HIV-related Memory Loss Linked To Alzheimer's Protein

New research published in Neurology suggests that amyloid, one of the proteins associated with Alzheimer's disease, may also play a role in the memory loss of people with HIV.

Researchers examined cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and found that the amount of amyloid was lower in Alzheimer's patients and HIV patients with memory problems, when compared to HIV patients without memory problems and healthy people. The other protein associated with Alzheimer's, Tau, was unchanged. Lower amounts of amyloid in the CSF suggest that amyloid processing in the brain is also affected.

'Alzheimer's like symptoms experienced by people with HIV can be frightening and confusing but this research builds on our understanding of why these symptoms occur and may help people get a more accurate diagnosis.

'Using spinal fluid techniques to diagnose dementia adds great value to research yet the UK lags far behind other countries who routinely use them. We must invest more in dementia research and increase the use of spinal fluid techniques if the UK is to lead the fight against dementia.'

Dr Susanne Sorensen
Head of Research

Source
Alzheimer's Society

Hospital-Acquired HIV In Africa

PlusNews examines several recent reports that highlight how unsanitary hospital procedures can create an environment conducive to the spread of HIV/AIDS.

"One study of HIV-positive Swazi children aged between 2 and 12, which relied on data from the 2006-2007 Swaziland Demographic and Health Survey, found that one in five of the children had HIV-negative mothers. Discounting the possibility that child sexual abuse could account for such a significant share of paediatric infections, the authors suggested that contaminated needles used to administer vaccinations and injections were to blame," the news service writes. "This argument was supported by evidence from a Kenyan study, which found that HIV-infected children with HIV-negative mothers had experienced more potential blood exposures during malaria treatment, dental surgery and vaccinations than their uninfected siblings."

The news service continues: "Another study in the journal published by the British Association of Sexual Health and HIV, found that clients at voluntary HIV counselling and testing centres run by the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital in southeastern Nigeria, who contracted HIV, were significantly more likely to have had blood tests, vaccinations, blood transfusions or surgical procedures than those who remained negative."

The article includes comments by study researchers, who say HIV prevention programs should improve blood screening and equipment sterilization in addition to addressing sexual behavior, and outside experts who say the studies raise interesting questions, but warn that more research is needed to fully grasp the extent of the problem (12/7).

This information was reprinted from globalhealth.kff.org with kind permission from the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Global Health Policy Report, search the archives and sign up for email delivery at globalhealth.kff.org.

© Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.

Medicare Expands List Of Covered Preventive Services To Include HIV Screening Tests

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) today announced its final decision to cover Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection screening for Medicare beneficiaries who are at increased risk for the infection, including women who are pregnant and Medicare beneficiaries of any age who voluntarily request the service. The decision is effective immediately.

Under the recently passed Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008 (MIPPA), CMS now has the flexibility of adding to Medicare's list of covered preventive services, if certain requirements are met. Prior to this law, Medicare could only cover additional preventive screening tests when Congress authorized it to do so.

"Today's decision marks an important milestone in the history of the Medicare program," said HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. "Beginning with expanding coverage for HIV screening, we can now work proactively as a program to help keep Medicare beneficiaries healthy and take a more active role in evaluating the evidence for preventive services."

Under MIPPA, CMS can consider whether Medicare should cover preventive services that Congress has not already deemed as covered or non-covered by law. Among other requirements, the new services must have been "strongly recommended" or "recommended" by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. For instance, the Task Force graded HIV screening as "strongly recommended" for certain groups. More information about the Task Force is available online here.

"Every adult should know their HIV status," said Dr. Howard K. Koh, HHS assistant secretary for health. "This decision by Medicare should help promote screening and save lives."

CMS uses the national coverage determination (NCD) process to make decisions on these types of preventive services. This process provides transparency about the evidence that CMS considers when making its decisions and allows opportunity for the public to comment on CMS' proposals.

"Medicare's coverage of HIV screening tests is an important step forward in protecting beneficiaries from the potentially devastating and life-threatening complications of HIV and Acquired immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS)," said CMS Acting Administrator Charlene Frizzera.

AIDS is diagnosed when an HIV-infected person's immune system becomes severely compromised or a person becomes ill with an HIV-related infection. Of the more than one million estimated to have the HIV infection, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has estimated that about a quarter of them do not realize they are infected. Without treatment, AIDS develops within 8 to 10 years. While there is presently no cure for HIV, screening can help identify infected patients so that they can receive medical treatment that could help delay the onset of AIDS for years.

