QUICKFLASH: HIV HIDES IN BONE MARROW

New research shows that HIV can hide in the bone marrow, where it can avoid drugs and treatment, and then later awaken to cause illness. Last month, Dr. Kathleen Collins of the University of Michigan reported in the Nature Medicine journal that HIV can hide in long-lived marrow cells that will eventually convert to blood cells.

Dr. Collins states that the virus itself is dormant in the bone marrow cells, but when those cells convert to blood cells, the virus can be reactivated and cause renewed infection. Once reactivated, the virus kills the blood cells and then moves on to infect other cells.

NEWSFLASH: WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION RECOMMENDS EARLIER TREATMENT FOR HIV PATIENTS

According to a statement issued by the World Health Organization (WHO) on Monday, HIV patients should begin treatment sooner than currently recommended. The new guidance issued advises doctors to begin giving patients AIDS medication a year or two earlier than usual. However, should all doctors take heed of this new advice, this would double the number of individuals globally who qualify for treatment, adding an incremental 3-5 million patients to the staggering 5 million already awaiting AIDS treatment.

Specifically, the guidance advises doctors to begin treatment when the level of their patients' CD4 cells reaches 350. Previously, the recommendation was to begin treatment when the CD4 level reached 200. But several studies have shown that when patients began treatment earlier, they had a much better chance of surviving. In fact, doctors in most Western countries begin treatment when their patients' CD4 cell level reaches 500.

One of the key benefits of beginning treatment earlier is the possibility of fending off opportunistic infections (OIs). According to David Ross, an AIDS expert at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine said the following:

......there is compelling evidence HIV patients should start treatment sooner. People with HIV who aren't on AIDS drugs are more likely to catch a potentially fatal disease like tuberculosis or develop other complications when they do start the drugs.

However, there are some reservations about this new guidance. One of the main questions centers on how countries will be able to cover the costs for this extended treatment. Currently 4 million people are receiving AIDS medication worldwide, and as mentioned previously, there are another 5 million patients waiting in line, and this new guidance could tack on another 3-5 million patients to the waiting list.

In fact, many AIDS programs in Africa are already stretched thin, and Africa is home to most of the world's HIV+ patients. Mr. Ross also added that there were reports of African clinics turning away new patients eligible for treatment due to a lack of available drugs.

Another drawback to this guidance is that putting HIV patients on medication for a longer period of time may also lead to drug resistance in the immune system.



Source: MSNBC

WORLD AIDS DAY WRAP-UP

Greetings everyone! Today marked the start of AIDS Awareness Month 2009 as we pause to remember all those we have lost in the fight against this epidemic and work hard to continue raising awareness and funds for this cause. There were several events buzzing to commemorate World AIDS Day, and here's a few:

1) Lights For Rights New York City Event - Washington Square Park, NYC - 6-7PM: This event featured such speakers as actress and UNAIDS Goodwill ambassador Naomi Watts, amFAR chairman Kenneth Cole, and United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. At 6:15, the lights on the Washington Square Park Memorial Arch were turned off for 5 minutes in remembrance of those we've lost to the epidemic. Other venues around NYC participated in this gesture, including all Broadway theaters, Madison Square Garden, Lincoln Center, the Chrysler Building, and the Brooklyn Bridge.

2) Waking Up to HIV: A Community Gathering - United Medical Center, Washington, D.C. - 5-7PM: This event marked the first annual World AIDS Day Commemoration held at this medical facility.

3) 24-Hour Vigil/Reading of the Names - City Hall Park, NYC - At midnight on Dec. 1, activists, volunteers, and individuals living with HIV/AIDS began continually reading names to remember loved ones lost, as well as raise awareness about the twin crises of HIV/AIDS and homelessness.

