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STDs pose threat to sexually active college students 06-09-2010 By Sophia Halbrook Staff Writer Published: Monday, August 30, 2010 Updated: Sunday, August 29, 2010 College students are faced with a whirlwind of choices and pressures on a daily basis - go out or study, go shopping or save, protected or unprotected sex. One threat to college students is the presence of sexually transmitted diseases. STDs can be consequences of making a careless choice or giving in to a tempting pressure. Some students take measures to prevent STDs. Alyssa Chamiok, a senior Texas Tech student majoring in education, gives advice to other students. “I think you should get tested regularly, and be honest with your partner,” she said. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website, half of all sexually transmitted diseases in the United States occur in people under the age of 25. The website also reports that in 2006 an estimated 5,259 young people ages 13 to 24 in the 33 states reporting to CDC were diagnosed with HIV/AIDS, representing about 14 percent of people diagnosed that year. Sam Prien, professor at the Texas Tech University Health Science Center School of Medicine Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, discussed the Lubbock STD rate in comparison to the national average. “Chlamydia is the most common STD in this area. The rate is somewhere between 10 and 12 percent of the reproductive population. That’s three to four times the national average,” Prien said. Prien said Chlamydia is not the only STD that has a rate well above the national average locally. “Gonorrhea is the second most common STD. It’s between four and five percent,” he said. Prien said there are other STDs that affect Lubbock residents, especially college students. He said Herpes is controllable and probably the least worrisome STD someone could contract out of all STDs “If you look at the other infections, HIV can eventually kill you,” Prien said. “Syphilis and Gonorrhea, untreated can kill you. HPV can lead to cervical cancer. We’re not sure what herpes does besides cause outbreaks.” Prien said if someone is infected with an STD, measures need to be taken to avoid spreading the infection to other people. He said a change in lifestyle needs to occur. “The absolute only way of preventing an STD is abstinence,” Prien said. “The second best and only other method is use of a condom.” Prien also gave advice to students in college and high school. “Keep in mind you have sex with every person your partner has ever had sex with,” Prien said. “You cannot use the look test an just assume someone does not have an STD. You have to be honest with your partner and not be so quick to engage in sexual activity.” |
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Foursquare offers badge for STD testing 06-09-2010 Social networking on phones has gotten competitive with Foursquare, a tool that lets people "check in" at the locations they visit. The reward for frequent visits to a single place is the "mayor" title - which leads to colleagues vying to be mayor of the office parking lot and restaurant patrons trying to score discounts reserved for mayors. Now there's another distinction you can earn in Foursquare: a badge for getting tested for sexually transmitted diseases. The initiative is part of It's Your (Sex) Life, a partnership between MTV and the Kaiser Family Foundation to promote sexual health responsibility in young people. The new campaign is called Get Yourself Tested. Its website offers a wealth of information about STDs and how you can get tested, as well as additional resources. You can enter your ZIP code on the website to find a convenient local testing center. To "unlock" the badge, you just have to check in on Foursquare from the health care provider where you're getting the STD test anytime in September. Once you have the badge, you're entered to win a trip for two to the MTV Studios in New York City, and attend a taping of the show "10 on Top." The campaign website also has a discussion board where young people can talk about issues such as teen pregnancy and STD testing. Other unrelated merit badges on Foursquare include "adventurer," "explorer" and "superstar," which reward people who check in at multiple different locations. There's also "crunked," for those who check in at many places in one night. |
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STDs Fact and Fiction 06-09-2010 By ANNA LAMY | Hernando Today Published: August 26, 2010 About 3 million teenagers, or about one in four sexually active teens, get a STD each year in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The occurrence of STDs remains among the most common infectious diseases in the United States. There are more than 20 identified STDs that affects more than 13 million people each year, according to the CDC. Crystal Waddy, disease intervention specialist for the Hernando County Health Department said, "In Hernando County, the incidence rate for STDs has increased over the last couple of years, since 2006." The increase in reporting can be attributed to more sensitive screening tests being available, she adds. Overall, STD infections are three times more likely to occur in females than males. However, primary and secondary stage syphilis is shown to be higher in males. According to the Florida Department of Health, bacterial STDs reported for the age group of 15-19, Hernando County is 39 percent below the state average. Also, when comparing data from 2006 to 2008, Hernando County increased by 38 percent for this same group. Hernando County ranks statewide in the lower range, along with Pasco, in comparison to Sumter and Citrus counties. The most commonly known STDs are: genital herpes, genital warts (HPV), gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia, trichomoniasis, hepatitis B, and HIV. The common five myths regarding STDs •Only 'trashy' people get STDs. Regardless of a person's 'status', anyone who engages in sexual contact or activity, puts you or a person at risk. Only individuals who abstain from sexual activities are not at risk. It is also important to note that birth control does not protect females from contracting an STD. •If your partner has an STD, you will see it. Often there are no signs visible of an STD. Most of the time, blood is drawn to test for STDs and many do not know they have one, because some do not cause symptoms. Also, some individuals are carriers and spread the virus without even knowing or having an outbreak. Untreated, STDs can cause serious health problems. •You can avoid STDs by having oral or anal sex. Where there is sexual activity, there can be risk in contracting a STD. Viruses or bacteria that cause the STD can enter the body through tiny cuts or tears in the mouth and anus, as well as the genitals. Some STDs, like herpes or genital warts, can spread just through skin-to-skin contact with an infected area or sore. •Once you have had an STD, there is no chance you can get it again. Some STDs you can get more than once. There are some that you will have for the rest of your life, herpes and HIV. Other types of STDs, like chlamydia and gonorrhea are treatable, but you can get infected again when in sexual contact with someone who has them. •If you are checked and are STD free, your partner does not need to be checked. Nothing says more to a person that 'you care' when you encourage your partner to get tested with you before engaging sexual activity. By doing so, you are protecting yourself and your partner from serious illness or health problems. Common STDs Genital herpes, a life long, incurable infection, seems to continually increase in prevalence, especially in African-Americans, in particularly females. However, overall reported cases occurring have been in a slight decline, reports the CDC. Herpes is may be more prevalent, but are not reported to the state or CDC, advises Waddy. Genital warts, also known as venereal warts or condylomata acuminata, are one of the most common types of sexually transmitted diseases. They affect the moist tissues of the genital area. They may look like small, flesh-colored bumps or have a cauliflower-like appearance. Genital warts may be very small, or they may multiply into large clusters. Genital warts are a serious health concern. The virus that causes genital warts, the human papillomavirus (HPV) has been associated with cervical cancer. It has also been linked with other types of genital cancers. "For 2009, 366 cases of STDs (chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis) were reported for the county," Waddy said, adding statewide Hernando County ranks 32nd in total cases and 63rd in cases/100,000 population." HPV infections are so common at least 50 percent of sexual active males and females get it at some point in their lives, according to the CDC. Nationwide, approximately 12,000 women get cervical cancer each year. "Chlamydia remains the most commonly reported STD in the United States," said Waddy, "There were more than 1.2 million cases reported nationally to the CDC in 2008." "The CDC estimates a 9.2 percent increase in chlamydia cases from 2007 to 2008. Florida is ranked 25th out of all the states for chlamydia," said Waddy. However, research indicates the majority of chlamydia cases go undiagnosed or unreported and there is an estimated additional 2.8 million cases occurring in the United States each year, adds Waddy. