The CDC HIV, STD, TB Prevention News Update (Printable Version)

NEVADA: "More Infections Surface; Officials Say Cases Might Be Linked to Clinic"

NEW YORK: "Working to Restore Help for AIDS Patients"

UTAH: "Teen Birth Rate Rises for First Time in 10 Years"

UNITED KINGDOM: "Rockers Queen to Headline Mandela AIDS Concert"

INDIA: "Impact of Round-the-Clock, Rapid Oral Fluid HIV Testing of Women in Labor in Rural India"

HAWAII: "111 at Farrington High to Be Tested for TB"

KENTUCKY: "Helping People They Know Makes Fighting AIDS Personal for House of Ruth Volunteers"

NEW YORK: "State Issues Warning About Falls Tattoo Artist"

ARIZONA: "Attorney: Man with TB No Longer Contagious"

INDIANA: "Raising Awareness, Hope"

NEW YORK: "NBA Stages First Event in India as Part of Basketball Without Borders Camps"

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NEVADA:
"More Infections Surface; Officials Say Cases Might Be Linked to Clinic"   back to top
Las Vegas Review-Journal , (05.09.2008)   Annette Wells; Paul Harasim

On Thursday, Nevada health officials said 77 more hepatitis C infections among former patients of an ambulatory clinic could be tied to its reuse of syringes and drug vials. State officials have previously linked seven cases to the Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada (ECSN).

State officials warned of unsafe practices at ECSN in February and urged 40,000 former patients to get tested for HIV, hepatitis B and C. Since then, about 50,000 tests have been ordered in Southern Nevada, though it is not known how many were for ECSN patients, said Brian Labus, senior epidemiologist for the Southern Nevada Health District.

About 400 former patients recently tested positive for hepatitis C, though just 77 were determined through interviews to have reported no known risk factors other than being an ECSN patient. The new cases are not acute, and patients would not have symptoms.

Whereas genetic testing could be used to link a cluster of recent, acute infections to its source, the source of chronic infections is more difficult to determine. Hepatitis “mutates rapidly,” Labus said. “Someone who was exposed a year or two ago, we would not expect them to have the same virus today.”

“We can’t make a leap” that all the infections came from ECSN, said Dr. Scott Holmberg of CDC. “Some people may not tell the truth about drug use, for instance,” or people might not know whether sexual partners were infected, he said.

Health officials believe 4 percent of the clinic’s population carried hepatitis C before undergoing procedures there. Labus and Holmberg both expect more infections will be diagnosed among former patients of ECSN, part of several affiliated clinics that are now closed as part of the continuing investigation.

NEW YORK:
"Working to Restore Help for AIDS Patients"   back to top
New York Times , (05.04.2008)   Linda Saslow

Health and social service officials are planning for a return of full federal HIV/AIDS funding for Nassau and Suffolk counties.

On April 25, the US Court of Appeals for the Second District ruled in favor of the counties’ lawsuit against the US Department of Health and Human Services for what the court called “drastic and unauthorized” cuts to HIV/AIDS vital services. Long Island received $6.1 million in federal funds in 2006 but lost $1.3 million in 2007 when the region was reclassified in the renewal of the Ryan White Act.

Under the 2006 law, a region is considered an Eligible Metropolitan Area if it meets one of two criteria: having a minimum of 3,000 AIDS cases; or reporting 2,000 new cases during the last five years. Last year, the US District Court in Mineola interpreted the law to mean that Long Island did not meet both criteria and was not eligible for some Ryan White funds.

But the appeals court overturned that decision, finding that Long Island met one of the two criteria: Nassau and Suffolk have more than 5,000 people with AIDS. Between 2001 and 2005, the counties recorded 1,505 new cases.

Christopher Hahn, president and CEO of United Way of Long Island, which administers Ryan White funding to 13 local agencies, said the first priority is money for medical services.

Suffolk County spokesperson Dan Aug said a number of categories would be designated for the restored money, including mental health, oral health, substance abuse outpatient treatment, nutritional counseling, health insurance, medical transportation, and legal services.

UTAH:
"Teen Birth Rate Rises for First Time in 10 Years"   back to top
Deseret News (Salt Lake City) , (05.07.2008)   James Thalman

Figures released Tuesday by the state Department of Health show Utah’s teen birth rate rose slightly in 2006, its first such increase in 10 years.

The birth rate among Utah girls ages 15 to 19 was 31 per 1,000 in 2006 - up from 29 per 1,000 in 2005. However, this is still lower than the current national rate of 42 births per 1,000 teens, and far below Utah’s 1991 rate of nearly 62 births per 1,000 girls.

In December, CDC reported that the US teen birth rate rose by 3 percent from 2005 to 2006. The US rate remains the highest among industrialized nations.

Health authorities said the figures came as no surprise, having been foreshadowed by major increases in the rates of STDs - including chlamydia, syphilis, and gonorrhea - among teens in the past five years.

