSAs with populations between 50,000 and 1 million, had the highest percentage increase. "Diarrhea, and the Experimental Treatment Saccharomyces boulardii" AIDS Treatment News (06/02/95) No. 224, P. 1; James, John S. Recent interest in Saccharomyces boulardii for the treatment of HIV-related diarrhea has made it one of the leading sellers at some AIDS buyers' clubs. Although several published clinical trials have reported this live yeast's apparent usefulness in preventing or treating diarrhea resulting from other causes, little research has been done with S. boulardii in HIV-infected persons. Overall, it seems to be safe and effective, with no serious side effects. One theoretical risk is that the yeast could take advantage of an immune deficiency and cause a systemic infection. Currently, at least two different S. boulardii products are available in AIDS buyers' clubs. Laboratoires Biocodex markets a freeze-dried form of the yeast in Europe, South America, and Africa under a variety of brand names for about $36 for a four-day supply. Jarrow Formulas sells a similar, but less expensive, product. Whether the two products are equivalent is controversial--the PWA Health Group in New York only sells the Biocodex version, while San Francisco's Healing Alternatives carries only the Jarrow brand.