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists advises for females, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is a complication that can occur from contracting chlamydia or gonorrhea. "Florida is ranked 11th out of all the states for infectious syphilis," said Waddy. Syphilis has steadily increased the past couple of years. The southern region of the country accounts for almost 50 percent of syphilis cases in the country, reported by the CDC. "It is important individuals who are considering having sex, to get regular gynecological or male genital examinations," recommends Waddy. These exams give doctors a chance to teach about STDs and protection methods. And a regular exam provides an opportunity for a doctor to check patient for STDs while they're still in their earliest, most treatable stage. Even after treatment and 'cured', STDs can be contracted again, she adds. What is a STD? "An STD is an infection that is acquired by sexual contact," said Waddy. Anytime an individual participates in sexual activity without protection, he or she is at risk in contracting a STD or HIV. The infectious organisms that cause sexually transmitted diseases may pass from person to person in blood, semen or vaginal fluids. It is possible to contract a STD from someone who seems healthy. Many, in fact, are unaware that he/she may have an STD, she adds. At first, many STDs have no immediate symptoms of a condition. Several STDs can be mistaken for other conditions, so it is important to get the correct diagnosis. She describes symptoms as a sore or cluster of sores/bumps, with or without pain in the genital, oral or rectal areas. Sometimes symptoms can be a simple as painful urination, discharge from penis or vagina, this includes unusual bleeding for females. Other symptoms can be sore or swollen lymph nodes, particularly in the groin area, but can be more wide spread. Fever and flu-like symptoms could also occur. In addition, there are some symptoms that may not occur until several days after exposure and can appear up to three months after exposure. Also, conditions can clear up within a few weeks, without treatment. Without any treatment, progression and reoccurrence usually occurs. Transmission of the STD can still occur even without a current 'breakout.' Advance progression of STDs can have symptoms such as sores and bumps anywhere on the body, recurrent genital sores, and generalized skin rash. Other symptoms are pain during intercourse, scrotal pain — redness and swelling, pelvic pain, groin abscess, or infections associated with HIV. Also, some symptoms can be infertility, infections — neurological or cardiovascular, problems and cancer. You need to seek professional medical help and be tested for STDs if you suspect you have been exposed, your partner has one, or if you show any signs and/or symptoms mentioned. Causes of STDs Bacteria or parasites cause STDs. Many of them rely completely on sexual transmission to survive, meaning that if you have one of these conditions, you most likely got it from sexual contact. With the exception of intravenous drug abusers who have a high risk of HIV and hepatitis B infections, which can be spread through needle sharing. General risk factors to consider are: •Being sexually active. Some activities carry a high risk of transmitting infection. The riskiest activities are anal and vaginal intercourse. •Starting sexual activity at an early age. The possibility of catching an STD or becoming pregnant doesn't seem real to many adolescents. If they worry about risk at all, they do so after having sex. Also, the younger you start, the more partners you may have. •Having high-risk sex. Vaginal or anal penetration by an infected partner who is not wearing a latex condom transmits some diseases with frightening efficiency. Without a condom, a man who has gonorrhea has a 70 to 80 percent chance of infecting his female partner in a single act of vaginal intercourse. Oral sex is less risky but still too dangerous to chance without a latex condom or dental dam. •Currently having an STD. Being infected with one STD makes it much easier for another STD to take hold. If you're infected with herpes, syphilis, gonorrhea or chlamydia and you have unprotected sex with an HIV-positive partner, you're more likely to contract the virus. •Having a history of an STD. If you've had one STD, you're at increased risk of catching another one, partly because you and your potential sex partners often belong to social networks made up of people of similar age, location and background. Within these overlapping networks, couples regularly form, split up and find new partners. If one STD is making its way through such a network, there's a good chance that others are, too. •Having multiple sex partners over time. Every time you break up with one partner and move on to another, even if each relationship is monogamous, your STD risk is increased. •Using alcohol or recreational drugs. These habits lower your inhibitions and impair your judgment, so you're more likely to take sexual risks. •Injecting drugs. Needle-sharing spreads many dangerous infections, including HIV and hepatitis B. If you acquire HIV by injecting drugs, you can transmit it sexually. •Being young. Almost half of the new cases of STDs each year are in people between the ages of 15 and 24 years. •Being female. At all ages, women are more likely to have severe STD complications, such as infertility, than are men. In teenage girls and young adult women, the cervix is made up of constantly changing cells. These unstable cells make the cervix more vulnerable to certain sexually transmitted organisms, so vaginal intercourse poses added risks. •Being African-American. STDs, particularly gonorrhea and syphilis, are reported in a disproportionate number of African-Americans. This may be partly because African-Americans are more likely to receive care at clinics that report STD statistics, including breakdowns of cases by age, sex and race. •Having sex with men. Whether you're male or female, male sex partners are riskier. For women, having vaginal intercourse or performing oral sex on a man without a latex condom is a high-risk activity. Homosexual men are also at increased risk of STDs, as are male and female sex workers and their customers. Some men who have heterosexual relationships also engage in clandestine sex with other men, posing risks to themselves and their partners of both sexes. •Meeting people in public places or online for sex. Casual, anonymous sex promotes the spread of STDs across social networks and different demographic groups. Tests An individual's sexual history and current signs and symptoms may suggest they may have an STD, advises Waddy. There are laboratory tests available to identify the cause and detect co-infections. A simple test is a blood test that can confirm the diagnosis of most viral STDs, she adds. For active herpes sores, testing the fluid and scrapings of the sores is simpler and less expensive than the testing blood. Laboratory tests of material from a genital sore or discharge are used to diagnose the most common bacterial STDs at an early stage. Chlamydia may go unnoticed at this stage in both men and women, though, delaying the diagnosis until complications such as pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) occur. Women can easily miss the symptoms or signs of gonorrhea as well. Treatment Antibiotics can cure many sexually transmitted bacterial and parasitic infections, including gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia and trichomonas, advises Waddy. A single antibiotic dose, given orally or injected, and is generally all that is needed to stop gonorrhea, when it's limited to the urethra and cervix. Typically when receiving treatment, the patient will also be treated for chlamydia at the same time, because the two infections often appear together. Chlamydia treatment is a one time dose of antibiotic in the form of pill or liquid, she adds. Once you start antibiotic treatment, it's crucial to follow through, she recommends. If you don't think you'll be able to take medication as prescribed, be sure to tell your doctor. A shorter, simpler treatment regimen may be available. Sexually transmitted viral infections are not curable, but two such infections, human papillomavirus (HPV) and hepatitis B, are preventable with vaccines prior to exposure. You'll have fewer herpes recurrences if you take daily suppressive therapy with a prescription antiviral drug, but you can still give your partner herpes at any time. Treatment with highly active antiretroviral therapy and other antiviral drugs can keep HIV infection in check for many years, although the virus persists and can still be transmitted. The sooner you start treatment, the more effective it is. If you take anti-HIV medication for 28 days, starting as soon as you know you've been exposed, you may avoid becoming HIV-positive. |
