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HIV Found Hiding in Bone Marrow 09-03-2010 Joe DeCapua 09 March 2010 HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, apparently can hide in bone marrow. Its the latest evidence to show HIV can lie dormant in many parts of the body. However, the finding could eventually lead to better treatment of HIV/AIDS. Dr. Kathleen Collins, associate professor of medicine at the University of Michigan, and her colleagues, conducted the research. She says a different approach is needed to target the dormant virus. The drugs that are currently available for the treatment of HIV disease are highly effective at reducing the virus levels in the blood. And they dramatically decrease mortality and reduce it by about 90 percent, which is a really big deal. Its really important, she says. But . The drugs do not cure the disease. And so people have to remain on drugs for at least the foreseeable future, possibly for their entire lives. And the reason why the drugs fail is because (the) virus is able to lie dormant in a form that is resistant to the drugs. And when the drugs are stopped the virus is then able to rebound, says Collins. University of Michigan Dr. Kathleen Collins The next step is to find out how HIV survives in this dormant state, so that ultimately we can develop a treatment that will be curative, she says. Hiding places Its long been known that HIV can hide in many parts of the body, such as the brain. But hiding in bone marrow is different. The virus that is in some of these other reservoirs, like (the) brain, are probably in a form that is more short-lived. Its probably a low-level active infection. The drugs arent getting into the brain in high enough levels. Whats different about the bone marrow is that the virus is in a latent form that isnt toxic to the cells and the cells are long lived themselves, she says. HIV can live for many years within those bone marrow cells. (It) will require specific reservoir targeting strategies to eradicate, she says. Anti-retrovirals are not to blame for the virus going into hiding. No, the drugs dont increase dormancy. The drugs, if anything, decrease dormancy. But they dont eradicate it (HIV), she says. It takes time While the findings will boost drug development research, its not a quick process. It can take some time. People have known about reservoirs in resting T-cells (immune cells) and have been working on drug strategies to try to eradicate those reservoirs. And thats been on-going for about 10 years with limited success, she says. She says the T-cell research may provide some clues into targeting the HIV in bone marrow. Its a fairly long term process to develop drugs and to test them in the clinic. Make sure they are safe and then get them on the market for therapy. This is a fairly long term goal and probably wont change things for people in the near future, says Collins. Gone once and for all? Asked whether it will ever be possible to eradicate HIV from the body, she says, Im optimistic that well be able to do that ultimately. I am. She says great strides have been made in recent years. Weve gone from having HIV be essentially a death sentence . And now, were in a different world. If people are infected with the virus, theres a lot of hope. They can lead a near normal life. So thats a huge difference just in the past 10 or 15 years. |
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HPV vaccine recommended for men 22-02-2010 Gardasil, the human papillomavirus vaccination, has been recommended to young women since 2006 because women are at a greater risk of developing cancer from the infection. But the vaccine was recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration for men as well, and it is available at Watkins Memorial Health Center. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection and is responsible for most cases of genital warts. We certainly see a lot of guys that come in with bumps that end up being warts, said Dr. Robert Brown, a physician at Watkins. For some people, genital warts can be a huge burden. Sometimes theyre fairly prominent, can be pretty frustrating and hard to get rid of, and that can create a big emotional burden as well. Gardasil protects against four types of HPV two that are the most common causes of cervical cancer and could increase the risk for penile, anal, oral and throat cancers, and two that predominantly cause genital warts. What scares doctors, he said, is that HPV can often be passed among sexual partners for years without any symptoms at all, and it is often overlooked by men because they have a smaller risk of developing cancer from the infection. Its something that men should think about in terms of responsibility, Brown said. This will protect them from getting something that could be passed to future girlfriends or wives, things that could actually both increase risk of cervical cancer and genital warts. Because many insurance companies cover the vaccine, the shots should cost almost nothing for most college students. I definitely think people should get it, said Gianni Secchi, a senior from Dallas. If its practically free, then I dont know why anyone wouldnt get it. The vaccine is administered in three shots that are usually about $150 each. Merck, the company that makes Gardasil, has also set up programs that ensure patients wont pay more than $40 if their insurance offers only partial coverage and that provides free shots for people without health insurance who are older than 19 and meet financial guidelines. Brown said that students arent often as worried about cancer that develops later in life and hoped that the more immediate risks of warts would persuade men to get the vaccine. Edited by Allyson Shaw |
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Venereal Disease and St. Valentine's Day History 16-02-2010 Is venereal disease part of St. Valentine's Day history? As people search for lovers, venereal disease is a major concern. Does that mean you have to say Valentine's Day, Go Away? Maybe...being cautious can save your St. Valentine's Day history from itchy, uncomfortable memories. Let's face it, nobody thinks about venereal disease at the heat of the moment. If your personal St. Valentine's Day history includes one-night stands or free love, you might already have experience with venereal disease. If you're monogamous or even married, you're not exempt from the threat of venereal disease. From herpes to AIDS, they can all strike anyone. You are depending on your partner to be clean, faithful and have a history with people who don't have venereal disease. Do you remember the TV commercial years ago where the young lady said she thought VD stood for Valentine's Day...then realized it meant venereal disease? You don't want your St. Valentine's Day history to include a nasty bout with venereal disease. Don't get desperate and don't be afraid to question the actions of someone you are already intimate with. After all, all these actions have a direct impact on your healthy body. Nobody wants venereal disease. Check out these tips from FamilyDoctor.org about preventing and handling venereal disease. San Francisco Bay Guardian reports a series of parochial films entitled, Love, Sex and Venereal Disease are premiering on Valentine's Day, presented by Oddball films and video. Love, Sex and Venereal Disease includes films such "VD Attack Plan," a Disney animation about gonorrhea and syphilis. Make your St. Valentine's Day history happy by choosing your partners carefully. Here's to good loving and safe sex to add to your St. Valentine's Day history memories! Here is a YouTube video of a movie for teens from 1966 discussing venereal disease...talk about St. Valentine's Day history: |
