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Newsgroups: sci.med.aids
Subject: CDC Summary 12/4/92
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
From: Billi Goldberg <[e-mail]>
Date: Fri, 4 Dec 92 07:59:03 PST

AIDS Daily Summary
December 4, 1992
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. Copyright 1992, Information, Inc., Bethesda, MD
***********************************************************************
* "Justices OK AIDS Tests for Inmates" Los Angeles Time--Washington
Edition (12/04/92), P. B1 (Hager, Philip)
The California Supreme Court ruled Thursday that HIV tests would
be  required under law for potentially thousands of sex offenders after
their crimes occurred.  The justices decided unanimously that
mandatory  HIV testing is not punishment--and therefore does not breach
constitutional prohibitions against enacting new penalties for
offenses  already committed.  The justices, who overturned an appeals
court  ruling, gave broad application to a law requiring HIV tests for
people  convicted of rape, sodomy, or oral copulation.  Those who test
HIV- positive may be sentenced to an extra three years in prison for
any  repeat crime.  State officials said the ruling could permit
testing of  hundreds or even thousands of sex offenders for crimes
committed before  the law was enacted in January 1989.  Christine May,
a spokeswoman for  the state Department of Corrections, said officials
will examine the  ruling and decide whether and how to proceed with
expanded HIV tests.   She noted that as of June 30, 3,176 prisoners
were serving terms for  rape, sodomy, and oral copulation.  It is not
known how many have not  been tested for HIV, but the number is likely
to be significant, she  said. Richard Jay Moller, a lawyer for the
defendant in the case, said,  "People ought to be told in advance of
the consequences of committing a  crime.  This is like saying 'If
you've been convicted in the past for  speeding, you now have to
undergo a test for AIDS in addition to your  $50 fine.'"

"Council OK's Condom Machines at Most Businesses Serving Alcohol"
Boston  Globe (12/03/92), P. 38  (Walker, Adrian)
The Boston City Council Wednesday voted to override Mayor Raymond
Flynn's veto of a bill requiring most businesses that serve alcohol to
sell condoms.  In a council vote of 9-3, the bill was passed, although
Flynn had vetoed it for the second time two weeks ago.  The bill calls
for condom vending machines to be displayed at most businesses selling
alcohol with a capacity of more than 100 patrons.  Following the first
veto, some businesses were exempted, including smaller establishments,
those with religious affiliations, and those with entertainment
licenses  primarily for offering video games or similar entertainment.
Councilors  who backed the bill admitted that it would have limited
impact but  considered it a symbolic effort to show concern for the
AIDS epidemic.   Adversaries argued that the council should not mandate
what many  businesses were already doing voluntarily, and some also
based their  opposition on religious grounds.  Councilor David Scondras
(Fenway), who  sponsored the measure, applauded councilors Wednesday
for making an  effort to face the AIDS crisis.  Flynn, who declined to
comment in  detail on the override, planned a meeting for tomorrow with
Schools  Superintendent Lois Harrison-Jones and AIDS activists to
address AIDS  education and condom distribution in the schools.  The
mayor strongly  opposes school-based condom distribution programs.

"Using Syringe, Abductor Threatens Man" Baltimore Sun (12/04/92), P.
1C   (Langfitt, Frank)
A Baltimore man was abducted by a man wielding a hypodermic
needle  which he claimed contained HIV-positive blood on Wednesday
afternoon in  Northwest Baltimore, police said.  Brett Dieck was
returning to Howard  County after having picked up supplies at a
warehouse for Golden  Triangle Auto Parts in Ellicott City.  A man
carrying several shopping  bags neared his truck and then entered
through the unlocked passenger  door, said Dieck.  When Dieck told the
stranger he could not give him a  ride, the man pulled out a 3-inch
syringe, put it behind Dieck's head,  and threatened him. According to
Dieck, the man said, "I have AIDS," and  "Go!  Man! I'll stick you,
man, I swear to God I will."  Baltimore  police Sgt. John J. Parker
said that right before the incident the man  had run out of a nearby
K-Mart store followed by security men who  believed he might have
shoplifted some items.  While in the car, the man  told Dieck that he
was being chased by store security but that he had  not taken anything.
The man jumped out of the car after Dieck offered  to drop him off at
a 7-Eleven.  Dieck said he could not determine if  there was any blood
in the syringe because the man had cupped his hand  over it.

"Brain Chemical Changes Might Predict Onset of AIDS" United Press
International (12/03/92)
Chicago--A sophisticated imaging procedure may be able to
identify  chemical changes in the brains of asymptomatic HIV-positive
individuals,  researchers reported Thursday at the 78th Scientific
Assembly and Annual  Meeting of the Radiological Society of North
America.  The changes may  signal progression toward AIDS and may be
helpful in evaluating and  developing therapies for the disease, said
Dr. Robert E. Lenkinski,  associate professor of radiology at the
University of Pennsylvania in  Philadelphia.  Lenkinski said, "Previous
studies have shown that full- blown AIDS is accompanied by atrophy, or
dying, of the gray matter in  the brain.  Our study shows early signs
of biochemical changes in  individuals who are positive for the HIV
virus but have no clinical  symptoms of AIDS."  The technique, known as
magnetic resonance  spectroscopy, could then be used to track
development of the disease,  providing researchers with an approach to
evaluate the efficacy of  treatment, he said.  "It is theorized that
when neurons in the brain are  destroyed, membranes are disrupted,
leading to increased levels of  [certain chemicals] in the brain," said
Lenkinski.  "It has been  reported...that the first symptom of AIDS may
be loss of neuro-cognitive  function, such as short-term memory loss.
Our findings suggest a  biochemical basis for understanding these
symptoms," concluded  Lenkinski.

"Study Calls Guantanamo 'HIV Prison Camp'" United Press International
(12/02/92)
Miami--Approximately 275 Haitian refugees are being held at what
is  considered an "HIV prison camp" at the U.S. Naval base at
Guantanamo  Bay, Cuba, according to a Yale Law School study.  The
report was issued  Tuesday and was written by a group of Yale students,
professors, and  lawyers who were the first outsiders allowed into the
camp since the  federal government closed access last summer.  The
group is suing the  government on behalf of the refugees.  Those held
at the camp are HIV-
positive refugees and their dependents who the government says have
plausible cases for political asylum.  But they have not been admitted
into the United States because of a law that prohibits HIV-positive
foreigners from entering the country.  The Yale group described the
conditions at Guantanamo as deplorable.  The Navy said it had not seen
the report and did not comment in detail.  However, it said
improvements  have been made in the past several months. Navy Lt.
Commander Morgan  Smith said, "The Department of Defense and the Joint
Task Force have put  forth a lot of effort and money in providing for
the migrants.  We're  trying to make them as comfortable as possible
under a difficult  situation."  The group describes overflowing
latrines, clogged sinks,  and showers.  It also said that the
facilities are so crowded that  children have to sleep on floors.

"Dual-Target Inhibition of HIV-1 in Vitro by Means of an Adeno-
Associated Virus Antisense Vector" Science (11/27/92) Vol. 258, No.
5087, P. 1485 (Chatterjee, Saswati et al.)
The adeno-associated virus (AAV) seems to be an ideal vector for
use in antiretroviral gene therapy, write Saswati Chatterjee et al. of
the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in
Rockville,  Md.  The researchers used an AAV vector encoding an
antisense RNA to  transduce stable intracellular resistance to HIV-1 in
human hemopoietic  and non-hemopoietic cell lines.  The antisense
targets are present in  all HIV-1 transcripts and include the TAR
sequence, which is critical  for transcription and virus replication,
and the polyadenylation signal.   Cell lines expressing antisense RNA
showed up to 95 percent inhibition  of gene expression directed by the
HIV-1 long terminal repeat and  greater than 99 percent reduction in
infectious HIV-1 production, with  no detectable cellular toxicity.
AAV does not prevent superinfection, a  property that allows for
infection with several different vectors or  multiple rounds of
infection with the same vector.  Due to their  efficient transcription
and inability to recombine with HIV-1, AAV  vectors represent a
promising form of anti-retroviral gene therapy.  For  the treatment of
human AIDS, it may be necessary to confer intracellular  resistance to
progenitor bone marrow cells that give rise to the  renewable targets
(T-lymphocytes, monocytes, and macrophages) of HIV-1  infection.
Autologous AAV vector-transduced bone marrow stem cells  could then be
used to repopulate the immune system with HIV-resistant  cells.  If AAV
vectors are safe and effective in animal models, the  human trial may
then be indicated, the researchers conclude.
"Risk Reduction in Sexual Behavior: A Condom Giveaway Program in a
Drug  Abuse Treatment Clinic" American Journal of Public Health (11/92)
Vol.  82, No. 11, P. 1536  (Calsyn, Donald A. et al.)
Male clients attending a drug abuse treatment clinic will take,
retain, and use condoms when various condoms are provided throughout
the  clinic, according to Donald A. Calsyn and colleagues from the
Veterans  Affairs Medical Center in Seattle, Wash.  The researchers
conducted a  study to assess the effectiveness of a free condom
distribution program  in an outpatient drug abuse treatment clinic.
All men receiving  outpatient drug abuse treatment at the VA Medical
Center during December  1989 and remaining in treatment until May 1990
were qualified for the  study.  Just before and four months after
initiation of a condom  giveaway program, a questionnaire regarding
sexual behavior and condom  acquisition was administered to 103 men at
the clinic.  Jars were filled  with a variety of condoms and were
displayed in every clinic room.  Most  condoms were taken from the
men's rest room (47.8 percent), the  dispensary waiting room (26.6
percent), the group therapy room (11.3  percent), and the women's rest
room (4.4 percent).  A total of 10.1  percent were taken from staff
offices.  A total of 56 patients (60  percent) of the clients reported
taking condoms during the intervention.   The number of clients
possessing condoms increased from 61 (59.2  percent) to 71 (76.1
percent) at follow-up.  Also, the mean use of  condoms for vaginal
intercourse activity increased from 20.3 percent of  events initially
to 33.7 percent at follow-up, conclude Calsyn et al.
"The Reporting of HIV/AIDS Deaths in Women" American Journal of Public
Health (11/92) Vol. 82, No. 11, P. 1500  (Buehler, James W. et al.)
The wide ranges of underlying-cause-of-death vital records and
AIDS  surveillance among women reflect the potential role of both HIV
infection and drug use in contributing to excess mortality, write
James  W. Buehler and colleagues from the Centers for Disease Control
in  Atlanta, Ga.  The researchers conducted the study to assess the
completeness of vital statistics and case reports of AIDS in measuring
HIV-related mortality in women aged 15-44.  They used vital records to
reveal the number of deaths attributed to HIV infection and excess
deaths due to causes that have increased along with the HIV epidemic.
It was found in 1988 that in women aged 15-44 there were 1,365 deaths
with HIV infection listed as the underlying cause, 202 deaths with HIV
infection listed as an associate cause, and 149 excess deaths due to
conditions highly related to HIV infection.  Also, there were 780
excess  deaths as a result of causes that may have been related to HIV
infection  or illicit drug use.  Among the deaths that occurred in
1988, 1,532 were  reported through AIDS surveillance.  Consequently,
underlying-cause-of- death vital records and AIDS surveillance
identified 55 percent to 80  percent and 67 to 97 percent,
respectively, of HIV-related deaths in  women 15 through 44 years of
age in 1988, conclude Buehler et al.
"Survey Says Insurance Claims for AIDS Reached $1.3 Billion Last
Year."  Business + Health (11/92) Vol. 10, No. 13, P. 12
A survey by the Health Insurance Association of America found
that  insurers paid $1.3 million in claims as a result of AIDS or
related  illnesses in 1991.  While the number of AIDS-related claims
rose for  individual and group life policies, individual and group
accident and  health claims remained about the same as last year. The
findings were  based on statistics from 387 companies that paid $989.3
million or 73  percent of all AIDS claims .An actuary estimated another
27 percent to  bring the figure to $1.3 billion.  The survey did not
include self- insured companies or claims paid by Blue Cross or Blue
Shield.  The  cumulative total of AIDS-related claims paid by the
insurance industry  since 1986 is $4.9 billion.