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Celebs promote safe-sex message By Michaela Saunders WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER 06-09-2010 Sexually transmitted infections such as chlamydia and gonorrhea are a big problem among Douglas County youths. Really. And some big names are coming to town to deliver a message of safe sex to teens. Black Entertainment Television is bringing its international Rap-It-Up tour to Omaha Thursday night. The town hall event for 2,000 begins at 5:30 p.m. in the Omaha Northwest High School auditorium, 8204 Crown Point Ave. Teens, parents and others are encouraged to register for the free event by calling 933-9303. “We’re not going to stop until we get a handle on this epidemic,” said Wes Hall, who leads the Institute for Student Empowerment in Omaha. The institute worked with BET to make Omaha one of the four stops on this year’s Rap-It-Up tour. Rising hip-hop artist T’Juan and nationally known comedian Joe Clair will be among the celebrities involved in the event. A panel organized and paid for by BET will include a doctor, an AIDS activist and several recording artists. Hall said he hopes the energy created by Rap-It-Up will carry over into a campaign aimed at curbing Omaha’s high rate of sexually transmitted infections among young people. “The kids that are affected, they love celebrities. They’re bringing the message that ‘You have to have a safe lifestyle,’” he said. That means, he said, waiting for sex until you’re ready and knowing how to practice safe sex. Hall said he hopes to find 100 students — the Hopeful Hundred — who can be on-the-ground representatives for the importance of safe sex to prevent the spread of sexually transmitted infections. He said a “core group of students” who can share the message peer-to-peer, along with parents and community partners, will make the campaign a success. Here are the facts on infection rates in 2009, according to the Douglas County Health Department: >> In 27 of Douglas County’s 32 ZIP codes, there were 1,000 or more cases of chlamydia per 100,000 people among all youths age 15 to 24. >> Among females in that age group, 31 of the 32 ZIP codes had that infection rate. >> A person in Douglas County was nearly twice as likely to have chlamydia than another Nebraskan, and more than twice as likely to have gonorrhea. >> More than 45 percent of those with chlamydia in Douglas County were African-Americans. Among those diagnosed with gonorrhea, 62 percent were African-Americans. Valda Ford of the Douglas County STD Initiative said local data show that one in four teens who is sexually active in Douglas County has a sexually transmitted infection. “We have a lot of education to do, especially with our parents,” Ford said. Hall said some youth groups were arranging buses to the Rap-It-Up event, and some churches are involved as well. Members of Assembly of the Saints Church will volunteer at the event instead of holding regular Thursday night service. Charles Drew Health Center and the Douglas County STD Initiative will provide information and free urine testing for gonorrhea and chlamydia during the event. Test results are confidential for teens, Ford said. Anyone who tests positive will be referred for treatment and offered counseling on how to prevent infection in the future. |
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Groups work to encourage STD testing 06-09-2010 nfections like Chlamydia and gonorrhea are rising in many areas of the country. In order to curb the growing rates, health experts recommend that all sexually active adults receive an STD test. Many of the more common infections present few symptoms, and those who have contracted the disease often don't realize that they are spreading it to others. STD testing is the only way to confirm with certainty disease status. In order to encourage more people to seek STD testing, public health groups in Omaha, Nebraska are bringing Black Entertainment Television's Wrap It Up tour to the city. The event seeks to raise awareness of practicing safe sex and frequent testing. "We're not going to stop until we get a handle on this epidemic," said Wes Hall, who leads the Institute for Student Empowerment in Omaha, the group sponsoring the tour's stop, quoted by the World-Herald. "The kids that are affected, they love celebrities. They're bringing the message that 'You have to have a safe lifestyle.'" More than 15 million cases of syphilis, Chlamydia and gonorrhea are reported nationally each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. |
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Further trials planned for promising HIV prevention gel for women – UN 03-09-2010 3 September 2010 – Two further clinical trials are planned for a vaginal gel that has shown potential in reducing the risk of HIV and which, if confirmed, would be a major breakthrough in protecting women, who make up about half of the people living with the virus worldwide, the United Nations said today. The results of the first trial of the tenofovir-based gel, which were announced in July at the XVIII International AIDS Conference in Vienna, must be confirmed before the product can be made available for general use. The gel was found to be 39 per cent effective in reducing a women’s risk of HIV infection during sex in a study completed by the Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA), a collaborative partner of the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). At a meeting convened last week in Johannesburg, South Africa, by UNAIDS and the World Health Organization (WHO), experts proposed that further trials should determine whether different populations of women will have the same level of protection as seen in the CAPRISA trial. The CAPRISA study was conducted in South Africa with women aged 18 to 40 years who used the gel once during the 12 hours before sex and once during the 12 hours after sex, according to a news release issued by UNAIDS. One of the next two studies will also take place in South Africa, and determine if the CAPRISA results can be repeated in a variety of settings with a population that includes younger women. It will also evaluate whether the gel can be used safely by sexually active 16- and 17-year-olds in settings where HIV incidence is high. The other study will be conducted in other African countries and examine if a different dosing schedule is safe and effective. It will test if a single application of the gel before sex, or failing that immediately after, is equally effective and safe as the original two-dose regimen. While participants at the Johannesburg meeting agreed on research priorities, they expressed concerns over the limited funding committed for the next phase of research. Only $58 million of the estimated $100 million needed is so far available. “This promising tenofovir gel is a woman-initiated and controlled HIV prevention tool that could now be within reach,” said Catherine Hankins, Chief Scientific Adviser to UNAIDS. “Funders, advocates, and scientists can work together to close the funding gap rapidly, gather the evidence, and ensure that no time is lost in getting a safe and effective microbicide to women.” |
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Air Force: Sergeant may have exposed others to HIV 03-09-2010 WICHITA, Kan. — The military has arrested an Air Force sergeant and accused him of having unprotected sex with partners he met at "swinger" parties in central Kansas even though he knew he was HIV positive, according to a military affidavit. The Air Force Office of Special Investigations said Tuesday the man has not been charged but was ordered into pretrial confinement at a military jail on McConnell Air Force Base in Wichita by his commander while the investigation continues. The 43-year-old airman was arrested Aug. 9 and was expected to be charged in mid-September, said Air Force OSI spokeswoman Linda Card. The Air Force was working with local law enforcement and public health officials as part of the investigation, Card said. "The public health people outside the base are all working with the military health people, the mayor's office and our law enforcement people — so this isn't being kept secret from the public," Card said. The airman faces an Article 32 hearing, the military equivalent of a preliminary hearing, in September to determine whether there is enough evidence to refer his case to a general court martial, Card said. Two earlier military hearings found that his pretrial confinement was "correct," she said. Military law allows for confinement without charges while investigations are ongoing. Under military law, having intercourse without first informing a sexual partner of HIV-positive status constitutes as aggravated sexual assault, according to the Air Force affidavit, which was filed in federal court. It was not immediately known what punishment he could face if charged and convicted. Messages left Tuesday for the man's defense attorney, Capt. Aaron Maness, at Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri were not returned. No one replied to a message for comment sent to the fax machine that picked up calls at the airman's Wichita home. His cell phone number listed in a warrant has been disconnected. The Associated Press is not naming the man because he has not been