In addition to today's remembrance events around the country, we've learned that Chembio Diagnostics has donated 4,500 HIV rapid testing kits to the AIDS Healthcare Foundation's 2009 Testing Millions Global Campaign to commemorate World AIDS Day. Chembio Diagnostics is an NY-based firm that develops, manufactures, licenses, and markets proprietary rapid diagnostic tests. Lawrence Siebert, chairman and CEO of Chembio said the following:

It's important to remember the need for routine testing so that AIDS patients can receive treatment....However, according to recent research, approximately one in five people who test positive for HIV fail to receive their results and post-test counseling. Some of these patients who are unaware that they are infected inadvertently delay the beginning of treatment while placing others at risk of exposure.

Events and actions like these let us know that HIV/AIDS is still a major issue and is still on the radar for many organizations. However, it's not enough that we get involved just for World AIDS Day on Dec. 1. We need to work tirelessly throughout the year to continue to raise awareness, to educate, to treat, and to act on the behalf of those who need help and caring most. This epidemic does NOT take a hiatus until December, and neither should we.

Looking for ways to get involved? Check out Lights For Rights at http://www.lightforrights.org/get_involved.php

Sources: CNNMoney, Lights for Rights, The Village Voice

NEWSFLASH: HIV/AIDS RAMPANT IN OUR NATION'S CAPITAL

According to a recent report by D.C. health officials, the number of HIV/AIDS cases jumped 22% in 2008 from the nearly 12,500 cases reported in 2006. In fact, at least 3% of residents in our nation's capital are living with HIV/AIDS.

Furthermore, almost 1 in 10 residents between ages 40 and 49 are living with HIV. Black men had the highest infection rate of 7%. Looking at African-Americans overall in our nation's capitals, Blacks make up 53% of the population, but account for 76% of all the infections.

What is even more distubing is that each mode of transmission is on the rise, making it more difficult to target those at highest risk. The virus is most often transmitted by men having sex with men (MSM) (37%), followed by heterosexual transmission (28%) and injection drug use (18%).

In an effort to combat the growing epidemic in Washington, D.C., officials say the city is ramping up its efforts.

The city said it raised the number of people in its AIDS drug assistance program by 50 percent from 2007 to 2008, while the number of young people getting HIV tests doubled in the same period. The city said it is one of two in the nation with a major condom distribution program, distributing 1.5 million in 2008."We want to make condoms widely available for free at a lot of easy-access points around the city," Dr. Shannon Hader, the city's HIV/AIDS Administration director, said, including beauty parlors, barber shops, liquor stores and bars.

Source: www.msnbc.com

NEWSFLASH: House Adopts AHF Stimulus Funding Proposal for HIV Testing and Prevention

The U.S. House of Representatives has adopted the proposal of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) to appropriate $300 million for HIV/AIDS prevention, testing, and services in the pending economic stimulus legislation.

Yesterday, the Democratic leadership of Congress proposed $355 million for domestic HIV/AIDS, viral hepatitis, STD and prevention programs as part of a $3 billion Prevention and Wellness Fund to prevent diseases and to reduce future healthcare costs. The funding proposal is included in the House of Representatives’ American Recovery and Reinvestment Bill of 2009. The legislation is a cornerstone of the economic recovery efforts being championed by President-elect Obama who is working closely with Congress to implement an effective and durable program for economic recovery nationwide.

Earlier in the week, a coalition of AHF nurses, AIDS patients, and medical providers from Florida made their way to Washington to lobby Congress on Capitol Hill to include funding for HIV testing in the economic stimulus package. The specifics are as follows:

The visiting Florida delegation lobbied for funding for an expansion of the current Centers for Disease Control (CDC) HIV testing program to do over three million HIV tests in the next two years in order to find the 60,000 plus people currently infected with HIV but who don’t know it. AHF estimates that doing so will prevent at least 6,000 new infections, ultimately saving the government billions of dollars in medical costs.

This is a HUGE success in the fight against containing this infection, educating the public, and finding methods of prevention. As our previous post mentioned, the number of new STD cases has reached record levels. The CDC has also revised its estimate of new HIV infections in the U.S. to 56,000 per year, up from the previously reported 40,000 per year. It is important that we keep national and global focus on HIV/AIDS and other STDs and the need for increased education, testing, and assistance. It is a further step forward to have Congress sign off on new funding which can help meet those needs.

