www.HopeandHelpCenter.org
Free Mammography Screening
at
St. Anthony of Padua Parish Hall
3133-35 Meramec St. 63118
on
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
9:30 am - 2:30 pm
FREE mammograms for women over 40 yrs.
For appointments call Barb Salmo at 314-655-0554. Additional information on attached flyer.
Also, it's not too late to get a FREE seasonal flu shot for those 18 yrs. and older.
Flu shots will be offered during mammography screening, thanks to a recent donation of vaccine
Monday, December 28, 2009
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
H1N1 Flu Virus Update
www.HopeandHelpCenter.org
“This flu season is different.”
The holiday season has arrived and families are busy preparing for their annual celebrations. It’s also the time when flu germs can spread. February is the peak of the flu season in Missouri.
The H1N1 flu vaccine is free and now available for everyone. Go get it now. The vaccine provides the best protection against the flu for you and your loved ones.
For questions about the flu and the vaccine to prevent it, call toll-free, 24 hours a day.
1-877-FLU-4141 or 1-877-358-4141
In addition to getting an H1N1 flu shot:
Wash your hands frequently with soap and water.
Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue or the inside of your elbow, not your bare hands.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
Stay home when you are sick, especially if you have a fever. Remain at home until 24 hours after your fever is gone without the use of fever-reducing medication.
Check with your local health department or go to
www.dhss.mo.gov/missouriflu/_provider_listing.html
to find a flu clinic near you.
Get the facts and get vaccinated.
A message from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services and
your local health department.
“This flu season is different.”
The holiday season has arrived and families are busy preparing for their annual celebrations. It’s also the time when flu germs can spread. February is the peak of the flu season in Missouri.
The H1N1 flu vaccine is free and now available for everyone. Go get it now. The vaccine provides the best protection against the flu for you and your loved ones.
For questions about the flu and the vaccine to prevent it, call toll-free, 24 hours a day.
1-877-FLU-4141 or 1-877-358-4141
In addition to getting an H1N1 flu shot:
Wash your hands frequently with soap and water.
Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue or the inside of your elbow, not your bare hands.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
Stay home when you are sick, especially if you have a fever. Remain at home until 24 hours after your fever is gone without the use of fever-reducing medication.
Check with your local health department or go to
www.dhss.mo.gov/missouriflu/_provider_listing.html
to find a flu clinic near you.
Get the facts and get vaccinated.
A message from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services and
your local health department.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Breast Cancer Screening - JAN 6th
www.HopeandHelpCenter.org
Breast Cancer Screening
Wednesday January 6, 2010
9:00 am - 2:30 pm
St. Anthony of Padua Parish Hall
3133-35 Meramec St.
St. Louis, MO 63118
Free mammogram for all women over the age of 40 and Free grocery gift card!
To register call Barb Salmo at 314-655-0554
Breast Cancer Screening
Wednesday January 6, 2010
9:00 am - 2:30 pm
St. Anthony of Padua Parish Hall
3133-35 Meramec St.
St. Louis, MO 63118
Free mammogram for all women over the age of 40 and Free grocery gift card!
To register call Barb Salmo at 314-655-0554
Thursday, December 3, 2009
New Book Offers UNCOMMON HOPE In The Midst Of HIV/AIDS Pandemic
http://www.hopeandhelpcenter.org/
New Book Offers UNCOMMON HOPE In The Midst Of HIV/AIDS Pandemic
Yesterday at 10:05pm
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December1, 2009
“AIDS has never been about the body alone. It is a condition of the body, mind, and spirit. AIDS crosses the depths of despair, soars on clouds of uncommon hope, and sits in hushed silence while time passes and no cure is forthcoming,” says Joshua L. Love, a survivor of HIV/AIDS and drug addiction. His new book, Uncommon Hope , available on December 1, 2009 (World AIDS Day) is inspired by people whose lives are affected by HIV and AIDS. Love found a journey to healing through faith, which led him to his current position as director of the Metropolitan Community Churches (MCC) Global HIV/AIDS Ministry and to oversee MCC's Drug and Addictions Literacy Program.
Love says, "Uncommon Hope unveils a strategy to end the silence and inaction by people of faith, in and out of organized religious communities, and other nonprofit agencies who feel called to partner in the work of bringing an end to HIV and AIDS. This step-by-step curriculum allows them to engage volunteers and employees in advocacy, public action, and social support of people living with and affected by HIV and AIDS.
"We can do a lot to diminish the suffering of people living with HIV and AIDS and the unnecessary deaths caused by limited access to healthcare and support services. Local churches and faith-based organizations are often the support system of last resort for vulnerable people. We need to be equipped to act," says Love.
Rev. Dr. Donald E. Messer, author of Breaking the Conspiracy of Silence, said, "Metropolitan Community Churches was addressing the HIV and AIDS crisis before most other denominations were. While others were silent or condemning, MCC was on the forefront of offering Christ's inclusive love and compassion. Those of us in other denominations need to listen to and learn from MCC, as well as express our gratitude for their selfless ministry over the years."
Executive Director of the Center for Church and Global AIDS, Rev. Dr. Messer added, "In Joshua Love, MCC has an articulate and winsome spokesperson and leader. This superb curriculum, Uncommon Hope, will bless your life and your faith-based organizations and your communities in which they serve."
Joshua L. Love is a survivor of HIV and drug addiction, an activist in the Gay Men's Health Movement, and is committed to serving people where HIV/AIDS and addiction support services are unavailable or limited by extreme poverty and religious oppression. Love was published in IAPAC+, a publication of the International Association of Physicians in AIDS Care (Spring 2007); produced a documentary entitled We Who Are One Body: A Spiritual Walk with AIDS; and presented at the American Sociological Association 2009 Annual Conference.
He is a clergy candidate with Metropolitan Community Churches and is completing his Master of Divinity at Episcopal Divinity School in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In 2010, he will release a second book Deconstructing Meth, funded by the Elton John AIDS Foundation. Love travels the world to share a message of hope and spiritual renewal through preaching, workshops, and retreats.
About Metropolitan Community Church (MCC)
Metropolitan Community Church, founded in 1968, is a human-rights movement and ministry operating as a Christian denomination in 25 countries around the world. MCC has often been and continues to be one of few leading advocates for vulnerable people in places where religious orthodoxy, sexism, and homophobia can result in violence and death. MCC's promise is stated in its tagline "Tearing Down Walls. Building Up Hope."
For more information about MCC visit: http://www.mccchurch.org.
For more about MCC's Global HIV/AIDS Ministry visit: http://www.mccgham.org .
