From: MPetrelis@aol.com
Date: Sun, 22 Aug 1999 13:20:43 EDT
Subject: SF healt dept.: Gays spread STDs through AOL chat rooms


S.F. Health Director's Report to the Health Commission
Mitch Katz, MD
Health Director, phone: 415-554-2600

August 17, 1999
http://www.dph.sf.ca.us

[excerpt]

STD Control - Syphilis Health Alert

During the past four weeks, the STD Program has identified a cluster of 
early syphilis cases among gay men in San Francisco that are meeting the 
majority of their partners through an AOL chat room. Specifically, we 
have identified 5, and now possibly a sixth case of early syphilis, 
among white gay men in the City. Three of the 5 men are HIV positive and 
all report having unprotected anal and oral sex with their partners most 
of the time. The only locating information they have on most of their 
partners is their internet handle which makes locating these individuals 
extremely difficult and challenging.

Because syphilis elimination is a local and national priority, the STD 
Program has taken a very aggressive approach in handling these new 
infections which has included:

    •rapidly interviewing individuals reported as being infected with early 
syphilis and promptly investigating their sexual partners; 

    •sending out a provider alert to physicians in San Francisco; 

    •notifying the media of this potential syphilis outbreak and taking out a 
full page ad in the BAR to let as many at risk individuals as possible know 
about the 
situation and to urge them to be tested for syphilis as soon as possible; 

    •working closely with community based organizations to discuss ways of 
reaching this high risk population and;
   
    •meeting every two weeks with our STD Program Syphilis Rapid Response 
Team to discuss open cases and to brainstorm ways of locating and motivating 
persons exposed to, or at risk of, exposure to syphilis. 

[snip]