More information about Medicare's new HIV screening benefit is available in CMS' final decision memorandum. Read the final decision online here.

Source
HHS

Pharma manufacturers have 97 new HIV/AIDS medications in the pipeline

Chemistry World recently highlighted a new report published by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) that identifies 97 new drugs and vaccines in development for HIV/AIDS and related conditions.

The report found that the 97 products in development include 23 vaccines and 54 antivirals. These drugs are either in human clinical trials or awaiting approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

"We are greatly encouraged by these critically important medicines and vaccines in development to treat and prevent HIV infection," said PhRMA President and CEO Billy Tauzin. "Pharmaceutical researchers are continuing their efforts to develop new therapies and vaccines to improve and lengthen the lives of HIV-infected patients."

"As a result of HIV/AIDS medicines, a disease that was once a virtual death sentence can now be controlled and treated as if it were a chronic disease," stated Tauzin. "And the new medicines our scientists are working on right now bring hope for even more promising results in the future."

December 1 marks the 21st anniversary of "World AIDS Day" - a global awareness campaign that originated at the 1988 World Summit of Ministers of Health on Programmes for AIDS Prevention.

Source: Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America

Chinese AIDS activists demand more access to treatment

A small group of uninvited Chinese activists took over an official World AIDS Day event Tuesday, demanding more government recognition and help.

The action at the Chinese railway's massive South Station in Beijing came as volunteers passed out AIDS leaflets to passengers as part of a campaign by China's Red Cross.

Wearing white face masks scrawled with the words "Infected blood transfusions causes AIDS," the group or 20 or so activists mounted the stage to speak through tears.

"Our fight for free treatment has continued for the past eight years with no luck," one protester, Liu Xiurong, said afterward.

Liu, from northern Harbin, said her son became infected with the HIV virus by tainted plasma several years ago. She received compensation from the Shanghai company that supplied the blood but the money wasn't enough to help her family with its medical costs.

"The money we got is not even close to the amount that we need to live. My son still needs treatment," she told Associated Press Television News.

"Now that we've put ourselves out there, there is a chance that we'll be beaten or arrested in the future," Liu said. "It's OK because we have nothing left to lose and maybe by doing this, we can inspire others who are afraid to come out united for our cause."

The HIV virus that causes AIDS gained a foothold in China largely due to unsanitary blood plasma-buying schemes and tainted transfusions in hospitals.

AIDS was the top killer among infectious diseases in China for the first time last year, a fact that may reflect improved reporting of HIV/AIDS statistics in recent years as the country slowly acknowledges the problem.

By the end of October, the number of Chinese confirmed with HIV-AIDS was 319,877, according to China's Health Ministry, up from 264,302 last year and 135,630 in 2005. Health Minister Chen Zhu said the actual level of infections is probably closer to 740,000.

On Monday, President Hu Jintao publicly pledged to mobilize the whole society in tackling the growing AIDS problem in the China.

State broadcaster China Central Television showed footage Tuesday of Hu, wearing a crimson ribbon pinned to his shirt, talking through a videophone to AIDS patients, doctors and researchers at Ditan Hospital. It was a move aimed at improving awareness and helping reduce stigma for HIV-positive people.

On Tuesday, dozens of railway workers and about 100 volunteers, some with stickers of a red ribbon or a red cross on their cheeks, helped pass out free pamphlets on disease prevention and reducing social stigma. Free condoms were also available to passers-by.

The event, co-hosted by the Railways Ministry, was aimed at promoting AIDS and HIV messages on the country's massive rail network to target the public, in particular migrant workers who crisscross the country in search of jobs.

Globally, there were about 33.4 million people with HIV last year, according to UNAIDS in a report issued last week. About 4.7 million of those were in the Asia-Pacific region.

There were about 350,000 new infections last year across the Asia-Pacific, including 21,000 children. And about 330,000 people died from complications related to AIDS.

The epidemic continues to be fueled in most countries by high-risk groups, such as intravenous drug users, sex workers and their clients. Though China is believed to have the world's largest number of injecting drug users, the main mode of HIV transmission has changed from infected needles from drug use to heterosexual sex.

Data show that 40 percent of new HIV cases diagnosed in China were infected through heterosexual contact, with homosexual sex accounting for 32 percent and the remainder related to drug abuse.

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Associated Press Medical Writer Margie Mason in Hanoi contributed to this report.