NAPWA

In this edition:

• HIV -- Australia (1 item)
• HIV -- Region (4 items)
• HIV -- International (1 item)
• HIV -- Treatments (4 items)
• HIV -- Prevention (1 item)
• Health Policy (3 items)
• Sexual Health (3 items)

 

HIV -- Australia

Men often unaware of HIV infection

6minutes (BLOG), 16 Feb

Tags: hiv undiagnosed-hiv queensland sopvs gay-men

One in five HIV positive gay men is unaware of their true serostatus, but their ignorance is not attributed to a lack of access to testing or unwillingness to test, a Queensland study shows.

Continues: http://www.6minutes.com.au/articles/z1/view.asp?id=511361

HIV -- Region

PNG plans social protection policy

Radio Australia 'Pacific Beat', 16 Feb

Tags: hiv png

Papua New Guinea's Community Development Ministry plans to introduce a "Social Protection Policy" to safeguard vulnerable people. These include the disabled, refugees, the homeless, unemployed youth and people living with HIV/Aids in the co

Continues: http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/pacbeat/stories/201002/s2821459.htm

HIV prevention and support services to be reviewed

Gay NZ (NZ), 16 Feb

Tags: hiv nz nzaf body-positive-nz

The provision of New Zealand's HIV support services and prevention programmes is coming under the microscope with the commissioning of a report by the Ministry of Health to guide future spending.

Continues: http://www.gaynz.com/articles/publish/2/article_8513.php

Inmates modify own genitals, posing health risks

Jakarta Post (Indonesia), 13 Feb

Tags: hiv prisons genital-modification plastic-surgery

"Galang" is not a doctor or even a surgeon. He is an inmate serving a one-year sentence at Bondowoso penitentiary in East Java. Yet he claims to have performed at least 13 "plastic surgeries" on his fellow inmates' penises.

Continues: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/02/13/inmates-modify-own-genital...

Asean meeting addresses HIV/AIDS prevention

AsiaOne (Singapore)/Vientiane Times/ANN, 11 Feb

Tags: hiv asean youth laos

Youth delegates to the Asean Regional Conference on Youth at Risk of HIV Infection hope solutions will be reached that will reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS in the region.

Continues: http://health.asiaone.com/Health/News/Story/A1Story20100211-198018.html

HIV -- International

British TV presenter admits mercy killing of lover

The Age/AFP, 17 Feb

Tags: hiv euthanasia uk

A veteran British television and radio presenter is being investigated by police after he admitted smothering to death an ex-lover who had AIDS several decades ago.

Continues: http://www.theage.com.au/world/british-tv-presenter-admits-mercy-killing...

HIV -- Treatments

HIV illness 'delayed by' herpes drug aciclovir

BBC News (UK), 15 Feb

Tags: hiv treatments aciclovir disease-progression hsv

A common treatment for herpes can delay the need for HIV drugs in people with both infections, say US researchers.

Continues: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8512412.stm

Treating herpes also buys time for HIV, doctors find

The Independent (UK), 16 Feb

Tags: hiv treatments hsv aciclovir viral-load

A drug used to treat genital herpes can also slow progression of the AIDS virusA small infective organism which is incapable of reproducing outside a host cell. among co-infected patients, doctors report on Monday.

Continues: http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/...

Pregnancy rates rise in women after beginning ART

Aidsmap (UK), 16 Feb

Tags: hiv treatments pregnancy mtct

The chance of becoming pregnant not only increased over four years of antiretroviral treatment, but was almost 80% higher for HIV-infected women who began antiretroviral therapy than for HIV-infected women not on treatment.

Continues: http://www.aidsmap.org/en/news/B0A74062-F335-4337-8791-372690C69D95.asp

Detectable viral load in CSF risk associated with neurological problems in patients taking HIV treatment

Aidsmap (UK), 16 Feb

Tags: hiv neurology csf viral-load nadir

Detectable viral load in cerebrospinal fluid is associated with neurological symptoms in patients receiving HIV treatment who have an undetectable viral load in their blood, French investigators report.

Continues: http://www.aidsmap.org/en/news/D6ABDE18-8B92-4956-9E78-E9271CB339D3.asp

HIV -- Prevention

Gay men’s risk of acquiring HIV is similar to the pre-HAART era despite widespread use of HAART

Aidsmap (UK), 16 Feb

Tags: hiv prevention treatments-prevention viral-load infectivity

Although widespread use of antiretroviralsA medication or other substance which is active against retroviruses such as HIV. could be expected to make HIV+ gay men less likely to pass on HIV during unprotected sex than in the early 1990s, the risk of transmission per-sexual-act is actually quite similar, Australian researchers report.

Continues: http://www.aidsmap.org/en/news/542A9F7C-510F-4B65-A3DF-BBE901207155.asp

Health Policy

Abbott plan needs federal takeover: expert

ABC Radio 'The World Today', 15 Feb

Tags: federal-state hospitals abbott,tony politics dwyer,john dutton,peter roxon,nicola

Who should run Australia's hospitals? Coalition Leader Tony Abbott says local boards should run hospitals. But one of Australia's leading health administrators says it is not that simple.

Continues: http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2010/s2819754.htm

Bulk billing rates rise slightly

SMH/AAP, 12 Feb

Tags: medicare bulk-billing

The national Medicare bulk-billing rate has risen slightly with the Northern Territory showing the biggest increase.

Continues: http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/bulk-billing-rates-rise-sl...

Software firms ill-informed on health ID plan

The Australian, 16 Feb

Tags: medicare healthcare-identifiers e-health nehta uhi

SOFTWARE makers are yet to see full technical specifications for the planned healthcare identifier regime due to start on July 1 provided enabling legislation introduced by Health Minister Nicola Roxon last week is passed by parliament.

Continues: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/australian-it/software-firms-ill-informe...

Sexual Health

Penis envy skews condom use

SMH/AFP, 16 Feb

Tags: condoms kinsey-institute

A large minority of male condom users complain that ill-fitting prophylactics are liable to split and break during intercourse and be a sexual turnoff, researchers said on Tuesday.

Continues: http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/wellbeing/penis-envy-skews-condom-use-20...

Melbourne couples taking part in trials of male contraceptive jab

Herald Sun (Melbourne), 17 Feb

Tags: contraception male-contraceptive

MELBOURNE couples are taking part in trials of a male contraceptive jab believed to be as effective as the Pill.

Continues: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/melbourne-couples-taking-part-in-trials...

Better fitting condoms, better sex

Stuff (NZ)/Reuters, 17 Feb

Tags: condoms

Condoms that do not fit right could break and may reduce sexual pleasure for both partners, suggesting reasons why men and women often fail to use them, researchers reported.

Continues: http://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/wellbeing/3336243/Better-fitting-condo...