Source: AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF)

NEWSFLASH: Circumcision May Cut Risk of HIV and HPV

According to an article published by Reuters last month, there is now evidence that circumcision, which is the process of surgically removing the foreskin covering the head of a man's penis (usually at birth), can protect men from HIV and human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV is the sexually transmitted virus that can cause cervical cancer in women, as well as genital warts. It is the most common of all sexually transmitted infections in the world.

Three studies were published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases presenting the evidence.

In the first report, Dr. Bertran Auvert of the University of Versailles in France and some colleagues in South Africa tested over 1200 men visiting a South African clinic. His team found that under 15% of the circumcised men as compared to 22% of uncircumcised men were infected with HPV.

"This finding explains why women with circumcised partners are at a lower risk of cervical cancer than other women," they wrote in their report.

The second study looking at U.S. men had less clear-cut results, but according to Carrie Nielson of Oregon Health & Science University and her colleagues, there was some indication that circumcision may protect men. The circumcised men were about half as likely to have HPV as the uncircumcised men, after adjustment was made for other difference between the groups.

The final study dealt with HIV. Lee Warner of the CDC and his colleagues tested Black men in Baltimore and discovered that only 10% of those at high risk of becoming infected that were circumcised had HIV, as compared to 22% of those were not circumcised.

"Circumcision was associated with substantially reduced HIV risk in patients with known HIV exposure, suggesting that results of other studies demonstrating reduced HIV risk for circumcision among heterosexual men likely can be generalized to the U.S. context," they wrote.

Previously, studies supporting circumcision to reduce HIV transmission had all been done in Africa. Most of the U.S. studies had been unclear.

In commentary, Dr. Ronald Gray of Johns Hopkins University and a team of colleagues, who were encouraged by the findings, said the following:

"In the United States, circumcision is less common among African American and Hispanic men, who are also the subgroups most at risk of HIV....Thus, circumcision may afford an additional means of protection from HIV in these at-risk minorities."

But they highlighted the fact that the American Academy of Pediatrics does not recommend routine circumcision for newborns.

"As a consequence of this AAP decision, Medicaid does not cover circumcision costs, and this is particularly disadvantageous for poorer African American and Hispanic boys who, as adults, may face high HIV exposure risk," Gray and his colleagues wrote.

They also noted the fact that "circumcision rates have been declining in the U.S., possibly because of lack of Medicaid coverage."

For further information on HPV, visit http://www.cdc.gov/STD/HPV/STDFact-HPV.htm

Source: MSNBC

PREVENT: CELL PHONE SOAP OPERAS TO DELIVER SAFE-SEX MESSAGE

A nurse educator at Rutger's University's College of Nursing is piloting a unique method of spreading the message of safe sex: cell phone soap operas. Yep, you heard right. According to an article by the Associated Press, the purpose is "to use short videos to go beyond pamphlets on safe sex and deliver the message to women who might otherwise tune it out."

The article goes on to explain that Rachel Jones developed this education campaign using professional actors and scripts based on focus groups with women in Newark and Jersey City. She filmed a series of 12 "soap opera vignettes" using a grant from a Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey. She also received a $2MM grant from the National Institutes of Health to test the effectiveness of the campaign.

Jones said, "Women who watched the first pilot were getting upset, angry, exacerbated.....Women really saw themselves in that video. We're really resonating with urban contemporary themes that we believe are relevant to women.......What we believe will happen is that knowledge alone is not effective at changing behaviors.. We believe that women in the community will so identify with heroines in the story their own behaviors will change as well."

Rachel Jones

Women in the federal study will watch the 20-minute episodes on their cell phones. Their risk-reduction behavior will be measured against a control group that will receive text messages urging condom use, but no video. A total of 250 women will participate.


