NAPWA

A round-up of HIV-related news stories from the Australian and selected international media.

In this edition:

• Australia (4 items)
• Our Region (2 items)
• International (2 items)
• HIV Treatments (1 item)
• HIV Prevention (2 items)
• Sexual Health (3 items)
• Hepatitis (3 items)
• Infectious Diseases (1 item)
• GLBTI News (2 items)

Australia

UNAIDS head has high hopes for Sydney

Sydney Star Observer, 1 Sep

Tags: hiv unaids sydney nsw incidence sidibe,michel afao baxter,don

UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibe told community leaders and health organisations that Australia would become a beacon of hope if it could stop all new HIV infections in Sydney by 2015

Continues: http://www.starobserver.com.au/news/2010/09/01/unaids-head-has-high-hope...

Cut HIV rates to zero by 2015, Sydney told

SX News (Sydney), 30 Aug

Tags: hiv sidibe,michel unaids immigration australia

Sydney should aim for zero HIV infection rates by 2015 and the next federal Government has been called on to join China and the United States and lift its travel restrictions on people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA).

Continues: http://sxnews.gaynewsnetwork.com.au/news/cut-hiv-rates-to-zero-by-2015-s...

Funding risk in Sydney's HIV fight

The Australian, 1 Sep

Tags: hiv sydney unaids sidibe,michel

SYDNEY could be a global model for stopping new cases of HIV but not if funding to combat the virusA small infective organism which is incapable of reproducing outside a host cell. continues to fall, an expert has warned.

Continues: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/funding-risk-in-sydneys...

 

'HIV' blood a weapon in Boronia

Knox Leader (Melbourne), 31 Aug

Tags: hiv syringe-attack victoria local-story criminal-law assault

A BORONIA man was robbed in daylight, just streets from his home, by a man threatening to infect him with what police believe could have been an HIV blood-filled syringe.

Continues: http://knox-leader.whereilive.com.au/news/story/hiv-blood-a-weapon-in-bo...

Our Region

Vanuatu's first HIV patient speaks out

SMH/AAP, 31 Aug

Tags: hiv vanuatu malachi,irene unaids sidibe,michel

When Irene Malachi became the first person in Vanuatu to be diagnosed with HIV, people spat on her on the street.

Continues: http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/vanuatus-first-hiv-patient...

PNG infection rates for HIV may be declining

The Age, 1 Sep

Tags: hiv png fbos burnet-institute toole,mike prevention catholic-church

CHURCH-RUN health programs in Papua New Guinea deserve recognition for their part in tackling the nation's HIV epidemic, with new figures revealing that the sky-rocketing infection rates recorded a decade ago now appear to have turned a corner.

Continues: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/png-infection-rates-for-hiv-may-be-dec...

International

Many HIV-positive gay men have post-traumatic stress disorder

Aidsmap (UK), 31 Aug

Tags: hiv ptsd gay-men uk

A third of HIV-positive gay men have post-traumatic stress disorder, UK investigators report in AIDS Patient Care and STDs.

Continues: http://www.aidsmap.com/page/1506783/

In Rare Move, China Court to Hear H.I.V. Case

New York Times (US), 31 Aug

Tags: hiv china discrimination

In what appears to be a first for China’s legal system, a court in Anhui Province has agreed to hear a complaint by a prospective schoolteacher that he was illegally denied a job because he is H.I.V. positive, the man’s lawyer said Tuesday.

Continues: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/01/world/asia/01china.html?src=me

HIV Treatments

Breastfeeding HIV-positive women should not receive vitamin A supplements, study shows

Los Angeles Times (US), 30 Aug

Tags: hiv pregnancy vitamin-a vitamins mtct

HIV-positive women who are breastfeeding should not be given vitamin A supplements because it increases the risk of transmitting the AIDS virus to their infants, researchers said Thursday.

Continues: http://articles.latimes.com/2010/aug/30/news/la-heb-hiv-vitamin-a-201008...

HIV Prevention

Vitamin A supplements linked to high HIV levels in breast milk

Aidsmap (UK), 31 Aug

Tags: hiv mtct pregnancy breastfeeding vitamins vitamin-a

Research in Tanzania shows that women with HIV who took vitamin A and beta-carotene (VA/BC) supplements had more HIV in their breast milk than those who did not, while women who took multivitamins were more likely to develop mastitis.