“We must ask ourselves again if we are doing the best for our young people to help them prevent unintended pregnancies and to arm themselves against these diseases that could prevent them from ever having children,” said Missy Larsen, executive director of the Planned Parenthood Action Council. “If we can have a comprehensive approach with abstinence as the foundation and provide medically reliable information about contraception, we would be doing the most we can to keep teens healthy.”

The Planned Parenthood Association of Utah and the health department are holding five-week sessions that focus on the needs of Hispanic families. In addition, Utah has received federal funding to present a Spanish-language version of a CDC-developed program to help parents talk to their children about STDs and pregnancy prevention. Latina teens fared worst in the new data, with a birth rate climbing from 100 per 1,000 girls in 2005 to 105 per 1,000 in 2006.

UNITED KINGDOM:
"Rockers Queen to Headline Mandela AIDS Concert"   back to top
Agence France Presse , (05.06.2008)   

Next month in London, organizers will hold the “46664 Concert Honoring Nelson Mandela at 90.” The Hyde Park event is being held to benefit the former South African president’s 46664 campaign against HIV/AIDS. Mandela, now retired from public life, will make a rare appearance at the June 27 concert.

The 46664 campaign is named after Mandela’s identification number during his 27 years as a political prisoner under South Africa’s apartheid regime. Mandela announced the concert at the unveiling of his statue in London last August. “You all know that I am supposed to be retired,” he said at the time. “But my friends and the charitable organizations that bear my name want to use my 90th birthday year to raise funds to continue our work and so, of course I want to help them.”

The rock groups Queen, Simple Minds, and Razorlight will top the bill. Other artists include Annie Lennox, Shirley Bassey, Andrea and Sharon Corr, Leona Lewis, the Sugababes, Eddy Grant, Jamelia, and Zucchero.

Former US President Bill Clinton, UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Oprah Winfrey, Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton, and actors Robert de Niro, Will Smith and Forest Whitaker are expected to attend events being held for three days leading up the concert.

Tickets for the concert cost $128 each.

INDIA:
"Impact of Round-the-Clock, Rapid Oral Fluid HIV Testing of Women in Labor in Rural India"   back to top
PLoS Medicine Vol. 5; No. 5: P. e92 doi: 10.1371/journal.pmed.0050092, (05.06.2008)   Nitika Pant Pai; Ritu Barick; Jacqueline P. Tulsky; Poonam V. Shivkumar; Deborah Cohan; Shirprakash Kalantri; Madhukar Pai; Marina B. Klein; Shakuntala Chhabra

In the present study, the researchers investigated the impact of providing continuously available rapid-result HIV testing and counseling in a busy labor ward of a tertiary care hospital in rural India.

Written informed consent was obtained from women admitted to the labor ward of a rural teaching hospital in India. The women were offered two rapid tests on oral fluid and finger-stick specimens (OraQuick Rapid HIV-1/HIV-2 tests from OraSure Technologies). At the same time, venous blood was drawn for conventional ELISA HIV testing. Western blot tests were performed for confirmatory testing for women who tested positive on both rapid tests and dual ELISA or whose tests results were discordant. As part of the strategy, round-the-clock abbreviated prepartum and extended postpartum counseling was offered. Prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) measures were administered for the women who were HIV positive.

During a nine-month period in 2006, 1,252 eligible women ages 18 to 38 were asked for their consent, of which 1,222 (98 percent) accepted testing. No previous testing or incomplete testing results were reported by 1,003 (82 percent). Fifteen of the women who underwent testing were diagnosed as HIV-positive for a seroprevalence rate of 1.23 percent (95 percent confidence interval 0.61-1.8 percent). Four of the 15 (27 percent) had presented with reported HIV status, and 11 (73 percent) new cases of HIV were detected by the labor room testing. Therefore, 11 HIV-positive women received PMTCT interventions as a result of the labor room testing and counseling. Both OraQuick tests were 100 percent specific, but one false negative was documented with both oral and finger-stick methods. Among the 15 HIV-positive women, 13 infants were HIV-negative at birth and at one and four months, while two babies were HIV-positive and died within one month of birth.

“In a busy rural labor ward in India, we demonstrated that it is feasible to introduce a program of round-the-clock rapid HIV testing, including prepartum and extended postpartum counseling sessions,” the authors concluded. “Our data suggest that the availability of round-the-clock rapid HIV testing resulted in successful documentation of HIV serostatus in a large population (82 percent) of rural women who were unaware of their HIV status when admitted to the labor room. In addition, 11 (73 percent) of a total of 15 HIV-positive women received PMTCT interventions because of round-the-clock rapid testing in the labor ward. These findings are relevant for PMTCT programs in developing countries.”

HAWAII:
"111 at Farrington High to Be Tested for TB"   back to top
Honolulu Advertiser , (05.06.2008)   Loren Moreno

The state Department of Health (DOH) is investigating the third case of possible TB exposure in a Hawaii public school so far this academic year.