About Uncommon Hope
Uncommon Hope offers a dynamic, small-group curriculum designed to support people of faith in answering God's call to end the silence and inaction magnifying the human suffering and death wrought by HIV and AIDS. Whether your church or faith-based organization is just beginning to engage in HIV/AIDS ministry or has a long history in the work, Uncommon Hope provides tools and experiences to foster the development of spiritual responses that are authentic to your community, consistent with the core teachings of all major faith traditions, and respectful of the rich diversity reflected in the lives most impacted by the HIV/AIDS pandemic.
Uncommon Hope is open to and inclusive of all people living with HIV and AIDS, whether they are infected in the body or affected as concerned and caring community members. The program is a progressive, multi-unit curriculum packaged in six chapters, each comprising a combination of educational tools, engaged learning, public action, and social support. Participants are afforded the opportunity to acquire new skills and insight at each stage of the process: Awareness, Truths, Radical Change, and Inspiration.
If you hunger to minister at the true intersection of justice, mercy, compassion and hope, then read the pages of Uncommon Hope.
Please contact 1-866-HOPE MCC (4673-622) or email franklincalvin@mccchurch.net to order your copy now!
Press Contact Or To Arrange Author Interviews:
Jim Birkitt
The Birkitt Communications Group
Los Angeles, California
Tel. (310) 272-3046
E-mail: JimBirkitt@aol.com
New Book Offers UNCOMMON HOPE In The Midst Of HIV/AIDS Pandemic
Yesterday at 10:05pm
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December1, 2009
“AIDS has never been about the body alone. It is a condition of the body, mind, and spirit. AIDS crosses the depths of despair, soars on clouds of uncommon hope, and sits in hushed silence while time passes and no cure is forthcoming,” says Joshua L. Love, a survivor of HIV/AIDS and drug addiction. His new book, Uncommon Hope , available on December 1, 2009 (World AIDS Day) is inspired by people whose lives are affected by HIV and AIDS. Love found a journey to healing through faith, which led him to his current position as director of the Metropolitan Community Churches (MCC) Global HIV/AIDS Ministry and to oversee MCC's Drug and Addictions Literacy Program.
Love says, "Uncommon Hope unveils a strategy to end the silence and inaction by people of faith, in and out of organized religious communities, and other nonprofit agencies who feel called to partner in the work of bringing an end to HIV and AIDS. This step-by-step curriculum allows them to engage volunteers and employees in advocacy, public action, and social support of people living with and affected by HIV and AIDS.
"We can do a lot to diminish the suffering of people living with HIV and AIDS and the unnecessary deaths caused by limited access to healthcare and support services. Local churches and faith-based organizations are often the support system of last resort for vulnerable people. We need to be equipped to act," says Love.
Rev. Dr. Donald E. Messer, author of Breaking the Conspiracy of Silence, said, "Metropolitan Community Churches was addressing the HIV and AIDS crisis before most other denominations were. While others were silent or condemning, MCC was on the forefront of offering Christ's inclusive love and compassion. Those of us in other denominations need to listen to and learn from MCC, as well as express our gratitude for their selfless ministry over the years."
Executive Director of the Center for Church and Global AIDS, Rev. Dr. Messer added, "In Joshua Love, MCC has an articulate and winsome spokesperson and leader. This superb curriculum, Uncommon Hope, will bless your life and your faith-based organizations and your communities in which they serve."
Joshua L. Love is a survivor of HIV and drug addiction, an activist in the Gay Men's Health Movement, and is committed to serving people where HIV/AIDS and addiction support services are unavailable or limited by extreme poverty and religious oppression. Love was published in IAPAC+, a publication of the International Association of Physicians in AIDS Care (Spring 2007); produced a documentary entitled We Who Are One Body: A Spiritual Walk with AIDS; and presented at the American Sociological Association 2009 Annual Conference.
He is a clergy candidate with Metropolitan Community Churches and is completing his Master of Divinity at Episcopal Divinity School in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In 2010, he will release a second book Deconstructing Meth, funded by the Elton John AIDS Foundation. Love travels the world to share a message of hope and spiritual renewal through preaching, workshops, and retreats.
About Metropolitan Community Church (MCC)
Metropolitan Community Church, founded in 1968, is a human-rights movement and ministry operating as a Christian denomination in 25 countries around the world. MCC has often been and continues to be one of few leading advocates for vulnerable people in places where religious orthodoxy, sexism, and homophobia can result in violence and death. MCC's promise is stated in its tagline "Tearing Down Walls. Building Up Hope."
For more information about MCC visit: http://www.mccchurch.org.
For more about MCC's Global HIV/AIDS Ministry visit: http://www.mccgham.org .
About Uncommon Hope
Uncommon Hope offers a dynamic, small-group curriculum designed to support people of faith in answering God's call to end the silence and inaction magnifying the human suffering and death wrought by HIV and AIDS. Whether your church or faith-based organization is just beginning to engage in HIV/AIDS ministry or has a long history in the work, Uncommon Hope provides tools and experiences to foster the development of spiritual responses that are authentic to your community, consistent with the core teachings of all major faith traditions, and respectful of the rich diversity reflected in the lives most impacted by the HIV/AIDS pandemic.
Uncommon Hope is open to and inclusive of all people living with HIV and AIDS, whether they are infected in the body or affected as concerned and caring community members. The program is a progressive, multi-unit curriculum packaged in six chapters, each comprising a combination of educational tools, engaged learning, public action, and social support. Participants are afforded the opportunity to acquire new skills and insight at each stage of the process: Awareness, Truths, Radical Change, and Inspiration.
If you hunger to minister at the true intersection of justice, mercy, compassion and hope, then read the pages of Uncommon Hope.
Please contact 1-866-HOPE MCC (4673-622) or email franklincalvin@mccchurch.net to order your copy now!
Press Contact Or To Arrange Author Interviews:
Jim Birkitt
The Birkitt Communications Group
Los Angeles, California
Tel. (310) 272-3046
E-mail: JimBirkitt@aol.com
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Updated Resource Listings, St. John's Mercy Neighborhood Ministry
http://www.hopeandhelpcenter.org/
We would like to share with you our updated and new Resource Lists!
Dental Providers & Vision Assistance - 2 Completely Modified Lists
Domestic Violence Resources - Brand New List
Transportation Resources - Updated Again
Area Food Pantries - Phone # for All Nations Resources Center
Changed to - 314-869-6636
For additional health and social service resources, visit our website: www.stjohnsmercy.org/services/neighborhoodministry
We would like to share with you our updated and new Resource Lists!
