Federal Panel Says Everyone 15 to 65 Should Have an HIV Test

The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) guidelines now recommend routine voluntary HIV screening for every US resident ages 15–65, because people respond best to treatment early in an infection. This is also the time when people are often asymptomatic, so the only way to detect an HIV infection is through testing. The updated USPSTF recommendations now align with CDC, the American College of Physicians, the Infectious Disease Society of American, and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists guidelines.

The 2013 USPSTF guidelines recommend one-time HIV screening for everyone ages 15–65; HIV testing for pregnant women; and annual HIV screening for high-risk groups. High-risk groups include men who have sex with men; people who have unprotected vaginal or anal sex; and those who have sex with a partner who is HIV-infected, bisexual, an injection drug user, or who exchanges sex for money. Patients also should have the option to ask questions and decline testing.

Previous USPSTF guidelines—issued in 2005—recommended HIV screening for pregnant women and high-risk groups, but stopped short of universal screening because of the possibility of false-positive results, social stigma from having HIV, and possible long-term risk of cardiovascular disease resulting from antiretroviral treatment (ART). The USPSTF panel has decided that the benefits of screening outweigh any risks, since 25 percent of US residents who have HIV are unaware of their infection. Also, recent studies indicate the increased risk of cardiovascular disease is slight.

University of California at San Francisco AIDS experts Dr. Moupali Das and Dr. Paul Volberding stated that only effective HIV screening and successful ART can make ending the epidemic “remotely possible.”

The full report, “Screening for HIV” was published online by USPSTF at http://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/uspshivi.htm.

The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.

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Mobile Unit Allows AIDS Testing Nonprofit to Reach Wider Population

On April 27, at the SafeAlex Health Fair, Central Louisiana AIDS Support Services (CLASS) debuted a mobile van unit, made possible by a $50,000 Community Impact Award grant from the Central Louisiana Community Foundation. The van arrived April 3 and has been certified for testing. Previously, CLASS was able to administer testing only at its Alexandria office on Jackson Street. With the van, CLASS hopes that their expanded testing area will allow more people to get tested.

CLASS administers the free tests, which eliminate the need to draw blood by using an oral swab, and delivers test results in 20 minutes. “We were already out in the community providing educational material,” said Ann Lowery, director of CLASS. “Now we’ll be able to say, ‘You want to get tested? Just step inside the van.’” Recently, CLASS experienced budget cuts, which forced them to offer testing only to the immediate Alexandria/Pineville area, even though their area includes eight parishes.

The southern portion of the United States has been hit hard by HIV because of a lack of access to healthcare and insurance. Louisiana ranks poorly within this region; Central Louisiana ranks poorly within the state. According to Lowery, young people ages 13–24 are a fast-growing HIV-infected segment of Central Louisiana. 

For more information on CLASS, visit http://www.cenlahivservices.org or call (318) 442–1010.

The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.

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Study Suggests PrEP May Not Increase Sexual Risk-Taking in Gay Men

Truvada (tenofovir) is used for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to reduce risk of HIV infection among risk-taking HIV-negative gay men. Researchers investigated whether use of Truvada as PrEP encouraged risk-taking among men who have sex with men (MSM). The researchers studied 400 gay men for 24 months between 2005 and 2007 in a randomized double-blind placebo study. One group of participants began taking Truvada at the outset of the study and the other began nine months later. Researchers interviewed the men at entry into the study and every three months concerning sexual risk-taking and use of recreational drugs and erectile dysfunction medications.

Participants had an average of 7.25 partners in the three months prior to the study. This number decreased to 6 partners between months 3 and 9 and to 5.71 in the second year. Before baseline, 57 percent of participants reported unprotected anal sex. The number dropped to 48 percent between months 3 and 9, and rose to 52 percent in the second year. Also, at baseline, 29 percent of participants reported unprotected intercourse with a man they knew to be HIV-positive. This number dropped to 21 percent between months 3 and 9 and increased slightly to 22 percent in the second year. Unprotected sex with partners they knew to be HIV-positive decreased from 2 at the beginning of the study to 1.37 during the second year, and unprotected anal intercourse with partners believed to be HIV-negative increased from 2.75 at baseline to 4 during year two.

Findings indicate that the use of Truvada as PrEP did not increase sexual risk-taking among HIV-negative MSM. However, findings are tempered by the fact that the study provided the participants with risk-reduction counseling, condoms and lubricant, routine HIV tests, STD testing, and links to prevention services. The researchers acknowledge that these measures may have affected the observed risk reduction and risk declines.

The full report, “Sexual Risk Behavior Among HIV-Uninfected Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM) Participating in a Tenofovir Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) Randomized Trial in the United States,” is published online in the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes (2013; doi: 10.1097/QAI.0b013e31828f097a).

The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.

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HIV and Hepatitis Warning over Illegal Tattooists

The United Kingdom’s Local Government Association (LGA) warned that unlicensed tattooists and tattoo parlors put customers at risk for HIV, hepatitis, and permanent scarring because they use substandard equipment and fail to sterilize equipment properly. According to Mehboob Khan, chairperson of LGA’s Safer and Stronger Communities Board, unlicensed tattooists lure customers away from licensed tattoo parlors with cheap prices. Unregulated tattooists, who work in homes, pubs, clubs, and garden sheds, also are unlikely to ask about their client’s age or medical history.