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St. Louis no longer STI capital of the US 16-02-2010 By Chloe Rosenberg and Lauren Olens Posted February 12, 2010 at 3:42 am Washington University students can no longer associate St. Louis with the staggering number of cases of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The infections that have long plagued the city, including gonorrhea and chlamydia, are becoming less common here. St. Louis city used to have the largest number of infections of chlamydia and gonorrhea, but the number of reported cases has declined, making room for St. Louis to lose its claim to the title of STI capital. The chlamydia and gonorrhea rates in the city decreased in the 2007-2008 year by 3 percent and 27 percent, respectively. According to a St. Louis Department of Health report, there were 4,321 cases of Chlamydia reported in St. Louis in 2007 and 4,263 in 2008. In 2007 there were 2,526 reported cases of gonorrhea; the number dropped to 1,864 in 2008. Several students did not have strong reactions to these rates. I cant say Im surprised or not, but it was a vacuum in my knowledge, senior Neehar Garg said. Many students were glad to find that the STI incidence rate had gone down. I think I did know that it was number one, freshman Andrea Rodgers said. Im glad that it has moved down, since it is probably prevalent on college campuses. Bradley Stoner, associate professor of anthropology and medicine, expects some rates to continue decreasing. I think the gonorrhea rate may continue to fall, but I am still concerned about chlamydia and syphilis, he said. These diseases rates may go up because we still have work to do in implementing effective screening mechanisms that reach the highest-risk members of the community. This decrease of STIs is a result of the city better helping its citizens receive treatment for STIs. According to Dale Wrigley, bureau chief for communicable diseases at the Department of Health, there was an 8 percent increase in the amount of STI testing done in the city last year. This increase in testing likely led to the prevention of the further spread of the disease. According to Pamela Walker, the city health director, St. Louis spends $1 million of tax money each year in order to combat STIs. The city also opened a new teen health center last year. In an effort to prevent the spread of these diseases, the St. Louis Department of Health, in conjunction with organizations including Planned Parenthood, went to every middle school and high school in St. Louis last year to educate students. I really want to believe were getting the message out there, Wrigley said. According to Walker, teens still do not know sufficient information about the STIs. Stoner believes that condoms and communication are important keys to risk reduction for young people. Ask your partners whether they have any symptoms, but because STDs are often asymptomatic, get screened for STDs together before embarking on a sexual relationship, he said. Also, get informed. Stoner suggested organizations such as the Centers for Disease Control, Planned Parenthood and the American Social Health Association. Some students at the University felt as though they have an appropriate amount of knowledge about STIs. I am thoroughly acquainted with prevention [of STIs] and how they spread, junior Sam Sullivan said. But Sullivan felt that he still did not know as much as he could about the treatment of STIs. Maybe Im not as thoroughly studied on treatment, Sullivan said. Although the decrease in the number of STIs has caused St. Louisans to be optimistic, experts warn that the city is not in the clear. According to Wrigley, True prevention happens every day, and you really have to keep it going. |
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Woman sues husband after allegedly contracting herpes 10-02-2010 Cook County woman filed a lawsuit Friday seeking $50,000 from her husband, who she claims gave her herpes. The unnamed plaintiff claims that she never suffered from herpes prior to her relationship with the man, whom she married in 1997, but tested positive for the virus in May 2009. The unnamed man, who denied having herpes until May 2009, âknew, or should have known, that he was infected with herpes,â and had a duty to either notify his wife or abstain from sexual activity, according to the suit filed in Cook County Circuit Court. The suit alleges that the defendant engaged in âunprotected intimate relationsâ with his wife knowing he had the virus but âfailed to take precautionary measureâ to avoid infecting her. The two-count suit seeks judgment against the man for negligence and willful and wanton conduct. |
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Herpes Kills Cancer 10-02-2010 Ira Dickstein has spent the last seven years trying to find a cure for his cancer. "I found a significant black and blue area on the inside of my toe. It was hidden. It was big enough when I could see it, when I looked at the bottom of my foot, that's when I knew there was something wrong, but I didn't know it was melanoma," said Ira Dickstein. From one toe, the melanoma spread above his knee. "It's under the skin now," said Dickstein. Ira is taking part in his third clinical trial, but it's the first time he's seen his lesions disappear. "My melanoma actually retracted a bit." The lesions started to disappear when doctors injected them with an sexually transmitted disease. "It can be engineered to specifically target cancer cells," said Gregory Daniels, M.D., Ph.D., Medical Oncologist. Medical oncologist Gregory Daniels from U-C San Diego injected a form of the herpes virus directly into Ira's melanoma lesions. "It destroys the cell," he said. When the body recognizes a virus is in the body, it increases a patients immune response. "Our body automatically recognizes that as a dangerous situation and attracts a response to it," said Gregory Daniels, M.D. It's working for Ira. "The lesions that were directly injected shrunk, and one disappeared completely. The others were going backwards," said Dickstein. A good sign that his search for a cure is ending ⌠and he can get back to looking for nature's hidden gems. |
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Several WC South mat teams shut down to avoid herpes outbreak 09-02-2010 Several of the West Central South Conference wrestling teams are shutting down for a few days as a precutionary measure after it was reported that a wrestler from one of the conference teams had a skin condition at the conference tournament last weekend in Montevideo. âWe have been advised not to wrestle any other schools until after next Tuesday because our wrestlers were exposed to the skin condition,â said Minnewaska coach Wes Tessman. âB.J. Anderson, the medical advisor to the (Minnesota State High School League), told one of our conference schools that there shouldnât be any wrestling until late next week.â The high school league did not order any of the teams to shut down. Several did on their own, however. Montevideoâs match with MACCRAY was cancelled Friday night. Benson, BOLD, Dawson-Boyd/Lac qui Parle Valley, Minnewaska, Montevideo, Morris/Hancock and Paynesville elected not to participate in matches Friday and Saturday. |