Continues: http://www.aidsmap.com/page/1507546/

HIV diagnoses fall as treatment expands in British Columbia

Aidsmap (UK), 27 Aug

Tags: hiv prevention treatments-prevention canada infectivity

Canadian researchers have published a large cohortIn epidemiology, a group of individuals with some characteristics in common. A cohort study is a special kind of clinical trial which looks at a treatment or treatment strategy in a cohort of people. study indicating that higher uptake of antiretroviralA medication or other substance which is active against retroviruses such as HIV. therapy might reduce HIV transmission considerably in some populations.

Continues: http://www.aidsmap.com/page/1506699/

Sexual Health

Sexual health checks could start in pub loos

ABC News, 25 Aug

Tags: stis sexual-health donovan,basil nchecr tht albury,kath

Australians are slack about getting tested for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), but a new program could mean getting checked is as easy as going to the loo on a night out.

Continues: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/08/25/2993519.htm?section=justin

Children exposed to porn will lead to greater risk of disease

SMH, 29 Aug

Tags: sexuality pornography age-of-sexual-initiation shfpa risk-behaviours stis chlamydia

Young people are being introduced to pornography while still in primary school because of the proliferation of explicit material on the internet.

Continues: http://www.smh.com.au/national/fears-that-early-exposure-to-porn-will-le...

Teenage baby boom sparks call for better sex education

SMH, 29 Aug

Tags: pregnancy teenagers nsw sex-education age-of-sexual-initiation women richters,juliet smith,anthony arcshs nchsr unsw

The number of teenage mothers has jumped after decades of steady decline and NSW has had the most significant increase.

Continues: http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/lifematters/teenage-baby-boom-sparks-cal...

Hepatitis

HCV protease inhibitors likely to work for co-infected patients previously treated for HCV

Aidsmap (UK), 30 Aug

Tags: hcv hiv coinfection treatments protease-inhibitors

Previous treatment with pegylated interferon and ribavirinAn antiviral drug which is effective against a range of viruses including herpes, the hepatitis C virus and several strains of influenza. will not reduce the effectiveness(Of a drug or treatment). The maximum ability of a drug or treatment to produce a result regardless of dosage. A drug passes efficacy trials if it is effective at the dose tested and against the illness for which it is prescribed. In the standard procedure, Phase II clinical trials gauge efficacy, and Phase III trials confirm it. of hepatitis C protease inhibitors in HIV-positive patients, US investigators report in the September 15th edition of the Journal of Infectious Diseases.

Continues: http://www.aidsmap.com/page/1506702/

NSW Hospital patient contracts hepatitis C

ABC News, 30 Aug

Tags: hcv medically-acquired renal-dialysis sesiahs

Infection control procedures are being strictly imposed at the Wollongong Hospital on the New South Wales south coast after a patient contracted a potentially deadly virus.

Continues: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/08/30/2997119.htm

Health service plays down hepatitis transmission fears

ABC News, 31 Aug

Tags: hcv medically-acquired renal-dialysis

The South East Sydney Illawarra Health Service says patients attending Wollongong Hospital's Renal Unit should not be concerned after a case of hepatitis C was diagnosed in a patient.

Continues: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/08/31/2997957.htm

Infectious Diseases

Low CD4 cell count associated with poor response to swine flu vaccine for those with HIV

Aidsmap (UK), 31 Aug

Tags: swine-flu h1n1 vaccines cd4-count hiv

Many HIV-positive patients do not develop protective antibody levels after receiving the standard dose of the swine flu vaccine, a study shows. A low current CD4 cell count was the only factor associated with a poor response to the vaccine.

Continues: http://www.aidsmap.com/page/1506780/

GLBTI News

Tasmania moves to recognise same-sex unions

ABC News, 1 Sep

Tags: glbt same-sex-relationships same-sex-marriage tasmania

Tasmania's Lower House of Parliament has approved laws recognising same-sex marriages and civil unions registered in other states or countries.

Continues: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/09/01/2999027.htm?section=justin

NSW MPs to debate same sex adoption bill

SMH, 1 Sep

Tags: glbt same-sex-relationships parenting adoption religion nsw politics

Debate on Clover Moore's same-sex adoption bill has been rushed forward to begin today, as supporters and critics ramped up their lobbying ahead of a conscience vote in the NSW Legislative Assembly which could take place this week.

Continues: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/mps-to-debate-samesex-adoption-bill-20100831-1...