Khan recommended that anyone planning to have body art seek out a registered tattooist; anyone who has used an unlicensed tattooist should consult a physician and report the unlicensed parlor to local authorities. Licensed tattooist Kevin Paul urged people with tattoo equipment to register with local authorities and to follow health and safety guidelines. The United Kingdom has more than 1,500 licensed tattoo parlors, and approximately 3 in 10 persons ages 25–34 in the United Kingdom have at least one tattoo. Under the Health and Safety at Work Act, unlicensed tattooists may lose their equipment and face unlimited fines and up to two years of imprisonment.

The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.

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N.C. Bill Regarding Minors' Health Care, Privacy Spurs Debate

North Carolina lawmakers, led by Sen. Buck Newton (R-Wilson County) and Sen. Warren Daniel (R-Burke and Cleveland counties), have introduced Senate Bill 675 (SB 675), which would require minors to get written permission from their parents or guardians before obtaining any healthcare related to contraceptives, STDs, pregnancy, mental health issues, or substance abuse treatment. The North Carolina Senate healthcare committee is now considering the bill. The Wilson County Board of Health and the N.C. Association of Local Health Directors oppose SB 675.

Proponents of the bill, which is supported by the North Carolina Values Coalition, claim SB 675 will reclaim the rights of parents to control healthcare decisions for their children. Coalition Executive Director Tami Fitzgerald questioned why parents must give permission for teenagers’ driving permits, field trips, or participation in sports, but not medical decisions related to pregnancy, STD treatment, or substance abuse.

In contrast, opponents fear the bill will result in unplanned pregnancies, higher STD rates, and life-or-death situations. Wilson County Health Department Director Felix Meyer stated that many youth are afraid to tell parents or are victims of sexual abuse, and it is imperative for teenagers to get care before or after having sex. Meyer fears the bill may result in higher rates of STDs, unplanned pregnancy, and infant mortality.

Meyer also noted that SB 675 conflicts with Title X funding that authorizes healthcare services—with the exception of abortion—for youth, regardless of age. Passage of SB 675 likely would result in loss of Title X funding, which would be a “serious blow” to health departments that provide a safety net in North Carolina communities. NARAL Pro-Choice North Carolina Executive Director Suzanne Buckley stated that the US Supreme Court has upheld minors’ rights to confidential access to contraceptives and family planning services through Title X and Medicaid.

The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.

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New Jersey AIDS Walk Fundraiser in Saddle River

Buddies of New Jersey and four other HIV/AIDS service organizations are hosting the New Jersey AIDS Walk on May 5, 2013, in Saddle River County Park.

Registration begins at 11 am with a 1 pm “Step-Off.” The Walk raises awareness and funds for those living with and affected by HIV/AIDS.

To walk, volunteer, or lend support, contact Ray at (202) 489-2900, or email ray@njbuddies.org.

The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.

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HIV Infections Up Sharply in St. Louis County

On April 23, the Minnesota Department of Health reported that St. Louis County had 14 new HIV infections reported in 2012, up from just two in 2011. Statewide, the number of cases was up slightly, from 292 in 2011 to 315 in 2012, according to the health department’s annual report. Jessica Brehmer, a health department HIV epidemiologist, stated that the majority of the cases were in the seven-county Twin Cities metropolitan area. However, St. Louis County had both the third-highest number of cases and the third-highest rate, with a rate of seven cases for every 100,000 people. Dr. Andrew Thompson, an infectious disease specialist at St. Luke’s hospital, said that the increase from two to 14 in St. Louis County is “a pretty big jump for a county that’s not that big in population.”

Olmsted County, by contrast, where Rochester is the county seat, had one new case in 2012, too statistically insignificant to compute a rate, according to health department data. Another county that had only one new case was Lake County in Northeastern Minnesota. No new cases were reported in Carlton or Cook counties. Thompson said that the St. Louis County numbers are upsetting, particularly combined with the health department’s recent report stating that Minnesota’s STD numbers had reached an all-time high. However, Brehmer said that the number of HIV cases reported statewide was about at the 10-year average of 317.

The health department noted in a news release that HIV infections are tougher on socially disadvantaged groups—in terms of education, employment, housing, and income—than they are on the general population. Brehmer said that the HIV infection increase is also taking a toll among males in the 13–24 age range. Thompson theorized, “My suspicion is they didn’t live through the 1980s, and they don’t have that kind of fear that the older generation has (about AIDS). I worry about that cavalier attitude that young people may have.”

Minnesota has had 10,112 HIV/AIDS cases since the health department began tracking AIDS in 1982 and HIV in 1985. An estimated 7,516 people are living with HIV in Minnesota now, according to the department’s news release.

The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.

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HIV Could Be Halted 'Within a Generation' say HPE

A new campaign launched by HIV Prevention, England, (HPE) contends that gay and bisexual men have the power to stop the spread of HIV in their community within a generation. The campaign, called “It Starts With Me,” was created by Terrence Higgins Trust and funded by the Department of Health. It will reach the target audience through the press, online advertisements, and posters in gay venues and will be rolled out across the country through a network of national and regional organizations, funded by HPE to promote the campaign in local communities. The campaign will continue until spring 2015, making it the largest HIV prevention campaign to target gay men in the country so far.