charged with a crime. A federal search warrant obtained by The Associated Press shows the man is under investigation for aggravated assault against several men and women in the Wichita area by allegedly exposing them to HIV without their knowledge and consent. Investigators contend he attended at least 21 Wichita-area sex parties called "swinger" events from January 2009 until this past July, according to the affidavit. The story was first reported by the website thesmokinggun.com. A federal search warrant of the man's Wichita home shows investigators seized pornographic movies, various sexual paraphernalia, digital cameras, an address book, film, digital storage devices, news articles on HIV, among other items. The affidavit does not specify how the military confirmed the wife's claim that the airman was HIV positive, but a property receipt filed with the search warrant noted investigators had seized a blood chemistry report. The affidavit filed in support of that search warrant stated that the sergeant had engaged in numerous unprotected sex acts with multiple partners over the past three years. His wife told authorities her husband became infected in 2007 while stationed in Italy. The wife claimed that after being assigned to McConnell in December 2008, her husband began having unprotected sex with numerous partners and bragged to her that he never informed the other parties of being HIV-positive, according to the affidavit. He allegedly photographed or filmed those sexual exploits. |
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Getting Tested for Herpes 29-08-2010 Does testing positive for herpes mean you will inevitably have outbreaks? Does a positive herpes test result always mean you can spread genital herpes to others? These are among the questions raised by readers of the Consults blog. Dr. Peter Leone, associate professor at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine and Public Health, addresses testing for the two types of herpes simplex virus: HSV-2, the main cause of genital herpes, and HSV-1, responsible for most cases of oral herpes, or cold sores. Q. I have had a positive blood test for HSV-2, do not take any suppressive medications and do not have any outbreaks. What Dr. Leone says about virtually everyone having four to six outbreaks a year is absolutely not my experience. This is a nonevent in my life, honestly. kj, N.Y. Q. Antibody-positive means the person has the virus because it never clears. Therefore, antibody-positive means the person can potentially transmit it to others, symptoms or not (though asymptomatic transmission rates are much lower than during outbreaks). Most of the people who have herpes were never asked if they wanted to risk contracting an incurable virus for life. If you have it, you know you wouldn’t wish this on anyone else — at least not out of the blue, without warning. Please care more for your partners than the person who gave this to you did — inform them before you expose them and allow them the choice. Their lifetime sexual health is more important than your shyness/concern your feelings will get hurt. Right? Bcereus, Seattle A. Dr. Peter Leone responds: As with all human herpes viruses, once an individual is infected with the herpes simplex virus, or HSV, he or she is infected for life. The presence of antibodies against herpes simplex means an individual is currently infected with the virus. A positive antibody test does not indicate merely that one has been “exposed” to HSV. Nor does it mean you are immune to the virus, without active infection. The presence of antibodies for HSV-2, the most common cause of genital herpes, almost always indicates genital herpes infection with the type 2 virus. We know that genital HSV-2 infection involves almost continuous shedding of virus from the genital tract. Therefore, the potential of transmission to uninfected sexual partners is always present. HSV-2 outbreaks represent only a small fraction of activated virus that is present. Although the median number of outbreaks with HSV-2 infection is four to six per year, many outbreaks go unrecognized. Indeed, 70 percent of individuals with no self-reported history of outbreaks begin to identify recurrences once they are educated about the subtle signs and symptoms of genital herpes recurrences. Women, for example, may have only minor itching, and the symptoms may be even milder in men. Serologic, or blood, testing allows us to screen individuals for infection with herpes simplex. The new tests for herpes, called type-specific serologic tests, distinguish between HSV-2 and HSV-1, the other type of herpes simplex virus. These newer tests detect IgG antibodies directed against the cell wall protein specific for HSV-1 or HSV-2. Older serologic tests did not reliably distinguish between HSV-1 and HSV-2 and, as a result, were not a reliable way to make a diagnosis of genital herpes. Like all tests, the type-specific tests are not perfect. It takes about three to six weeks for individuals to develop detectable antibodies for herpes simplex. Virtually everyone will have detectable antibodies by 16 weeks. Get tested again if you have a recent exposure that falls within the window period. This also means that a first-time recognized outbreak may represent a new infection and may be occurring during a period in which your body has not yet developed a detectable antibody response. Again, the recommendation would be to get a repeat serologic test in four to eight weeks. Just to make life a bit more complicated, there are some other considerations that must be kept in mind with a positive antibody test. One of the most common brands of type-specific serology is the HerpesSelect brand. It is a very good test, but there are issues with false positive results with one form called the HerpesSelect ELISA. (Other forms are the HerpesSelect Immunoblot and the HerpesSelect Express.) That is, some people who have a positive test result for the virus are not actually infected. The Herpes Select ELISA is reported back as an index value. A value greater than 1.1 is considered positive. If you have no history of genital herpes outbreaks, did not have a positive culture or PCR test for HSV, or have no risk factors for genital herpes, you should know the index value. False positives have been reported with values less than 3.5. If your value is less than 3.5, ask to be tested again with a different test, preferably with another antibody test called the Western blot. It all sounds a bit too complicated — but it’s not, really. The world is not perfect, and like all things, tests require some degree of interpretation too. |
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Bacterial Vaginosis - CDC Fact Sheet 28-08-2010 What is bacterial vaginosis? Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is the name of a condition in women where the normal balance of bacteria in the vagina is disrupted and replaced by an overgrowth of certain bacteria. It is sometimes accompanied by discharge, odor, pain, itching, or burning. How common is bacterial vaginosis? Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is the most common vaginal infection in women of childbearing age. In the United States, BV is common in pregnant women. How do people get bacterial vaginosis? The cause of BV is not fully understood. BV is associated with an imbalance in the bacteria that are normally found in a woman's vagina. The vagina normally contains mostly "good" bacteria, and fewer "harmful" bacteria. BV develops when there is an increase in harmful bacteria. Not much is known about how women get BV. There are many unanswered questions about the role that harmful bacteria play in causing BV. Any woman can get BV. However, some activities or behaviors can upset the normal balance of bacteria in the vagina and put women at increased risk including: * Having a new sex partner or multiple sex partners, * Douching It is not clear what role sexual activity plays in the development of BV. Women do not get BV from toilet seats, bedding, swimming pools, or from touching objects around them. Women who have never had sexual intercourse may also be affected. What are the signs and symptoms of bacterial vaginosis? Women with BV may have an abnormal vaginal discharge with an unpleasant odor. Some women report a strong fish-like odor, especially after intercourse. Discharge, if present, is usually white or gray; it can be thin. Women with BV may also have burning during urination or itching around the outside of the vagina, or both. However, most women with BV report no signs or symptoms at all. What are the complications of bacterial vaginosis? In most cases, BV causes no complications. But there are some serious risks from BV including: * Having BV can increase a woman's susceptibility to HIV infection if she is exposed to the HIV virus. * Having BV increases the chances that an HIV-infected woman can pass HIV to her sex partner. * Having BV has been associated with an increase in the development of an infection following surgical procedures such as a hysterectomy or an abortion. * Having BV while pregnant may put a woman at increased risk for some complications of pregnancy, such as preterm delivery. * BV can increase a woman's susceptibility