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The ABCs of STDs 09-02-2010 The American Social Health Association (ASHA) recognizes February as National Condom Month. As condoms help prevent the spread of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) such as HIV, chlamydia, and gonorrhea, I thought Iâd talk about STDs this week. Note: the only way to completely protect yourself against STDs is to abstain from sexual activity. However, correctly using condoms dramatically reduces the chances of contracting or spreading STDs. I know bi-co students are intelligent. And yet sometimes when hearing some of the absurd things people here believe about sexual health, itâs hard to believe. But because there are people from so many walks of life in the bi-co, there are people from all different sex education backgrounds. So if your roommate says she and her boyfriend only have oral sex because you canât get STDs that way, she might actually believe it. And itâs your responsibility to tell her that herpes is a great example of a virus she can pick up just from giving a blowjob without using a condom. And if she argues her boyfriend doesnât have any sores down there, let her know that just because he is symptom-free doesnât necessarily mean he isnât infected. It is totally possible to have herpes and not even know it. And yes, herpes can be spread from genitals to mouth and vice versa. STDs often feel like something that only happens to other people. I mean, itâs tough to imagine your boyfriend/girlfriend/friend with benefits/that random hottie from your chemistry class being infected with an STD. But did you know that in the United States one in four sexually active teens becomes infected with an STD each year? One in four. Say you sleep with a different partner each year of college. That means by the time you graduate you will likely have contracted an STD. Because the majority of people who contract an STD donât immediately experience any noticeable symptoms, you might not even know you have one. So next time youâre thinking about having unprotected sex, weigh your choices: wait 20 seconds to put a condom on or risk getting an STD. Doesnât sound like a tough decision, does it? You may be wondering why you should care about STDs if they are sometimes symptom-free. First, you should know that just because you donât initially experience any symptoms doesnât mean you will remain always symptom-free. It is possible for symptoms to show up a couple months after contracting an STD. The symptoms can be really gross. I donât want to go into the gory details but blisters near the mouth or genitals? Ew. STDs can also have long-term effects if left untreated. Syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia, for example, can cause pelvic inflammatory disease, which can lead to sterility. As for other long-term consequences, there is a strong link between contracting HPV (the virus that causes genital warts) and developing cervical cancer. Additionally, STDs can cause complications in pregnancies. There are two kinds of STDs: bacterial and viral. As Iâm sure you guessed, bacterial STDs are caused by bacteria and viral STDs are caused by viruses. The important thing to know is that bacterial STDs including as gonorrhea, syphilis, and chlamydia can be cured with antibiotics. The four main types of viral STDs are often known as the four Hâs: HIV, HPV, herpes, and hepatitis B. Did you know hepatitis B is the only STD that can be prevented with a vaccine? But while the four Hâs have no cure, their symptoms can often be treated. While it is not possible to contract an STD if neither partner has one, it is important to remember that people often arenât aware they are infected. If you and your partner absolutely donât want to use condoms because you are using some other sort of birth control, make sure to get tested for STDs before engaging in sexual activity. Remember you can get STDs from oral and anal sex too! Health Services offers STD testing. You and your partner could even make a date out of it. Go into Philly, grab lunch, and go to Planned Parenthood. Check out http://www.plannedparenthood.org for locations. It may sound silly, but trust me, itâs better to be safe than sorry! |
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H.I.V. and Herpes: Treating Herpes Doesnât Reduce Chance That AIDS Virus Will Spread, Study Finds 09-02-2010 Treating herpes in people who are also infected with H.I.V. does not reduce the chances that they will pass on the AIDS virus, according to a new study. The results were a surprise, said the lead author, Dr. Connie Celum, a professor of global health at the University of Washington. For unknown reasons, the herpes drug acyclovir lowers the level of AIDS virus in the blood. Still, Dr. Celum said, âno one knew whether that would be enough to reduce H.I.V. transmission.â For the study, which appeared last week in The New England Journal of Medicine, researchers at 14 sites across Africa screened 50,000 couples to find 3,400 in which one partner was infected with both viruses and both partners agreed to remain in the study for two years. All participants were given condoms; half got acyclovir, and half got a placebo. Those on acyclovir had only half as many genital sores and had less AIDS virus in their blood. Nonetheless, those in both groups transmitted the AIDS virus to their partners at the same rate. (Viral testing showed that almost 30 percent were actually infected by other partners, but those cases were dropped from the study.) Giving condoms and advice did lower overall infection rates, however. While acyclovir is cheaper than antiretroviral drugs and has fewer side effects, ânew strategies are neededâ to stop AIDS transmission, the authors concluded. |
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Attraction Institute Announces to the Dating Advice World: How To Become An Alpha Male 09-02-2010 A new website is promising men help in creating successful, authentic, intimate relationships with women by unleashing their inner alpha male. With a no-nonsense writing style, www.AttractionInstitute.org is experiencing great success as it takes the seduction community head-on with its âanti-pickup artistâ flavour of dating advice for single men. âQuite often we see men âactingâ alpha male. Basically, these men are performing the characteristics of an alpha male in order to get the girl. What these men donât realise is that the alpha males they are mimicking donât change themselves to get the girl. They simply BE themselves unapologetically, and women, weâve found, are naturally attracted to that. So we help men realise their own inner alpha male; help them identify and walk their own path of happiness, and bring that as their gift to women. If our clients are anything to go by, this method has proven to be very successful,â offers Leigh Louey-Gung, one of the co-founders of AttractionInstitute.org. With an emphasis on authentic relating, an understanding of the masculine-feminine dynamic, and an anti-seduction community zeal, Attraction Institute hopes to pave the way for a new breed of man: one whoâs not afraid to be himself, not afraid to stand by his own principles and values, and not afraid to be vulnerable as he pursues his life, love, and career. |
