National News
CDC estimates between 1,039,000-1,185,000 people were living with HIV/AIDS in the U.S. in 2003
Heterosexual transmission accounts for a growing proportion of newly diagnosed AIDS cases, rising from 3% in 1985 to 31% in 2003.
Sex between men fell from 65% to 42% while AIDS diagnoses due to injection drug use fell from 31% in to 22% in 2003.
Women account for a growing proportion of new AIDS cases, rising from 8% in 1985 to 27% in 2003.
Estimated AIDS Diagnoses & U.S. Population by Race/Ethnicity
AIDS Cases |
U.S. Population |
43,171 |
290,809,777 |
28% |
69% |
White non-Hispanic |
|
49% |
13% |
African American |
|
20% |
14% |
Latino
|
|
1% |
5% |
Asian/Pacific Islander American/Indian |
|
1% |
1% |
Alaska Native |
|
| National HIV Testing Day takes place on 27th June every year, and is sponsored by the National Association of People with AIDS (NAPWA). |
The following are reprinted from www.poz.com
August 21, 2007
New Blood Test for PCP Holds Promise
A blood test may make it easier for doctors to diagnose Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) in people with compromised immune systems, according to a small, informal study conducted in Boston and published in the July 3 issue of Annals of Internal Medicine.
A test called Fungitell was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2004 and can be used to detect harmful levels of fungi in the body. Francisco Marty, MD, of Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston and his colleagues reported recently that the test helped to diagnose Pneumocystis jiroveci infection—the cause of PCP—in 16 immune-compromised patients, two of whom were HIV positive.
The authors stress that additional testing is needed to confirm Fungitell's effectiveness for diagnosing PCP in people with AIDS, especially with so many other fungi capable of causing respiratory problems.
August 30, 2007
All They Need Is Love
Research conducted at the University of California has shown that children who have one or more parents living with HIV or AIDS, or who have lost a parent because of the disease, have a better chance of coping if they have a strong social support network.
The study, published in yesterday’s American Journal of Public Health, observed 413 boys and girls—most of whom were African American and Latino—in which one or both parents had HIV/AIDS. Those who had the help of friends and loved ones exhibited lower levels of depression and fewer long-term emotional problems than those who did not.