The scripts feature "nitty gritty stories of risk and risk reduction" that women can identify with, she said, adding that cell phone viewing ensures privacy and offers the viewer the chance to watch again and again as desired.

Jones has dedicated her career to reducing HIV/AIDS among young, urban Black and Latina women, the two ethnic groups with the highest levels of infection. Part of her focus for this campaign is to hopefully change behavior among these groups of women.

"I had very bright, wonderful patients who would come to me again and again with sexually transmitted infections," she said. She said the women understood that they were being exposed to HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy, but engaged in unprotected sex anyway; even those who knew they weren't in monogamous relationships didn't insist their partners wear condoms."We have to normalize condom use," she said.

The plan is if the soap opera campaign is effective, Jones and her team will dedicate their efforts to mass distributing the DVDs with the soap opera videos. We look forward to positive results from the campaign. Should more women adopt the idea for consistent condom usage, that would drastically reduce the rate at which HIV is transmitted, especially among Black and Hispanic women.

For further information on this new campaign and a description of the actual soap opera, check out the full article: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28482386/

TREAT: WHAT ARE ANTIRETROVIRALS (ARV)?

In some of our previous posts, you've heard me refer to HIV medication as antiretrovirals or ARVs. Some of you may be wondering exactly what they are and how they help treat the HIV infection. Well, let's take a look:



What are ARVs? As defined by the World Health Organization (WHO), antiretroviral drugs or antiretrovirals inhibit the replication of HIV. The aim of this drug treatment is to keep the HIV in an infected person's body at a low level. Unfortunately, ARV treatment is not a cure, and the drugs must be taken everyday for life in order to maintain the effectiveness.

How do they work? Usually ARVs are taken in combination, or more than one at a time. The reason is HIV is a persistent virus, and if only one drug was taken as treatment, the virus would quickly build up resistance and render the drug useless. Note: Taking three or more ARVs at a time can also be referred to as Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART). With a combination of ARVs, the rate that the HIV resistance would develop is drastically reduced. This delays the HIV replication of itself, and in turn, the immune system deterioration. Effective ARV treatment helps to prolong the life of an infected individual, slowing the illness and allowing a better quality of life and health.

How many different types of ARVs are there? According to the AIDS charity AVERT, there are now more than 20 approved antiretroviral drugs, and 5 different classes into which the ARVs are grouped.

ARVs has been able to sustain millions of lives around the world, however there are still millions more who are in desperate need of this life-saving medication.

For further information on the different types of ARVs and how they work, be sure to check out http://www.avert.org/treatment.htm.

Sources: AVERT, WHO

QUICKFLASH: UVA CLINIC BEGINS RURAL HEALTHCARE PROJECT

According to a recent article by NBC29 (Virginia), the University of Virginia's Infectious Disease Clinic is testing a very unique text messaging program in order to improve the contact with HIV patients in the rural areas of Virginia. The program is described below.

The program launched last summer after a social worker saw that patients in less urban parts of the state were missing appointments and falling out of treatment.

In the program HIV patients are given a cell phone that only receives texts and can only call emergency and medical contacts. The goal is to see if they stay the course of treatment longer than six months.

In my opinion, a program like this should be monitored for success because if it IS successful, it can implemented around the country to improve contact with HIV patients who may need assistance in keeping appointments and maintaining their treatment.

IN FOCUS: HOUSING WORKS

An organization that has taken on the challenge of tackling both the crises of homelessness and HIV/AIDS is Housing Works, headquartered in New York City. Since 1990, Housing Works has been able to provide

lifesaving services, such as housing, medical and mental health care, meals, job training, drug treatment, HIV prevention education, and social support to more than 20,000 homeless and low-income New Yorkers living with HIV and AIDS.

It is both the largest community-based AND the largest minority-controlled AIDS service organization in the United States. In addition, in order to pay for the many services it provides, Housing Works runs different social enterprise businesses.