Newsgroups: sci.med.aids
Subject: CDC Summary 12/4/92
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
From: Billi Goldberg <[e-mail]>
Date: Fri, 4 Dec 92 07:59:03 PST

AIDS Daily Summary
December 4, 1992
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. Copyright 1992, Information, Inc., Bethesda, MD
***********************************************************************
* "Justices OK AIDS Tests for Inmates" Los Angeles Time--Washington
Edition (12/04/92), P. B1 (Hager, Philip)
The California Supreme Court ruled Thursday that HIV tests would
be  required under law for potentially thousands of sex offenders after
their crimes occurred.  The justices decided unanimously that
mandatory  HIV testing is not punishment--and therefore does not breach
constitutional prohibitions against enacting new penalties for
offenses  already committed.  The justices, who overturned an appeals
court  ruling, gave broad application to a law requiring HIV tests for
people  convicted of rape, sodomy, or oral copulation.  Those who test
HIV- positive may be sentenced to an extra three years in prison for
any  repeat crime.  State officials said the ruling could permit
testing of  hundreds or even thousands of sex offenders for crimes
committed before  the law was enacted in January 1989.  Christine May,
a spokeswoman for  the state Department of Corrections, said officials
will examine the  ruling and decide whether and how to proceed with
expanded HIV tests.   She noted that as of June 30, 3,176 prisoners
were serving terms for  rape, sodomy, and oral copulation.  It is not
known how many have not  been tested for HIV, but the number is likely
to be significant, she  said. Richard Jay Moller, a lawyer for the
defendant in the case, said,  "People ought to be told in advance of
the consequences of committing a  crime.  This is like saying 'If
you've been convicted in the past for  speeding, you now have to
undergo a test for AIDS in addition to your  $50 fine.'"

"Council OK's Condom Machines at Most Businesses Serving Alcohol"
Boston  Globe (12/03/92), P. 38  (Walker, Adrian)
The Boston City Council Wednesday voted to override Mayor Raymond
Flynn's veto of a bill requiring most businesses that serve alcohol to
sell condoms.  In a council vote of 9-3, the bill was passed, although
Flynn had vetoed it for the second time two weeks ago.  The bill calls
for condom vending machines to be displayed at most businesses selling
alcohol with a capacity of more than 100 patrons.  Following the first
veto, some businesses were exempted, including smaller establishments,
those with religious affiliations, and those with entertainment
licenses  primarily for offering video games or similar entertainment.
Councilors  who backed the bill admitted that it would have limited
impact but  considered it a symbolic effort to show concern for the
AIDS epidemic.   Adversaries argued that the council should not mandate
what many  businesses were already doing voluntarily, and some also
based their  opposition on religious grounds.  Councilor David Scondras
(Fenway), who  sponsored the measure, applauded councilors Wednesday
for making an  effort to face the AIDS crisis.  Flynn, who declined to
comment in  detail on the override, planned a meeting for tomorrow with
Schools  Superintendent Lois Harrison-Jones and AIDS activists to
address AIDS  education and condom distribution in the schools.  The
mayor strongly  opposes school-based condom distribution programs.

"Using Syringe, Abductor Threatens Man" Baltimore Sun (12/04/92), P.
1C   (Langfitt, Frank)
A Baltimore man was abducted by a man wielding a hypodermic
needle  which he claimed contained HIV-positive blood on Wednesday
afternoon in  Northwest Baltimore, police said.  Brett Dieck was
returning to Howard  County after having picked up supplies at a
warehouse for Golden  Triangle Auto Parts in Ellicott City.  A man
carrying several shopping  bags neared his truck and then entered
through the unlocked passenger  door, said Dieck.  When Dieck told the
stranger he could not give him a  ride, the man pulled out a 3-inch
syringe, put it behind Dieck's head,  and threatened him. According to
Dieck, the man said, "I have AIDS," and  "Go!  Man! I'll stick you,
man, I swear to God I will."  Baltimore  police Sgt. John J. Parker
said that right before the incident the man  had run out of a nearby
K-Mart store followed by security men who  believed he might have
shoplifted some items.  While in the car, the man  told Dieck that he
was being chased by store security but that he had  not taken anything.
The man jumped out of the car after Dieck offered  to drop him off at
a 7-Eleven.  Dieck said he could not determine if  there was any blood
in the syringe because the man had cupped his hand  over it.

"Brain Chemical Changes Might Predict Onset of AIDS" United Press
International (12/03/92)
Chicago--A sophisticated imaging procedure may be able to
identify  chemical changes in the brains of asymptomatic HIV-positive
individuals,  researchers reported Thursday at the 78th Scientific
Assembly and Annual  Meeting of the Radiological Society of North
America.  The changes may  signal progression toward AIDS and may be
helpful in evaluating and  developing therapies for the disease, said
Dr. Robert E. Lenkinski,  associate professor of radiology at the
University of Pennsylvania in  Philadelphia.  Lenkinski said, "Previous
studies have shown that full- blown AIDS is accompanied by atrophy, or
dying, of the gray matter in  the brain.  Our study shows early signs
of biochemical changes in  individuals who are positive for the HIV
virus but have no clinical  symptoms of AIDS."  The technique, known as
magnetic resonance  spectroscopy, could then be used to track
development of the disease,  providing researchers with an approach to
evaluate the efficacy of  treatment, he said.  "It is theorized that
when neurons in the brain are  destroyed, membranes are disrupted,
leading to increased levels of  [certain chemicals] in the brain," said
Lenkinski.  "It has been  reported...that the first symptom of AIDS may
be loss of neuro-cognitive  function, such as short-term memory loss.
Our findings suggest a  biochemical basis for understanding these
symptoms," concluded  Lenkinski.

"Study Calls Guantanamo 'HIV Prison Camp'" United Press International
(12/02/92)
Miami--Approximately 275 Haitian refugees are being held at what
is  considered an "HIV prison camp" at the U.S. Naval base at
Guantanamo  Bay, Cuba, according to a Yale Law School study.  The
report was issued  Tuesday and was written by a group of Yale students,
professors, and  lawyers who were the first outsiders allowed into the
camp since the  federal government closed access last summer.  The
group is suing the  government on behalf of the refugees.  Those held
at the camp are HIV-
positive refugees and their dependents who the government says have
plausible cases for political asylum.  But they have not been admitted
into the United States because of a law that prohibits HIV-positive
foreigners from entering the country.  The Yale group described the
conditions at Guantanamo as deplorable.  The Navy said it had not seen
the report and did not comment in detail.  However, it said
improvements  have been made in the past several months. Navy Lt.
Commander Morgan  Smith said, "The Department of Defense and the Joint
Task Force have put  forth a lot of effort and money in providing for
the migrants.  We're  trying to make them as comfortable as possible
under a difficult  situation."  The group describes overflowing
latrines, clogged sinks,  and showers.  It also said that the
facilities are so crowded that  children have to sleep on floors.