Dental Providers & Vision Assistance - 2 Completely Modified Lists
Domestic Violence Resources - Brand New List
Transportation Resources - Updated Again
Area Food Pantries - Phone # for All Nations Resources Center
Changed to - 314-869-6636
For additional health and social service resources, visit our website: www.stjohnsmercy.org/services/neighborhoodministry
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Community Health Fair NOV 20th @ Wooten Family Life Center
www.HopeandHelpCenter.org
Community Health Fair
Friday November 20, 2009
Bishop L.M. Wooten Family Life Center
5170 Dr. Martin Luther King Drive
4 pm - 7 pm
The health fair includes: blood pressure and glucose screenings, healthy cooking demos and food samples, an "Ask the doctor" booth, and health handouts. For more information see flyer attached or contact Josephine Fields, RN at 314.773.1107 314.773.1107.
For additional health and social service resources, visit our website: www.stjohnsmercy.org/services/neighborhoodministry
Community Health Fair
Friday November 20, 2009
Bishop L.M. Wooten Family Life Center
5170 Dr. Martin Luther King Drive
4 pm - 7 pm
The health fair includes: blood pressure and glucose screenings, healthy cooking demos and food samples, an "Ask the doctor" booth, and health handouts. For more information see flyer attached or contact Josephine Fields, RN at 314.773.1107 314.773.1107.
For additional health and social service resources, visit our website: www.stjohnsmercy.org/services/neighborhoodministry
Monday, November 9, 2009
SAGE LGBT Monthly Grief Discussion- starts 11/17/09
www.HopeandHelpCenter.org
SAGE LGBT Monthly Grief Discussion
The SAGE LGBT Grief Support programs are open to all LGBT adults (18 or older) who have experienced the death of a partner, family member and/or friend. The groups are led by trained facilitators.
Please RSVP for these groups by calling: 314-821-4845
or by email: swayland@sagemetrostl.org
Date: 3rd Tuesday, 11/17 Time: 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m.
Location: Tower Grove Manor, 2710 S. Grand, St. Louis, MO 63126
SAGE LGBT 6-Week Grief Support Group
The next 6-Week Group is scheduled for December 1, 8, 15, 29 and January 5 and 12.
Pre-registration is required by phone: 314-821-4845 or by email: swayland@sagemetrostl.org
Time: 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Location: Tower Grove Manor, 2710 S. Grand, St. Louis, MO 63126
More information at: www.SageMetroSTL.org
SAGE LGBT Monthly Grief Discussion
The SAGE LGBT Grief Support programs are open to all LGBT adults (18 or older) who have experienced the death of a partner, family member and/or friend. The groups are led by trained facilitators.
Please RSVP for these groups by calling: 314-821-4845
or by email: swayland@sagemetrostl.org
Date: 3rd Tuesday, 11/17 Time: 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m.
Location: Tower Grove Manor, 2710 S. Grand, St. Louis, MO 63126
SAGE LGBT 6-Week Grief Support Group
The next 6-Week Group is scheduled for December 1, 8, 15, 29 and January 5 and 12.
Pre-registration is required by phone: 314-821-4845 or by email: swayland@sagemetrostl.org
Time: 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Location: Tower Grove Manor, 2710 S. Grand, St. Louis, MO 63126
More information at: www.SageMetroSTL.org
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Community Resource Fair NOV 12 @ Kirkwood UMC
http://www.hopeandhelpcenter.org/
Community Resource Fair
Thursday Nov. 12
9:00 - 11:00 AM
Kirkwood United Methodist Church
www.kirkwoodumc.org
201 W Adams Ave
Kirkwood, MO 63122-4001
(314) 966-8167
Open to Social Workers, Case Workers, Nurses, Health Coaches, Client Advocates, Clergy and all who are interested in educating themselves on key community resources!
Please print, post and distribute as appropriate. For additional health and social service resources, visit our website: www.stjohnsmercy.org/services/neighborhoodministry
Community Resource Fair
Thursday Nov. 12
9:00 - 11:00 AM
Kirkwood United Methodist Church
www.kirkwoodumc.org
201 W Adams Ave
Kirkwood, MO 63122-4001
(314) 966-8167
Open to Social Workers, Case Workers, Nurses, Health Coaches, Client Advocates, Clergy and all who are interested in educating themselves on key community resources!
Please print, post and distribute as appropriate. For additional health and social service resources, visit our website: www.stjohnsmercy.org/services/neighborhoodministry
Monday, November 2, 2009
Neighborhood Ministry Newsletter (NOV 2009)
www.HopeandHelpCenter.org
Extra Extra - Neighborhood Ministry Newsletter!
Find out what's new regarding:
Homelessness Awareness Month
Hope is Moving in - St. Louis Continuum of Care
Cold Weather and Weatherization Info
Our Newest Member - Sister Jonella
Collections, Screenings, Volunteer Opps. and More!
For additional health and social service resources, visit our website: www.stjohnsmercy.org/services/neighborhoodministry
Extra Extra - Neighborhood Ministry Newsletter!
Find out what's new regarding:
Homelessness Awareness Month
Hope is Moving in - St. Louis Continuum of Care
Cold Weather and Weatherization Info
Our Newest Member - Sister Jonella
Collections, Screenings, Volunteer Opps. and More!
For additional health and social service resources, visit our website: www.stjohnsmercy.org/services/neighborhoodministry
Friday, October 30, 2009
CDC Foundation Offers Flu Updates Via E-mail
CDC Foundation Offers Flu Updates Via E-mail
MFH is always interested in passing along helpful information to its grantees to help them better serve the people in our communities.
The Center for Disease Control Foundation (CDC Foundation) has recently released updates concerning the H1N1 influenza. Highlighting common myths, the CDC Foundation offers guidance during the flu season.
If you would like to have Flu Updates e-mailed to you, visit the CDC Foundation at https://www.logiforms.com/formdata/user_forms/9580_18629/74869/, or you can contact Shannon Easley at 404.523.3510 or seasley@cdcfoundation.org . The most recent updates are included below.
Please feel free to pass this information along to anyone who would find it helpful.
Links to archived E-mails:
Flu Update: H1N1 Vaccine (10/08/2009)
http://www.cdcfoundation.org/h1n1/H1N1_10082009.html
Flu Update: Guidance for Small Businesses, Travel and Seasonal Flu (09/16/2009)
http://www.cdcfoundation.org/h1n1/H1N1_09162009.html
Flu Update: Supporting Parents and Families (09/04/2009)
http://www.cdcfoundation.org/h1n1/H1N1_09042009.html
Flu Update: Communications Tools and FAQs (08/27/2009)
http://www.cdcfoundation.org/h1n1/H1N1_08272009.html
HUGE shipment of Baby Food~ (FREE)
www.HopeandHelpCenter.org
The St. Louis Food Bank has received a
HUGE shipment of Gerber baby food!
Much does not expire until January - February 2010,
and even more have expiration dates of 2011.
