Adam.Selene@ncar.UCAR.EDU (Adam Selene) (07/18/89)
# 104 HIV EXPOSURE HIGH AMONG NEW YORK WOMEN
REF: WASHINGTON POST
DATE: 26 MARCH 1989
[A BACKROOM REPRINT]
One in every 77 women of childbearing age in New York City is infected with
the virus that causes AIDS, according to a study that officials said offers
one of the first accurate pictures of how the disease is spreading in the
population at large.
The survey of infection in infants born in New York state, one of the first
in a series being conducted by 44 states and territories, also found that
one in 151 women of childbearing age statewide is infected with the virus
that causes acquired immune deficiency syndrome.
"I would certainly think the word `alarming' would be an apt descriptor,"
said Dr. Lloyd F. Novick, the official who headed the study, results of
which were published Friday in the Journal of the American Medical
Association. "A key aspect to follow is (whether) this rate of infection
will decrease or increase over time."
Preliminary results from a similar study in California indicate that the
infection rate among childbearing women is much lower than in New York.
The New York study was based on blood samples required by law to be taken
from every baby born and shows that blacks and Hispanics are hardest hit.
Researchers estimate that about 40 percent of the newborns with the virus
are actually infected; the remainder are just temporarily carrying their
infected mother's antibodies.
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Uucp: ...{gatech,ames,rutgers}!ncar!noao!asuvax!stjhmc!107!269!Adam.Selene
Internet: Adam.Selene@f269.n107.z1.fidonet.orgliz@ai.mit.edu (Liz A. Highleyman) (02/01/91)
A poster recently asked about info and sources relate to women and AIDS. It is statistically true that women die sooner after receiving a diagnosis of AIDS than men do. This is largely because they tend to be sicker and further along in the course of the disease when they are diagnosed (women with AIDS tend to be poor, and have less access to health care, and doctors tend not to suspect AIDS in women as they would in, say, gay men). HIV+ women have very high rates of vaginal yeast infections, cervical cell dysplasias, and pelvic inflammatory disease. Many believe that these are signs of AIDS in women, and would like to get the CDC to amend it's AIDS definition to reflect this. Recently, there has been some progress in getting women into clinical trials, and in disseminating information about women and AIDS. For example, ther was a women and AIDS conference held by the NIH in December. A relatively recent issue of AIDS Treatment News (late December I think) had a good overview of women and AIDS, including the issues mentioned above. In addition, ACT UP (NY and Boston) have compiles a great deal of information (in NY's case, as part of a suit against the Soc. Sec. Admin. for denying women benefits because they do not meet the official AIDS diagnosis criteria). The J.A.M.A. had an issue on women and AIDS (early fall I believe), that discussed rates of prevalence, types of illness, and outcomes. -Liz
GERRI@IBM.COM (Gerri Oppedisano) (02/02/91)
What is a "very high rate" of vaginal yeast infections? Is it like a constant case of yeast infection? Is a "bad" pap smear also a sign? If so, do gynecological test labs have any clue or does your pap result just come back with a bad number and no explanation? .. How was it determined that these were actually early signs of AIDS, being that multiple yeast infections are so incredibly common? gerri@ibm.com
3KSNFZM@vmd.cso.uiuc.edu (Edward A. Lisowski) (06/10/91)
Two questions came up at our county AIDS task force. Does the use of either vaginal sponges or birth control pills increase the chances that a woman who is exposed to HIV will become infected? Also, does the use of birth control pills increase the chances that an infected woman will trans- mit the virus to an unprotected sexual partner? Thanks.