Our best-known businesses are Housing Works Thrift Shops, a chain of upscale thrift shops located throughout New York City, and the Housing Works Bookstore Café, a used bookstore, literary hub and concert venue located in Soho in downtown Manhattan.

These businesses are able to bring in millions of dollars in revenue each year.

One of the services provided that has truly made a difference in the lives of Housing Works clients is Harm Reduction. According to the Housing Works website:

Harm reduction is a treatment approach that Housing Works uses to encourage our clients to reduce the harm that they may do to themselves or others through substance use and/or unsafe sexual practices. Harm Reduction focuses on practical tools—for example, the constant and regular use of new syringes and male and/or female condoms—as well as emotional ones: We empower our clients to understand the full impact of their actions on their loved ones and their community.

Source: Housing Works

Through the Harm Reduction approach, their clients are able to learn safer injection methods and exchange for clean needles, as well as learn about safer, healthier sex practices. This approach allows their clients to remain safe even if they are engaging in risky activities known to increase the risk of HIV transmission. Housing Works personnel have found that this method can have a better effect as compared to demanding that the persons they serve adopt sudden, unrealistic changes in behavior, such as quitting substance abuse "cold-turkey" or abruptly ending sexual activity. This helps to empower their clients, and it allows then to have an active role in managing their HIV and their own lives.

In essence, Housing Works continues to be a pioneer in the fight against HIV/AIDS and homelessness, consistently looking for ways to reinvigorate their programs to keep them relevant and consistent with their clients' needs.For more information about Housing Works and their different programs, please check out www.housingworks.org/services.

Source: Housing Works

TREAT: WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU FIND OUT YOU'RE HIV POSITIVE

First things first, get your emotions out! It's your life, so it's ok to be scared, nervous upset, disappointed, or downright angry. If you need to cry, scream, shout, or throw things, do it. It's only AFTER you've done all those things that you'll be able to "clearly" think about your next steps.

Remember, you are no obligation to deal with your result the same way as someone else; everyone reacts differently. You can choose to do nothing about it, if that's what works best for you. However, the HIV will not just go away if you ignore the diagnosis. Also, if you choose not to do anything, and you are sexually active, your risk of transmitting the virus is higher than if you were being treated. But no one can force you to act. If taking control of the situation seems like it's NOT the option for you, you can just carry on with your life.

On the other hand, you can make the decision to take action. You can get information about the virus, how it affects the body, and what kind of treatment is available for you. The sooner you begin treatment, the better affect it will have in prolonging your lifespan. Once you come to grips with the disease and realize that it doesn't define who you are, you will be able to become more confident in yourself and make more informed choices for your future.

If you choose to take action, there are a few things that are essential:

1) Make sure to seek out a physician who is knowledgeable about and specifically trained in HIV care. This will ensure that you are prescribed the right kind of medication for your unique condition and receive accurate information regarding virus progression and treatment.
2) Seek out all forms of information regarding HIV - Speak with other who are infected and READ! The Internet and other media forms provide a plethora of educational resources for you to learn all you can. Soak it all in so that each of your next steps going forward will be well-informed.
3) Remember you are not ALONE. The Internet is filled with thousands of stories of individuals who have contracted the virus and the way they have been able to cope. You can also join support groups to surround yourself with individuals who will be able to identify with your situation and can provide useful advice.
4) ASK QUESTIONS! If you are unsure about the effects of the virus or the medication, seek professional help. It's your life, you have the right to all the answers you need.
5) A Positive HIV result is NOT a death sentence. As mentioned in earlier posts, your life with HIV will be what you make it. If you make the decision to get treatment, adopt a healthier lifestyle and keep a positive outlook, there is no reason why you can't live a rich, long life.

No matter which path you choose after receiving your positive results, remember it's YOUR path to choose. No one can pressure or force you to take or not to take action. Take your time, and think about what you believe is best for your. It's your life, you choose.