If interested call Kate Sapp at 314.292.6262 X 135 or
email her at ksapp@stlfoodbank.org
The St. Louis Food Bank has received a
HUGE shipment of Gerber baby food!
Much does not expire until January - February 2010,
and even more have expiration dates of 2011.
If interested call Kate Sapp at 314.292.6262 X 135 or
email her at ksapp@stlfoodbank.org
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Planning Meeting for World AIDS Day - NOV 11th
www.HopeandHelpCenter.orgOctober 27, 2009
EVENT DATE- November 11th @ MCC of Greater St. Louis
Metropolitan Community Church of Greater St. Louis (MCCGSL) is holding a World AIDS’ Day worship service on Tuesday, December 1st, 7pm at 1919 S. Broadway.
We plan for this to be an interfaith and interagency worship remembering the lives that we have lost to HIV/AIDS; honoring the lives of those who live with this life-threatening illness; and raising awareness in the greater St. Louis region about HIV/AIDS.
If you are interested in participating, please join the clergy of MCCGSL on Wednesday, November 11th, 1pm at 1919 S. Broadway for a planning meeting. If you are interested, but unable to attend on that day, please contact me as listed below.
Also, please forward this email on to anyone you know who would wish to participate. I did not have an email address for Dr. Lynne Cooper of Doorways, Kim Donica from Project Ark, or Greg Lukeman from Food Outreach. I hope that someone can share this information with them.
Any group or organization that serves the St. Louis HIV/AIDS community is welcome to participate in the service and/or host an informational table at the event.
Blessings and peace,
Rev. Dr. Carol A. Trissell
Metropolitan Community Church of Greater St. Louis
1919 S. Broadway
St. Louis MO 63104
314-361-3221 ext. 101
Skype: revcarolt
http://www.mccgsl.org/
Friday, October 16, 2009
Are Seasonal Flu & H1N1 Vaccines Safe for HIV-Positive Persons?
www.HopeandHelpCenter.org
Are Thimerosal Vaccines Safe for the HIV-Positive Person?
Saturday October 3, 2009
For HIV-positive people, the influenza vaccine is an important part of preventive health care. As someone whose immune system is compromised, it's important to take all the steps you can to stay healthy, since your body is now less able to fight off illness.
Still, it may be hard to ignore the talk about thimerosal -- the vaccine preservative -- and just roll up your sleeve for your shot. Many people have raised concern over its safety. Is it safe? Are there any particular risks to you because of your HIV status?
Related Items
Immunization Guidelines for HIV+ People
What Do We Know About the H1N1 Vaccine?
H1N1 Resources
Are Thimerosal Vaccines Safe for the HIV-Positive Person?
Saturday October 3, 2009
For HIV-positive people, the influenza vaccine is an important part of preventive health care. As someone whose immune system is compromised, it's important to take all the steps you can to stay healthy, since your body is now less able to fight off illness.
Still, it may be hard to ignore the talk about thimerosal -- the vaccine preservative -- and just roll up your sleeve for your shot. Many people have raised concern over its safety. Is it safe? Are there any particular risks to you because of your HIV status?
Related Items
Immunization Guidelines for HIV+ People
What Do We Know About the H1N1 Vaccine?
H1N1 Resources
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Columbia University Publishes Free HIV Handbook
www.HopeandHelpCenter.org
October 13, 2009
Columbia University Publishes Free HIV Handbook Online
Columbia University in New York City has published a revised edition of its comprehensive HIV/AIDS handbook, intended for those at risk of HIV infection and people currently living with the virus. You can download the 116-page document for free using the link here.
The Columbia Handbook on HIV and AIDS combines and updates two previous works originally published by Simon & Schuster (Pocket Books): The Essential AIDS Fact Book and The Essential HIV Treatment Fact Book.
The new handbook, which some have called an AIDS bible, offers key information on HIV transmission and prevention methods plus the basics of HIV treatment.
The handbook was written by Laura Pinsky, MSW, founder and director of Columbia’s Gay Health Advocacy Project (GHAP) and a contributing AIDSmeds writer, along with Paul Harding Douglas, the former codirector of GHAP who died in 1995. “This is an important book, up-to-date, extraordinarily comprehensive,” writes Jeffrey Laurence, the director of the New York Hospital AIDS Virus Research Laboratory.
Search: Columbia Handbook on HIV and AIDS, Laura Pinsky
October 13, 2009
Columbia University Publishes Free HIV Handbook Online
Columbia University in New York City has published a revised edition of its comprehensive HIV/AIDS handbook, intended for those at risk of HIV infection and people currently living with the virus. You can download the 116-page document for free using the link here.
The Columbia Handbook on HIV and AIDS combines and updates two previous works originally published by Simon & Schuster (Pocket Books): The Essential AIDS Fact Book and The Essential HIV Treatment Fact Book.
The new handbook, which some have called an AIDS bible, offers key information on HIV transmission and prevention methods plus the basics of HIV treatment.
The handbook was written by Laura Pinsky, MSW, founder and director of Columbia’s Gay Health Advocacy Project (GHAP) and a contributing AIDSmeds writer, along with Paul Harding Douglas, the former codirector of GHAP who died in 1995. “This is an important book, up-to-date, extraordinarily comprehensive,” writes Jeffrey Laurence, the director of the New York Hospital AIDS Virus Research Laboratory.
Search: Columbia Handbook on HIV and AIDS, Laura Pinsky
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Open House of the new Children's Developmental Center facility at Grace Hill's Soulard-Benton Health Center~ Oct 8
http://www.hopeandhelpcenter.org/
www.stjohnsmercy.org/services/neighborhoodministry
You are cordially invited to the Open House of the new Children's Developmental Center facility at Grace Hill's Soulard-Benton Health Center on October 8, 2009, from 3 pm - 5 pm. The center is located at 2220 Lemp, St. Louis, MO 63104. No RSVP required. Refreshments will be served.
Grace Hill's Children Developmental Center (CDC) provides a team of specialists to evaluate and treat the medical, psychological, and social needs of the child. Because each child's world involves home and school, the CDC works with both parents and the school system to help manage developmental, behavioral or emotional problems that may be affecting the child. The CDC provides individualized assessments and treatment, which may include individual, family, and/or group therapy.
www.stjohnsmercy.org/services/neighborhoodministry
You are cordially invited to the Open House of the new Children's Developmental Center facility at Grace Hill's Soulard-Benton Health Center on October 8, 2009, from 3 pm - 5 pm. The center is located at 2220 Lemp, St. Louis, MO 63104. No RSVP required. Refreshments will be served.