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Mice stave off HIV infection 07-02-2010 The mice in J. Victor Garcia-Martinez's lab at UNC-Chapel Hill foretell a major new breakthrough in the fight against AIDS. Engineered to have human immune systems, healthy rodents have repeatedly been exposed to the virus that causes AIDS, but nearly all have warded off infection. Their immunity comes from a daily, preventive dose of a common anti-retroviral drug. What that means, if the results bear out in human trials under way, is that a pill a day may keep infection away. : Results People Need to see Before Using "It looks to be one of the most promising prevention [approaches], but like everything in HIV, nothing is simple," said Dr. Timothy D. Mastro, vice president of health and developmental sciences for Family Health International, a research group that is testing the daily pill in human trials. Hailed as a potentially momentous development, a prevention pill could also carry significant public health risks. (HIV infects an estimated 2.5million new people a year worldwide.) Among the biggest fears is that a daily prevention pill, used incorrectly, could fuel a resistant strain of the virus, much like rampant antibiotic use has rendered many front-line weapons powerless against common bacterial infections. And taken daily like a birth control pill, which guards against pregnancy but does nothing to protect women from sexually transmitted diseases, an HIV pill could also spark epidemics of syphilis, hepatitisC, herpes and other diseases, if people quit using condoms during risky sexual encounters. That's a likely if. Only about 40 percent of men and women in the United States use a condom despite shooting drugs or having high-risk sex that increases their chances of contracting HIV, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Yet such perils do not dampen excitement about the prospect of a prevention pill, particularly as vaccines and cures remain distant ambitions, despite billions of dollars spent on research. "It's a humongous leap forward," said John Paul Womble, an AIDS activist and interim director of the Alliance of AIDS Services - Carolina. 'The approach is terrific' Much depends on results from the human trials. At least nine trials involving more than 20,000 people are in various stages worldwide. A small U.S. study has been completed, and the results are likely to be reported this year. Mastro, at Family Health International in Research Triangle Park, said findings from at least three human trials would be needed before world health leaders could determine whether to recommend the preventive pill on a large scale. The key questions they want answered are whether a common drug, used in the novel way, is safe and effective. Such results could be available within two years, Mastro said. But tantalizing insights have emerged from the mouse study, reported in January by Garcia's lab at UNC-CH. Using humanized mice, Garcia's team exposed them to HIV. For all routes of infection - both sexual and intravenous - the daily prevention dose protected the animals from contracting HIV. Even with intravenous exposure, which is the virus's most efficient path into the body, infection was stymied in all but one mouse. "That is amazing," Garcia said. "You cannot give the virus a better opportunity to infect than intravenous exposure. The fact that the drugs worked - the approach is terrific." The strategy is not entirely new. For years, doctors have nearly eliminated HIV transmissions to infants by giving a regimen of anti-retroviral drugs to infected mothers before childbirth, and then to the babies immediately after. Nurses and other health workers have also been given a short round of the drugs to thwart infections after accidentally pricking themselves with HIV-contaminated needles. But the key to the current approach is offering daily pills to healthy people before any known exposures have occurred - so-called pre-exposure prophylaxis. Current PreEP trials are testing the drug Truvada, an anti-retroviral therapy in the arsenal doctors use to treat HIV-positive patients. Among the biggest chal lenges is making sure people take the pills every day. As any woman who uses birth control pills can attest, there are inevitable slip-ups. What worries researchers is that on-again, off-again use enables the wily HIV to develop resistance to drug therapies. And poor compliance could be a significant issue, especially in the United States, where the high-risk population includes sex workers and intravenous drug abusers. "It is something that definitely can't be ignored and must be addressed head-on," said Paul W. Denton, a member of Garcia's research team. "Adherence is going to be the key to preventing resistance. But you can have individuals who will not follow instructions. We put seats belts in cars and not every one chooses to wear them." Still, the risk that HIV could develop resistance is small, other researchers said, and does not outweigh the potential benefits of a prevention pill. Dr. Myron Cohen, an infectious disease specialist who leads UNC-CH's HIV research efforts as director of the Institute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases, said the drug being used as the prevention pill holds up well against the virus's mutations. "Resistance is something to be monitored and concerned about, it's not a reason to quit," Cohen said. Keeping condoms Acknowledging the risks, health leaders are working to craft an approach that would assure the best compliance should a prevention pill roll out. Mastro said Family Health International is involved in some of those efforts. "If and when we prove that pre-exposure is safe and effective, we will have a real challenge to make sure the prevention message is communicated," Mastro said. One approach is to stress the continuing need to use condoms in addition to taking the pill. That's a tough sell. In the gay community, where the message to use a condom has been a drumbeat for the more than 25 years that HIV has been identified, the temptation to pop a pill and forgo other protective measures could overwhelm better judgment. "'Condoms are important for everybody but me' - that's the mind-set, and it landed me where I am today," said Womble, who is HIV positive and now works as a community activist with the AIDS alliance. Womble said instead of using condoms, many gay men now choose to segregate themselves into HIV positive or negative groups, essentially limiting their sexual encounters to people who share their HIV status. And that has its own pitfalls - among them a resurgence of other sexually transmitted diseases. In recent years, North Carolina has seen a spike in syphilis cases, particularly among black men who have sex with other men. Public health leaders fear an HIV prevention pill could exacerbate that trend. "It's good news, certainly, and if the human trials look good, it's an immense cause to celebrate," said Jacquelyn Clymore, head of the state's HIV/STD prevention branch. "But HIV is just one of the things that you can transmit and catch. A pill is not going to change the fact that everyone still needs to know their HIV and STD status, and we have to make careful and responsible decisions about who we're doing what with in order to protect our health." Building a triumph Despite the inherent hazards, Clymore and others said a prevention pill could usher in an entirely new era in the fight against HIV - and that would be a welcome victory. Since HIV was identified in the 1980s, the United States and other countries have poured billions of dollars into vaccine research, potential cures and prevention efforts. Although there have been major successes - notably the development of AZT and other anti-retrovirals that have kept millions alive, though not disease free - there have beenmany disappointments. Finding a vaccine, especially, has been frustrating. Scientists five years ago regrouped after yet another vaccine candidate failed, forming an international consortium centered at Duke University to share research in the hopes of speeding discoveries. Those efforts are no less important, even if the prevention pill proves safe and effective, said Cohen, the UNC-CH researcher, who is also one of the leaders of the vaccine consortium. "Every case where we prevent infection is critical," he said. "But to have the entire species take a pre-exposure prophylactic is unreasonable. We haven't worked out the details of this intervention - who will be given the pill and to what benefit. And you still have all the other STDs, unwanted pregnancies and other things." Costs are also a factor. A regimen of Truvada runs upward from $850 a month when used as an HIV treatment, and it's unclear whether the costs would come down for a daily prevention pill. Cohen said additional studies may prove that daily use isn't necessary, or that a topical gel could serve as an option. Yet in the absence of a vaccine or cure, a prevention pill is progress - if also an additional challenge. "The fact of the matter is, anything that will help reduce the spread of any STD is to be commended and embraced without exception," said Tom Intiso, an AIDS activist with the alliance. "The problem is ... we have failed across the board, as public health professionals, to do a good enough job in the community to prevent HIV and STDs." |