“It Starts With Me” will rotate between various health messages providing men with information and advice on protecting themselves and their partners from HIV. The basic message is that every sexually active gay and bisexual man in England can help stop the HIV epidemic by practicing the following: testing for HIV at least once every twelve months and more often if they have taken a risk or show symptoms of the disease; adhering to treatment if diagnosed with HIV; protecting themselves during sex by using condoms and finding other ways to avoid risk; participating in community action by supporting the campaign and spreading the word to friends and contacts.

Gay and bisexual men are invited to sign up with the campaign at http://www.StartsWithMe.org.uk.

They can assess their sex life to determine when they should have their next test, find the nearest testing facility to take a test, and order a free HIV postal testing kit.

The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.

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AIDS Legal Council of Chicago Marks 25 Years of Service

On May 9, the AIDS Legal Council of Chicago (ALCC) will host a benefit commemorating ALCC’s 25 years of service called "A Salute to ALCC.” The event will take place at Kirkland and Ellis LLP. ALCC supporters, staff, interns, past and present board members, and individual and corporate sponsors are the expected attendees. ALCC Executive Director Ann Hilton Fisher declared, “The response from the community surrounding our 25th anniversary has been tremendous, and we look forward to a wonderful evening to commemorate the life-saving legal work that the council does each day.”

ALCC works to preserve, promote, and protect the legal rights of HIV-impacted women, men, and children in the metropolitan Chicago area. The organization educates the public about HIV-related legal issues, provides direct legal services to people in need, and advocates for social policies that ensure fair treatment for all HIV/AIDS-impacted persons. The council employs a full-time staff of seven legal professionals, and is the only organization of its kind in the Midwest. In 2012, the council assisted over 900 clients with 1,600 cases, and currently serves a large and diverse client base.

When ALCC first started, it helped dying people live as long as possible and then die with dignity. With people living longer, ALCC shifted its priorities. ALCC now keeps clients of all ages stabilized and helps them navigate complex systems such as social security, Medicare, Medicaid, private insurance, and employment issues, with health insurance and managed care being ALCC’s current focus. ALCC helped clients stay a step ahead of their needs by providing information to them about the drug cocktail as it has evolved. ALCC also assists clients to comprehend immigration laws as well as the rules regarding working while receiving social security benefits. In January 2014, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will go into full effect. ALCC’s current lobbying efforts involve making sure that Illinois opts into expanding Medicaid when the new health care law goes into effect. ALCC offers free training for other nonprofits and companies and works with other organizations, including mental health providers, HIV/AIDS providers, health care providers, and drug treatment providers.

Sponsors for the event are Kirkland & Ellis, Winston & Strawn, Sidley Austin, Jenner & Block, McDermott Will & Emery, DLA Piper, Mayer Brown, Schiff Hardin, Marshall Gerstein & Borun, Clark Hill, Wintersteen & Dunning, Reed Smith, Sidetrack, BestGayChicago.com, ChicagoPride.com, The L Stop, and Windy City Media Group. Tickets start at $50 and can be purchased at http://www.alcc25host.eventbrite.com.

The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.

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Ga. HIV Criminalization Law Promotes Stigma

On April 23, activists condemned Georgia’s HIV criminalization laws as heavy-handed and unnecessary at a gathering at the Phillip Rush Center. In Georgia, it is a felony for an individual with HIV infection to have sex with someone who is not infected without disclosing one’s status, even if protection is used and even if the disease is not transmitted. Mark King, “My Fabulous Disease” blogger, organized the event, which included Georgia’s Equality Executive Director Jeff Graham, AID Atlanta’s Craig Washington, Lambda Legal’s Greg Nevis, SERO Project Executive Director Sean Strub, and Assistant Director Robert Suttle. After the speakers, a question-and-answer period followed when audience members asked questions and shared personal stories of how HIV impacted their lives.

According to the speakers, the focus should be on reducing stigma associated with the disease. They blamed stigma as the reason why many persons with HIV infection do not seek treatment or disclose their status to friends and sexual partners. King saw this issue as another instance when people with HIV would have to advocate for themselves. According to King, the criminalization is being driven by stigma, and most people felt that the stigma is worse. Although people with HIV infection are doing much better medically, they felt that today the social stigma is worse. For this reason, people are much less comfortable about disclosing their illness and sharing with friends or partners.

Activists want to eliminate HIV criminalization completely, although they acknowledge the need to punish people who intentionally endanger others by infecting them with HIV or other STDs. King commented that the great majority of people with HIV do not intentionally attempt to infect others and suggested assault laws be used for those who do. The question of how HIV-positive persons will have a problem protecting themselves from possible legal recourse was considered. In addition to practicing safe sex and closely monitoring viral loads, other measures can be taken to ensure that HIV-infected individuals are protected from the law. Nevins, an attorney, suggested keeping a record of disclosure either through a text message, in-person conversation, or otherwise. Nevin emphasized that if accused of not disclosing status, it is the HIV-positive person’s responsibility to prove disclosure.

The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.

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HIV/AIDS Fundraiser Dining Out for Life Scheduled for April 25 at 35 Local Restaurants

On April 25, the fifth annual International AIDS/HIV fundraiser Dining Out for Life will be held in the Kalamazoo, Mich. area. Thirty-five restaurants in Kalamazoo, Battle Creek, Plainwell, Three Rivers, and Paw Paw will participate by donating at least 25 percent of their sales to Community AIDS Resource and Education Services (CARES), a local AIDS/HIV support organization that assists individuals in southwest Michigan.