Grace Hill's Children Developmental Center (CDC) provides a team of specialists to evaluate and treat the medical, psychological, and social needs of the child. Because each child's world involves home and school, the CDC works with both parents and the school system to help manage developmental, behavioral or emotional problems that may be affecting the child. The CDC provides individualized assessments and treatment, which may include individual, family, and/or group therapy.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
ICAAC: Nutritional Supplement Slows CD4 Loss in Untreated HIV
www.HopeandHelpCenter.org
September 24, 2009
ICAAC: Nutritional Supplement Slows CD4 Loss in Untreated HIV
A nutritional supplement developed by Danone—a French food company known in the United States as Dannon and most recognized for its dairy products—might slow the decline of CD4 cells in people living with HIV not yet receiving antiretroviral (ARV) therapy, according to new study results reported September 14 at the 49th Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC) in San Francisco.
According to a news release from Nutricia, Danone’s parent company, the results of the 52-week study testing the nutritional compound currently known as NR100157 exceeded the company’s expectations and is likely to be developed further.
NR100157 contains five major groups of compounds: probiotic oligosaccharides, N-acetylcysteine (NAC), bovine colostrums, long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids and micronutrients.
In 2007, Nutricia started the international BITE study—a clinical trial comparing NR100157 with placebo in 340 people living with HIV not yet on ARV therapy in Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Italy, the Netherlands, Thailand, the United States or the United Kingdom. About half of the 340 patients enrolled received the NR100157, which is produced as a powder and dissolved in liquid or mixed in food.
About halfway through the study in 2008, a planned interim analysis involving 52 weeks of follow-up was conducted by the researchers, including Pedro Cahn, MD, PhD, of the Buenos Aires University Medical School in Argentina, who presented the preliminary findings at ICAAC.
Twenty-five of the 168 study volunteers randomized to receive NR100157 dropped out of the study because they needed to begin ARV therapy.
In the placebo group, consisting of 172 study volunteers, 29 dropped out so that they could start ARV treatment. More than twice as many people living with HIV in the NR100157 group, compared with those in the placebo group, quit the study because of possible side effects, notably bloating and flatulence
.
Despite high rates of discontinuation during the first half of the two-year study, Cahn and his colleagues noted encouraging differences between the two groups. In the NR100157 group, the average CD4 decline during the 52-week follow-up period was 28 cells, compared with 68 cells in the placebo group—a difference of 40 cells that just managed to qualify as statistically significant.
Based on these results, an independent Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) recommended that the study be stopped prematurely. What remains unclear, however, is why a study of this nature would be stopped when there is little evidence of harm, limited commercial access to the tested agent and a desire for long-term follow-up data from studies of nutritional supplements.
Search: NR100157, supplement, propbiotic, CD4 cells, Danone, Dannon, BITE, Nutricia, ICAAC
September 24, 2009
ICAAC: Nutritional Supplement Slows CD4 Loss in Untreated HIV
A nutritional supplement developed by Danone—a French food company known in the United States as Dannon and most recognized for its dairy products—might slow the decline of CD4 cells in people living with HIV not yet receiving antiretroviral (ARV) therapy, according to new study results reported September 14 at the 49th Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC) in San Francisco.
According to a news release from Nutricia, Danone’s parent company, the results of the 52-week study testing the nutritional compound currently known as NR100157 exceeded the company’s expectations and is likely to be developed further.
NR100157 contains five major groups of compounds: probiotic oligosaccharides, N-acetylcysteine (NAC), bovine colostrums, long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids and micronutrients.
In 2007, Nutricia started the international BITE study—a clinical trial comparing NR100157 with placebo in 340 people living with HIV not yet on ARV therapy in Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Italy, the Netherlands, Thailand, the United States or the United Kingdom. About half of the 340 patients enrolled received the NR100157, which is produced as a powder and dissolved in liquid or mixed in food.
About halfway through the study in 2008, a planned interim analysis involving 52 weeks of follow-up was conducted by the researchers, including Pedro Cahn, MD, PhD, of the Buenos Aires University Medical School in Argentina, who presented the preliminary findings at ICAAC.
Twenty-five of the 168 study volunteers randomized to receive NR100157 dropped out of the study because they needed to begin ARV therapy.
In the placebo group, consisting of 172 study volunteers, 29 dropped out so that they could start ARV treatment. More than twice as many people living with HIV in the NR100157 group, compared with those in the placebo group, quit the study because of possible side effects, notably bloating and flatulence
.
Despite high rates of discontinuation during the first half of the two-year study, Cahn and his colleagues noted encouraging differences between the two groups. In the NR100157 group, the average CD4 decline during the 52-week follow-up period was 28 cells, compared with 68 cells in the placebo group—a difference of 40 cells that just managed to qualify as statistically significant.
Based on these results, an independent Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) recommended that the study be stopped prematurely. What remains unclear, however, is why a study of this nature would be stopped when there is little evidence of harm, limited commercial access to the tested agent and a desire for long-term follow-up data from studies of nutritional supplements.
Search: NR100157, supplement, propbiotic, CD4 cells, Danone, Dannon, BITE, Nutricia, ICAAC
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Nationwide Public Health Alert Issued Concerning Life-Threatening Risk Posed by Cocaine Laced with Veterinary Anti-Parasite Drug
www.HopeandHelpCenter.org
Media Contact: SAMHSA Press
Telephone: 240-276-2130
Nationwide Public Health Alert Issued Concerning Life-Threatening Risk Posed by Cocaine Laced with Veterinary Anti-Parasite Drug
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is alerting medical professionals, substance abuse treatment centers and other public health authorities about the risk that substantial levels of cocaine may be adulterated with levamisole – a veterinary anti-parasitic drug. There have been approximately 20 confirmed or probable cases of agranulocytosis (a serious, sometimes fatal blood disorder), including two deaths, associated with cocaine adulterated with levamisole. The number of reported cases is expected to increase as information about cocaine adulterated with levamisole is disseminated.
“SAMHSA and other public health authorities are working together to inform everyone of this serious potential public health risk and what measures are being taken to address it,” said SAMHSA Acting Administrator Eric Broderick, D.D.S., MPH.
Levamisole is used in veterinary medicine and is currently approved for use in cattle, sheep and swine as an anti-parasitic agent. Although it was once used in human medicine in the past for treating autoimmune diseases and cancer, it is no longer an approved drug for human use.
Ingesting cocaine mixed with levamisole can seriously reduce a person's white blood cells, suppressing immune function and the body's ability to fight off even minor infections. People who snort, smoke, or inject crack or powder cocaine contaminated by levamisole can experience overwhelming, rapidly-developing, life threatening infections. Other serious side effects can also occur.
According to the Drug Enforcement Administration and State testing laboratories, the percentage of cocaine specimens containing levamisole has increased steadily since 2002, with levamisole now found in over 70 percent of the illicit cocaine analyzed in July. In addition, a recent analysis in Seattle, Washington found that almost 80 percent of the individuals who test positive for cocaine also test positive for levamisole.