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National Black AIDS/HIV Awareness Day 07-02-2010 The numbers are alarming. Of everyone in the country living with HIV, 56% are African American. Here in Harris County 43% of the people with HIV are black. February 7th is National Black AIDS/HIV Awareness Day. A number of churches were helping spread information and awareness including The Fountain of Praise Church. Dozens of people at the church stopped by the display to find out more information about being tested. "Many are asking questions about how discreet is the test, how accurate is the test, how soon will I know my results?" says Jasmahn Dabney, the intervention specialist for the Association for the Advancement of Mexican Americans. Many clinics now use oral swabs to test for HIV. You get your results in 20 minutes. "We need more than just an HIV awareness month or week. It really has to be something we do everyday. This problem is consuming the African American community. It is at a crisis point" says Texas Congressman Al Green. Many of the people stopping by the exhibit had no idea HIV was spreading so fast in the African American community. "We definitely want to empower people throughout this time of the month, this particular day and for their whole lives so that they are empowered and they know what their status is" says Mia Wright the first lady of Fountain of Praise. Last year in Harris County 1,289 people tested positive for HIV. Those are just the new cases. Houston ranks fourth for the most new HIV cases in the country. |
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STDS are Present in Half of Teen Girls Within 2 Years of Beginning to Have Sex 04-02-2010 According to research at least half of teenage girls who become sexual active have developed STD within two years of having started, and for many of these girls the infection occurs by the time theyre 15 years of age. Researchers followed the habits of 386 urban teens between the ages of 14 and 17 for as many as 8 years. Within 2 years of beginning to have sex half of these girls had become infected with one of many common sexually transmitted diseases. Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, or Trichomonas vaginalis (the organisms that cause Chlamydia), gonorrhea and trichomoniasis were most common. A full quarter of these girls had already had the infection by the them they were 15, most commonly Chlamydia. Repeated infections were very common. Within 4 to 6 months (depending on the organism) after treatment of the previous infection, a quarter of the women were re-infected with the same organism. As soon as these girls are becoming sexually active theyre susceptible to infection from these diseases. Unfortunately these girls are often going untested because the age of the girl is often lower than that of the age of consent. These young women are vulnerable to STIs, but because of their younger age, they may not be perceived by health care providers as having STI risk, and thus are not screened in a timely manner. For urban adolescent women, STI screening (especially for chlamydia) should begin within 1 year after first intercourse and infected individuals should be retested frequently, preferably every 3 to 4 months. To my knowledge, this study provides the first data on the timing of the initial STI and subsequent STIs following the onset of sexual activity in urban adolescent women. |
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Lets Talk About Sex and Babies 04-02-2010 Its all around us. Television, movies, magazines, the internet; all secrete one thing into our minds- SEX. In a society filled with sex and temptation, does anyone abstain from sex until marriage anymore? According to www.livestrong.com, the United States has the highest number of teenage pregnancies in the industrialized world. Hollywood glamorizes pregnancy. Movies such as Juno, Knocked Up, and even the show Teen Mom on MTV put a spotlight on young, single women getting pregnant. However, as many teen mothers know, having a child at a young age is not at all glamorous. Statistics show that teenage mothers have a significantly lower chance of graduating high school, as well as lower math and reading skills than their childless counterparts. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one third of girls get pregnant before age 20. It is reported that there are 750,000 teen pregnancies each year. Of these pregnancies, eight out of 10 are unintentional. Most teen pregnancies are not planned. The pregnancy pact which occurred in Gloucester, Massachusetts in 2008 was an extreme display of this phenomenon. This pact was created by teen girls at Gloucester High School, and resulted in 17 girls getting pregnant. According to www.time.com, the girls involved in the pact were looking forward to becoming mothers and having their children play together. The plans made by these girls display a skewed reality of parenthood; especially teen parenthood. I myself became pregnant at 18, a few months after graduating high school. I moved into an apartment with my boyfriend, thinking we were going to be a happy family. Needless to say, it did not turn out that way. He moved to North Carolina when I was eight months pregnant, and I was left alone to raise our daughter. I could not go to college like I had planned, so I worked full time for two years. Nothing seems to turn out as planned when you are a teen mother. I could not do all the things that my friends were doing, and I felt alone. Aside from the struggles I have faced, I am extremely lucky to have a supportive family who have always been there for me. Now, my daughter is three, and I could not be happier. I am so proud to be her mother. She changed my life in ways that I did not know were possible. I have been through so much more than most people my age, and it gives me a greater perspective of life. At the opposite end of the spectrum, there are young people who wish to abstain from sex until marriage. Famous figures such as the Jonas brothers, Miley Cyrus, and Jordan Sparks all claim to be saving themselves for marriage. These figures have made purity a new fad. Purity rings became popular within Christian abstinence groups in the 1990s. Abstinence movements have a large following of young people. One of the major abstinence movements is called True Love Waits. Supporters of these movements typically do not agree with the option of schools providing birth control to students. They believe abstinence-only education is the only way to promote the sacredness of sex in the institution of marriage. Abstinence-only education teaches students to save themselves for marriage, and disregards discussing