The CARES organization works to reduce the risk of HIV and improve life for those individuals already infected with the disease by offering services such as free HIV testing, education, and connections to local support groups. Director of Operations for CARES, Amy Bartell, hopes area residents will show support by visiting these community-supporting businesses.

For a complete list of participating restaurants, please visit http://www.diningoutforlife.com/kalamazoo/restaurants.

For more information, call Bartell at (269) 381.2437 ext. 12.

The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.

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San Francisco Dance Community Comes Out for AIDS-Fighting Benefit

On April 28, the Richmond/Ermet AIDS Foundation of San Francisco will present the second annual dance benefit for Bay Area AIDS organizations called, “Dances from the Heart 2.” The event will feature 10 local dance troupes: Chitresh Das Dance Company, Ballet San Jose, Diablo Ballet, Company C Contemporary Ballet, Post: Ballet, ODC/Dance, Robert Moses’ Kin, Smuin Ballet, Salsamania, and Te Mana O Te Ra.

Dancer-choreographer Robert Dekkers, a member of the event’s planning committee, who also helped organize the 2012 event, noted, “Most other big cities have pretty big all-dance AIDS benefits, and San Francisco oddly didn’t.” Dekkers commented on the diversity of the dance companies and how broad the range of the work is, adding, “The City has big ballet companies, modern companies and small, off-the-wall project-based things, and everything in between.” Dekkers founded the troupe Post: Ballet, which will present his solo piece, “Sixes and Seven,” to be performed by Christian Squires. Dekker declared, “What’s really interesting about dance as an art is that each performance is different. It’s about the ‘now.’ With music you have sheet music. When a painting is done, it’s finished. With a play there’s a script. With dance, once it’s done in a place and time, you can never have that particular performance again.”

The show’s beneficiaries include Bay Area Young Positives, Larkin Street Youth Services, and the Dancers’ Groups’ Parachute Fund. The event will take place at the Palace of Fine Arts Theatre, 3301 Lyon St., San Francisco, at 7:30 p.m., Sunday, April 28. Tickets are $40 to $60 for the show only; $100 to $1,000 includes receptions. For more information, contact (415) 273-1620 or visit www.palaceoffinearts.org.

The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.

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HAART Saves Heart in Kids with HIV

Before the use of today’s antiretroviral therapy (ART), children with HIV infection were more likely to have abnormalities in the left ventricular structure and function that increased their risk of death. Highly Active Antiretroviral therapy (HAART) appears to preserve cardiac function, but the interactions between HIV, ART, and cardiac function is unclear. Steven Lipshultz, MD of the University of Miami and colleagues investigated the effect of long-term HAART on cardiac function. The researchers compared three cohorts—two from the Adolescent Master Protocol of the Pediatrics HIV/AIDS Cohort Study (PHACS) and one from the Pulmonary and Cardiovascular Complications of Vertically Transmitted HIV Infection Study.

The PHACS study was conducted at 14 pediatric HIV clinics in the United States from March 2007 to November 2009 with children aged 7 to 16 years. The researchers reviewed data from 325 children in the PHACS study with perinatal HIV infection who were receiving HAART, which means treatment with at least three ART drugs from at least two ART drug classes and 189 children who were exposed to HIV, but were not infected. Also, researchers reviewed data from the Pulmonary and Cardiovascular Complications (PCHIV) study, which was conducted from 1990 to 1997. They examined data from 70 children from the PCHIV study who were infected with HIV, but were not treated with HAART. All children received echocardiograms.

Compared with HIV-infected youth treated when HAART was not widely used, those mostly treated with HAART had significantly better echocardiographic measures of heart structure and function. Some of the patients from the earlier cohort (PCHIV study), but none of the newer cohort (PHACS study) developed clinical heart disease. The authors concluded that findings suggest an overall cardio protective effect of long-term HAART, but the reasons for this effect are not clear.

The full report, “Cardiac Status of Children Infected With Human Immunodeficiency Virus Who Are Receiving Long-term Combination Antiretroviral Therapy: Results From the Adolescent Master Protocol of the Multicenter Pediatric HIV/AIDS Cohort Study,” was published online in the journal JAMA Pediatrics (doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2013.1206).

The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.

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South African Clinics Already Achieving Zero New HIV Infections in Children

Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) 2010 Guidelines recommend that all pregnant women with CD4 counts at or below 350 cell/mm3 or World Health Organization (WHO) stage 3 or 4 HIV start antiretroviral therapy (ART) within two weeks of diagnosis. Researchers at South Africa’s Stellenbosch University report that adoption of the guidelines eliminated mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) at Tygerberg Infectious Diseases Clinic for 90 babies born to HIV-infected mothers in 2010.

In contrast, the MTCT rate at Tygerberg was 4.6 percent in 2008 and 7 percent in 2009. South Africa has the highest prevalence of HIV in the world; approximately 20 percent of women delivering at Tygerberg have the virus.

The researchers also found that the higher the CD4 count at the time of delivery, the lower the risk of HIV transmission. Study authors urged women to visit a maternity clinic as soon as they know they are pregnant so they can have HIV testing and link to care as soon as possible. Study results indicate that the risk of transmitting HIV was 10 times higher for women who had been on ART for less than eight weeks. The number of Tygerberg Clinic patients on ART for more than eight weeks increased from 47.8 percent in 2009 to 73.7 percent in 2010. Identifying bottlenecks in the referral process could speed up linkage to care.