According to the SAMHSA alert substance abuse treatment providers, clinicians, outreach workers, and individuals who abuse cocaine need to be aware of the following:
A dangerous substance, levamisole, is showing up with increasing frequency in illicit cocaine powder and crack cocaine. Levamisole can severely reduce the number of white blood cells, a problem called agranulocytosis. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS ILLNESS THAT NEEDS TO BE TREATED AT A HOSPITAL. If you use cocaine, watch out for:
* high fever, chills, or weakness
* swollen glands
* painful sores (mouth, anal)
* any infection that won’t go away or gets worse very fast, including sore throat or mouth sores -skin infections, abscesses -thrush (white coating of the mouth, tongue, or throat) -pneumonia (fever, cough, shortness of breath).”
SAMHSA is working with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Food and Drug Administration, the Office of National Drug Control Policy, and other federal and international organizations, as well as state agencies to monitor the levamisole issue. CDC will be publishing a case report analysis in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) and will be working with state health departments to systematically collect information on cocaine-associated agranulocytosis cases. Information from this effort will be used to guide treatment and prevention initiatives to address this public health concern.
Individuals are encouraged to report suspected and confirmed cases of agranulocytosis that are associated with cocaine abuse to their respective state health departments. Cases can also be reported to local Poison Control Centers (1-800-222-1222), these centers may also provide assistance in clinical management and additional reporting.
For further medical/technical information, contact Nicholas Reuter, SAMHSA (Nicholas.reuter@samhsa.hhs.gov ).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SAMHSA is a public health agency within the Department of Health and Human Services. The agency is responsible for improving the accountability, capacity and effectiveness of the nation's substance abuse prevention, addictions treatment, and mental health services delivery system.
www.SAMHSA.hhs.gov
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Media Contact: SAMHSA Press
Telephone: 240-276-2130
Nationwide Public Health Alert Issued Concerning Life-Threatening Risk Posed by Cocaine Laced with Veterinary Anti-Parasite Drug
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is alerting medical professionals, substance abuse treatment centers and other public health authorities about the risk that substantial levels of cocaine may be adulterated with levamisole – a veterinary anti-parasitic drug. There have been approximately 20 confirmed or probable cases of agranulocytosis (a serious, sometimes fatal blood disorder), including two deaths, associated with cocaine adulterated with levamisole. The number of reported cases is expected to increase as information about cocaine adulterated with levamisole is disseminated.
“SAMHSA and other public health authorities are working together to inform everyone of this serious potential public health risk and what measures are being taken to address it,” said SAMHSA Acting Administrator Eric Broderick, D.D.S., MPH.
Levamisole is used in veterinary medicine and is currently approved for use in cattle, sheep and swine as an anti-parasitic agent. Although it was once used in human medicine in the past for treating autoimmune diseases and cancer, it is no longer an approved drug for human use.
Ingesting cocaine mixed with levamisole can seriously reduce a person's white blood cells, suppressing immune function and the body's ability to fight off even minor infections. People who snort, smoke, or inject crack or powder cocaine contaminated by levamisole can experience overwhelming, rapidly-developing, life threatening infections. Other serious side effects can also occur.
According to the Drug Enforcement Administration and State testing laboratories, the percentage of cocaine specimens containing levamisole has increased steadily since 2002, with levamisole now found in over 70 percent of the illicit cocaine analyzed in July. In addition, a recent analysis in Seattle, Washington found that almost 80 percent of the individuals who test positive for cocaine also test positive for levamisole.
According to the SAMHSA alert substance abuse treatment providers, clinicians, outreach workers, and individuals who abuse cocaine need to be aware of the following:
A dangerous substance, levamisole, is showing up with increasing frequency in illicit cocaine powder and crack cocaine. Levamisole can severely reduce the number of white blood cells, a problem called agranulocytosis. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS ILLNESS THAT NEEDS TO BE TREATED AT A HOSPITAL. If you use cocaine, watch out for:
* high fever, chills, or weakness
* swollen glands
* painful sores (mouth, anal)
* any infection that won’t go away or gets worse very fast, including sore throat or mouth sores -skin infections, abscesses -thrush (white coating of the mouth, tongue, or throat) -pneumonia (fever, cough, shortness of breath).”
SAMHSA is working with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Food and Drug Administration, the Office of National Drug Control Policy, and other federal and international organizations, as well as state agencies to monitor the levamisole issue. CDC will be publishing a case report analysis in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) and will be working with state health departments to systematically collect information on cocaine-associated agranulocytosis cases. Information from this effort will be used to guide treatment and prevention initiatives to address this public health concern.
Individuals are encouraged to report suspected and confirmed cases of agranulocytosis that are associated with cocaine abuse to their respective state health departments. Cases can also be reported to local Poison Control Centers (1-800-222-1222), these centers may also provide assistance in clinical management and additional reporting.
For further medical/technical information, contact Nicholas Reuter, SAMHSA (Nicholas.reuter@samhsa.hhs.gov ).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SAMHSA is a public health agency within the Department of Health and Human Services. The agency is responsible for improving the accountability, capacity and effectiveness of the nation's substance abuse prevention, addictions treatment, and mental health services delivery system.
www.SAMHSA.hhs.gov
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Health Policy Update - Missouri Foundation for Health
www.HopeandHelpCenter.org
Proposed Federal Medicaid Regulations: Impact on Missouri - Fact Sheet
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the federal agency responsible for monitoring and regulating state Medicaid programs, have proposed seven regulatory changes that would reduce federal funding for the Medicaid program. In Missouri, these regulations would reduce federal funding by approximately $1.4 billion over the next 5 years.
Pay-for-Performance: Considerations for Implementation - Fact Sheet
To improve clinical outcomes and encourage patient-centered care, private and public health plans are offering financial incentives to providers through a model known as “Pay-for-performance”(P4P). Congress and many policy institutions have begun promoting “P4P” as a component to long-term quality improvement across the health care system. This fact sheet provides a definition and background of the term P4P. It also explains the many design features, implementation challenges and policy considerations associated with the model.
Long-Term Care: Issues and Policy Considerations - Fact Sheet
This fact sheet explores the current state of long-term care in the U.S. and identifies several public policy issues that must soon be addressed at both the state and national level.
Raising Medicaid Reimbursement to Increase Provider Participation - Fact Sheet
In most states, Medicaid physician reimbursements rates are lower than those for Medicare and private insurance. In 2003, Missouri Medicaid to Medicare fee index was 56 percent. Research indicates that raising reimbursement for Medicaid providers results in an increased number of Medicaid patients they treat. This fact sheet examines the issues related to reimbursement rates.