to other STDs, such as herpes simplex virus (HSV), chlamydia and gonorrhea. How does bacterial vaginosis affect a pregnant woman and her baby? Pregnant women with BV more often have babies who are born premature or with low birth weight (low birth weight is less than 5.5 pounds). The bacteria that cause BV can sometimes infect the uterus (womb) and fallopian tubes (tubes that carry eggs from the ovaries to the uterus). This type of infection is called pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). PID can cause infertility or damage the fallopian tubes enough to increase the future risk of ectopic pregnancy and infertility. Ectopic pregnancy is a life-threatening condition in which a fertilized egg grows outside the uterus, usually in a fallopian tube which can rupture. How is bacterial vaginosis diagnosed? A health care provider must examine the vagina for signs of BV and perform laboratory tests on a sample of vaginal fluid to look for bacteria associated with BV. What is the treatment for bacterial vaginosis? Although BV will sometimes clear up without treatment, all women with symptoms of BV should be treated to avoid complications. Male partners generally do not need to be treated. However, BV may spread between female sex partners. Treatment is especially important for pregnant women. All pregnant women who have ever had a premature delivery or low birth weight baby should be considered for a BV examination, regardless of symptoms, and should be treated if they have BV. All pregnant women who have symptoms of BV should be checked and treated. Some physicians recommend that all women undergoing a hysterectomy or abortion be treated for BV prior to the procedure, regardless of symptoms, to reduce their risk of developing an infection. BV is treatable with antibiotics prescribed by a health care provider. Two different antibiotics are recommended as treatment for BV: metronidazole or clindamycin. Either can be used with non-pregnant or pregnant women, but the recommended dosages differ. Women with BV who are HIV-positive should receive the same treatment as those who are HIV-negative. BV can recur after treatment. How can bacterial vaginosis be prevented? BV is not completely understood by scientists, and the best ways to prevent it are unknown. However, it is known that BV is associated with having a new sex partner or having multiple sex partners. The following basic prevention steps can help reduce the risk of upsetting the natural balance of bacteria in the vagina and developing BV: * Be abstinent. * Limit the number of sex partners. * Do not douche. * Use all of the medicine prescribed for treatment of BV, even if the signs and symptoms go away. |
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How To Treat Cold Sores 28-08-2010 Cold sores are the product of a highly infectious virus called herpes simplex. It is transmitted through skin-to-skin contact and usually develops in childhood, when a person with a cold sore delivers a kiss to the child, for instance. Herpes simplex has the ability to penetrate the skin and travel up the nerves. It then lies dormant until it is triggered. Triggers vary from person to person, but often include stress, fatigue or depression. For most people, there are no symptoms of infection other than the sore little blister that eventually appears in the region around the mouth. Sometimes, however, the virus can bring on severe symptoms on initial infection. According to the NHS, these can include fever, a swollen throat and glands, dehydration, nausea, headaches and irritated gums with painful sores in and around the mouth. How often you get a cold sore also varies. Some people can become infected but never get one because the virus never becomes active. Others get them once in a while and some can develop them frequently. How do I get rid of a cold sore? Unfortunately, there is as yet no cure for the herpes simplex virus. However, there are an increasing number of highly effective methods for treating a cold sore. The first outbreak is usually the worst and should be treated with oral medication, according to About Dermatology. Anti-viral drugs are effective in reducing pain and the amount of time a cold sore takes to heal as well as the number and size of lesions. Topical treatment can be used for recurrences. Popular creams include Topical Denavir, Acyclovir, Famciclovir and Valacyclovir. It is advisable to start applying the cream at the very first signs of a cold sore, which may include burning, itching or redness. The medication serves to relieve symptoms and shorten the life of the sore by several days. Suppression therapy has not yet been approved by the FDA, but research suggests that people who have more than 6 outbreaks annually could benefit from it. Patients would take a daily dose of medicine generally used to treat symptoms in order to suppress any future ones. There are, however, those who favour a more organic approach. BBC show ‘Grow your own drugs’ recently claimed that lemon balm can be effective in treating cold sores and showed viewers how to make their own all-natural lip salve. The ingredients consist of: * 21 tbsp (approx. 50 g) fresh lemon balm leaves * 3 tbsp wheatgerm oil * 115 ml olive oil * 1 tbsp honey * 1 tbsp beeswax * 5 drops tea tree oil |
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Scientific American Features Series on HIV/AIDS: Prevention Strategies, MSM, IDUs 27-08-2010 A Scientific American series examines how recent scientific advances will guide future efforts to thwart HIV/AIDS and also looks at the epidemic among men who have sex with men (MSM) and injecting drug users (IDUs). When researchers announced during last month's International AIDS Conference-AIDS 2010 that an antiretroviral-containing vaginal microbicide used by women before and after sex had reduced their risk of HIV infection by 39 percent, "it marked a significant thinning of the line between HIV treatment and prevention. The same agents that had been designed and developed to slow the virus's proliferation within the human body now had the potential to be used to help bar it from successfully setting up shop in the first place," Scientific American reports. The article looks at how the results of the trial might inform "up-and-coming ARV-based prevention therapies such as" Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) as well as the great need for HIV prevention strategies to drive down the estimated 3 million new infections that take place annually in a challenging economic climate. AdvertisementTo translate the findings of the microbicide prevention trial "into something with real public-health impact, researchers need to confirm the findings and address a long list of new questions introduced by them: What is the best dosage and concentration? Could other ARV drugs do better? And what kind of delivery mechanism will best ensure that at-risk women actually use the preventive treatment?" the magazine writes. "Optimizing the gel to achieve protection for up to 70 or 80 percent of users would be ideal, notes [Paul] De Lay [deputy executive director of UNAIDS]. Additional studies will continue for at least the next couple of years. If a product could be rolled out in the developing world by 2013, he suggests it would be an 'incredible accomplishment,'" the article continues. De Lay also noted that flatlined funding for HIV/AIDS means there must be a focus on the "best value for our money." De Lay added, "We can't just treat our way out of the problem. And we can't waste money on interventions that may not be valuable." The story also highlights additional HIV prevention strategies under investigation, including male circumcision and halting mother-to-child transmission. The article includes comments by Yasmin Halima, director for the Global Campaign for Microbicides, and Mitchell Warren, executive director of the AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition (Peeples, 8/25). In a related article, Scientific American explores MSM's vulnerability to HIV infection and how they have largely "been ignored by most nations' plans for HIV prevention and care. Cultural values -- machismo, homophobia and religion have overridden the data and dominated policy decisions in many places." Though "MSM in developing countries are 19 times more likely to be infected with HIV than the general population, according to a 2007 literature review," Scientific American writes that "85 countries still criminalize sexual activity between adults, and eight, including Nigeria and several Islamic countries, impose the death penalty for homosexual acts." The article asserts that a "trend toward scientific omission has reinforced local social stigma and violence directed against this minority," and provides examples. The story includes comments by Chris Beyrer, director of the Johns Hopkins Center of Public Health and Human Rights, Steve Morin, director of the Center for AIDS Prevention Studies at the University of California, San Francisco, and Jeffrey O'Malley, director of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) HIV Group (Roehr, 8/25). Meanwhile, another Scientific American article reports on HIV/AIDS among IDUs: "An estimated five million people have become infected with HIV through injection drug use (IDU) worldwide; nearly half of them are in China, Vietnam, Russia, Ukraine and Malaysia – almost all of which could be considered developing nations." The piece describes the risk of HIV infection among IDUs, several reasons for the global growth in injection drug use, and the Vienna Declaration, which aims to appeals for countries "to reorient government policies on injection drug use from focusing on prohibition, law enforcement and incarceration to focusing on treating addiction as a medical problem with medical solutions." The piece includes information on how harm reduction strategies, such as needle exchange programs can help drive down HIV transmission among IDU, before noting, "[e]xamples from Europe, Brazil, Hong Kong and several U.S. cities show that a package of harm-reduction interventions recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) can keep the rate of new HIV infections low and stable among injection drug users for many years and not result in increased drug use." The article includes quotes from Julio Montaner, past-president of the International AIDS Society and director of the British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS (Roehr, 8/25). |