Study authors also noted that the longer expectant mothers were on ART, the less likely they were to be lost to follow-up. They recommended increasing awareness of the benefits of visiting maternity clinics early to fast-track ART therapy.

The full report, “The Impact of Revised PMTCT Guidelines: A View from a Public Sector ARV Clinic in Cape Town, South Africa,” was published online in the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes (2013; doi 10.109y/QAI.0b013e31828bb721).

The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.

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CraveOnline Polls Prove Men Aren't Quite Prepared When It Comes to Safe Sex

In honor of National STD Awareness Month, Evolve Media’s CraveOnline conducted an online survey of men’s sex lives. Results indicate that most of CraveOnline’s respondents do not carry condoms when they go out, and most do not ask sexual partners whether they have been tested for STDs.

Although CDC data indicate there are 20 million new cases of STDs annually, 66 percent of the 2,000 survey participants reported they never get tested for STDs. A third of the respondents reported having STD testing every 6 to 12 months, and 11 percent stated they get tested every few years. A mere 28 percent reported having STD tests every 3 to 6 months.

Close to half of the survey participants (45 percent) stated they are not likely to inquire about STDs before having sex with a partner, and only 34 percent were “very likely to ask.” A fifth of the respondents estimated they were “in the middle” on the issue.

In spite of the responses regarding testing and asking about partners’ STD status, only 36 percent stated that carrying condoms is a “must” when they go out. Nine percent of participants reported carrying condoms occasionally, and 53 percent stated they never took condoms along for a night on the town.

Crave executive editor Jason Kobely hopes that releasing the survey results will encourage men to take a more active role in their personal health and to be more aware of safer sex practices.

View additional information about the survey at http://www.craveonline.com/lifestyle/articles/475335-craveonline-poll-news-flash-guys-wanna-do-it.

The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.

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HIV/AIDS Candlelight Memorial Service Set

On Sunday, April 28, the Church of the Good Shepherd United Church of Christ, together with Tri State Alliance, will host the annual Southern Illinois Candlelight Memorial Service at 6:30 p.m., at 515 S. Orchard Drive.

The memorial service will honor those lost to or those currently affected by HIV/AIDS. A reception will follow the service. The recipient of the evening’s freewill offering will be the AIDS Holiday Project, an organization that provides food and other gifts to low-income families affected by HIV/AIDS in the Southern Illinois region.

Father Joseph Brown, Chair of Africana Studies at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, will be the guest speaker. Other clergy participants include the Rev. Charlie Cross of Bethel A.M.E.; the Rev. Sonja L. Ingebritsen of Church of the Good Shepherd UCC; the Rev. Katherine Bryant-Graves of First Christian Church (DOC); the Rev. Don Vaughn-Foerster of Carbondale Unitarian Fellowship; and Father Robert Flannery of St. Francis Xavier Catholic Parish.

For more information, call (618) 457-2232.

The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.

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ARC Ohio Merges with Violet's Cupboard

The 300 clients of Violet’s Cupboard in Akron, Ohio, will now be served by a new office of the AIDS Resource Center (ARC), Ohio. Violet’s Cupboard, which had been functioning for 25 years, provided HIV testing, housing and education, outreach, referrals, and risk reduction services for persons with HIV infection as well as case management for drug assistance programs and health issues.

ARC Ohio is an AIDS service organization that extends over most of the state. The employees of Violet’s Cupboard were assimilated into ARC Ohio on April 1. In addition to covering the services originally provided by Violet’s Cupboard, ARC Ohio will work with HIV testing sites in Cleveland to bring newly diagnosed individuals into treatment and to re-engage those who had dropped out of treatment. These efforts also will be carried out across certain counties.

The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.

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Many Canadians Unaware They Have Sexually Transmitted Infection

According to the 2009–2011 Canadian Health Measures Survey of Canadians aged 14 to 59, many people who have chlamydia or herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) are not aware of being infected. Participants in the nationally representative survey answered questions about being diagnosed with sexually transmitted infections and gave blood and urine samples.

The survey included 3,250 chlamydia respondents and 3,247 HSV-2 respondents. Data indicated that 0.7 percent of people aged 14 to 59 (158,000 people) had chlamydia, although none of the survey respondents diagnosed with chlamydia responded they had ever had an STD. Results from HSV-2 respondents showed that 13.6 percent of people aged 14 to 59 (2.9 million people) had HSV-2, whereas only 6 percent of participants reported having the virus.

Chlamydia and HSV-2 frequently go undiagnosed because they have no symptoms; HSV-2 may also present with atypical symptoms. Previous estimates of chlamydia and HSV-2 among the Canadian population aged 14 to 59 were based on high-risk populations or cases reported to health authorities.

The full report, “Prevalence of Chlamydia Trachomatis and Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2: Results from the 2009 to 2011 Canadian Health Measures Survey,” was published online by Statistics Canada at http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/82-003-x/2013004/article/11777-eng.htm

The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.

