Date: Wed, 31 Jul 1996 10:22:09 -0400 From: "Flynn Mclean" Subject: CDC AIDS Daily Summary 07/31/96 AIDS Daily Summary July 31, 1996 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 National AIDS Clearinghouse, or any other organization. Reproduction of this text is encouraged; however, copies may not be sold, and the CDC National AIDS Clearinghouse should be cited as the source of this information. Copyright 1996, Information, Inc., Bethesda, MD ****************************************************** "Studies Link Herpes Virus to AIDS-Related Disease" "Tainted Tattoos" "Inside the Beltway: Of Mike and Men" "Glitzy Shops and Top Stars Do Her Bidding" "AIDS Education Reversing Trends in Some Nations" "'It's A Shame, It's A Lie,' Chant Veiled Protesters" "New TB Vaccine Could Be Safer, More Effective" "New AIDS Cases Found in Hong Kong" "HIV-1 Core Protein Has Unusual Structure" "The High Cost of AIDS" ****************************************************** "Studies Link Herpes Virus to AIDS-Related Disease" Richmond Times-Dispatch (07/31/96) P. A2 New research establishes a closer link between Kaposi's sarcoma, a cancer commonly found in homosexual AIDS patients, and a herpes virus. Two studies published in the August issue of Nature Medicine suggest that the human herpes virus type 8 causes the cancer. The finding may lead to the development of a vaccine for the disease. "Tainted Tattoos" Washington Times (07/31/96) P. A2; Castrone, Lisa The appearance of homemade tattoos and self-pierced body parts in schools is raising concerns about the transmission of bloodborne diseases. Tattooing and body piercing can spread hepatitis, tuberculosis, and supposedly HIV, although no cases have been documented. Dr. Elaine Scholes, a pediatrician at Denver Health Medical Center, advises persons interested in piercing or tattooing to see a professional and to make sure clean equipment is used. "Inside the Beltway: Of Mike and Men" Washington Times (07/31/96) P. A10; McCaslin, John Mike Petrelis and other homosexual AIDS activists are objecting to the recent announcement that the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) are committing research to reducing the risk of heterosexual HIV transmission, while virtually ignoring homosexual transmission. HHS Secretary Donna Shalala revealed a plan to develop vaginal microbicides to protect women from HIV infection at the recent International Conference on AIDS in Vancouver. "Glitzy Shops and Top Stars Do Her Bidding" Los Angeles Times--Washington Edition (07/31/96) P. B1; Helfand, Duke Maxine Harris, who has volunteered for AIDS Project Los Angeles (APLA) for 11 years, works like a professional fundraiser in her effort to obtain luxury items for the organization's annual silent auction. The 63-year-old has become very successful at persuading stores like Gucci, Neiman Marcus and Ralph Lauren to contribute, and in eight years the auctions have raised $636,400. APLA has named an annual volunteer honor for Harris, who lives on $1,384 a month from Social Security and suffers from multiple illnesses. "AIDS Education Reversing Trends in Some Nations" Houston Chronicle (07/29/96) P. 6E; SoRelle, Ruth HIV prevention programs, which come in different forms around the globe, are having a positive impact on the epidemic in some locations. In Uganda, the AIDS Service Organization emphasizes the ABC's of prevention--abstinence, being faithful, and consistent use of condoms. The rate of HIV infection has declined about 30 percent in pregnant women in the country. Meanwhile, education targeted at young soldiers in Thailand has resulted in sharp drops in infection rates, according to UNAIDS Director Dr. Peter Piot. In South Africa, "Puppets against AIDS" reaches 10,000 people in both cities and rural villages each week. Prevention is especially important in developing countries because they cannot afford to treat the disease. "'It's A Shame, It's A Lie,' Chant Veiled Protesters" Houston Chronicle (07/29/96) P. 6E; SoRelle, Ruth At the 11th International Conference on AIDS in Vancouver, activists from the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power, or ACT-UP, stopped a briefing by an American Medical Association official to protest the AMA's support for mandatory HIV testing for pregnant women. Member Dawn Acero said the group opposes the policy because it fears the order will discourage women from getting care. "New TB Vaccine Could Be Safer, More Effective" Reuters (07/30/96); Zabarenko, Deborah A new tuberculosis (TB) vaccine that uses a gene from the TB organism, rather than a weakened strain, may be safer and more effective than the vaccine used now, researchers report in the August issue of Nature Medicine. The traditional TB vaccine uses an attenuated strain of the organism that infects cows. Scientists at Merck Research Laboratories have developed a vaccine that uses a gene from the version of TB that infects humans. Human trials are still far in the future, but researcher Margaret Liu says the vaccine has shown promise in mice. The DNA-based vaccine would also be safer than those that contain the weakened organism because there would be no risk of infection. "New AIDS Cases Found in Hong Kong" Xinhua News Agency (07/30/96) In Hong Kong, 26 new AIDS cases were reported in the second quarter of this year, bringing the total to 214, the Department of Health announced Tuesday. During the same period, 38 people were found to have HIV, bringing the total number of documented HIV infections to 702. Among them, 336 were infected through heterosexual sex and 231 through homosexual or bisexual sex. Drug-related transmission accounted for 14 of the cases, and 3 were attributed to mother-to-child transmission. Sixty-six people were infected through contaminated blood products before 1985 when such products were first tested and treated. "HIV-1 Core Protein Has Unusual Structure" Chemical & Engineering News (07/15/96) Vol. 74, No. 29, P. 10; Dagani, Ron Researchers at the University of Maryland Baltimore County and the University of Utah at Salt Lake City have described the three-dimensional structure of the capsid protein that makes up the core of HIV-1. Knowing the structure, which was surprising because it is unlike any known virus protein, may help in drug development and provide information about HIV-1 replication. Researchers used nuclear resonance spectroscopic methods to determine the protein's structure, and were surprised to find it consisted of seven alpha helices, two beta hairpins, and a single exposed loop. Drug developers may be able to use the structure to design a drug capable of blocking HIV's ability to infect a cell, the researchers said. "The High Cost of AIDS" Maclean's (07/15/96) Vol. 109, No. 29, P. 14 The economic impact of AIDS, which often kills people in their most productive years, was recently discussed at the 11th International conference on AIDS in Vancouver. John McCallum, chief economist for the Royal Bank of Canada, said that, as of 1995, $8 billion in Canadian human capital had been destroyed by the disease. This includes the value of education, training, skills, and entrepreneurial talents lost when an AIDS patient dies. McCallum said that the cumulative incidence of AIDS would at least nearly double between now and the year 2000, and again in the following 10 years. This would equate to a total of $30 billion in lost human capital by 2010.