Supporting Private Insurance Through Premium Assistance - Fact Sheet
Premium assistance programs offer states the potential to cut the number of uninsured, to strengthen the system of employer-sponsored insurance, and to reduce federal and state expenditures for public insurance. This fact sheet examines the advantages and disadvantages associated with designing and implementing various types of premium assistance programs.
Primary Care Medical Homes: Policy Issues for Consideration - Fact Sheet
Policymakers across the country are pursuing initiatives to establish medical homes as a response to rising health care costs, gaps in preventative coverage, and poor management of chronic conditions. This fact sheet defines medical homes and explores policy options associated with their implementation.
SOURCE~ MISSOURI FOUNDATION FOR HEALTH
http://www.mffh.org/fact_sheets.html
Proposed Federal Medicaid Regulations: Impact on Missouri - Fact Sheet
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the federal agency responsible for monitoring and regulating state Medicaid programs, have proposed seven regulatory changes that would reduce federal funding for the Medicaid program. In Missouri, these regulations would reduce federal funding by approximately $1.4 billion over the next 5 years.
Pay-for-Performance: Considerations for Implementation - Fact Sheet
To improve clinical outcomes and encourage patient-centered care, private and public health plans are offering financial incentives to providers through a model known as “Pay-for-performance”(P4P). Congress and many policy institutions have begun promoting “P4P” as a component to long-term quality improvement across the health care system. This fact sheet provides a definition and background of the term P4P. It also explains the many design features, implementation challenges and policy considerations associated with the model.
Long-Term Care: Issues and Policy Considerations - Fact Sheet
This fact sheet explores the current state of long-term care in the U.S. and identifies several public policy issues that must soon be addressed at both the state and national level.
Raising Medicaid Reimbursement to Increase Provider Participation - Fact Sheet
In most states, Medicaid physician reimbursements rates are lower than those for Medicare and private insurance. In 2003, Missouri Medicaid to Medicare fee index was 56 percent. Research indicates that raising reimbursement for Medicaid providers results in an increased number of Medicaid patients they treat. This fact sheet examines the issues related to reimbursement rates.
Supporting Private Insurance Through Premium Assistance - Fact Sheet
Premium assistance programs offer states the potential to cut the number of uninsured, to strengthen the system of employer-sponsored insurance, and to reduce federal and state expenditures for public insurance. This fact sheet examines the advantages and disadvantages associated with designing and implementing various types of premium assistance programs.
Primary Care Medical Homes: Policy Issues for Consideration - Fact Sheet
Policymakers across the country are pursuing initiatives to establish medical homes as a response to rising health care costs, gaps in preventative coverage, and poor management of chronic conditions. This fact sheet defines medical homes and explores policy options associated with their implementation.
SOURCE~ MISSOURI FOUNDATION FOR HEALTH
http://www.mffh.org/fact_sheets.html
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Free HIV tests for Seniors- Sept 18th
www.hopeandhelpcenter.org
Are you sexually active and over 50? Have you been tested lately for HIV?
September 18th is the first National HIV/AIDS & Aging Awareness Day. St. Louis Effort for AIDS will be conducting free HIV tests from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. for people over 50 (walk-ins welcomed).
http://theaidsinstitute.org/asp/ai_events.asp?ms=4&ss=55
For more information contact:
Cyrano Jones, Testing Coordinator
Saint Louis Effort for AIDS
1027 South Vandeventer Avenue - Suite 700
Saint Louis, Missouri 63110
(314) 333-6668-Direct (314) 645-6582-Fax
cjones@stlefa.org
Source_ http://www.sagemetrostl.org/
Are you sexually active and over 50? Have you been tested lately for HIV?
September 18th is the first National HIV/AIDS & Aging Awareness Day. St. Louis Effort for AIDS will be conducting free HIV tests from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. for people over 50 (walk-ins welcomed).
http://theaidsinstitute.org/asp/ai_events.asp?ms=4&ss=55
For more information contact:
Cyrano Jones, Testing Coordinator
Saint Louis Effort for AIDS
1027 South Vandeventer Avenue - Suite 700
Saint Louis, Missouri 63110
(314) 333-6668-Direct (314) 645-6582-Fax
cjones@stlefa.org
Source_ http://www.sagemetrostl.org/
Grief Conference : Living with the Echoes of Grief Sept 26th
www.HopeandHelpCenter.org
Grief Conference : Living with the Echoes of Grief
The Greater St. Louis Hospice Organization
Saturday, Sept. 26
8:30 am - 12:30 pm
St. John's Mercy Medical Center
615 S. New Ballas Rd. 63141
636-733-7399
This program is open to anyone in the community who has suffered a loss. There is no charge for this seminar. Donations are accepted. Pre-registration required.
Grief Conference : Living with the Echoes of Grief
The Greater St. Louis Hospice Organization
Saturday, Sept. 26
8:30 am - 12:30 pm
St. John's Mercy Medical Center
615 S. New Ballas Rd. 63141
636-733-7399
This program is open to anyone in the community who has suffered a loss. There is no charge for this seminar. Donations are accepted. Pre-registration required.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Free Breast Cancer Screening Sept 16th
www.HopeandHelpCenter.org
There are still appointments open for the September 16, Mammography Screening. Attached you will find the flyer and contact information.
Breast Cancer Screening
Isaiah 58 Ministries
2149 S. Grand Blvd., 63104
9:00 am - 2:30 pm
Free mammograms and breast exams for women.
Appointments required - (314) 776-1410.
There are still appointments open for the September 16, Mammography Screening. Attached you will find the flyer and contact information.
Breast Cancer Screening
Isaiah 58 Ministries
2149 S. Grand Blvd., 63104
9:00 am - 2:30 pm
Free mammograms and breast exams for women.
Appointments required - (314) 776-1410.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Risk Factors for Low Platelets in People With HIV
www.HopeandHelpCenter.org
September 8, 2009
Risk Factors for Low Platelets in People With HIV
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, severe liver damage and uncontrolled HIV replication are all associated with a greater risk for low platelets in people with HIV,
according to a study published online September 3 in the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes.
Thrombocytopenia, the technical term for too few platelets, was once quite common in people living with HIV. Having a low platelet count means that the blood has a harder time forming clots, which amplifies the chance of bruising and excessive bleeding—increasing the risk of stroke in severe cases. The incidence of thrombocytopenia since the introduction of potent three-drug combination HIV therapy is not well known, though it has dropped.
To determine the likelihood of developing thrombocytopenia, Kristen Marks, MD, MS, and her colleagues from Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City, compared 73 people with HIV who were diagnosed with thrombocytopenia with 73 people with HIV who did not have the condition.