"Dual-Target Inhibition of HIV-1 in Vitro by Means of an Adeno-
Associated Virus Antisense Vector" Science (11/27/92) Vol. 258, No.
5087, P. 1485 (Chatterjee, Saswati et al.)
The adeno-associated virus (AAV) seems to be an ideal vector for
use in antiretroviral gene therapy, write Saswati Chatterjee et al. of
the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in
Rockville,  Md.  The researchers used an AAV vector encoding an
antisense RNA to  transduce stable intracellular resistance to HIV-1 in
human hemopoietic  and non-hemopoietic cell lines.  The antisense
targets are present in  all HIV-1 transcripts and include the TAR
sequence, which is critical  for transcription and virus replication,
and the polyadenylation signal.   Cell lines expressing antisense RNA
showed up to 95 percent inhibition  of gene expression directed by the
HIV-1 long terminal repeat and  greater than 99 percent reduction in
infectious HIV-1 production, with  no detectable cellular toxicity.
AAV does not prevent superinfection, a  property that allows for
infection with several different vectors or  multiple rounds of
infection with the same vector.  Due to their  efficient transcription
and inability to recombine with HIV-1, AAV  vectors represent a
promising form of anti-retroviral gene therapy.  For  the treatment of
human AIDS, it may be necessary to confer intracellular  resistance to
progenitor bone marrow cells that give rise to the  renewable targets
(T-lymphocytes, monocytes, and macrophages) of HIV-1  infection.
Autologous AAV vector-transduced bone marrow stem cells  could then be
used to repopulate the immune system with HIV-resistant  cells.  If AAV
vectors are safe and effective in animal models, the  human trial may
then be indicated, the researchers conclude.
"Risk Reduction in Sexual Behavior: A Condom Giveaway Program in a
Drug  Abuse Treatment Clinic" American Journal of Public Health (11/92)
Vol.  82, No. 11, P. 1536  (Calsyn, Donald A. et al.)
Male clients attending a drug abuse treatment clinic will take,
retain, and use condoms when various condoms are provided throughout
the  clinic, according to Donald A. Calsyn and colleagues from the
Veterans  Affairs Medical Center in Seattle, Wash.  The researchers
conducted a  study to assess the effectiveness of a free condom
distribution program  in an outpatient drug abuse treatment clinic.
All men receiving  outpatient drug abuse treatment at the VA Medical
Center during December  1989 and remaining in treatment until May 1990
were qualified for the  study.  Just before and four months after
initiation of a condom  giveaway program, a questionnaire regarding
sexual behavior and condom  acquisition was administered to 103 men at
the clinic.  Jars were filled  with a variety of condoms and were
displayed in every clinic room.  Most  condoms were taken from the
men's rest room (47.8 percent), the  dispensary waiting room (26.6
percent), the group therapy room (11.3  percent), and the women's rest
room (4.4 percent).  A total of 10.1  percent were taken from staff
offices.  A total of 56 patients (60  percent) of the clients reported
taking condoms during the intervention.   The number of clients
possessing condoms increased from 61 (59.2  percent) to 71 (76.1
percent) at follow-up.  Also, the mean use of  condoms for vaginal
intercourse activity increased from 20.3 percent of  events initially
to 33.7 percent at follow-up, conclude Calsyn et al.
"The Reporting of HIV/AIDS Deaths in Women" American Journal of Public
Health (11/92) Vol. 82, No. 11, P. 1500  (Buehler, James W. et al.)
The wide ranges of underlying-cause-of-death vital records and
AIDS  surveillance among women reflect the potential role of both HIV
infection and drug use in contributing to excess mortality, write
James  W. Buehler and colleagues from the Centers for Disease Control
in  Atlanta, Ga.  The researchers conducted the study to assess the
completeness of vital statistics and case reports of AIDS in measuring
HIV-related mortality in women aged 15-44.  They used vital records to
reveal the number of deaths attributed to HIV infection and excess
deaths due to causes that have increased along with the HIV epidemic.
It was found in 1988 that in women aged 15-44 there were 1,365 deaths
with HIV infection listed as the underlying cause, 202 deaths with HIV
infection listed as an associate cause, and 149 excess deaths due to
conditions highly related to HIV infection.  Also, there were 780
excess  deaths as a result of causes that may have been related to HIV
infection  or illicit drug use.  Among the deaths that occurred in
1988, 1,532 were  reported through AIDS surveillance.  Consequently,
underlying-cause-of- death vital records and AIDS surveillance
identified 55 percent to 80  percent and 67 to 97 percent,
respectively, of HIV-related deaths in  women 15 through 44 years of
age in 1988, conclude Buehler et al.
"Survey Says Insurance Claims for AIDS Reached $1.3 Billion Last
Year."  Business + Health (11/92) Vol. 10, No. 13, P. 12
A survey by the Health Insurance Association of America found
that  insurers paid $1.3 million in claims as a result of AIDS or
related  illnesses in 1991.  While the number of AIDS-related claims
rose for  individual and group life policies, individual and group
accident and  health claims remained about the same as last year. The
findings were  based on statistics from 387 companies that paid $989.3
million or 73  percent of all AIDS claims .An actuary estimated another
27 percent to  bring the figure to $1.3 billion.  The survey did not
include self- insured companies or claims paid by Blue Cross or Blue
Shield.  The  cumulative total of AIDS-related claims paid by the
insurance industry  since 1986 is $4.9 billion.

Newsgroups: sci.med.aids
Subject: CDC Summary 12/4/92
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
From: Billi Goldberg <[e-mail]>
Date: Fri, 4 Dec 92 07:59:03 PST

AIDS Daily Summary
December 4, 1992
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. Copyright 1992, Information, Inc., Bethesda, MD
***********************************************************************
* "Justices OK AIDS Tests for Inmates" Los Angeles Time--Washington
Edition (12/04/92), P. B1 (Hager, Philip)
The California Supreme Court ruled Thursday that HIV tests would
be  required under law for potentially thousands of sex offenders after
their crimes occurred.  The justices decided unanimously that
mandatory  HIV testing is not punishment--and therefore does not breach
constitutional prohibitions against enacting new penalties for
offenses  already committed.  The justices, who overturned an appeals
court  ruling, gave broad application to a law requiring HIV tests for
people  convicted of rape, sodomy, or oral copulation.  Those who test
HIV- positive may be sentenced to an extra three years in prison for
any  repeat crime.  State officials said the ruling could permit
testing of  hundreds or even thousands of sex offenders for crimes
committed before  the law was enacted in January 1989.  Christine May,
a spokeswoman for  the state Department of Corrections, said officials
will examine the  ruling and decide whether and how to proceed with
expanded HIV tests.   She noted that as of June 30, 3,176 prisoners
were serving terms for  rape, sodomy, and oral copulation.  It is not
known how many have not  been tested for HIV, but the number is likely
to be significant, she  said. Richard Jay Moller, a lawyer for the
defendant in the case, said,  "People ought to be told in advance of
the consequences of committing a  crime.  This is like saying 'If
you've been convicted in the past for  speeding, you now have to
undergo a test for AIDS in addition to your  $50 fine.'"

"Council OK's Condom Machines at Most Businesses Serving Alcohol"
Boston  Globe (12/03/92), P. 38  (Walker, Adrian)
The Boston City Council Wednesday voted to override Mayor Raymond
Flynn's veto of a bill requiring most businesses that serve alcohol to
sell condoms.  In a council vote of 9-3, the bill was passed, although
Flynn had vetoed it for the second time two weeks ago.  The bill calls
for condom vending machines to be displayed at most businesses selling
alcohol with a capacity of more than 100 patrons.  Following the first
veto, some businesses were exempted, including smaller establishments,
those with religious affiliations, and those with entertainment
licenses  primarily for offering video games or similar entertainment.
Councilors  who backed the bill admitted that it would have limited
impact but  considered it a symbolic effort to show concern for the
AIDS epidemic.   Adversaries argued that the council should not mandate
what many  businesses were already doing voluntarily, and some also
based their  opposition on religious grounds.  Councilor David Scondras
(Fenway), who  sponsored the measure, applauded councilors Wednesday
for making an  effort to face the AIDS crisis.  Flynn, who declined to
comment in  detail on the override, planned a meeting for tomorrow with
Schools  Superintendent Lois Harrison-Jones and AIDS activists to
address AIDS  education and condom distribution in the schools.  The
mayor strongly  opposes school-based condom distribution programs.

"Using Syringe, Abductor Threatens Man" Baltimore Sun (12/04/92), P.
1C   (Langfitt, Frank)
A Baltimore man was abducted by a man wielding a hypodermic
needle  which he claimed contained HIV-positive blood on Wednesday
afternoon in  Northwest Baltimore, police said.  Brett Dieck was
returning to Howard  County after having picked up supplies at a
warehouse for Golden  Triangle Auto Parts in Ellicott City.  A man
carrying several shopping  bags neared his truck and then entered
through the unlocked passenger  door, said Dieck.  When Dieck told the
stranger he could not give him a  ride, the man pulled out a 3-inch
syringe, put it behind Dieck's head,  and threatened him. According to
Dieck, the man said, "I have AIDS," and  "Go!  Man! I'll stick you,
man, I swear to God I will."  Baltimore  police Sgt. John J. Parker
said that right before the incident the man  had run out of a nearby
K-Mart store followed by security men who  believed he might have
shoplifted some items.  While in the car, the man  told Dieck that he
was being chased by store security but that he had  not taken anything.
The man jumped out of the car after Dieck offered  to drop him off at
a 7-Eleven.  Dieck said he could not determine if  there was any blood
in the syringe because the man had cupped his hand  over it.

