DP Tool Club 17/CD_ASCQ_17_101194.iso/vrac/ad9408.zip/AD940804.TXT

Text File | 1994-08-04 | 8KB | 145 lines

                     AIDS Daily Summary
                       August 04, 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

"Hoping for a New Life Free of HIV"
USA Today (08/04/94) P. 1D;  Painter, Kim
     HIV-positive women--faced with the risk of infecting their babies
as well as the threat to their own fragile health--are changing
the way they make decisions regarding motherhood, thanks to
recent developments.  Doctors say that only about 25 percent of
infected women transmit HIV to their infants, compared to
estimates of 70 percent a few years ago.  There is also new hope
that the drug AZT can reduce that rate even further.  Finally,
some studies challenge the theory that pregnancy is hazardous for
infected women.  Public health officials, who say they want to
help more women make informed decisions about pregnancy, are
taking action.  An FDA advisory committee last week recommended
formal approval for use of AZT in pregnant women, and federal
officials announced plans for guidelines urging doctors to tell
infected women about AZT.  They are also drawing up an HIV
testing policy for pregnant women, which is likely to be
controversial.  All agree, however, that HIV-positive pregnant
women cannot make informed choices about having children unless
they know their HIV status.

"Houstonian With AIDS Files Federal Fair Housing Complaint"
Houston Chronicle (08/03/94) P. 23A;  Robinson, James
     A 33-year-old Houston man with AIDS filed a federal fair housing
complaint against Community Management Co. and its owner, G.W.
Ralston, after he was asked not to use the swimming pool at
Southwinds Apartments.  "The problem was that you had sores on
your body that were bothersome to people, that scared them in
their stupidity," Ralston told David Morales, who had been living
in the complex only a few weeks.  In a secretly recorded
conversation, Ralston conceded that Morales' use of a pool did
not present any health risks, but recognized that financial
problems could emerge if the complex lost tenants complaining
about the sores on Morales' body.  "This is purely a business
decision," said Ralston, who said that his company frequently
rents apartments to people with AIDS.

"Gebbie Exits Via AIDS Home"
Richmond Times-Dispatch (08/03/94) P. A1;  Billingsley, Anna
Barron
     Kristine M. Gebbie's final act in her role as national AIDS
policy coordinator was to make an appearance in Richmond, Va., to
try to rake up support for two new AIDS residences that have
sparked local controversy.  She appeared on behalf of the
Richmond AIDS Ministry, which owns the two homes.  Since the
project began, neighbors have objected, contending that the homes
are actually hospices.  "This is a home for people who happen to
have HIV," Gebbie countered as she toured Iris House, one of the
homes.  "They should not be segregated."  She also expressed
concern over bureaucratic delays that have postponed the opening
of the residences, but stopped short of condemning government
officials.

"Former Prostitute Given Japanese Visa"
United Press International (08/03/94)
     In an exemption to regulations prohibiting commercial sex workers
and drug users from entering Japan, the country has granted a
special travel permit to a former British prostitute so that she
may attend the 10th International Conference on AIDS next week.
Justice Minister Isao Maeda said he approved the permit because
the ex-hooker is a key person at the conference, which is being
held Aug. 7-12.  The 36-year-old woman has earned a Masters
degree in education since she stopped soliciting sex, and now
counsels former sex workers.  She is the chair of a subcommittee
at the conference.

"AIDS Seen Becoming Number One Killer in Thailand"
Reuters (08/03/94)
     AIDS could become the leading cause of death in Thailand by the
end of the century, according to a report by Thai health experts.
The number of children whose parents will die as a result of the
disease will become an increasing problem, they said.  The first
AIDS case was reported in Thailand 10 years ago, and since then,
5,990 cases have been confirmed.  Because under-reporting remains
a problem in Thailand, however, the actual number could be
greater, the report warned.  Government and nongovernment
organizations project that there could be 350,000 to 650,000 Thai
cases of AIDS by the year 2000.

"AIDS Cases in India Said Grossly Understated"
Reuters (08/03/94)
     The number of AIDS cases reported in India is a gross
underestimate, and the disease could present a significant threat
given the dearth of resources to cope with the epidemic, reported
a group of Indian professors at the Institute of Economic Growth.
The actual number of people with AIDS could be as high as 10,000,
the group said.  The report also said there were approximately
1.5 million HIV carriers in India, and that the figure was
expected to rise to about 10 million by the year 2000.

"Hemophiliac Wins AIDS Suit"
National Law Journal (07/11/94) Vol. 16, No. 5, P. A8
     In a precedent-setting ruling, the American Association of Blood
Banks was ordered to pay $570,000 to 67-year-old William Snyder,
who contracted AIDS through a transfusion in 1984.  While an AIDS
test did not become available until 1985, Snyder's attorney
argued that the association knew as early as 1983 of a "surrogate
test" for a hepatitis strain that could have effectively screened
for the deadly, unknown virus that would later be identified as
HIV.  The agency, which establishes standards for the nation's
blood supply, recommended against that test in January 1983.

"Scientists Say HIV and Herpes May Be Linked"
Washington Blade (07/08/94) Vol. 25, No. 28, P. 27;  van Hertum,
Aras
     Two clinical trials indicating that HIV patients who take both
AZT and the herpes drug acyclovir have longer survival rates than
those who take only AZT has renewed interest in an early theory
that herpes viruses act as "co-factors" in HIV infection and
stimulate the spread of the virus in the body.  "Herpes viruses
may drive the replication of HIV, while simultaneously taking
advantage of immune system damage to cause opportunistic
infections," explained British researcher Dr. Paul Griffiths.
Scientists believe that cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Epstein-Barr
Virus (EPV) are two infections most likely to act as co-factors,
while herpes simplex and herpes zoster are unlikely to serve in
that function.

"Twist at Prof Allain's Appeal"
Lancet (07/09/94) Vol. 344, No. 8915, P. 120;  Bader,
Jean-Mitchel
     The Supreme Court of Paris recently rejected an appeal by Prof.
J.P. Allain against his conviction stemming from France's HIV
scandal.  The court also ruled against an application by the
prosecution to change the charge against Allain to that of
willful poisoning, saying that new evidence was needed to
demonstrate intention to poison.  Allain must now cling to the
hope that the High Court, which will convene shortly to discuss
the matter, will grant him early release--which is customary in
France when half of a prison term has been completed.  The
Minister of Justice, however, can appeal against such a release,
and has announced his intention to do just that.