Around 106 students and five staff at Farrington High School will undergo TB testing beginning May 13, health department officials said Monday. A Farrington student, who initially had latent TB, was admitted to a local hospital in January where test samples confirmed active infection.

Dr. Glenn Wasserman, head of DOH’s Communicable Disease Division, said the testing of Farrington High students and personnel is precautionary, and the chances of infectivity are low. The student is no longer attending the high school.

The first case of school-related TB exposure this academic year occurred in December at Roosevelt High School. In February, more than 100 students and staff at Kahuku High and Intermediate School were screened after a teacher there tested positive for the disease.

Janice Okubo, DOH spokesperson, said the cases mark the first time in about five years that the department has responded to TB exposure in the schools.

However, said Okubo, “There is no relationship between any of these particular cases.” “We don’t see there being any type of serious trend or issue because none of the cases are related.”

KENTUCKY:
"Helping People They Know Makes Fighting AIDS Personal for House of Ruth Volunteers"   back to top
Courier Journal (Louisville) , (05.07.2008)   Javacia N. Harris

House of Ruth is a local organization that provides financial and social support for people living with HIV/AIDS. With assistance from Louisville Metro Housing and Family Services, the group offers clients a rental subsidy program. It also provides referrals for substance abuse treatment, medical co-pay assistance, and workshops on topics such as household budgeting and relaxation techniques.

House of Ruth also has a children’s program, providing school supplies, clothing, and holiday gifts to children with HIV/AIDS. Parenting workshops are offered through the program as well.

JacQue White, the group’s director of community relations, said she has found her true calling working there. The Louisville native said seeing people she grew up with coming into House of Ruth fuels that passion. “That took it from being a job to something personal,” said White. “You have a direct impact on how the clients see themselves, see the world, see other people, and see their place in this world.”

Audra Cain, House of Ruth’s education outreach and children’s program coordinator, began as a volunteer. She was attracted to the work because she believed HIV/AIDS was getting less and less attention. “HIV is an issue that’s been swept under the rug in the past several years,” said Cain. “For me, it was a matter of working with a population that doesn’t always get the attention and voice that other issues receive.”

NEW YORK:
"State Issues Warning About Falls Tattoo Artist"   back to top
Tonawanda News , (05.07.2008)   

Niagara and Erie county health officials are urging anyone who has received a tattoo since 2001 from Niagara Falls tattoo artist John Portik to be tested for HIV and hepatitis. No one is known to have contracted the diseases after being tattooed by Portik; however, an investigation found that eight of his clients developed skin infections after being tattooed. Authorities say they are calling for the testing because they do not know whether Portik took the proper steps to avoid transmitting blood-borne infections like hepatitis B and C and HIV. In addition to performing tattoos in private homes, Portik also reportedly worked briefly at Monsters Ink and Murder Ink in Niagara Falls and as an independent contractor at Hardcore Tattoo in Erie County in 2004 and/or 2005. Portik has been ordered to cease tattooing and has surrendered his equipment. Former clients of Portik without access to private health care can inquire about testing options from the Niagara County Health Department, 716-439-7470. For other information about the investigation, telephone 800-808-1987.

ARIZONA:
"Attorney: Man with TB No Longer Contagious"   back to top
Associated Press , (05.09.2008)   

Six months after being quarantined in the Pima County Jail medical unit, a man who reportedly refused to take TB treatment is no longer contagious, said Robert Fleming, his attorney. A judge ordered the noncompliant man’s quarantine to protect public health at the behest of the Pima County Health Department, and he was booked on Nov. 20. He could be released as early as Friday, Fleming said.

INDIANA:
"Raising Awareness, Hope"   back to top
Fort Wayne Journal Gazette , (05.04.2008)   Becky Manley

Around 130 walkers participated in the 12th annual AIDS Walk along the Rivergreenway and through downtown Fort Wayne on May 3. The 5k event, organized by the AIDS Task Force, aimed to raise $44,000. By the end of the day, the walk had collected $37,737, said Jack Steele, its coordinator. “The economy has hurt us,” he said. In addition, he said, some people do not realize how many lives are affected by the disease in northeast Indiana. “There is not a county in Indiana that isn’t impacted” by HIV/AIDS, said Steele. ATF serves around 300 clients and their families.

NEW YORK:
"NBA Stages First Event in India as Part of Basketball Without Borders Camps"   back to top
Associated Press , (05.07.2008)   

In New York on Wednesday, the National Basketball Association announced plans for this summer’s Basketball Without Borders camps, an international outreach launched by the league in 2001. The BWB program will return to Turkey (Istanbul, June 4-7) and to South Africa (Johannesburg, Sept. 3-7). BWB will also stage its first-ever event in India (New Delhi, July 3-6). In addition to coaching top young players, the BWB camps include discussions about HIV/AIDS prevention.