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How the ’Ex-Gay’ Movement Fosters HIV Infection 27-08-2010 A news outlet dedicated to HIV issues says that the "ex-gay industry," whcih is predicated on the claim that gays and lesbains can be "cured" and "converted" to heterosexuality, relies on a fear of AIDS to help spread its message--but that in practical effect, such groups contribute to the spread of the virus. A POZ article from September, 2010, noted that despite the prevalence of AIDS in Africa as a disease predominantly affecting heterosexuals, Americans persist in believing that it is a "gay disease." Accordingly, Americans are more likely to believe that "converting" gays to straights will combat the spread of the virus because straights, according to this line of reasoning, don’t get AIDS. Proponents of so-called "reparative therapy," for their part, also harbor beliefs that are not substantiated by science or research. Some claim that homosexuality is not an innate characteristic that individuals are born with, perhaps through some combination of genetics and physiological factors, but rather the result of early-life sexual abuse. Others promote the idea that a person’s sexuality is simply a matter of choice; some blame possession by evil spirits and prescribe exorcisms, the article said. But underlying the various theories as to the nature and causes of homosexuality is the message that to be gay is to court AIDS--whereas to be straight offers some form of immunity against the virus. "They all use HIV as a scare tactic, the ’destructive, dangerous homosexual lifestyle’ as a recruitment tool," the article quoted anti-"ex-gay" activist Wayne Besen as saying. "If there were a cure tomorrow for HIV, then I think these ministries would have significant trouble surviving, [because] they’d lose their largest fear-based message." "It’s ironic then, that the ex-gay movement puts everyone-regardless of sexual orientation-at a higher risk of HIV," the POZ article said. "On the surface, the movement teaches that homosexuality is a choice. But it really pathologizes gay people as threatening the family structure, harboring mental illness, spreading disease and molesting children. And it actively promotes discriminatory laws." A basic tenet of combating HIV is the need to de-stigmatize not only the virus itself, but also homosexuality--or, in a broader sense, the activities of MSMs (men who have sex with men, many of whom identify as straight even though they seek sexual encounters with other males). Health authorities fight discriminatory laws in part because, they say, such laws would drive MSMs underground and prevent them from using condoms, getting tested for HIV, or seeking treatment if they know they are HIV-positive. But the anti-gay and "ex-gay" movements work for the exact opposite, trying to undo decades of progress and re-stigmatize gay individuals and gay families. Under anti-gay laws, credible, fact-based information baout sexuality is suppressed, and hysterical claims about sexuality and disease flourish. The POZ article noted that even the idea that same-sex couples can enjoy a healthy and devoted monogamous relationship is simply denied by anti-gay groups; a 2000 video from the American Family Association called It’s Not Gay: Former Homosexuals Tell a Story Few Have Heard flatly denies that gay couples enjoy fulfilling relationships on par with heterosexuals. In some instances, the article noted, anti-gay religious figures even claim that they have been "healed" of the HIV virus through miraculous intervention--a claim not so different from the assurances that "ex gay" groups offer that prayer can "convert" gays and "set them free" from the "homosexual lifestyle." Then there is the prospect of gay youth being sent by their parents for "conversion" to heterosexuality. POZ cited a report released by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force in 2006 that states, "Parents are being lied to by ex-gay and religious leaders they trust. Parents are being told that homosexuality is a mental illness... which can be cured... and that if their sons and daughters are in the ’homosexual lifestyle’ they are destined to lead short lives characterized by depression, anger, substance abuse and domestically violent relationships." "The fact is that when parents, motivated out of genuine love and concern, reject their children’s sexuality, they place them at higher risk for HIV/AIDS," the POZ article claimed, citing a 2008 study in journal Pediatrics that showed GLTB youth who endure familiar rejection go on to engage in the very behaviors and suffer the very health consequences that worried parents are told by anti-gay churches their children face unless they are "converted." "As obvious as this may seem, it’s the first study to examine this link and show that rejection, not homosexuality, causes these health risks," the POZ article said. Anti-gay churches and "ex-gay" groups that promote the idea that gays can simply "choose" to be straight also wreak untold societal harm, the article posited, pointing out that a bill being considered in Uganda that would inflict the death penalty ion gays was the result, more or less directly, of a visit to that country by American anti-gay evangelicals. Another part of the evangelical message is that homosexuality is not only a "choice," but is contagious: once men start to have sex with men, they may decide they prefer male sexual partners and "abandon" heterosexual relationships. "You know as well as I do how much there is in the gay community of trying to turn other people gay," an "ex-gay" man told EDGE publisher David Foucher in Foucher’s 2007 series of articles examining the "ex-gay" movement. "There are plenty of guys who are interested in hooking up with straight guys," the "ex-gay" man continued, adding, "Because of that, homosexuality cannot just co-exist with heterosexuals. It doesn’t work that way. In fact it is--please, if this word is hard I’m sorry--it is a cancer. It continues to metastasize further and further throughout the culture, starting with our schools, taking people away from their life-giving abilities." But the so-called "culture of life" could have serious repercussions when it comes to the hard and cold facts of true science-based epidemiology. In the name of battling a "cancer" of sexuality--or perhaps of acknowledged sexual preference--could "ex-gay" advocates actually be advancing the spread of the virus that causes AIDS? |
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NeedyMeds Offers New Resource Page for those with HIV/AIDS 27-08-2010 Gloucester, MA (Vocus) August 26, 2010 NeedyMeds is pleased to announce the addition of a newly created HIV/AIDS resource page. The resource page provides information on HIV and AIDS and includes links to nonprofit patient oriented groups that offer education, research, support and advocacy. In addition, the page lists financial resources that help with the cost of the drugs used to treat HIV and AIDS, free clinics, and programs that provide other types of financial assistance. Twenty-six patient assistance programs are listed that offer free or low cost medications used to treat HIV and AIDS. Additionally, a link to 130 Disease-Based Assistance Programs for HIV/AIDS is included. NeedyMeds has the most comprehensive and reliable database of patient assistance programs available. All the information is free, easy to access, and updated regularly. There is no registration process or need for users to enter any personal information. NeedyMeds is committed to serving those in need. About NeedyMeds: NeedyMeds, established in 1997, is a Massachusetts-based 501 (c) 3 national nonprofit. NeedyMeds provides comprehensive and reliable sources of information on assistance available for people having difficulties paying for their medications or health care. NeedyMeds' website (www.needymeds.org) is visited by over 14,000 people each workday. |