"Brain Chemical Changes Might Predict Onset of AIDS" United Press
International (12/03/92)
Chicago--A sophisticated imaging procedure may be able to
identify  chemical changes in the brains of asymptomatic HIV-positive
individuals,  researchers reported Thursday at the 78th Scientific
Assembly and Annual  Meeting of the Radiological Society of North
America.  The changes may  signal progression toward AIDS and may be
helpful in evaluating and  developing therapies for the disease, said
Dr. Robert E. Lenkinski,  associate professor of radiology at the
University of Pennsylvania in  Philadelphia.  Lenkinski said, "Previous
studies have shown that full- blown AIDS is accompanied by atrophy, or
dying, of the gray matter in  the brain.  Our study shows early signs
of biochemical changes in  individuals who are positive for the HIV
virus but have no clinical  symptoms of AIDS."  The technique, known as
magnetic resonance  spectroscopy, could then be used to track
development of the disease,  providing researchers with an approach to
evaluate the efficacy of  treatment, he said.  "It is theorized that
when neurons in the brain are  destroyed, membranes are disrupted,
leading to increased levels of  [certain chemicals] in the brain," said
Lenkinski.  "It has been  reported...that the first symptom of AIDS may
be loss of neuro-cognitive  function, such as short-term memory loss.
Our findings suggest a  biochemical basis for understanding these
symptoms," concluded  Lenkinski.

"Study Calls Guantanamo 'HIV Prison Camp'" United Press International
(12/02/92)
Miami--Approximately 275 Haitian refugees are being held at what
is  considered an "HIV prison camp" at the U.S. Naval base at
Guantanamo  Bay, Cuba, according to a Yale Law School study.  The
report was issued  Tuesday and was written by a group of Yale students,
professors, and  lawyers who were the first outsiders allowed into the
camp since the  federal government closed access last summer.  The
group is suing the  government on behalf of the refugees.  Those held
at the camp are HIV-
positive refugees and their dependents who the government says have
plausible cases for political asylum.  But they have not been admitted
into the United States because of a law that prohibits HIV-positive
foreigners from entering the country.  The Yale group described the
conditions at Guantanamo as deplorable.  The Navy said it had not seen
the report and did not comment in detail.  However, it said
improvements  have been made in the past several months. Navy Lt.
Commander Morgan  Smith said, "The Department of Defense and the Joint
Task Force have put  forth a lot of effort and money in providing for
the migrants.  We're  trying to make them as comfortable as possible
under a difficult  situation."  The group describes overflowing
latrines, clogged sinks,  and showers.  It also said that the
facilities are so crowded that  children have to sleep on floors.

"Dual-Target Inhibition of HIV-1 in Vitro by Means of an Adeno-
Associated Virus Antisense Vector" Science (11/27/92) Vol. 258, No.
5087, P. 1485 (Chatterjee, Saswati et al.)
The adeno-associated virus (AAV) seems to be an ideal vector for
use in antiretroviral gene therapy, write Saswati Chatterjee et al. of
the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in
Rockville,  Md.  The researchers used an AAV vector encoding an
antisense RNA to  transduce stable intracellular resistance to HIV-1 in
human hemopoietic  and non-hemopoietic cell lines.  The antisense
targets are present in  all HIV-1 transcripts and include the TAR
sequence, which is critical  for transcription and virus replication,
and the polyadenylation signal.   Cell lines expressing antisense RNA
showed up to 95 percent inhibition  of gene expression directed by the
HIV-1 long terminal repeat and  greater than 99 percent reduction in
infectious HIV-1 production, with  no detectable cellular toxicity.
AAV does not prevent superinfection, a  property that allows for
infection with several different vectors or  multiple rounds of
infection with the same vector.  Due to their  efficient transcription
and inability to recombine with HIV-1, AAV  vectors represent a
promising form of anti-retroviral gene therapy.  For  the treatment of
human AIDS, it may be necessary to confer intracellular  resistance to
progenitor bone marrow cells that give rise to the  renewable targets
(T-lymphocytes, monocytes, and macrophages) of HIV-1  infection.
Autologous AAV vector-transduced bone marrow stem cells  could then be
used to repopulate the immune system with HIV-resistant  cells.  If AAV
vectors are safe and effective in animal models, the  human trial may
then be indicated, the researchers conclude.
"Risk Reduction in Sexual Behavior: A Condom Giveaway Program in a
Drug  Abuse Treatment Clinic" American Journal of Public Health (11/92)
Vol.  82, No. 11, P. 1536  (Calsyn, Donald A. et al.)
Male clients attending a drug abuse treatment clinic will take,
retain, and use condoms when various condoms are provided throughout
the  clinic, according to Donald A. Calsyn and colleagues from the
Veterans  Affairs Medical Center in Seattle, Wash.  The researchers
conducted a  study to assess the effectiveness of a free condom
distribution program  in an outpatient drug abuse treatment clinic.
All men receiving  outpatient drug abuse treatment at the VA Medical
Center during December  1989 and remaining in treatment until May 1990
were qualified for the  study.  Just before and four months after
initiation of a condom  giveaway program, a questionnaire regarding
sexual behavior and condom  acquisition was administered to 103 men at
the clinic.  Jars were filled  with a variety of condoms and were
displayed in every clinic room.  Most  condoms were taken from the
men's rest room (47.8 percent), the  dispensary waiting room (26.6
percent), the group therapy room (11.3  percent), and the women's rest
room (4.4 percent).  A total of 10.1  percent were taken from staff
offices.  A total of 56 patients (60  percent) of the clients reported
taking condoms during the intervention.   The number of clients
possessing condoms increased from 61 (59.2  percent) to 71 (76.1
percent) at follow-up.  Also, the mean use of  condoms for vaginal
intercourse activity increased from 20.3 percent of  events initially
to 33.7 percent at follow-up, conclude Calsyn et al.
"The Reporting of HIV/AIDS Deaths in Women" American Journal of Public
Health (11/92) Vol. 82, No. 11, P. 1500  (Buehler, James W. et al.)
The wide ranges of underlying-cause-of-death vital records and
AIDS  surveillance among women reflect the potential role of both HIV
infection and drug use in contributing to excess mortality, write
James  W. Buehler and colleagues from the Centers for Disease Control
in  Atlanta, Ga.  The researchers conducted the study to assess the
completeness of vital statistics and case reports of AIDS in measuring
HIV-related mortality in women aged 15-44.  They used vital records to
reveal the number of deaths attributed to HIV infection and excess
deaths due to causes that have increased along with the HIV epidemic.
It was found in 1988 that in women aged 15-44 there were 1,365 deaths
with HIV infection listed as the underlying cause, 202 deaths with HIV
infection listed as an associate cause, and 149 excess deaths due to
conditions highly related to HIV infection.  Also, there were 780
excess  deaths as a result of causes that may have been related to HIV
infection  or illicit drug use.  Among the deaths that occurred in
1988, 1,532 were  reported through AIDS surveillance.  Consequently,
underlying-cause-of- death vital records and AIDS surveillance
identified 55 percent to 80  percent and 67 to 97 percent,
respectively, of HIV-related deaths in  women 15 through 44 years of
age in 1988, conclude Buehler et al.
"Survey Says Insurance Claims for AIDS Reached $1.3 Billion Last
Year."  Business + Health (11/92) Vol. 10, No. 13, P. 12
A survey by the Health Insurance Association of America found
that  insurers paid $1.3 million in claims as a result of AIDS or
related  illnesses in 1991.  While the number of AIDS-related claims
rose for  individual and group life policies, individual and group
accident and  health claims remained about the same as last year. The
findings were  based on statistics from 387 companies that paid $989.3
million or 73  percent of all AIDS claims .An actuary estimated another
27 percent to  bring the figure to $1.3 billion.  The survey did not
include self- insured companies or claims paid by Blue Cross or Blue
Shield.  The  cumulative total of AIDS-related claims paid by the
insurance industry  since 1986 is $4.9 billion.


Newsgroups: sci.med.aids
Subject: CDC Summary 12/3/92
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
From: Billi Goldberg <[e-mail]>
Date: Fri, 4 Dec 92 07:56:32 PST

AIDS Daily Summary
December 3, 1992
The Centers for Disease Control (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. Copyright
1992,  Information, Inc., Bethesda, MD
***********************************************************************
* "NIH Endorses Human Trials Hill Ordered for AIDS Drug" Washington
Post  (12/03/92), P. A4
An advisory panel to the National Institutes of Health yesterday
ratified plans for national AIDS vaccine trials, but criticized a
congressional move that mandates the trials.  The advisory committee
unanimously granted approval to a plan that will test the vaccine
widely  among HIV-positive people.  The trials of the vaccine, called
gp160, had  not been endorsed through normal scientific evaluation at
NIH.  In  October, Congress included funding of $20 million for testing
the  vaccine in the Defense Department appropriation bill.  It passed
after  successful lobbying by the vaccine's manufacturer, MicroGeneSys
Inc. of  Meriden, Conn.  The bill specifies that the trial could be
stopped if  the NIH, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Defense
Department  decided within six months that a trial of gp160 was not
appropriate.  A  special committee selected by NIH Director Bernadine
P. Healy met twice  last month and finally decided to recommend to the
director that she  approve a trial that would include gp160 along with
one or two other  vaccines. The advisory committee vote yesterday
supported that  recommendation.  Regardless of the decision, the
advisory panel  chastised the action of Congress in mandating a human
drug trial,  suggesting that testing of drugs should be based on
science and  not on  a political process.  Healy said it caused
potential  danger because  political action based on lobbying was
determining what drugs could be  tested.  She added that such testing
should  be based on scientific  merit.   Related Stories: New York
Times (12/03) P. B12; Philadelphia  Inquirer (12/03) P. A22

