National News
Looking Out: Maryland Youth HIV Prevention Summit Scheduled
International News
SA Mine TB Rate Highest in World
Medical News
High Prevalence of T.vaginalis Found in Men and Women
Local and Community News
Hepatitis C Testing Continues as NKY Rate Soars
News Briefs
Public Health to Participate in HIV Testing Week
UNM Truman Health Services Marks National HIV Testing Day with Free Tests
| National News  | Looking Out: Maryland Youth HIV Prevention Summit Scheduled MARYLAND :: HIV/AIDS
Baltimore Sun (06.19.2014) :: By Kevin Rector | | The Baltimore Sun reported that the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (MDHMH) Prevention and Health Promotion Administration partnered with advocacy organizations to plan and host a free "Youth Sexual Health–HIV Prevention Summit" from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 24, at the Radisson at Cross Keys at 5100 Falls Road, Baltimore, Md. The summit aimed to raise awareness about high HIV incidence among Maryland residents ages 13 to 24, especially among young gay and bisexual men. MDHMH estimated in 2012 that 1,424 (approximately 5 percent) of the 29,477 HIV-infected Maryland residents were between the ages of 13 and 24. According to CDC, young gay and bisexual men accounted for 72 percent of the new HIV infections that occurred among US residents ages 13 to 24 in 2010, and young gay and bisexual men accounted for 30 percent of all new HIV infections among gay and bisexual men. CDC also reported that HIV incidence increased by 20 percent among black gay and bisexual men from 2008 to 2010. MDHMH partners in organizing the summit included the Baltimore Health Department, the Family League of Baltimore, and The After-School Institute. Primary audiences for the summit are youth, peer educators, and caregivers and staff of youth programs. The summit will include youth panels and workshops, informational exhibits, testing for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, and health counseling. People interested in attending the free summit must register by calling (410) 580–0750 or e-mailing Andrea Tillery at atillery@afterschoolinstitute.org. |  Read Full Article | Share this Article     | | Back to Top  |  | | International News  | SA Mine TB Rate Highest in World SOUTH AFRICA :: TB
IOL News http://www.iol.co.za/ (06.19.2014) :: By SAPA | | | IOL News reported that Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi announced that for every accident-related death among South African miners, nine miners died from TB. Motsoaledi stated South African miners had the highest TB incidence of "any working population in the world." In addition to 500,000 mine workers, TB also affected their 230,000 partners and 700,000 children. According to Motsoaledi, 59,400 orphans were "in care" because their parents had died from TB.
Although unions typically focused on mining fatalities related to accidents, Motsoaledi emphasized that TB deaths were much more frequent among miners. Compared to 167 accident-related deaths in 2009, there were 24,590 TB infections among miners and 1,598 deaths. According to Motsoaledi, 41,810 South African miners (1 percent of South Africa's total population) had active TB infections each year, which accounted for 8 percent of the nation's total cases. He noted that accidents killed 80 miners in the gold mining industry in 2009, but TB caused 17,591 infections and 1,143 deaths.
Motsoaledi warned that multidrug-resistant TB (MDR TB) infections, which resulted in "huge economic impact," were a serious problem in South Africa. South Africa has established nine MDR TB facilities where infected people reside for 18 months while receiving treatment. The health ministry has identified six high-impact mining districts in Gauteng, North West, Limpopo, and Free State A, and deployed new diagnostic technology that would decrease MDR TB diagnosis time from a week to two hours. The ministry also sent 1,534 "outreach" teams to perform primary healthcare tasks, including TB care, in municipal wards.
Motsoaledi urged members of parliament to "mobilize" their districts to address TB in distressed mining communities. South Africa President Jacob Zuma announced in his State of the Union address the formation of an inter-ministry committee to assist with revitalizing the mining communities. | | Read Full Article | Share this Article | | Back to Top | | | Medical News  | High Prevalence of T.vaginalis Found in Men and Women ALABAMA :: STDs
Healio (06.23.2014) | | | Healio reported on a study of two different methods for diagnosing Trichomonas vaginalis, a sexually transmitted infection (STI). Researchers from the University of Alabama at Birmingham studied data on 6,335 men and women who had visited a local STD clinic and were tested for T. vaginalis using the nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT). From March 2012 to September 2013, 3,821 women's urine specimen or endocervical specimen underwent NAAT; and from November 2012 to September 2013, 2,514 men's urethral or urine specimen underwent NAAT.
Results show 20.2 percent of specimens were positive for T. vaginalis. The prevalence of T. vaginalis was 27 percent for women and 9.8 percent for men. In addition to NAAT, healthcare providers tested 3,765 women's specimens using wet mount for a prevalence rate of 19.6 percent. NAAT had detected one-third more infections than wet mount. In women who had been tested with both wet mount and NAAT, 301 who had negative results with wet mount were positive with NAAT while 16 women who tested positive with wet mount were negative with NAAT.
The researchers concluded that routine NAAT use at the clinic detected significantly more infections than wet mount, particularly in women. They suggest that providers should use NAAT for all age groups to improve detection and gain better control of this STI.