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4-Year-Old Finds Used Condom, May Have Herpes Child Sick After Putting Used Condom In His Mouth By Tony McNary, CBS Atlanta Reporter 25-08-2010 ATLANTA -- A 4-year-old child may now have a sexually transmitted disease because of a used condom he found in an Atlanta hotel room. Carmen Jones said she is hurting inside not knowing what sexually transmitted diseases her grandson may now have. “The doctors at Scottish Rite said, if it was some sort of herpes it would last seven to 10 days, and sure enough about 10 days he started getting better, but then the blisters reappeared,” said Jones. Jones said she, her grandson and other family members stayed at the Wyndham Garden Hotel in downtown Atlanta on July 31. When they got up the next morning, her grandson found a used condom in their bed. “I ran out the bathroom and my grandson had a condom in his mouth. His tongue was in the condom and he was trying to blow it up. I immediately took it out of his mouth and he thought it was a balloon, that he was blowing up a balloon,” said Jones. Jones said she became even more worried when she saw what was inside the condom. “It still had, what appeared to be semen in the condom. I want to take the condom and have it tested,” said Jones. But Jones said the manager at the Wyndham Hotel would not let her take the condom. Jones said after 24 hours, her grandson started throwing up, he developed a fever and started showing signs of a possible STD. “Little white blisters all on the top of his mouth, on his tongue, inside the mouth, inside the lip the bottom lip, it was all over,” said Jones. CBS Atlanta went to the Wyndham Hotel with our tough question only to find out the Wyndham no longer owns the building at the corner of Piedmont and Andrew Young International Boulevard. Georgia State University bought it and turned it into student dorms. CBS called the Wyndham Corporate offices with our Tough Questions. We left a message, but no one returned our call. Jones wants answers about the dirty room. She fears the answers she may get from doctors about her grandson. “You definitely don’t want it to come back as HIV [positive] or STD or something like that. You don’t want that and you definitely don't want him to have to live with this for the rest of his life,” said Jones. Tuesday, CBS Atlanta uncovered new details about the company that managed the hotel in question. CBS Atlanta has confirmed that Crescent Hotels and Resorts managed the property at the time of the incident. CBS Atlanta also confirmed hotel General Manager Bonnie Stanley was in charge of hotel operations when the July incident happened. CBS Atlanta reporter Michelle Marsh contacted Stanley over the phone. Marsh: "Do you know why a condom would be in a room that was supposed to be cleaned?" Stanley: "No, I don’t." Marsh: "OK, so do you understand why we have to ask some tough questions about this? Stanley: "Well, sure I do." Stanley added, "I’m aware of the incident that was reported. We reported to the insurance company for them to make a determination and investigate it." Marsh: "And what did your investigation find?" Stanley: "They haven’t completed that yet." Marsh: "The family says they showed the condom to your assistant general manager, is that not true?" Stanley: "Yes, it is. There was a condom there." Stanley said she still works for Crescent Hotels and Resorts but would not reveal which locations she was in charge of. Stanley said this case was an isolated incident and all rooms are cleaned before people check in. CBS Atlanta tried multiple times to speak to someone from Crescent's corporate office in Virginia but no one responded to any of the messages. |
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Herpes drugs safe in early pregnancy--study 25-08-2010 Taking antiviral medications to cure herpes infections during the first trimester of pregnancy does not increase a child's risk of birth defects, findings of a new study claim. Acyclovir, valacyclovir, and famciclovir, the most commonly prescribed antiviral drugs help treat herpes viral infections, such as herpes simplex virus (HSV) and herpes zoster, commonly known as shingles. While almost 20 percent of the pregnant women test positive for herpes infection during pregnancy, more than 1 percent develop it during the first trimester of pregnancy. Until now, data about the safety on the use of these drugs in early pregnancy was limited. The drugs are listed as category B by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Featuring in the category B drug list implies that the results on drug safety in human and animal trials are contradictory. Its use in first trimester has long been associated to a heightened risk of birth defects. But the results of the latest trial suggest that "pregnant women needing treatment for a herpes infection in the first trimester can use antivirals without concern about birth defect risk," study’s lead researcher, Dr. Bjorn Pasternak, from the department of epidemiology research at the Statens Serum Institut in Copenhagen, said. Details of the study For the study, researchers collected data on almost 840,000 births in Denmark from January 1996 to September 2008. "Our study, to our knowledge the largest of its kind, found no significant association between first-trimester exposure to antiherpetic antiviral drugs and major birth defects," the authors wrote in this week's issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. All pregnant women were reportedly clear of chromosomal abnormalities, genetic syndromes, birth defect syndromes, and congenital viral infections, all known risk factors of birth defects. Researchers culled data on pregnant women’s antiviral use in the first trimester of pregnancy and major birth defects. Of the total data base, 19,960 infants were born with birth defects, researchers found. Of the 1,804 pregnancies exposed to one of the three antiviral drugs anytime between the first three months of pregnancy, there were 40 infants (2.2 percent) with a major birth defect. Among the 835,991 not exposed to the drug, 19,920 had birth defects. "Our study, to our knowledge the largest of its kind, found no significant association between first-trimester exposure to antiherpetic antiviral drugs and major birth defects," the authors wrote in this week's issue of the 'Journal of the American Medical Association.' "Consequently, it has immediate clinical implications and may support informed decisions on safety when prescribing antivirals for herpes infections in early pregnancy. Acyclovir is the most extensively documented antiviral and should therefore be the drug of choice in early pregnancy," they added. But the data on use of famciclovir and valacyclovir still remain insufficient, researchers say. The findings should "not be viewed as evidence of safety of these drugs," researchers warned. The team now plans to continue research to study the link between the use of antivirals and miscarriage, preterm labor, and their safety during breastfeeding. |
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Study links severe drug reaction to herpes virus 25-08-2010 By Kate Kelland LONDON | Wed Aug 25, 2010 2:02pm EDT LONDON (Reuters) - A rare and dangerous reaction to a range of common medicines including antibiotics and anticonvulsants may be caused by a severe immune response to reactivated herpes virus, scientists said on Wednesday. Researchers said their findings suggest that if doctors were to test for the herpes virus in patients suffering the drug reaction, they might be able to find ways to treat it and possibly stop it becoming more severe, or even fatal. The results should also help scientists find out what makes some people susceptible to the reaction, which is known as Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms, or DRESS, and affects around one in 8,000 people who take the common medicines. In a study into DRESS, also sometimes known as Drug-Induced Hypersensitivity Syndrome (DIHS), French scientists found the condition is actually an immune reaction prompted when a dormant virus is reactivated and the body's fighter T cells go into overdrive to fight it. "It looks a bit like an autoimmune disease (in which the body attacks itself), but it's not really an autoimmune disease because the target (of the immune response) is a actually a reactivated virus," said Philippe Musette of France's National Institute for Health and Medical Research (INSERM), who worked on the study with other colleagues in Rouen. The main drugs that cause DRESS are anticonvulsants, often used for epilepsy, including carbamazepine, sold as Carbatrol by Shire, valproate, sold by Abbott Laboratories as Depakine and Sanofi-Aventis as Epilim, Lamictal from GlaxoSmithKline, Novartis' Trileptal and Pfizer's Neurontin. FIGHTER CELLS The reaction, which often appears in patients several weeks after using a medicine, can also be caused by a generic gout drug called allopurinol and by some antibiotics, including sulfamethoxazole and minocycline, which is sold by Medicis Pharmaceutical Corp under the brand name Solodyn. DRESS typically causes a combination of high fever, skin rash and inflammation of one or more organs, including the liver, kidneys, lungs and sometimes the