birth control and safe sex options. Former President George W. Bush was a promoter of abstinence-only education within schools. He created Community Based Abstinence Education (CBAE) to fund these programs in schools. Many people take issue with abstinence-only education within schools. Particularly, professionals in the medical field argue that these programs are unsuccessful in providing sufficient information to protect the health of teens. There is often an emphasis on the morality aspect of abstinence. Many critics see this as an infringement on secular schools by incorporating religious beliefs in education. According to www.ucsusa.org, abstinence programs may actually increase the number of teen pregnancies. The real question is if teens are less likely to engage in sexual activity as a result of abstinence education. Abstinence programs may make teens think twice before they have sex, but in the end they will probably end up doing it anyway said Matt Besson, a junior at Millersville. Aside from unwanted pregnancies, Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) are also prevalent among young people. The CDC reports that 19 million new cases of STDs occur each year. Almost 50 percent of these new cases occur between the ages 15 to 24. The American Social Health Association (ASHA) has reported that half of all new HIV infections occur in teens. The ASHA also reports that less than half of teenagers in the America have talked about sexual health and STDs during health visits or in school. Chlamydia is the most common STD in America. According to www.familyfirstaid.org, 2.8 million new cases of chlamydia are reported each year. The amount of cases reported has dramatically increased in the last decade. Many health professionals feel this is due to the increased numbers of people getting tested for the disease. Chlamydia is one of the most under-diagnosed diseases in the country. This is due to the fact that many times it is asymptomatic. It is most commonly seen in the age range of 15-24, and is three times more likely to be seen in women than men. Whether you choose to have sex or practice abstinence, the best tool to staying safe is obtaining knowledge. Being informed about the positive and negative aspects is essential to making the best decisions regarding sex. |
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Get the medical perspective, know the facts of anal sex 03-02-2010 You might have noticed the sex column about anal sex: Clean and painless anal sex- no butts about it. It might be beneficial for you to write the next column about anal sex from a medical perspective. Does it have any adverse effects? There was not one sentence on condom use, health risks, STIs, etc. Perhaps it is time for an anal sex health risk reduction booster? These are some of the questions I received after the Doing it in the Duke City column ran in the Lobo on Jan. 21. In that column, Ms. Riley discussed how to make anal sex comfortable, enjoyable and clean. I thought Id balance the picture with a reminder of the risks. Anal sex is not a new activity, nor is it rare. Men and women both heterosexual and homosexual practice it. Although it is difficult to know how many people engage in anal sex, one survey reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated 40 percent of men reported having had penile-anal sex with a woman and eight percent with a man. 35 percent of women in the survey reported having penile-anal sex with a man. I dont know how accurate these numbers are, but I do suspect anal sex is more common than you think. Most people who engage in anal sex do it because they enjoy it. Some do it to avoid pregnancy. Some virgin women have anal sex instead of vaginal sex, feeling that this preserves their virginity. The basic risks of anal sex are disease spread and injury. Any sexually transmitted disease can be passed anally. HIV is more contagious through anal sex than vaginal sex. Hepatitis B and C can also be passed this way, as can herpes, gonorrhea, chlamydia and syphilis. Human papilloma virus, or HPV, can be transmitted anally, resulting in warts inside the rectum or around the anus. HPV infection increases the risk of cancer of the infected tissues. These diseases can pass both ways, by the way, from anus to penis as well as vice versa. Take-home lesson? Use a condom. We have them at Student Health and Counseling. Bacterial infections can happen after anal sex as well. The normal gut is full of bacteria. That isnt a problem in fact, they serve a useful purpose. But if these bacteria get to someplace they dont belong, it can be a problem. For example, if tissue is damaged during rough or improperly lubricated anal sex, the damaged tissue can get infected and form an abscess which has to be surgically drained. So, make sure you use enough lubrication. Also, if a penis is inserted into a vagina after being in an anus, this can cause an infection in the vagina. If you go from anal to vaginal intercourse, change condoms in between. Hepatitis A is a virus that is carried in the intestinal system. This virus can be passed from one person to another by direct oral to anal contact, or by oral contact with a penis after anal penetration of an infected person. Again, use condoms for anal sex, and remove or change them before other sexual activity. Finally, there is a risk of direct injury from anal penetration. The tissue around the anus is fragile and easily damaged. Be careful and use lubrication. What you, as consenting adults, do for pleasure in the privacy of your bedroom is your business. I just want you to be safe while doing it. Dr. Peggy Spencer |
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Oral sex and STIs 03-02-2010 Donna Hussey-Whyte Monday, February 01, 2010 WHILE oral sex is fast becoming a highlight of many couples' intimate lives, some are unaware that it can expose them to as much sexually transmitted infections (STIs), as with unprotected sexual intercourse. Oral sex is the act of sexual intimacy from mouth to penis (fellatio), mouth to vagina (cunnilingus) or mouth to anus. Gynaecologist Dr Charles Rockhead, said any sexual infection that one can get from sexual intercourse, can be transmitted through oral sex. "The rule of thumb is that if you won't have unprotected sex with someone, don't have oral sex with them, because the same viral or bacterial infection that can be transmitted through intercourse, can be transmitted through oral sex," he said. Rockhead added that the situation is the same for both men and women. STIs are caused by viruses or bacteria that like warm, soft, moist places such as your mouth and genital area (penis, vulva, vagina, anus, area between penis and anus, and area between vulva and anus). "Remember that most of the viruses are also in the saliva, so you have a transfer from genitals to mouth and from mouth back to the genital area," the doctor noted. While all STIs can be transferred through the mouth, some of the more common ones you can get are chlamydia, syphilis, gonorrhoea and herpes. In fact, people can even develop genital warts in the mouth as a result of transfer of STI. HIV can be passed through cuts in the mouth or small abrasions. According to Rockhead, the only way to prevent the transfer of infection is to abstain from both oral and anal sex, as well as intercourse or for both partners to be tested before getting sexually involved. If, however, you choose to have oral sex, ensure that you use a barrier method to prevent direct contact between one partner's mouth and the other's genitals, such as condoms or dental dams. Dental dams are small squares of latex that were made originally for use in dental procedures. They are now commonly used as barriers when performing oral sex on women, to keep in vaginal fluids that could transmit an STI. Some people use plastic wrap instead of a dental dam. |