"AIDS Rally Presses Flynn on Condoms in Schools" Boston Globe
(12/02/92), P. 55  (Dowdy, Zachary R.)
Boston-area AIDS officials and activists argue that Mayor Raymond
Flynn is sending mixed signals when he strongly supports  legislation
for a pilot needle-exchange program while opposing  condom
distribution  in public schools.  Michael Cronin, cochair  of the
Boston AIDS  Consortium, said, "The mayor cannot pick and  choose AIDS
initiatives  that he happens to be comfortable with  while discarding
those that  bother him."  Cronin believes Flynn  is giving into
pressure from the  Catholic Church that he refuse  to back condoms in
schools.  The  activist joined AIDS experts and area teenagers at a
World AIDS Day news  conference in City Hall  Plaza, where they pleaded
with the mayor to  make condoms  available in the city's high schools.
But Flynn released  a  two-page statement in which he mourned the
thousands of deaths  from  AIDS but applauded Boston's actions that
have provided  housing for AIDS  patients and first-rate primary and
secondary  care.  Flynn also praised  a state proposal to develop a
needle-exchange program, which would  enable IV-drug users to  receive
clean hypodermic needles as a means to  control the spread of HIV.
Flynn also defended his position on condom  distribution  in the
schools, claiming they are widely available from  several  other
sources in every neighborhood.  He addressed the  criticism  from
activists calling for condom distribution, saying that  such  a
decision will be left to the mayorally-appointed School   Committee and
Superintendent Lois Harrison-Jones.
"8 Percent of State Inmates Estimated to be Infected With AIDS  Virus"
Boston Globe (12/02/92), P. 1  (Hernandez, Efrain)
Approximately 800 prisoners in Massachusetts' correctional
facilities are HIV-positive, with an especially alarming  prevalence
of  infection among female inmates, according to the  physician who
monitors  prison health care.  A total of 2,200  inmates were tested
earlier this  year, which is more than 20  percent of the prison
population.  The  tests revealed that 8.1  percent of the inmates are
HIV-positive, a rate  15 times greater  than the general population.
But statistics show that  women in  the prison system tested positive
for HIV at a rate almost  twice  that of men; one in every five inmates
with a history of IV-drug   use was found to be infected with HIV.  Dr.
Mark R. Prete,  program  medical director for the private company
responsible for  health care in  prisons statewide, said nearly 300
inmates known  to be infected with  HIV are being treated, but based on
the  testing, hundreds more are  probably infected.  Prete said, "There
may be a lot more who are HIV- positive who are not showing  clinical
symptoms."
"Thailand's Sex Industry Spreads the HIV Virus" Chicago Tribune
(12/02/92), P. 1-5  (Scmetzer, Uli)
Thailand is experiencing a significant increase in AIDS cases as
a  result of its popular sex industry.  The most recent Health
Ministry  estimate is that over the next two years 10,000 Thais  will
die of AIDS  and that 1 in every 100 pregnant women is  infected with
HIV.  "AIDS  Free" signs are posted at the doors of  many of Thailand's
nightclubs,  although the claim is often  untrue.  HIV tests were
performed on all of  the women at one  southern city, revealing that
all the female  inhabitants were  infected with the virus.  The Thai
government has  finally  established a five-year emergency plan and
allotted $40 million   and 750 permanent anti-AIDS officials to educate
its people in  the  dangers of infections and the use of condoms.  The
effort has elicited  some reaction.  The latest Health Ministry survey
found  84 percent of  brothel customers insist on using condoms.  The
Red Cross conducted a  survey among children between the age of 12 and
14 years.  It discovered  that 98 percent said they wanted
prostitution to exist as a profession,  and 4.5 percent of the  young
women surveyed conceded that they expected  to end up as sex workers.
Thailand's sex industry generates 25 percent  of the  country's
national revenue.   A Thai health ministry official   estimated that at
least 350,000 Thais are infected with HIV, that 10,000  will die over
the next 24 months and at least 3,000 babies were born  with the virus
among the 90,000 births over the last  year.  Moreover,  the Health
Ministry reports that 23.8 percent of all prostitutes are  infected, as
well as 35 percent of drug  addicts.
"AIDS Day Observed Many Ways" Chicago Tribune (12/02/92), P. 1-5
World AIDS Day was recognized around the globe in various ways on
Tuesday from light demonstrations to solemn vigils.    Demonstrators
in  Santa Claus costumes danced around a giant  condom in Town Hall
Square
in Copenhagen.  In Russia, physicians  conducted free consultations
at  the Moscow Satire Theater.   Brazilian protesters demanded more
government funds.  The World  Health Organization sponsors World AIDS
Day and called attention  to Asia, where it claims 2 million people
could die of AIDS by  the year 2000.  India is at high risk because of
its widespread  illiteracy, poor health care, and contaminated blood
banks,  experts say.  In Banjul, Gambia, hundreds of marchers gathered
to hear speeches and pray for AIDS patients.  The West African
nation's  health minister, Landing Jallow Sonko, cautioned that  AIDS
may boost  child mortality by as much as 50 percent in much  of
sub-Saharan Africa  in the 1990s.  The Japanese baseball star  Sadaharu
Oh observed the  occasion by joining other celebrities in distributing
information  packets at a rally in the Ginza shopping district.  In
Britain,  protesters gathered outside the prime  minister's office to
request the  appointment of a minister for  AIDS.  And in the United
States, Health  Secretary Louis Sullivan  recognized the day by
implementing a new  program to help  businesses keep employees infected
with HIV working as  long as  possible.

"High Rate of Condom Use in France, HIV Testing in Britain" United
Press  International (12/03/92)
Washington--Approximately 80 percent of French 18- and  19-year-
olds use condoms, but many people of all ages in Britain  and France
are  still at risk for HIV infection, according to two  surveys
published in  the British journal Nature.  The two studies of sexual
behavior in  Britain and France were issued Wednesday.   They found
that many men and  women at risk for HIV infection had  altered their
behavior because of  the disease.  The French  researchers said, "Young
people change  partners more frequently  than older people but are less
likely to have  more than one  sexual partner at any one time."  It was
discovered also  that  younger French people were most likely to use
condoms.  A total   of 18 percent of men and 11 percent of women
reported using a  condom  during their last intercourse, and condom use
was 2.5  times more  frequent during sex with a casual partner, the
study  found.  The  researchers said that women were 3.1 times more
likely to use a condom  if they were having sex with a new  partner.
Of 18- and 19-year-olds,  condom use was 79.8 percent  among males and
48 percent among females.   The survey of British  sexual behavior
found that 4 percent of men and 3  percent of  women had been tested
for HIV in the past five years.  The  report found that single people
were reporting a larger number of sexual  partners in the past year and
younger people were reporting more   partners.  Dr. Anne Johnson  of
University College in London and  her  colleagues said, "Our study
indicates many of those at high  risk for  HIV infection have perceived
this risk and have already  undergone HIV  antibody testing, but that
more than half remain  untested."
"Canada's Estimates of AIDS Cases Low" Toronto Globe and Mail
(12/01/92), P. A1  (Mickleburgh, Rod)
Canada's total number of AIDS cases has been underestimated by
nearly 45 percent, according to the country's leading AIDS  expert.
Dr.  Donald Sutherland, head of HIV-AIDS epidemiology for the
Laboratory  Center for Disease Control in Ottawa, said 1992  may
witness the highest  number of cases in a single year since  the first
case was recorded in  Canada in 1980.  Sutherland  revealed new
statistics emphasizing the  spread of HIV in Canada,  taking into
consideration for the first time  statistical  estimates of delayed
reporting of AIDS cases and cases that  were  never reported.  His
revised tally predicts there were actually   9,299 cases of AIDS in
Canada by the end of 1991.  The number is   substantially higher than
the Health and Welfare's most recent  AIDS  Update report of 6,477.
The new statistics indicate that  there will  have been more than
11,000 cases of AIDS reported in  Canada by the end  of 1991, including
a record 1,846 new cases  during the current year.   Sutherland
stressed that his figures  are estimates but insisted they  are far
more accurate than those  listed in the Health and Welfare's  quarterly
reports, which count only reported AIDS cases.  Sutherland's  division
conducted a  complex statistical analysis, including viewing  death
certificates, to determine as accurately as possible how many   AIDS
cases are never reported and how many are seriously delayed  in  being
reported.  Dr. Sutherland said AIDS is not listed as the cause of
death in about 15 percent of those who die of the  disease, possibly
because of the stigma associated with it.
"AIDS Stalks Asia; Few Take Heed" Toronto Globe and Mail (12/01/92),
P.  A1  (Stackhouse, John)
The AIDS epidemic is ravaging Asia, but few efforts have been
implemented to thwart the disease's spread.  John Dwyer,  president of
the AIDS Society of Asia and the Pacific, told a  recent international
congress of the society in New Delhi, "We  anticipate an Africa-like
situation developing here, only worse." The World Health Organization
says there are approximately 1.5  million HIV infections in Asia and
perhaps 20,000 full-blown  cases of AIDS.  By the year 2000, WHO
predicts that Asia will be  ahead of Africa in the number of HIV
infections by adding a  million new infections a year.  At that time,
the majority of the world's 40 million HIV infections and 10 million
adult AIDS cases will be in Asia, according to estimates from the
Asian   Development Bank.  The Foundation for Children states that in
Thailand,  30,000 prostitutes in Bangkok alone have contracted  HIV.
If the  projections are correct, however, no country will  have more
infections  than India, where WHO predicts the number  will reach five
million.  In  addition, within India, Bombay is  home to at least
100,000 HIV-positive  prostitutes.  Yet although  there are commitments
of foreign aid, there  is no clear plan that has arisen on how to fight
HIV in India, or even  Asia.  The World Bank has allotted a soft loan
of $84-million--other  donors have  contributed $15 million more--to
start up India's National  AIDS  Control Organization.  But what is
even more disconcerting is how  to properly educate 850 million
Indians, who are plagued with   illiteracy and poverty or have
religious or cultural traditions  that  prevent them from aggressively
reacting to the epidemic.
"Inhibition of Furin-Mediated Cleavage Activation of HIV-1
Glycoprotein  gp160" Nature (11/26/92) Vol. 360, No. 6402, P. 358
(Hallenberger,  Sabine et al.)
HIV inhibitors reduce the infectivity of the virus and may
therefore have the potential to stop the spread of infection in  an
organism, write Sabine Hallenberger et al. of the
Phillips-Universitat  Marburg in Marburg, Germany.  The envelope
glycoprotein of HIV  initiates infection by mediating fusion of  the
viral envelope with the  cell membrane.  Fusion activity  entails
proteolytic cleavage of the  gp160 protein into gp120 and  gp41 at a
site containing several arginine  and lysine residues.   Activation at
basic cleavage sites is observed  with many membrane proteins of
cellular and viral origin.  The  researchers recently  discovered that
the enzyme activating the  haemagglutinin of fowl  plague virus (FPV),
an avian influenza virus, is  furin.  Furin, a subtilisin-like
eukaryotic endoprotease has a substrate   specificity for the consensus
amino-acid sequence  Arg-X-Lys/Arg-Arg at  the cleavage site.  Here,
the researchers  demonstrate that the  glycoprotein of HIV-1, which has
the same  protease recognition motif as
the FPV haemagglutinin, is also  activated by furin.  In addition,
the  researchers present  evidence that peptidyl-chloromethyl ketones
that  have the  Arg-X-Lys/Arg-Arg motif and which are specific
inhibitors of   furin interfere with cleavage of the HIV glycoprotein
and hence  its  activation and formation of infectious virus particles.
Furthermore,  the inhibitors prevent shedding of gp120 from the
surface of infected  cells, which is also suspected to play a role in
viral pathogenesis, the  researchers conclude.