IN FOCUS: KEEP A CHILD ALVE

One organization that is making HUGE strides in the fight against HIV/AIDS, specifically in Africa, is Keep a Child Alive (KCA), a charity founded by Leigh Blake and nine-time Grammy winner Alicia Keys. According to the website, www.keepachildalive.org,

Keep a Child Alive is dedicated to providing life-saving anti-retroviral treatment, care and support services to children and their families with HIV/AIDS in Africa and the developing world by directly engaging the global public in the fight against AIDS.

Leigh Blake

Leigh Blake officially founded KCA in 2003. However, her involvement in the fight against AIDS began long before then. In the late 80s, as her career in the arts began to take off, Blake found she was losing her creative peers to AIDS. In 1989, she helped to found the Red Hot Organization, the seminal music industry initiative that raised funds for HIV/AIDS research and education by bringing together top artists such as David Byrne, Madonna, Annie Lennox, and U2. It was actually the proceeds from a Red Hot fundraiser that helped to lay the groundwork for KCA. For further details, read the following excerpt from the KCA website:

The seed of Keep a Child Alive was sown in Kenya in 2002. Royalties from Leigh Blake's previous fundraiser, Red Hot & Blue, built the AIDS Research and Family Care Clinic in Mombasa. A woman named Anne walked in to the clinic, desperate to obtain the anti-retroviral drugs her three-year-old son Brine needed to survive. At the time the medication's high cost was an impossible dream for most Africans to afford, and Leigh was so moved by this woman and her courage that she decided to pay for them.

Word of the children's desperate need for medication spread among Leigh's friends and colleagues, and soon they were offering to do the same. KCA Director Peter Edge became its first donor, and soon Alicia Keys passion for the issue drove her to become its first Global Ambassador.

What started as a very personal incident between two mothers has become a tremendous initiative for change. With around 3,000 children and family members on ARV treatment, over 45,000 people under our care, three orphanages receiving funding, and major clinic sites in expansion, Keep a Child Alive is making a direct impact in the lives of so many who need help.

Keep A Child Alive is only one of several organizations taking steps forward in the fight against AIDS. People of all races, backgrounds, and social positions have joined Leigh and Alicia to pool their resources and funds to provide life-saving medication for those affected in Africa with HIV/AIDS. It's important to keep these organizations in focus so that individuals will see that the fight, OUR fight, continues well past World AIDS Day on December 1.

For further information on KCA, check out www.keepachildalive.org

NEWSFLASH: HIV Can Penetrate a Woman's Healthy Genital Skin

In a recent article in HealthDay News, U.S. researchers explained that they have identified a new route of male-to-female transmission of HIV - a route in which HIV can travel through the healthy genital skin of a female to reach immune cells in just four hours.

Prior to this discovery, it had been believed that the normal lining of the vaginal tract was an effective barrier to HIV during sex, due to the idea that the large virus could not penetrate the tissue. Unfortunately however, researchers at Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University found that HIV can penetrate normal, healthy genital tissue to a point where it can get to immune cells and infect them.

In their experiment, the researchers were able to track the viruses, using flourescent tags, as they penetrated the outermost lining of the female genital tract in female human tissue obtained through hysterectomy and in animal models.

This finding highlights even further the need for consistent latex condom usage, given that healthy, unbroken genital tissue is not a true barrier to the virus. The good news is, if this finding is confirmed in future studies and research, it could help in the development of new microbicides and vaccines to protect women against HIV. Given that women now make up approximately 50% of all persons living around the world with HIV, finding more methods of prevention have become more critical than ever.

Source: Yahoo! News

EDUCATE: HIV/AIDS & SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

Of all the regions of the world impacted by HIV/AIDS, none has been more devastated by this crisis than Sub-Saharan Africa. This is the area of the African continent that lies south of the Sahara desert. Of the 33 million people living with HIV/AIDS around the world, 22 million are located in Sub-Saharan Africa. Furthermore, of the 15 million orphans who lost their parents to AIDS, 11.5 million live in that region. In 2007, 1.5 million persons died from AIDS-related causes. During that same year, 68% of the global 2.7 million new HIV infections occurred in that region.