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Proper Condom Use Promoted at Local Pubs and Bars 03-02-2010 ALBANY, NY (02/03/2010)(readMedia)-- Upper Hudson Planned Parenthood will kick off its annual celebration of National Condom Week this Saturday, February 6th at the Envy Lounge in Albany and events will continue through February 13th. During the week, UHPP staff and volunteers will be out at local pubs and night spots armed with games and give-aways to increase awareness about prevention of sexually transmitted infections. And with the current news that infections including HPV and chlamydia are skyrocketing among young people, this knowledge is clearly needed. In 2008, the nation was stunned by a report from the US Centers for Disease Control stating that 1 out of 4 teenage girls had a sexually transmitted disease, which accounted for more than 3 million teens. The focus of that report was on the HPV virus, which has many stains the worst of which can cause cervical cancer and genital warts. But chlamydia rates were also very high and even gonorrhea rates, which had been declining, are now on the rise. It seems that Americans, young and old, are simply not taking the steps necessary to prevent the spread of sexually transmitted infections. " It's never too early or too late to be educated about sexual health and responsibility," stated Rob Curry, Senior Vice President for External Affairs at UHPP. "The pain and long term medical and emotional consequences of STIs can be avoided if just a few simple steps are taken. Condoms used correctly are the best protection against STIs, but unlike their counterparts in Europe, not enough sexually active Americans are using condoms either correctly or consistently. Being prepared can make the difference of a lifetime. " For the past several years, UHPP has collaborated with local businesses on this annual event. Patrons of participating businesses will have the chance to engage in various educational games and win prizes. One game featured will be the "Wheel of Choice", in which participants spin a roulette styled wheel and answer questions regarding sexual activity. At all venues, UHPP will be providing "safe sex kits" containing condoms, lubricant, finger cot, dental dam, and information about Emergency Contraception, UHPP services and the proper way to use a condom. The condoms distributed will be Planned Parenthood's new brand, Proper Attire. The brand was launched two years ago with great fanfare. The condom packaging is particularly designed to appeal to women, with the goal of making women more comfortable in purchasing and carrying condoms. Today, more than 20 million Proper Attire condoms are sold annually. As of now, local events scheduled for Condom Week include" Sat. Feb 6 Envy 11pm- 1am Thurs, Feb 11 Lark Tavern 9 -11pm Fri, Feb 12 Sutters, 5-7pm; Bayou and Waterworks, 10-12pm; Jillian's 12mid-2am Sat. Feb 13 George Bar, 9-11pm; Plastic Nightclub 11:30pm- 1am National Condom Week is celebrated at events all across the country and sponsored by over 100 health programs and youth aimed organizations. (While National Condom Week is most often celebrated beginning on Valentine's Day, UHPP is holding its events a week early this year, to get ahead of school vacation week and of Valentine's Day celebrations.) Its purpose is to inform sexually active Americans about the proper usage of condoms, the dangers and risks associated with not knowing how to properly use protection, where to get tested, and how to properly handle infections, when detected. For more information call Upper Hudson Planned Parenthood at 1-800-230-PLAN or visit our website at www.uhpp.org. |
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Study: 56% of Young Adults in a New Sexual Relationship Infected with HPV 03-02-2010 By John-Henry Westen MONTREAL, February 3, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) - If ever there was a reason for parents to warn their teens off sexual encounters before marriage, a recent study has found it. The groundbreaking study of couples found more than half (56 per cent) of young adults in a new sexual relationship were infected with the sexually transmitted human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV, a virus which condoms cannot protect against, is the leading cause of cervical cancer. Of those infected with HPV, nearly half (44 per cent) were infected with an HPV type that causes cancer. The study, led by Professor Eduardo Franco, Director of McGill University's Cancer Epidemiology Unit, in collaboration with a team of colleagues from McGill and Université de Montréal/Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM), is the first large-scale study of HPV infection among couples early in their sexual relationships when transmission is most likely. The results, published in the January 2010 issues of Epidemiology and Sexually Transmitted Diseases, also indicate there is a high probability of HPV transmission between partners. When one partner had HPV, the researchers observed that in 42 per cent of couples, the other partner also had the infection. Moreover, the researchers found that the presence of HPV in one partner was the strongest predictor of finding the same HPV type in the other partner. If one partner was infected with HPV, the other partner's chance of also being infected with the same HPV type increased over 50 times. In addition to cervical cancer, HPV causes other cancers, including those of the vulva, vagina, anus, and penis. Although HPV viruses are very common more than 70 per cent of women and men will have this type of infection at some point the vast majority of infections are asymptomatic and last no more than one or two years. Even though fewer than 1 per cent of women who have HPV will get cervical cancer, the numbers remain alarming. While abstinence before marriage is the only sure way to avoid infection, drug companies have developed a controversial HPV vaccine which has been heavily pushed by governments. The vaccine Gardasil - was hastily developed and has been plagued with reports of health hazards, and has been associated with numerous death. A government watchdog organization called Judicial Watch obtained information on Gardasil from Freedom of Information requests in 2007 and 2008 finding a total of 47 deaths and thousands of serious adverse effects associated with the vaccine. |
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Genital herpes frequently reactivates on both sides of the body 01-02-2010 A new but small study shows that genital herpes frequently reactivates throughout the genital tract. The findings were previously unknown and have implications for the treatment of genital herpes, caused by the herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2). Christine Johnston, MD, MPH, and colleagues at the University of Washington and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle sampled separate genital sites in four women infected with HSV-2 over a 30 day period. The HSV2 virus was found more than half of the time from more than one site from shedding of the herpes virus. Herpes reactivation was frequently seen on both sides of the body throughout the genital tract during symptoms and even when symptoms were absent. Genital herpes treatment has been focused on treating single lesions, making the study important for understanding how to curb the spread of herpes and treat existing infections. Another recent study showed that even healed genital herpes can increase the chances of HIV infection. The findings were published August 2009 in the journal Nature Medicine, showing that healed genital herpes provides a favorable environment for the HIV virus to attach. According to the CDC, genital herpes affect 45 million people over age 12 in the United States. Genital herpes can be transmitted even when there is no apparent lesion. Some individuals are not aware they have been infected with herpes, making the spread difficult to control. Genital herpes is spread through sexual contact. Using condoms can reduce the chances of spreading and contracting herpes. The new study gives new insights into understanding how genital herpes reactivates throughout the genital tract. The findings should lead to new treatment and prevention of genital herpes pending further studies. |