"The Stalled Response to AIDS" Issues in Science and Technology (Fall
1992) Vol. 9, No. 1, P. 24 (Gellin, Bruce G. and Rogers, David E.)
The AIDS epidemic has become more devastating since its start as
a  result of public ignorance, write Bruce G. Gellin and David E.
Rogers  in an article in Issues in Science and Technology.  The
epidemic has  been advanced by three factors of modern society:  the
sexual  revolution, the ease of international travel, and the
invention and  wide use of the hollow-bore needle.  But there is  also
a fourth factor:  lack of adequate knowledge or the  collective
national will to educate  people to change the  behaviors that put them
at risk of infecting  themselves or  others.  A recent study of urban
black teenagers by the  Robert  Wood Johnson Foundation shows that
anti-AIDS messages are being   heard, but they are reaching the wrong
audiences with the wrong   information.  In addition, there is evidence
that moralistic   contentions such as appeals to abstinence do not
work.  The  Johnson  Foundation also found that black, urban teenagers
regularly ignore the  messages of all celebrity spokespersons,
believing that they are merely  performing one of the obligations  that
accompanies celebrity status.   Also, the National Research  Council's
1987 report, "Risking the  Future," demonstrated that  access to
contraceptive services does not  influence adolescents'  decisions to
become sexually active.  The  authors emphasize that  we must speed the
development of explicit,  culturally appropriate educational programs
for AIDS prevention.   Society should also  broadcast information on
how HIV is not spread.   Most  importantly, those in leadership
positions must recognize that we  have a devastating epidemic to deal
with, the authors conclude.

otal of $180,447 on AIDS programs.  By fiscal year 1991-1992, the
amount had soared to $73.3 million.

"AIDS Activists Prepare Plea" Los Angeles Times--Washington Edition
(12/02/92), P. B3 (Boxall, Bettina)
A 7-foot by 50-foot giant card will be shipped to President-elect
Bill Clinton this week in observance of World AIDS Day.  On the card
are brightly colored children's handprints, a family snapshot, words of
loss and humor, and most importantly, messages to Bill Clinton to keep
his campaign promises regarding the AIDS epidemic.  One of the several
thousand people in Los Angeles and West Hollywood who signed the card
said, "We have lost too many lives, too many years to AIDS while the
White House has sat and done nothing.  You are our hope."  During his
campaign, Clinton promised accelerated research and funding for AIDS.
The activists made it clear that they are not going to let Clinton
forget this vow.  One message shouted, "Help!"  "More $ for research,"
demanded another.  Younger AIDS patients left handprints and
footprints next to their names and ages. Separately, "Captain Condom"
dressed the part and distributed condoms throughout Los Angeles to
promote AIDS prevention as part of World AIDS day, sponsored by the
World Health Organization. AIDS Project Los Angeles joined AIDS
agencies in other parts of the nation in launching a bilingual effort
in Spanish and English to promote HIV testing and early treatment.

"More Ohio Black and Female Citizens Are Getting AIDS" United Press
International (12/01/92)
Ohio health officials said the number of women and African-
Americans with AIDS in the state is  growing significantly.  State
officials, in a report released Tuesday to coincide with World AIDS
Day, said that the perception still remains that AIDS is a disease that
affects only homosexuals and drug users.  However, Ohio Health
Director Dr. Peter Somani cautioned that AIDS does not discriminate
against any group of people.  The health officials said that women with
AIDS are expected to account for 9 percent of all AIDS cases in Ohio
this year-- up from 7 percent in 1991 and 6 percent in 1990.
African-Americans who have AIDS are expected to comprise 31 percent of
all such cases in Ohio this year, which marks an increase from 29
percent last year and 26 percent during 1990. Since the disease was
diagnosed in the early 1980s, there have been 3,562 AIDS cases reported
in Ohio through Oct. 31, including 241 women and 906 African-Americans.
Officials emphasized that their statistics only reflect people
diagnosed with AIDS, not HIV infection.  Dr. Victoria Cargill, a
Cleveland AIDS expert and founder of the group Stopping AIDS is My
Mission or SAMM, said, "Science, medicine, epidemiology reported on
what we saw first, and education was aimed at that population who had
the disease. That [education] was effective." She added, "These other
groups thought we weren't talking to them; they thought it was a gay
male disease.  But they were getting infected.  We were behind."
Medical researchers say AIDS educators may still be lagging behind in
targeting the next at-risk group--adolescents.
"Immunologic Aspects of Diseases of the Eye: Acquired Immunodeficiency
Syndrome" Journal of the American Medical Association (11/25/92) Vol.
268, No. 20, P. 2869  (Friedlaender, Mitchell H.)
AIDS is commonly linked with ocular disorders, writes Mitchell H.
Friedlaender in a primer on Allergic and Immunologic Diseases in the
Journal of the American Medical Association.  Cotton-wool exudates are
the most common ocular symptoms, but they may be seen in eye
conditions other than AIDS.  They have the same appearance as those
seen in lupus erythematosus, but it is not known whether the
cotton-wool spots of AIDS have a similar pathogenesis.  AIDS patients
may develop Kaposi's sarcoma of the conjunctiva or lids in addition to
cotton-wool spots, as well as chorioretinitis associated with any one
of a number of different opportunistic pathogens.  Optic manifestation
of infections with cytomegalovirus are the most important, but those
associated with Cryptococcus, Toxoplasma, or Candida may also occur.
Because cotton- wool spots and cytomegalovirus retinitis are early
signs of AIDS, the ophthalmologist may be the first physician to alert
the patient to the existence of this serious disorder, concludes
Friedlaender.
"HIV Instruction and Selected HIV-Risk Behaviors Among High School
Students--United States, 1989-1991" Morbidity and Mortality Weekly
Report (11/20/92) Vol. 41, No. 46, P. 866
A growing percentage of American high school students are
receiving AIDS education and discussing the related issues with their
parents, according to a study by the Centers for Disease Control.  The
CDC conducted three national school-based surveys among high school
students that addressed HIV-risk behavior and school-based AIDS
education.  The three surveys were the 1989 Secondary School Student
Health Risk Survey (SSSHRS), which covered HIV-related knowledge,
beliefs, and behaviors, and 1990 and 1991 Youth Risk Behavior Surveys
(YRBS) that addressed HIV- related issues and other selected risk
behaviors.   Since the 1989 survey did not include questions about
condom use and injecting drug use (IDU), these behaviors were compared
only for 1990 and 1991.  The percentage of students who received HIV
education in school increased substantially during 1989-1991 (from 54
to 83 percent), as did the percentage of students who discussed AIDS
with parents or adults in their families.  In addition, in each year,
students who reported receiving HIV education in school were
substantially more inclined than those who did not receive instruction
to report discussing AIDS with their parents or other adults in their
families.  Between 1989-1991, significant declines occurred in the
percentages of students who reported ever having had sexual intercourse
(59 to 54 percent), having two or more sex partners during their
lifetime (40 to 35 percent), and having four or more sex partners
during their lifetime (24 to 19 percent).  The rate of condom use did
not change substantially, and rates of IDU did not change.

"AIDS Community Demonstration Projects: Implementation of Volunteer
Networks for HIV-Prevention Programs--Selected Sites, 1991-1992"

HIV-positive refugees and their dependents who the government says have
plausible cases for political asylum.  But they have not been admitted
into the United States because of a law that prohibits HIV-positive
foreigners from entering the country.  The Yale group described the
conditions at Guantanamo as deplorable.  The Navy said it had not seen
the report and did not comment in detail.  However, it said
improvements have been made in the past several months. Navy Lt.
Commander Morgan Smith said, "The Department of Defense and the Joint
Task Force have put forth a lot of effort and money in providing for
the migrants.  We're trying to make them as comfortable as possible
under a difficult situation."  The group describes overflowing
latrines, clogged sinks, and showers.  It also said that the facilities
are so crowded that children have to sleep on floors.