The full report, "Added Benefit of Nucleic Acid Amplification Testing for the Diagnosis of Trichomonas vaginalis Among Men and Women Attending a Sexually Transmitted Diseases Clinic," was published online in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases (2014; doi: 10.1093/cid/ciu446). | | Read Full Article | Share this Article | | Back to Top | | | Local and Community News  | Hepatitis C Testing Continues as NKY Rate Soars KENTUCKY :: Viral Hepatitis
Cincinnati Enquirer (06.18.2014) :: By Terry DeMio | | | The Cincinnati Enquirer reported a recent drop in hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection cases in Northern Kentucky (NKY). The NKY Health Department had 10 new acute HCV cases in the first quarter of 2014, which is considered low based on the region's incidence in recent years. According to Jessica Schultz, the health department's epidemiologist who investigates HCV, this comes after an 80-percent increase in HCV cases in 2013 from 2010. NKY's HCV rate was 9.5 reported cases per 100,000 population in 2011 while the state rate was three per 100,000 population. In 2010, the United States had one reported case per 100,000.
The health department provides free testing for high-risk individuals at all four county health centers. Approximately 90 individuals a month take the test, but results may not be reported as only acute HCV cases must be reported. HCV infection may not present symptoms; hence, people may not know they are infected. Those who test positive can receive treatment. The NKY Health Department routinely tests STD clinic patients and educates individuals at substance abuse treatment centers about HCV and HCV testing. Free testing began in May 2012, and is expected to continue through the fall. The health department also is requesting additional CDC funding to help pay treatment costs.
Emily Gresham Wherle, spokesperson for the NKY Health Department, explained that the department pays for local health center testing with CDC grant funds. Since 2012, the health department has tested 2,157 individuals, and 264 of them (12 percent) were positive and chronic and 81 percent of those testing positive had a history of injecting drugs. The majority of diagnosed individuals were in their mid-20s. According to Schultz, behavior other than injecting drugs could have caused HCV as many of the positive individuals had several sex partners and were tattooed by unlicensed persons. | | Read Full Article | Share this Article | | Back to Top | | | News Briefs  | Public Health to Participate in HIV Testing Week NEW YORK :: HIV/AIDS
The Telegram (Herkimer, N.Y.) (06.19.2014) | | The Telegram reported that New York's Herkimer County Public Health is collaborating with other healthcare and community organizations to participate in the first National HIV Testing Week from June 21 to 27. The observance coordinated by the Urban Coalition for HIV/AIDS Services is intended to increase awareness of the benefits of HIV testing and HIV treatment. The campaign theme, "Talk HIV. Test HIV. Treat HIV." is meant to encourage those at higher risk to ask for an HIV test and to make sure that individuals who are HIV-positive are participating in regular and ongoing medical care. Free HIV testing is available at Herkimer Public Health Monday –Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The department will accept walk-ins but prefer appointments. For appointments, call (315) 867–1176. For more information and to access materials about HIV Testing Week, visit www.nhtwus.org. | | Read Full Article | Share this Article | | Back to Top | | | | | UNM Truman Health Services Marks National HIV Testing Day with Free Tests NEW MEXICO :: HIV/AIDS
UNM Health Sciences Center NEWSbeat (06.19.2014) :: By Furhana Afrid | | According to UNM Health Sciences Center NEWS beat, the University of New Mexico's (UNM) Truman Health Services—the state's largest HIV primary care clinic—will team with the New Mexico Department of Health to provide free HIV testing on June 27 in observance of National HIV Testing Day. The health department will use its testing RV to offer confidential testing on Albuquerque's West Side at Central Avenue and 60th Street from 7:00 a.m. to noon. The first 30 individuals tested will receive a Sonic gift card. UNM Truman Health Services also will offer free rapid HIV testing at EFFEX Nightclub, 100 Fifth Street SW, from 9:00 p.m. to midnight on June 27. The primary care clinic regularly offers free confidential testing at its offices located at 801 Encino Place, Building F, Albuquerque, on Tuesdays from 8:00 a.m. to noon and on Thursdays from 12:30 to 5:00 p.m. Appointments for HIV testing also are available by calling (505) 925–7286 or emailing THSoutreach@unmmg.org. | | Read Full Article | Share this Article | | Back to Top | | | |
| The CDC National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention provides the above information as a public service only. Providing synopses of key scientific articles and lay media reports on HIV/AIDS, viral hepatitis, other sexually transmitted diseases, and tuberculosis does not constitute CDC endorsement. The above summaries were prepared without conducting any additional research or investigation into the facts and statements made in the articles being summarized, and therefore readers are expressly cautioned against relying on the validity or invalidity of any statements made in these summaries. This daily update also includes information from CDC and other government agencies, such as background on Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) articles, fact sheets, and announcements. Reproduction of this text is encouraged; however, copies may not be sold, and the CDC HIV/Hepatitis/STD/TB Prevention News Update should be cited as the source of the information. Contact the sources of the articles abstracted above for full texts of the articles. The Prevention News Update electronic mailing list is maintained by the National Prevention Information Network (NPIN), part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention. Regular postings include the Prevention News Update, select articles from the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report series, and announcements about new NPIN products and services. |
6/23/2014
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