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Herpes Medication Does Not Reduce Risk of HIV Transmission, Study Finds 01-02-2010 ScienceDaily (Jan. 25, 2010) A five-year international multi-center clinical trial has found that acyclovir, a drug widely used as a safe and effective treatment taken twice daily to suppress herpes simplex virus-2 (HSV-2), which is the most common cause of genital herpes, does not reduce the risk of HIV transmission when taken by people infected with both HIV and HSV-2. Up to 90% of people with HIV infection also have HSV-2 infection. Most people who are infected with HSV-2 do not know they have the virus because symptoms can be mild or absent. HSV-2 infection can cause recurrent sores and breaks in the skin of the genital region, which can be mild and often go unnoticed. HSV-2 infection also attracts immune cells called CD4 T-cells to the genital region, which HIV uses to establish or pass infection. Multiple studies have shown that frequent genital herpes recurrences increase the amount of HIV in the blood and genital tract. The HIV virus is also shed from genital herpes ulcers and persons with such ulcers transmit HIV to others more efficiently. Five preliminary studies showed that it is possible to decrease the amount of HIV in the blood and genital tract through treatment to suppress HSV-2, but these studies did not measure whether this translated into a reduction in HIV transmission. Researchers had hoped that acyclovir's ability to suppress the herpes virus, which causes symptomatic genital sores and breaks in the skin but also frequently is active without symptoms, could reduce the likelihood of sexual transmission of HIV from a person with HIV and HSV-2. The study is the first to determine whether twice daily use of acyclovir by individuals who are infected with both HSV-2 and HIV reduced the transmission of HIV to their sexual partners. The authors conclude that daily acyclovir therapy did not reduce the risk of transmission of HIV, in spite of the fact that acyclovir reduced plasma HIV RNA by a ź log and the occurrence of genital ulcers due to HSV-2 by 73%. Led by the University of Washington in Seattle and funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Partners in Prevention HSV/HIV Transmission Study was conducted among 3,408 African HIV serodiscordant couples, in which one partner had HIV and the other did not. In all the couples, the partner who had HIV also had HSV-2 infection. The study took place at 14 sites in seven countries in eastern and southern Africa (Botswana, Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia). In sub-Saharan Africa, the majority of new HIV infections occur among heterosexual HIV discordant couples, many of whom are in stable partnerships and unaware that one partner has HIV and the other does not. Genital herpes is thought to be a factor in a substantial proportion of new HIV infections in Africa. The study began recruitment in Nov. 2004 and ended follow-up of participants in Oct. 2008. Results were first announced in May 2009 and were presented at the International AIDS Society (IAS) meeting in Cape Town, South Africa, on July 22, 2009. In the primary analysis of HIV transmissions determined by laboratory testing to have occurred within the couple and not acquired from an outside partner, there were 41 infections in the acyclovir arm and 43 in the placebo arm -- not a significant difference. Of the partners who were infected with HIV, 68 % were women. Acyclovir suppressive treatment did show significant reductions in the frequency of genital ulcers (by 73%) and the average amount of HIV in the blood (by 0.25 log10 copies/milliliter, a reduction of 40%), compared to the placebo arm. "As is often the case with large efficacy trials, you learn to expect surprises," said Dr. Connie Celum, the leader of the study and a UW professor of Global Health and Medicine in the Division of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. "We found that, in spite of a significant reduction in plasma HIV levels and genital ulcer disease with acyclovir suppressive therapy, there was no reduction in HIV transmission. This was a disappointing finding, but a critical outcome of this study is the understanding that interventions must achieve a bigger reduction in HIV levels in order to reduce HIV transmission, especially among persons with high HIV levels. This will be important in informing future interventions to reduce HIV infectiousness." Celum said the study is a direct assessment of the impact of herpes suppression on HIV transmission and is the most direct way to see if it's possible to make a person less infectious and less likely to transmit HIV to their partner. Although the primary outcome of reducing HIV transmission was not observed, Celum said the study achieved many significant mileŹstones that will help to inform HIV prevention research in a number of ways. Among these were HIV testing of approximately 55,000 couples of unknown HIV serostatus, screening of more than 6,500 HIV serodiscordant couples, and enrollŹment of 3,408 couples in which the HIV- infected partner was dually infected with HSV-2 and not eligible for antiretroviral therapy, based on national guidelines. Adherence to twice daily acyclovir was high, with 88% of doses dispensed (the drug was not dispensed during pregnancy or if visits were missed), and 96% of dispensed doses taken, as measured by pill counts. Retention of study participants at 24 months of follow-up was 92% for HIV infected partners and 84% for HIV uninfected partners. The Partners in Prevention HSV/HIV Transmission Study is the first clinical trial to directly test whether suppressing HSV-2 infection in HIV-infected persons could reduce rates of HIV transmission and HIV disease progression. The study was randomized, placebo-controlled and double-blinded, meaning that both participants and the care providers did not know which treatment the participants were receiving. Both the placebo and treatment groups received standard HIV prevention services, which included being supplied with condoms, treated for other sexually transmitted infections, and provided care for HIV infection. All participants received extensive counseling, both individually and as a couple, throughout the study period, on how to reduce the risk of HIV infection. "This was an ambitious study, and I applaud our collaborators at the University of Washington, the investigators and study teams in Africa, the study participants, and the communities where the study was done, for their dedication over the past five years," Celum said. "We will continue to learn from this study about risk factors for HIV transmission, which will bear fruit for both the HIV prevention and the vaccine fields for years to come." |
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