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Ex-Felons to Get Health Coverage Via Affordable Care Act

Because of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), ex-convicts will be eligible for Medicaid upon release from prison beginning in 2014. Medicaid is the federal-state health insurance partnership that covers children, pregnant women, and disabled adults with low income. States that agree to the Medicaid expansion will begin providing Medicaid to all non-elderly low-income adults in 2014; states can opt out of the Medicaid expansion.

Approximately 650,000 inmates leave US prisons each year. ACA will also extend Medicaid to a “sizeable portion” of nearly five million ex-prisoners on parole or probation. Ex-prisoners whose income from employment is too high for Medicaid will still qualify for federal tax credits for health insurance through state insurance exchanges.

In general, the prison population has worse health than the overall US population, with higher rates of TB, HIV, hepatitis, asthma, hypertension, diabetes, addiction, and mental illness, according to a 2007 New England Journal of Medicine study. Typically, prisoners receive health screenings upon admission and health care services throughout incarceration. After release, ex-convicts with no access to health care frequently discontinue treatment for chronic conditions and rely on the emergency room for care—an expensive form of health care. Ex-convicts have much higher mortality rates than the general population; cardiovascular disease and drug overdose are the leading causes of death for ex-prisoners.

Those who advocate for ex-convicts believe that access to health care will make it possible to improve health outcomes for the population, reduce medical costs, and perhaps prevent prisoners from returning to crime. The federal Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act will also help ex-convicts since it requires insurers to provide benefits for mental health and substance treatment in addition to medical and surgical services.

The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.

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HIV Cases Reach 'Epidemic' Level in Phillipines

Department of Health Region 7 Director Asuncion Anden said that HIV cases in the cities of Cebu, Mandaue, and Lapu-Lapu, Philippines have reached epidemic proportion. For the time period from January to April of 2013, Cebu has reported 27 suspected HIV cases; Mandaue City, 5 cases; and Lapu-Lapu City has reported four cases.

According to Department of Health Region 7 Assistant Secretary Pauly Jean Russel Ubial, the Philippines has seen a total of 339 new HIV cases for February of this year compared with 274 recorded for 2012, an increase of 24 percent for 2013.

For the February 2013 cases, 86 percent are males, with most of the cases falling within the 20–29 age group, and the predominant mode of transmission for new cases was for males having sex with other males (82 percent), although an increase of cases among injecting drug users has also been seen.

From 1984 through February of 2013, the Philippines has recorded a total of 11,204 cases of HIV, of which 1,217 have developed AIDS. At least 353 fatalities have resulted from the disease.

Ubial stated that for every case that has been reported, at least 10 are undetected or unreported, meaning that potentially there could be at least 90,000 individuals who are infected but do not know they have HIV.

The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.

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DA Agrees to New Condoms Policy

George Gascón, San Francisco’s district attorney (DA), has agreed to a permanent ban on the use of condoms as evidence of prostitution. He notified Theresa Sparks, executive director of the city’s Human Rights Commission, of this decision in a letter dated March 30, which stated that prosecutors will no longer use condoms as physical evidence in criminal prostitution cases. Jeff Adachi, public defender, agreed that it is a good policy that police and prosecutors will no longer treat carrying condoms as evidence of prostitution. This letter ended a temporary ban on collecting or photographing condoms in cases of suspected prostitution or of discussing them in court, which was in effect since October and had been extended for another three months in January while Gascón examined the issue.

Sex worker advocates, public health officials, and others were concerned that using condoms as evidence of prostitution discouraged people from carrying them and thus placing individuals at greater risk of HIV and other STDs. In his letter, Gascón referred to the need to balance health and safety issues. He acknowledged that concerns raised in two meetings with the Human Rights Commission have persuaded him that police seizure and trial prosecution using condoms as evidence make it less likely that sex workers will carry and use condoms to protect themselves. After six months of evaluating police arrests and the case outcomes, Gascón felt confident that the public safety concerns can be addressed without risking sex workers’ health.

Sparks referred to the agreement between the DA and public defender as a huge advancement. She was happy that the victims’ rights have been placed before law enforcement and commented that officials needed to remind people that many in the sex industry are victims who should receive the option of protection while participating in these activities. Sparks stated that the next step was to get the message to the community so that individuals understood that the change is real as well as their rights. A meeting with advocates and city agents is planned to determine how to spread awareness of the new policy. Sparks noted that her staff, representatives from the city’s health department and the nonprofit St. James Infirmary all participated in the effort to address the condom issue.

The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.

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HBV/HCV Coinfection Linked to Younger Age, HIV, Male Sex

Researchers reviewed data on patients with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection who had been tested for hepatitis B between 1997 and 2005 from the National Veterans Affairs HCV Clinical Case Registry. Data indicate that 168,239 individuals who were exposed to HCV were tested for HBV.

Patients were classified as HCV exposed if their records indicated two positive HCV tests or one test with a diagnostic code, and HCV infected if they showed HCV RNA or a genotype. Also, they were classified HBV exposed if they met certain conditions, such as a positive test for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAG), HBV DNA, or Hepatitis Be antigen (HBeAg) hepatitis B core or Be antibodies. If the patients had a positive HBsAG, HBV DNA, or HBeAG test within one year of HCV diagnosis, they were considered coinfected.

Of the 168,239 patients with HCV exposure, 34.7 percent had HBV exposure. There were 102,971 patients with HCV infection, and 1.4 percent of them were coinfected with HBV. Factors independently associated with HBV/HCV coinfection were age fifty years or younger; male sex; positive HIV status; history of hemophilia, sickle cell anemia, or thalassemia; history of blood transfusion; and cocaine or other drug use. According to researchers, Hispanics had a reduced risk for coinfection.