Some of the countries hardest in sub-Saharan Africa include South Africa (5.7 million), Nigeria (2.6 million), Kenya (1.5-2.0 million), Mozambique (1.5 million), and Zimbabwe (1.3 million).

In looking at the primary methods of HIV transmission in sub-Saharan Africa, heterosexual intercourse remains the predominant method. In light of this fact, this region has also become home to the world's largest population of children living with HIV. Furthermore, in Demographic and Health Surveys in five African countries, 2/3 of the HIV-infected couples were found to be serodiscordant, meaning only one partner was infected. However, condom use was found to be rare in these couples. In fact, in Burkina Faso, one of the countries surveyed, 90% of the cohabiting couples said they DID NOT use condoms the last time they had sex.

Another mode of transmission that is an important factor is sex work, specifically in West Africa. 35% of female sex workers surveyed in 2006 in Mali were living with HIV. In Senegal and Burkina Faso, levels of infection exceeding 20% were documented among sex workers.

Staggering statistics like the above highlight the need for education and resources in this region. There are several organizations working to improve conditions in sub-Saharan Africa in regards to HIV/AIDS. With 22 million people living there with the disease, there is still plenty that can be done. Unfortunately, there will consistently be a need for funding, medication, counseling and education, and proper nutrition until we are able to get this pandemic under control.

Sources: AVERT, UNAIDS

EDUCATE: HIV/AIDS & NEW YORK CITY

Of all the cities around the U.S. that are severely impacted by the HIV/AIDS pandemic, New York City tops the list. The City is home to approximately 99,000 persons that are living with HIV/AIDS, which is almost 10% of the total number of all individuals in the U.S. living with HIV/AIDS (1.1 million)*. Looking at the estimate by borough, Manhattan - 31%; Brooklyn - 25%; the Bronx - 22%; Queens - 14%, and Staten Island - 2%. Digging deeper by gender, men make up 70% of those living with HIV/AIDS; women make up the remaining 30%.

In terms of new infections, a recent study by the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene showed that HIV is spreading in New York City at three times the national rate; an incidence of 72 new infections for every 100,000 people as compared to 23 per 100,000 nationally.




In 2006, an estimated 4,762 individuals became newly infected with HIV in New York City. Once again, looking at the estimates by borough, Manhattan accounted for 35% of all new infections; Brooklyn, 26%; the Bronx, 19%, and Queens, 17%.

Breaking down the statistics by gender, men accounted for approximately 75% of all new infections, with women making up the remaining 25%. From a racial standpoint, Blacks made up 46% of the new infections, Hispanics 32%, and Whites coming in third with 21%. However, these statistics quite disproportionate to the actual racial make-up of the city. According to the 2000 U.S. Census, White made up 44% of New York City's population, while Blacks and Hispanics were about the same at roughly 27% for each.

New York City has always been known for its diverse cultures, eclectic tastes, and broad horizons. Many people come to New York in search of a new home, new career, or an overall fresh start. However, as we've seen through the statistics above, New York is also a city that's in peril when it comes to HIV/AIDS. Even though there is an abundance of work being done in the city to combat the spread of this deadly pandemic, this information shows that there is, unfortunately, still so much left to do.

*All statistics are as of 2006
**Sources: NY Times, NYC Dept. of Health and Mental Hygiene

EDUCATE: HIV/AIDS & AFRICAN AMERICANS - PART I

The one ethnic group that is most severely affected by HIV/AIDS in the U.S. is.....African-Americans. Since the beginning of the epidemic, Blacks have accounted for about 42% of the AIDS cases diagnosed in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Currently, African-Americans make up roughly 12% of the U.S. population, but account for approximately 50% of the diagnosed HIV/AIDS cases.

In 2005, the rate of AIDS diagnoses for Black adults and adolescents was 10 times the rate for whites and almost 3 times the rate for Hispanics. To fully understand these disproportionate statistics, we're going to dig a little deeper into the numbers as well as take a look at some root causes.