heart. Around 10 percent of patients who develop DRESS die from it. Musette's team studied 40 patients who had developed DRESS drug reactions and found they had an excess of activated killer T cells -- fighter cells crucial to the body's immune system -- which were mistakenly attacking their own organs. To figure out what prompts the immune system to go into battle so fiercely, the researchers tested whether the patients showed any viral reactivation -- a development that had been previously noticed in some DRESS sufferers. Their results, which were published in the journal Science Translational Medicine, showed that 76 percent of their study patients showed activation of previously dormant herpes virus. "These results suggest that certain drugs may reactivate latent viruses lurking in patients' cells, sounding an alarm that triggers the release of killer immune cells that end up misguidedly attacking the body's own organs," the scientists wrote in a report of their work. Musette said the findings also suggested doctors should test for herpes virus in every suspected DRESS patient and then try treating them with anti-herpes drugs or drugs which stop viruses from being reactivated, although he said much more research was needed into the type of medicines that might work. "We can try anti-herpes drugs and treatments that inhibit viral reactivation, but that research has still to be done," he said. |
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Glaxo starts final clinical trial of shingles vaccine 23-08-2010 GSK: important milestone in addressing unmet medical need LONDON, Aug 23 (Reuters) - British pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline (GSK.L) said on Monday it had started final trials of its new vaccine to prevent shingles, one of the most significant products in its pipeline. More than 30,000 patients worldwide will take part in the Phase III trial, Glaxo said. "Shingles is an often debilitating condition for which there are limited treatment and prevention options," Norman Begg, Chief Medical Officer of GSK Biologicals, said in a statement. "That is why progression into late stage development of our herpes zoster vaccine is an important milestone in ongoing efforts to potentially help address an important unmet need." Herpes Zoster, commonly known as shingles, is caused by the vermicelli-zoster virus and results in painful rash on one side of the body. The disease becomes more prevalent with age, and there are an estimated 1 million cases a year in the United States. |
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Israeli Study Offers Hope For Aids Cure 23-08-2010 Just last week, some Israeli researchers announced in the AIDS Research and Therapy journal that it is possible that they have found a cure to HIV/AIDS, a pandemic, which has crippled nations economically, socially and politically. Findings by the Israeli researchers come about after an intense study in their laboratory where they used amino acids, called peptides, to stop HIV infected cells from multiplying, but to self destruct, which could lead to complete eradication of the virus. However, this effect of self destruction does not affect uninfected cells, they say. According to their report published last week, August 19, in an AIDS Research and Therapy journal, previous findings have shown that there is a correlation between promotion of multi-integration of the virus DNA and increase in cell death. The multi-integration is achieved with the addition of peptides to the infected cells. "Based on these observations we have developed a novel approach to specifically and significantly eradicate HIV infected cells as well as to eliminate infectious virions from infected cells." They say that at first, combination of peptides with HIV infected cells significantly increased the appearance of 'new virions during the first six to eight days' after infection. "However, from the eighth day of post infection, a decrease in virus production could be observed. Almost complete eradication of virions was obtained when cells were infected, in the presence of peptides," the report stated. The Israelis say that in another approach, when a specific HIV protease inhibitor was added to infected cells together with peptides, the increase in virus production and in infected cells was observed during the first two to four days post infection. A protease is an enzyme found in animal cells and breaks down proteins, says Dictionary.com. However, researchers say that a drastic reduction in both virus production and virus integration was observed from the fourth day of post infection and on, reaching below detection levels. They recorded about 40% of the infected cells dead, reaching below the detection levels in the presence of peptides and the HIV protease inhibitor. The report concludes that therefore, complete eradication of the virus particles can be obtained in prolonged integration of HIV infected cells with peptides and HIV protease inhibitor since drastic reductions were noticed by the eighth day of post infection. "We conclude that stimulation of viral integration by peptides, combined with the prevention of virion production by the protease inhibitor, not only resulted in blocking of HIV infection but also in extermination of the infected cells," states the report. However, this study is still at its initial stages, while further improvements are still ongoing. It is however believed that these findings could be the beginning of an HIV free generation. |
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STD's 20-08-2010 Teens will take to heart information on sex ed that they hear from their peers. The parent who complained and secured a temporary suspension was wrong. What concerns me is the 56 and 58 percent of kids who were sexually active had several partners. And theen there is the fact that many didn't know that oral sex could spread HIV and that Herpes and HPV can be passed skin to skin. There's so much that teens think they know but, in reality, don't have a clue about. Many don't know oral sex is really a form of sex. And, those 56 and 58 percent are most probably low. I'd say it's quite a bit higher, but I don't have proof. Most teens are sexually active, and I'd say the age would be below 15. Kids don't trust parents so it falls to other sources to provide education. Forewarned is forearmed. |
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Are Warts Related to Herpes? By THE NEW YORK TIMES 20-08-2010 Can warts on the hand lead to anal or genital infections? Are warts a form of herpes? Those are among the questions readers recently posed to the Consults blog. Dr. Peter Leone, associate professor at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine and Public Health, responds. Q. I do not have genital herpes; however, as of late I have begun getting many warts on the inside of my hands. Is this a form of herpes? If so, can these warts be transmitted sexually and/or turn into genital herpes when exposed to the genital area? What is the cause of these warts, and how should they be treated? A. Dr. Peter Leone responds: Warts are caused by human papillomavirus, or HPV, whereas genital herpes is caused by herpes simplex virus, or HSV. Warts are not a form of herpes, and HPV will not cause genital herpes. Conversely, genital herpes does not cause cervical cancer or anal cancer. There are more than 100 types of HPV. Different types are associated with infections in different areas of the body and different forms of persistent infection. From 90 to 95 percent of HPV infections are transient and clear without any disease manifestation. Cervical, anal and some head and neck cancers are caused by different types of HPV infection. More than 30 HPV types can infect the genital tract. Four in particular are associated with HPV-related disease. Up to 90 percent of genital warts are caused by HPV Types 6 and 11, while about 70 percent of cervical cancers are caused by HPV Types 16 and 18. Warts on the hands and feet are most commonly caused by HPV Types 1, 2 or 3. Rarely, much less than 1 percent of the time, they can infect the genital tract. If you have warts on your hands or feet, however, you will not transmit that HPV type to your own or your partner’s genital tract, no matter how much physical contact you have. Unfortunately, the high-risk HPV types associated with cervical and anal cancer can, and usually are, transmitted in the absence of any visible lesions. Treatment of warts involves either freezing or chemically treating the wart (ablation therapy), or the use of immunomodulating agents that stimulate the immune system to clear the virus. You should see your clinician to decide what therapy is best for you. Two HPV vaccines are approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the prevention of papillomavirus infections. The bivalent HPV vaccine, called Cervarix, offers protection from persistent infection with HPV Types 16 and 18, which are responsible for most cases of cervical cancer. The quadrivalent HPV vaccine, or Gardasil, offers protection against those strains and two others, HPV Types 6 and 11, which are responsible for a majority of anal and genital warts. |
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