National News  | Obama Orders Stepped Up Effort Against U.S. HIV/AIDS Epidemic UNITED STATES :: HIV/AIDS
Chicago Tribune (07.15.2013) :: By Yasmeen Abutaleb, Reuters | | | In response to criticism of his Administration’s HIV/AIDS efforts, President Obama commissioned the HIV Care Continuum Working Group to review HIV research and federal HIV data and recommend improvements to HIV treatment and care in the United States. Citing new studies that indicated “aggressive testing and early treatment” could prevent HIV transmission, Obama’s order called for better coordination of the US effort. The working group, chaired by Office of National AIDS Policy Director Grant Colfax and US Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, must deliver recommendations to Obama within 180 days.
Under the Affordable Care Act, all 15- to 65-year-olds would be eligible for HIV screening, which is consistent with new US Preventive Services Task Force recommendations. Although the new order would supplement Obama’s 2010 National AIDS Strategy, AIDS Healthcare Foundation President Michael Weinstein was not optimistic the new direction would be sufficient to achieve Obama’s stated goal of an AIDS-free generation in the United States. Weinstein suggested the United States could learn from other countries where HIV rates have declined.
CDC reported that the US HIV prevalence rate has remained steady at approximately 50,000 for the past decade. In July 2012, an Emory University team found that HIV incidence among US black gay and bisexual men was as high as HIV rates in hard-hit sub-Saharan Africa. |  Read Full Article | Share this Article     | | Back to Top  |  | | | | International News  | Battling Tuberculosis in Both South and North Korea INTERNATIONAL :: TB
The Hankyoreh (07.13.2013) :: By Kang Tae-ho | | | Dr. Kwonjune Justin Seung, an international expert in multidrug-resistant TB (MDR TB), reviewed TB incidence and prevalence in North and South Korea and described critically needed TB strategies during a seminar hosted by the Eugene Bell Foundation. Seung reported that South Korea had the highest TB incidence, prevalence, and mortality rates of 30 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries. The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that South Korea had 100 new TB cases per 100,000 people, a prevalence rate of 149 per 100,000 people, and a mortality rate of 4.9 per 100,000 in 2007. WHO figures indicated that South Korea’s TB prevalence increased by approximately 5,000 cases from 2007 to 2011. North Korea had much worse TB incidence and mortality rates than South Korea, with 2.5 times higher incidence and 1.4 times higher prevalence, according to WHO figures for 2011.
The growing prevalence of MDR TB in both countries was Seung’s biggest concern. In comparison with a six-month treatment regimen for TB, MDR TB requires a two-year course of expensive treatment with only a 50- to 60-percent chance for full recovery. MDR TB patients also face the danger of their infection developing into “super-TB,” which resists all treatments. Seung stated that “bad” MDR TB treatment—such as providing standard TB medications—was more dangerous than no treatment at all because patients could spread MDR TB through respiratory infections. Without implementation of appropriate treatment, North Korea could become a “high-risk” TB country like Russia, China, and India.
South Korea has helped North Korea fight MDR TB since 2008, but North Korea limited assistance to eight treatment centers in North and South Pyongyan Provinces that could treat only 500 patients annually. Seung urged the creation of a general TB center in a location such as Kaesong, North Korea, for diagnosis, testing, surgery, and treatment. | | Read Full Article | Share this Article | | Back to Top | | | Medical News  | Association of Genital Human Papillomavirus Infection with HIV Acquisition: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis FRANCE :: HIV/AIDS,STDs
Sexually Transmitted Infections 89 (5):350-356 (08..2013) :: By Pascale Lissouba, Philippe Van de Perre, Bertran Auvert | | | French researchers investigating the association of genital human papillomavirus (HPV) with HIV acquisition searched databases, including Medline, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane database and conference abstracts for studies published up to January 31, 2012. The researchers focused on finding studies conducted with humans that reported data on HIV incidence and determined the association of HIV with genital HPV infection.
The researchers found 2,170 articles and 431 conference proceedings. After removing duplicates and irrelevant material, they were left with 14 abstracts, eight of which they rejected for not meeting the inclusion criteria. They completed their final research with five nested cohort studies and one case-control study on association between genital HPV and HIV, with a total of 6,567 participants. Four studies focused on female subjects and two on male. All studies, except one with men who have sex with men, were conducted in sub-Saharan Africa with heterosexual adults; two of the African studies were among high-risk women—mostly sex workers. The researchers performed systematic review and meta-analysis on the studies as well as subgroup analyses for high-risk and low-risk oncogenic (cancer-causing) HPV risk groups.
All six studies reported significant estimates of the association of HPV with HIV incidence. Results showed that individuals with genital HPV infection, regardless of whether they were in a high- or low-risk oncogenic risk group, had twice the risk of acquiring HIV. The researchers suggested further research to determine the biological mechanisms involved and to assess the effect of HPV vaccination on HIV acquisition. | | Read Full Article | Share this Article | | Back to Top | | | Local and Community News  | Patients at Chanute Hospital Possibly Exposed to Hepatitis, HIV KANSAS :: HIV/AIDS,Viral Hepatitis
Kansas City Star (07.16.2013) :: By Kelsey Ryan | | | Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Center in Chanute, Kans., announced on July 16 that more than 240 patients who underwent colonoscopies at the center might have been exposed to hepatitis C, hepatitis B, and HIV, among other diseases, due to improper scope sanitization. Neosho Memorial Chief Executive Officer Dennis Franks said patients who underwent colonoscopies between January and July 3 might have been exposed to potential infections; the hospital did not become aware of the issue until July 5.
The hospital is sending priority-mail notifications to the 244 patients it thought might have been affected. Franks also said Neosho Memorial would cover all testing costs, as well as treatment, if anyone tested positive. The hospital plans to send blood samples from affected patients to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment for testing, with results available in approximately two weeks. Franks described the situation as an "oversight in training after an upgrade in equipment," but stressed that infection control specialists thought the risk of infection was extremely low. Officials continue to investigate the situation.
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7/17/2013
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