HIV/AIDS & African-American Men

Within the African-American population, men represent 64% of AIDS cases. In 2005, the rate of AIDS diagnoses for Black men was 8 times the rate for white men. Furthermore, looking at the different ethnic populations of male adults and adolescents living with HIV/AIDS, Black men made up 41%.

Source: www.cdc.gov/hiv

In 2006, 40% of the men newly infected with HIV were Black.

In regards to methods of transmission among African-American men, Men who have Sex with Men (MSM) accounted for 45% of Black men living with AIDS in 2006. Injection drug use (IDU) accounted for roughly 27%, and high-risk heterosexual contact accounted for about 19%.

HIV/AIDS & African-American Women

Seeing as men represent 64% of the AIDS cases within the African-American population, women represent 36%. In 2005, the rate of AIDS diagnoses for Black women was nearly 23 times the rate of white women. Looking at different ethnic groups living with HIV/AIDS in 2005, Black women made up 64%.

Source: www.cdc.gov/hiv

AIDS is now the leading cause of death among black women ages 25-34.

HIV/AIDS & Youth and Children

Of the individuals under the age of 25 whose diagnosis of HIV/AIDS was made during 2001-2004 in the 33 states with HIV reporting, 61% were Black. Even more disturbing, recent estimates have found that Blacks (non-Hispanic) ages 19-24 are approximately 20 times more likely to be infected with HIV than young adults in any other racial group. According to the international AIDS charity AVERT:

The overall infection rate among young Black people is 4.9 per 1,000 people, as compared to 0.22 per 1,000 people in all other racial groups.

Thanks to new treatment and the implementation of government prevention guidelines, the HIV rate among children and infants is now quite low. However, of the few infants that are still being born with HIV, a substantial number are African-American. Of the 135 infants diagnosed in 2006, 69% were Black.

So now the question becomes: Why is the HIV infection and AIDS diagnoses so disproportionately high in the African-American community? We'll examine some specific risk factors and barriers to prevention in Part II.

Post Sources: CDC.gov, Avert.org

EDUCATE: WHAT IS HIV? WHAT IS AIDS?

For those of you who may already be familiar with HIV/AIDS, I apologize if the below information seems redundant. However, in order to make progress, it is important to first gain a basic understanding of the infection, what it does to the body, and the progression to AIDS.

WHAT IS HIV?

HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. This virus infects cells of the immune system, destroying or impairing their function. Infection with the virus results in the progressive deterioration of the immune system, leading to "immune deficiency." The immune system is considered deficient when it can no longer fulfill its role of fighting infection and disease. Infections associated with severe immunodeficiency are known as "opportunistic infections," because they take advantage of a weakened immune system.



WHAT IS AIDS?

AIDS stands for Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome.

• Acquired – means that the disease is not hereditary but develops after birth from contact with a disease causing agent (in this case, HIV).
• Immunodeficiency – means that the disease is characterized by a weakening of the immune system.
• Syndrome – refers to a group of symptoms that collectively indicate or characterize a disease. In the case of AIDS this can include the development of certain infections and/or cancers, as well as a decrease in the number of certain cells in a person’s immune system.

Many times, you will hear that someone died of AIDS. That explanation is not entirely accurate. As mentioned above, HIV destroys the human immune system, rendering it powerless to fight infections. Once an infected individual's immune system is completely broken down, and he/she has developed full blown AIDS, the body is now susceptible to opportunistic infections such as tuberculosis and pneumonia. It is such infections that cause the deaths of those suffering from AIDS, not the syndrome itself. Regrettably, someone with AIDS is unable to fight even the common cold.

*Sources: World Health Organization (WHO), Centers for Disease Contol and Prevention (CDC)
For more in-depth information on HIV/AIDS and the body, check out www.cdc.gov/hiv or http://www.blogger.com/www.avert.org.