The researchers noted that this was the largest cohort study in the United States to determine the prevalence of coinfection in individuals with HCV. They commented that among veterans with HCV exposure to HBV is common, but HBV coinfection is low. They recommend that patients with HCV exposure be tested for HBV; also, the risk factors mentioned can be used to target screening and prevention programs for persons with the highest risk of coinfection.

The full report, “Prevalence and Predictors of Hepatitis B Virus Co-Infection in a United States Cohort of Hepatitis C Virus-Infected Patients, was published online ahead of print in the journal Hepatology, (2013; doi: 10.1002/hep.26400).

The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.

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Govt Demands Students' HIV Status

The Ugandan Ministry of Education and Sports has required secondary schools to report the HIV status of all students, teachers, and staff in this year’s school census, due on April 22. Schools received the “pink form” for secondary schools on Wednesday, April 17. Items required on the pink form include information on students, infrastructure, sanitation, teaching materials, learners, and HIV status. Francis Lubanga, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education and Sports, warned that schools failing to provide all information will lose their license. Another Ministry of Education and Sports official stated that the request is part of a multi-sector approach the government has adopted to fight HIV, a leading cause of death in Uganda.

Parents and teachers oppose the requirement because they say the ministry has not defined its purpose for collecting the information, and they fear such knowledge will result in stigma for HIV-infected individuals and for schools with high HIV prevalence. Furthermore, the requirement places the burden of HIV testing upon schools. According to Rashid SSebutosi, deputy head teacher for Mariam High School, HIV testing is not a required element of the school’s compulsory annual health exam.

Edward Ssemuskasa, head teacher of Kisaasi College School, emphasized the difficulty of obtaining information about the staff’s or students’ HIV status in a culture where HIV/AIDS is seldom discussed openly, even in cause-of-death conversations. He suggested collecting information about malaria or urinary tract infections would be more useful in promoting student health. Although parents may report HIV status when a student enters a school, Ssemuskasa indicated parents would prefer the school keep this information confidential.

The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.

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A Faire of the Heart Gala Funds AIDS Housing

On April 9, the Alliance for Housing and Healing, a Los Angeles-based nonprofit, hosted its annual gala to raise funds that help the Alliance provide food and housing for impoverished people with HIV/AIDS.

The annual gala, called “A Faire of the Heart,” was held at the Beverly Hills Hotel, where Hal Sparks, a Queer As Folk actor, served as the master of ceremonies.

Oscar-winner Cloris Leachman was presented with the Celebrity Trailblazer Award to honor her work as a pioneering woman in the world of film, television, and comedy.

Dr. Phillip Musikanth received the Alliance Humanitarian Award for treating patients with HIV and AIDS for 25 years.

The group honored Laurie Hasencamp, Esq. with the Visionary Award, for her service and commitment to the HIV-positive and LGBT communities.

The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.

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The First Lady of Ghana to Lead Country's Drive to Stop New HIV Infections in Children

Ghana’s First Lady, Lordina Mahama, will become premiere UNAIDS ambassador for the implementation of the Global Plan toward the elimination of new HIV infections among children by 2015 and keeping their mothers alive.

She will lead Ghana in achieving an AIDS-free generation by encouraging dialogue to ensure that AIDS remains a high priority on the political agenda. Mahama will work toward the goals of challenging stigma, empowering women and girls, and helping community and national leaders understand that the AIDS response cannot be separated from the work of improving the health of mothers and children.

The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.

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GYT (Get Yourself Tested) During STD Awareness Month

During STD Awareness Month in April, the Kaiser Family Foundation, MTV, Planned Parenthood, and CDC are partnering in the GYT Campaign, "Get Yourself Talking, Get Yourself Tested." Carol Bafaloukos, associate medical director of Planned Parenthood Arizona, stated that the United States has 20 million new STD infections each year. Half of the cases occur among people under the age of 25.

Bafaloukos noted, "We don't necessarily do a really good job of teaching them about prevention and the importance of using condoms, the important of abstinence. Well, actually we do teach them about abstinence, but an abstinence-only program doesn't necessarily give them the tools that they need if they do decide to become sexually active." Bafaloukos warned that many STDs have no symptoms; consequently, the only way to know is to get tested. Virtually all STDs are treatable, with many being curable; however, untreated STDs can lead to cervical cancer and possibly to infertility in women.

Vicki Hadd-Wissler, director of education at Planned Parenthood, emphasized the importance of communicating with one's partner. She stressed that discussing STDs and testing are the best way to keep yourself and your partner healthy. During STD Awareness Month, Planned Parenthood Arizona is offering a discount on testing for STDs.

The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.

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Experts Struggle with Stemming Tide of STDs in County, Especially Among Youth

Florida Department of Health data indicate that Alachua County has the fourth-highest rate of STDs of the state’s 67 counties and that STDs are most prevalent among youth aged 15 to 19 years. The two more common diseases are chlamydia and gonorrhea. In response to the high rates, Teresa Mercado-White, health education program consultant at the county health department, and colleagues organized a campaign to reach out to adolescents and college students since STDs were also prevalent among 20- to 24-year-olds.