"Dual-Target Inhibition of HIV-1 in Vitro by Means of an Adeno-
Associated Virus Antisense Vector" Science (11/27/92) Vol. 258, No.
5087, P. 1485 (Chatterjee, Saswati et al.)
The adeno-associated virus (AAV) seems to be an ideal vector for
use in antiretroviral gene therapy, write Saswati Chatterjee et al. of
the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in
Rockville, Md.  The researchers used an AAV vector encoding an
antisense RNA to transduce stable intracellular resistance to HIV-1 in
human hemopoietic and non-hemopoietic cell lines.  The antisense
targets are present in all HIV-1 transcripts and include the TAR
sequence, which is critical for transcription and virus replication,
and the polyadenylation signal. Cell lines expressing antisense RNA
showed up to 95 percent inhibition of gene expression directed by the
HIV-1 long terminal repeat and greater than 99 percent reduction in
infectious HIV-1 production, with no detectable cellular toxicity.  AAV
does not prevent superinfection, a property that allows for infection
with several different vectors or multiple rounds of infection with the
same vector.  Due to their efficient transcription and inability to
recombine with HIV-1, AAV vectors represent a promising form of
anti-retroviral gene therapy.  For the treatment of human AIDS, it may
be necessary to confer intracellular resistance to progenitor bone
marrow cells that give rise to the renewable targets (T-lymphocytes,
monocytes, and macrophages) of HIV-1 infection.  Autologous AAV
vector-transduced bone marrow stem cells could then be used to
repopulate the immune system with HIV-resistant cells.  If AAV vectors
are safe and effective in animal models, the human trial may then be
indicated, the researchers conclude.
"Risk Reduction in Sexual Behavior: A Condom Giveaway Program in a
Drug Abuse Treatment Clinic" American Journal of Public Health (11/92)
Vol. 82, No. 11, P. 1536  (Calsyn, Donald A. et al.)
Male clients attending a drug abuse treatment clinic will take,
retain, and use condoms when various condoms are provided throughout
the clinic, according to Donald A. Calsyn and colleagues from the
Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Seattle, Wash.  The researchers
conducted a study to assess the effectiveness of a free condom
distribution program in an outpatient drug abuse treatment clinic.  All
men receiving outpatient drug abuse treatment at the VA Medical Center
during December 1989 and remaining in treatment until May 1990 were
qualified for the study.  Just before and four months after initiation
of a condom giveaway program, a questionnaire regarding sexual behavior
and condom acquisition was administered to 103 men at the clinic.  Jars
were filled with a variety of condoms and were displayed in every
clinic room.  Most condoms were taken from the men's rest room (47.8
percent), the dispensary waiting room (26.6 percent), the group therapy
room (11.3 percent), and the women's rest room (4.4 percent).  A total
of 10.1 percent were taken from staff offices.  A total of 56 patients
(60 percent) of the clients reported taking condoms during the
intervention. The number of clients possessing condoms increased from
61 (59.2 percent) to 71 (76.1 percent) at follow-up.  Also, the mean
use of condoms for vaginal intercourse activity increased from 20.3
percent of events initially to 33.7 percent at follow-up, conclude
Calsyn et al.
"The Reporting of HIV/AIDS Deaths in Women" American Journal of Public
Health (11/92) Vol. 82, No. 11, P. 1500  (Buehler, James W. et al.)
The wide ranges of underlying-cause-of-death vital records and
AIDS surveillance among women reflect the potential role of both HIV
infection and drug use in contributing to excess mortality, write
James W. Buehler and colleagues from the Centers for Disease Control in
Atlanta, Ga.  The researchers conducted the study to assess the
completeness of vital statistics and case reports of AIDS in measuring
HIV-related mortality in women aged 15-44.  They used vital records to
reveal the number of deaths attributed to HIV infection and excess
deaths due to causes that have increased along with the HIV epidemic.
It was found in 1988 that in women aged 15-44 there were 1,365 deaths
with HIV infection listed as the underlying cause, 202 deaths with HIV
infection listed as an associate cause, and 149 excess deaths due to
conditions highly related to HIV infection.  Also, there were 780
excess deaths as a result of causes that may have been related to HIV
infection or illicit drug use.  Among the deaths that occurred in 1988,
1,532 were reported through AIDS surveillance.  Consequently,
underlying-cause-of- death vital records and AIDS surveillance
identified 55 percent to 80 percent and 67 to 97 percent, respectively,
of HIV-related deaths in women 15 through 44 years of age in 1988,
conclude Buehler et al.
"Survey Says Insurance Claims for AIDS Reached $1.3 Billion Last
Year." Business + Health (11/92) Vol. 10, No. 13, P. 12
A survey by the Health Insurance Association of America found
that insurers paid $1.3 million in claims as a result of AIDS or
related illnesses in 1991.  While the number of AIDS-related claims
rose for individual and group life policies, individual and group
accident and health claims remained about the same as last year. The
findings were based on statistics from 387 companies that paid $989.3
million or 73 percent of all AIDS claims .An actuary estimated another
27 percent to bring the figure to $1.3 billion.  The survey did not
include self- insured companies or claims paid by Blue Cross or Blue
Shield.  The
in Copenhagen.  In Russia, physicians  conducted free consultations
at the Moscow Satire Theater.   Brazilian protesters demanded more
government funds.  The World  Health Organization sponsors World AIDS
Day and called attention  to Asia, where it claims 2 million people
could die of AIDS by  the year 2000.  India is at high risk because of
its widespread  illiteracy, poor health care, and contaminated blood
banks,  experts say.  In Banjul, Gambia, hundreds of marchers gathered
to hear speeches and pray for AIDS patients.  The West African
nation's health minister, Landing Jallow Sonko, cautioned that  AIDS
may boost child mortality by as much as 50 percent in much  of
sub-Saharan Africa in the 1990s.  The Japanese baseball star  Sadaharu
Oh observed the occasion by joining other celebrities in distributing
information packets at a rally in the Ginza shopping district.  In
Britain, protesters gathered outside the prime  minister's office to
request the appointment of a minister for  AIDS.  And in the United
States, Health Secretary Louis Sullivan  recognized the day by
implementing a new program to help  businesses keep employees infected
with HIV working as long as  possible.

"High Rate of Condom Use in France, HIV Testing in Britain" United
Press International (12/03/92)
Washington--Approximately 80 percent of French 18- and  19-year-
olds use condoms, but many people of all ages in Britain  and France
are still at risk for HIV infection, according to two  surveys
published in the British journal Nature.  The two studies of sexual
behavior in Britain and France were issued Wednesday.   They found that
many men and women at risk for HIV infection had  altered their
behavior because of the disease.  The French  researchers said, "Young
people change partners more frequently  than older people but are less
likely to have more than one  sexual partner at any one time."  It was
discovered also that  younger French people were most likely to use
condoms.  A total of 18 percent of men and 11 percent of women reported
using a  condom during their last intercourse, and condom use was 2.5
times more frequent during sex with a casual partner, the study  found.
The researchers said that women were 3.1 times more  likely to use a
condom if they were having sex with a new  partner.  Of 18- and
19-year-olds, condom use was 79.8 percent  among males and 48 percent
among females. The survey of British  sexual behavior found that 4
percent of men and 3 percent of  women had been tested for HIV in the
past five years.  The report found that single people were reporting a
larger number of sexual partners in the past year and younger people
were reporting more partners.  Dr. Anne Johnson  of University College
in London and  her colleagues said, "Our study indicates many of those
at high  risk for HIV infection have perceived this risk and have
already  undergone HIV antibody testing, but that more than half remain
untested."
"Canada's Estimates of AIDS Cases Low" Toronto Globe and Mail
(12/01/92), P. A1  (Mickleburgh, Rod)
Canada's total number of AIDS cases has been underestimated by
nearly 45 percent, according to the country's leading AIDS  expert.
Dr. Donald Sutherland, head of HIV-AIDS epidemiology for the Laboratory
Center for Disease Control in Ottawa, said 1992  may witness the
highest number of cases in a single year since  the first case was
recorded in Canada in 1980.  Sutherland  revealed new statistics
emphasizing the spread of HIV in Canada,  taking into consideration for
the first time statistical  estimates of delayed reporting of AIDS
cases and cases that were  never reported.  His revised tally predicts
there were actually 9,299 cases of AIDS in Canada by the end of 1991.
The number is substantially higher than the Health and Welfare's most
recent  AIDS Update report of 6,477.  The new statistics indicate that
there will have been more than 11,000 cases of AIDS reported in  Canada
by the end of 1991, including a record 1,846 new cases  during the
current year. Sutherland stressed that his figures  are estimates but
insisted they are far more accurate than those  listed in the Health
and Welfare's quarterly reports, which count only reported AIDS cases.
Sutherland's division conducted a  complex statistical analysis,
including viewing death  certificates, to determine as accurately as
possible how many AIDS cases are never reported and how many are
seriously delayed  in being reported.  Dr. Sutherland said AIDS is not
listed as the cause of death in about 15 percent of those who die of
the  disease, possibly because of the stigma associated with it.

"AIDS Stalks Asia; Few Take Heed" Toronto Globe and Mail (12/01/92),
P. A1  (Stackhouse, John)
The AIDS epidemic is ravaging Asia, but few efforts have been
implemented to thwart the disease's spread.  John Dwyer,  president of
the AIDS Society of Asia and the Pacific, told a  recent international
congress of the society in New Delhi, "We  anticipate an Africa-like
situation developing here, only worse." The World Health Organization
says there are approximately 1.5  million HIV infections in Asia and
perhaps 20,000 full-blown  cases of AIDS.  By the year 2000, WHO
predicts that Asia will be  ahead of Africa in the number of HIV
infections by adding a  million new infections a year.  At that time,
the majority of the world's 40 million HIV infections and 10 million
adult AIDS cases will be in Asia, according to estimates from the
Asian Development Bank.  The Foundation for Children states that in
Thailand, 30,000 prostitutes in Bangkok alone have contracted  HIV.  If
the projections are correct, however, no country will  have more
infections than India, where WHO predicts the number  will reach five
million.  In addition, within India, Bombay is  home to at least
100,000 HIV-positive prostitutes.  Yet although  there are commitments
of foreign aid, there is no clear plan that has arisen on how to fight
HIV in India, or even Asia.  The World Bank has allotted a soft loan of
$84-million--other donors have  contributed $15 million more--to start
up India's National AIDS  Control Organization.  But what is even more
disconcerting is how to properly educate 850 million Indians, who are
plagued with illiteracy and poverty or have religious or cultural
traditions  that prevent them from aggressively reacting to the
epidemic.