Mercado-White recruited high school students to send text “blasts” to friends about sexual health and STDs every morning for 30 days, beginning April 1, the start of STD awareness month. The texts included information about STD transmission, testing, and treatment as well as websites, phone numbers, and area facilities that offer free testing. Individuals who received texts could text back their questions about sex, and Mercado-White and her team responded within minutes. A University of Florida junior, who volunteers at the health department, also participated by sending texts to 15 to 20 of her close friends and is posting the text messages on her Facebook page.

Mercado-White spoke recently to about 25 students on the University of Florida campus. Instead of simply telling them to practice safe sex, she used an exercise to emphasize her point and instill fear about what can happen if they do not. She illustrated the point by having five volunteers sip water from a glass, spit into the glass, then exchange glasses, and drink again. Those who drank would receive cash collected from the audience. None of them drank. She explained that they had values, and they needed to use those values in their sex lives as well. Mercado-White commented that abstinence alone is not relevant for the students as they consider it unrealistic. She reasoned that not discussing sex is not an option, as students are being exposed.

Rebecca Tanner, a health educator at the county health department, contends that part of the problem is that our culture is over sexualized and teens are very vulnerable to it. She noted that certain ZIP codes are “hot spots” for STDs in Gainesville. How to broach the subject of sexual health with a partner is one issue with which individuals have difficulty and another is how to talk about it with a physician, particularly for the younger age group. Stacy Shiver, manager of the STD program at the Florida Department of Health, said that practitioners are encouraged to screen youth under age 24 for STDs, but they may not always do it.

The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.

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Northern Ireland: Gay Blood Ban Debated in High Court

Northern Ireland’s High Court is considering whether to maintain Northern Ireland’s current policy stipulating a lifetime ban on blood donation for gay men or to align with the policy of England, Scotland, and Wales. Since 2011, these United Kingdom countries have allowed men who have sex with men to donate blood only after they have abstained from sex for one year. Health Minister Edwin Poots stated that he wants to preserve Northern Ireland’s lifetime ban to prevent the spread of STDs, not because he is a born-again Christian who objects to same-sex relationships.

An anonymous gay man initiated the suit to change Northern Ireland’s policy to the one-year deferral for blood donation. According to the Belfast Telegraph, the man is also a born-again Christian who now disapproves of gay sex. Northern Ireland’s Attorney General John Larkin questioned that report and stated that the case “wasted” the court’s time. Larkin argued the case was really about a man who was prohibited from donating blood because he has “exchanged money for sex,” rather than being about theology or a health department official’s views about morality.

Opposing council, David Scoffield QC, advised Mr. Justice Treacy that the lifetime ban was disproportionately harsh since only one “additional HIV infection per billion blood donations” would occur if Northern Ireland adopted the 12-month deferral. Scoffield claimed that would mean only one more HIV infection every 50,000 years. Judge Treacy has not yet decided the outcome of the case.

The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.

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60 Oklahoma Dental Patients Test Positive for Hepatitis, HIV

The Tulsa Health Department announced that approximately 60 former patients of Dr. W. Scott Harrington’s dental clinics tested positive for hepatitis or HIV. Harrington was criticized by the state dental board for poor sterilization practices. More than 7,000 patients of his Tulsa and Owasso clinics were sent letters in March notifying them of the risk of infection and advising them how to get free blood testing. Of 3,122 persons tested by county health departments, 57 tested positive for hepatitis C, three for hepatitis B, and one for HIV.

The Tulsa and Oklahoma Health Departments are in the process of informing patients of the results. Health officials will personally contact those who tested positive, provide counseling about the disease, and direct them to appropriate resources for treatment. Testing may also be recommended for their spouses or partners. Dr. Kristy Bradley, an epidemiologist, noted that the source of the infections is under investigation. She explained that the next phase will include more interviews of persons who tested positive to determine the likelihood that their exposure is associated with their dental procedure at the practice.

A surprise inspection of Harrington’s practice on March 18 was prompted by a patient’s positive test for HIV and hepatitis The complaint filed by the Oklahoma Board of Dentistry stated that the dentist was using old needles and rusty instruments, and poured bleach on patients’ wounds until they turned white. Also, instruments used for patients who had an infectious disease were given an extra dip in bleach in addition to normal cleaning methods. However, the tools had rust spots, indicating that they were porous and could not be properly sterilized. Harrington had been practicing for more than 30 years. He voluntarily gave up his dental license and may face criminal charges.

The Tulsa Health Department has established a hotline at (918) 595-4500 for people with questions.

The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.

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Las Vegas AIDS Walk Sets Records for Attendance, Money Raised

On April 14, the Las Vegas 23rd Annual Aids Walk exceeded past attendance records and fundraising, with more than 12,000 supporters raising $471,000 for the event, up from the 2012 event where approximately 9,000 people participated and raised about $450,000.

The organization, “Aid for AIDS of Nevada,” organized the AIDS Walk. Celebrities participating in the event were Chippendales stars Jaymes Vaughan and James Davis, news personality Chris Saldana, entertainment personalities Penn and Teller, and television show contestants from “The Amazing Race.” Mayor Carolyn Goodman and U.S. Representative Dina Titus also attended.

Officials noted that the funds raised will be used to educate and treat more than 4,000 HIV/AIDS-infected men, women, and children in Southern Nevada.

The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.

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