Newsgroups: sci.med.aids
Subject: CMI and NIH
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
From: Billi Goldberg <[e-mail]>
Date: Sat, 5 Dec 92 17:09:05 PST

I received the following letter on Saturday, December 5, 1992 in
response to a letter that I had sent to Alan Sher previously.
***********************************************************************
* DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES

Public Health Service
National Institutes of
Health
November 30, 1992

Billi Goldberg
AIDS Activist
2261 Market Street #436
San Francisco, Ca. 94114

Dear Billi:

Thank you for your extremely kind comments concerning our work on T
cell  subset regulation in infectious disease and for the reprints you
enclosed.

You are correct in assuming that we firmly support the induction of
CMI  as a general strategy for combating AIDS as well as other
infections.  Unfortunately, in AIDS this concept remains highly
controversial and  much more work is needed to obtain the data
necessary for convincing the  general scientific and clinical community
of it validity.
Dr. Meltzer is a close colleague and friend and you can be assured
that  we are in close contact about our AIDS related research. Dr. Gene
Shearer (NIH) is the true champion of the CMI-AIDS hypothesis and you
and your colleagues should focus your efforts in making sure that his
viewpoint is taken seriously.

I thank you once again for your support.

Sincerely yours,

Alan Sher, Ph.D.
Head, Immunology & Cell Biology Section
Laboratory of Parasitic
National Institute of Allergy and
Infectious Diseases

Newsgroups: sci.med.aids
Subject: reverse demographics
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
From: [e-mail] (Richard Ottolini)
Date: Fri, 4 Dec 1992 16:42:11 GMT

With the apparent flattening of the AIDS incidence curves in certain
sub-populations (e.g. 1992 gay number == 1991 gay number),
have the demographers made projects as to
(1) better estimates of the totally infected population or of
sub-populations, (2) the likely size of the national infected gay
population? I haven't read the proceedings of the international AIDS
conference, so perhaps it was studied there.

The numbers quaoted from #1 and #2 have generally been fuzzy in my
view. This is partly due that short of a totallitarian survey, one
can't really collect those numbers; partly due to politics in the US
that prevents certain kinds of surveys.
I've heard a fairly constant estimate quoted for HIV+ people in the US
over the past 8 or so years (1.0-1.5 million).  The CDC data along
with the demographic model can now firm this number.  Ditto for the
size of the infected gay sub-population and the size of the entire gay
sub-population. Since some the earlier demographic projections were
predicting higher AIDS incidences than are occuring now, one hypothesis
is the number of infected people is smaller than originally
anticipated.

Newsgroups: sci.med.aids
Subject: Sentinel Article on Chinese Medicine
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
From: Billi Goldberg <[e-mail]>
Date: Sat, 5 Dec 92 07:34:01 PST

The following article was printed in the San Francisco Sentinel on
Thursday, December 3, 1992. It is being posted with the permission of
the author, Charles R. Caulfield.
***********************************************************************
* CHINESE MEDICINE AND HIV DISEASE
by Charles R. Caulfield

The use of acupuncture and Chinese herbal medications has become
one  of the most commonly used alternative therapies for AIDS in the
Bay  Area. Its use has become so widely accepted, that two Chinese
Medicine  Clinics in San Francisco have been awarded contracts through
the S.F.  Health Department ,AIDS Office, to provide Chinese Medical
treatment to  people with HIV. The contracts are  funded by the Ryan
White CARE Act  allocations.

This article in two parts will outline some  factors relevant to
Chinese Medicine's application to HIV. This first essay will discuss
some rudimentary background and philosophy of this discipline. Part 2,
which will appear next week will discuss certain distinguishing
aspects  of practices of some of the Chinese Medicine providers
specializing in  HIV treatment San Francisco, in order to assist
consumers to make the  most informed choices in selecting practitioners
most suited to their  needs.

Most people with HIV who use acupuncture and Chinese herbs do so
in  conjunction with western medicine. There are, however, some who use
it  as their principal form of medical treatment. It is strongly
suggested  that it be used under the supervision of a licensed
practitioner.   The  practice of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), is
considered a primary  care medical modality in California, and it
practitioners physicians.  Certain components of its practice are
reimbursable by private insurance  companies. Acupuncture is covered by
Medi-CAL at a rate of two  treatments per month. Practitioners of
Chinese Medicine use the title  Licensed Acupuncturists, or L.Ac., and
are  licensed by the State Board  of Medical Quality Assurance. The
training required to qualify to sit  for the licensing examination is
quite rigorous. Candidates are required  to have completed three years
of post-graduate training in Chinese  Medicine, which includes a good
deal of western based training in  anatomy, physiology and biology.

According to Dr. Hong-yen Hsu, PhD, in Natural Healing with Chinese
Herbs, the systematic practice of Chinese Medicine dates back over two
thousand years, making it the oldest medical system in the world. The
first known medical book on the subject is The Yellow Emperor's
Classic  of Internal Medicine, which was written during the Han dynasty
around  200 A.D. The first systematic compendium of collected
knowledge, the  Treatise on Febrile Diseases, appeared at approximately
the same time.  The author was Chang Chung-ching, who is considered
historically to be  among China's greatest physicians, and is revered
in China as  Hippocrates is in the West. From its very origin, Chinese
Medicine  combined empirical experience with a clear philosophical
theory.
Many people erroneously view Chinese herbal medicine as an
equivalent  of taking a western drug for the alleviation of symptoms.
But the  differences between the two schools of thought are profound.
Where  western medicine is derived solely from scientific method as a
means of  treating disease, Chinese medicine is intertwined with a
philosophy of  life, and is based on a holistic view of supporting of
the mind-body's  innate ability to maintain health, and to heal itself
should illness  occur. This approach is the result of many thousands of
years of  accumulated experience.

Chinese philosophy views the universe as a living organism, and
sees  the human body as a microcosm of that greater organism. Western
medicine  tends to view the human body as a machine and has evolved its
practice  based on this assumption. Rather than dealing with
mechanistic  components of the human organism, as western science
advocates, the TCM  approach is one of aligning the functions of the
organs and systems as a  whole, promoting the dynamic balance of energy
polarities which  maintains health and well-being.

Central to the philosophy of Chinese Medicine is the concept of
ch'i, or qi, which can loosely be defined as the vital energy of the
universe, of which all things are made. Ch'i patterns fluctuate
between  the polarities of what are called yin and yang, the active and
passive  sides of the life force. Illnesses can crudely be viewed  as
either  excesses or deficiencies in either the yin or yang components
of ch'i.
Ch'i is believed to vitalize the body by its movements along the
pathways which are known as meridians. The 'meridian theory" of
Chinese  Medicine is not accepted in western medicine, because they
have never  been objectively identified anatomically. The
circumstantial evidence of  their existence, however, is undeniable to
Chinese doctors, since points  along the meridians have been used
successfully as the sites for  acupuncture needling for thousands of
years. The use of herbs is also  thought to facilitate the normal
movement of ch'i along the meridians.  The Japanese refer to illness as
"bioki" which translates as "injured  ch'i." Dr. Gonzon Goto, a leading
Japanese authority on Chinese Medicine  contends that the obstruction
of ch'i along the meridians is the cause  of all disease.

Chinese medicine was popularized as a treatment for AIDS in San
Francisco  by Misha Cohen, a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, in 1984. A
good deal of western type research on certain aspects of Chinese
Medicine have since been conducted. Many of the herbs have been found
to  inhibit HIV and other viruses in laboratory experiments. Other
herbs  have been shown to act as biological response modifiers,
enhancing  certain immune responses. In addition, a small, strictly
controlled  study using acupuncture to treat HIV infected individuals
was conducted  at Lincoln Hospital in Bronx, NY, a few years back. It
was reported that  individuals receiving correctly applied acupuncture
needling had notable  increases in their CD4 counts after only a brief
course of therapy. This  pilot study certainly demonstrated the need
for further research.
A most attractive feature of Chinese Medicine is the lack of
toxicity  when utilized by trained professionals. It is generally
thought to be  ill-advised for an individual to use Chinese herbal
formulations without  the supervision of a licensed practitioner of
TCM.  Acupuncture is  reimbursable by Medi-CAL and some private
insurance. The herbs, which  are not covered can be obtained in various
forms, and are relatively  inexpensive.

Some human efficacy studies of Chinese medicine for HIV disease are
currently underway or enrolling participants under the supervision of
the FDA. Chinese herbs may be a rich source of therapeutic agents for
AIDS and its related illnesses.

Part two of this article in next week's edition will discuss the
availability of Chinese medical treatment in San Francisco, its cost,
and the various schools of thought employed in treating HIV with this
discipline. We will also discuss available avenues of financial
assistance with the cost of treatment for those who could benefit from
treatment but would have difficulty  affording. It is essential that
people with HIV to have all the information they need to select the
treatment options most suited to their own needs and dispositions.
Chinese Medicine is a promising option which is safe, appears to be
somewhat effective, and is affordable to most.