The two groups were matched based on age, sex and other health factors, such as using drugs that can cause low platelet counts. The average age was 41; about half of the participants were female; and just over half had a CD4 count greater than 200. Marks and her colleagues found that HCV infection—particularly uncontrolled HCV infection and advanced liver disease—made someone far more likely to have thrombocytopenia. Interestingly, uncontrolled HIV infection was also highly associated with low platelets, regardless of a person’s CD4 count or previous AIDS diagnosis.
The authors conclude that people with HCV and HIV coinfection should be monitored carefully for low platelets, as even mild thrombocytopenia can result in internal bleeding. Thrombocytopenia should also be carefully considered when deciding whether to start interferon-based HCV treatment because that drug can contribute to low platelet counts. Marks’s team also comments that the majority of thrombocytopenia cases in people without HCV or liver damage are likely a result of uncontrolled HIV replication; the authors note that further research will be necessary to understand why this is the case.
Original Story: http://www.poz.com/rssredir/articles/hiv_thrombocytopenia_hcv_761_17223.shtml
Search: thormbocytopenia, platelets, bleeding, bruising, Kristen Marks, hepatitis C virus, HCV, liver damage
September 8, 2009
Risk Factors for Low Platelets in People With HIV
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, severe liver damage and uncontrolled HIV replication are all associated with a greater risk for low platelets in people with HIV,
according to a study published online September 3 in the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes.
Thrombocytopenia, the technical term for too few platelets, was once quite common in people living with HIV. Having a low platelet count means that the blood has a harder time forming clots, which amplifies the chance of bruising and excessive bleeding—increasing the risk of stroke in severe cases. The incidence of thrombocytopenia since the introduction of potent three-drug combination HIV therapy is not well known, though it has dropped.
To determine the likelihood of developing thrombocytopenia, Kristen Marks, MD, MS, and her colleagues from Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City, compared 73 people with HIV who were diagnosed with thrombocytopenia with 73 people with HIV who did not have the condition.
The two groups were matched based on age, sex and other health factors, such as using drugs that can cause low platelet counts. The average age was 41; about half of the participants were female; and just over half had a CD4 count greater than 200. Marks and her colleagues found that HCV infection—particularly uncontrolled HCV infection and advanced liver disease—made someone far more likely to have thrombocytopenia. Interestingly, uncontrolled HIV infection was also highly associated with low platelets, regardless of a person’s CD4 count or previous AIDS diagnosis.
The authors conclude that people with HCV and HIV coinfection should be monitored carefully for low platelets, as even mild thrombocytopenia can result in internal bleeding. Thrombocytopenia should also be carefully considered when deciding whether to start interferon-based HCV treatment because that drug can contribute to low platelet counts. Marks’s team also comments that the majority of thrombocytopenia cases in people without HCV or liver damage are likely a result of uncontrolled HIV replication; the authors note that further research will be necessary to understand why this is the case.
Original Story: http://www.poz.com/rssredir/articles/hiv_thrombocytopenia_hcv_761_17223.shtml
Search: thormbocytopenia, platelets, bleeding, bruising, Kristen Marks, hepatitis C virus, HCV, liver damage
Monday, September 7, 2009
Suicide Prevention Training at St. Patrick Center 9-24-09
www.HopeandHelpCenter.org
3. Suicide Prevention Training at St. Patrick Center
September 24 9:00am – 11:00 am
Registration 8:30 – 9:00am Fee $15
Catholic Charities Conference Center
800 N. Tucker St. Louis
314-802-5413
3. Suicide Prevention Training at St. Patrick Center
September 24 9:00am – 11:00 am
Registration 8:30 – 9:00am Fee $15
Catholic Charities Conference Center
800 N. Tucker St. Louis
314-802-5413
Energy and Health Forum Sept 12
1. Energy and Health Forum
September 12 10:00am – 3:00pm
Wild Acres Park
2500 Ashby Rd.
Overland, 63114
314-446-4424
Sponsored by The Overland Business Association & Community Action Agency of St. Louis. There will be workshops on energy conservation, demonstrations on installing weatherizing materials, free home weatherization kits and more!
2. Understanding the Role Race Plays in St. Louis
September 9 3:00 – 4:30 pm
J.C. Penney Conference Center Room 126
Univ. of Missouri
1 University Blvd.
314-516-6392
Sponsored by Community Partnership Project at UM-St. Louis
A panel of nurses and doctors will speak on inequalities in the health care field and the effects of these differences.
3. Suicide Prevention Training at St. Patrick Center
September 24 9:00am – 11:00 am
Registration 8:30 – 9:00am Fee $15
Catholic Charities Conference Center
800 N. Tucker St. Louis
314-802-5413
September 12 10:00am – 3:00pm
Wild Acres Park
2500 Ashby Rd.
Overland, 63114
314-446-4424
Sponsored by The Overland Business Association & Community Action Agency of St. Louis. There will be workshops on energy conservation, demonstrations on installing weatherizing materials, free home weatherization kits and more!
2. Understanding the Role Race Plays in St. Louis
September 9 3:00 – 4:30 pm
J.C. Penney Conference Center Room 126
Univ. of Missouri
1 University Blvd.
314-516-6392
Sponsored by Community Partnership Project at UM-St. Louis
A panel of nurses and doctors will speak on inequalities in the health care field and the effects of these differences.
3. Suicide Prevention Training at St. Patrick Center
September 24 9:00am – 11:00 am
Registration 8:30 – 9:00am Fee $15
Catholic Charities Conference Center
800 N. Tucker St. Louis
314-802-5413
Friday, September 4, 2009
Breast Cancer Screening (Isaiah 58 Ministries)
www.HopeandHelpCenter.org
Breast Cancer Screening
Isaiah 58 Ministries
2149 S. Grand Blvd., 63104
10:00 am - 2:30 pm
Free mammograms and breast exams for women.
Appointments required - (314) 776-1410.
http://hopeandhelpcenter.org/women.aspx
Breast Cancer Screening
Isaiah 58 Ministries
2149 S. Grand Blvd., 63104
10:00 am - 2:30 pm
Free mammograms and breast exams for women.
Appointments required - (314) 776-1410.
http://hopeandhelpcenter.org/women.aspx
Upcoming HEALTH EVENTS- Sept 9th, 12th& 24th
www.HopeandHelpCenter.org
1. Energy and Health Forum
September 12 10:00am – 3:00pm
Wild Acres Park
2500 Ashby Rd.
Overland, 63114
314-446-4424
Sponsored by The Overland Business Association & Community Action Agency of St. Louis. There will be workshops on energy conservation, demonstrations on installing weatherizing materials, free home weatherization kits and more!
2. Understanding the Role Race Plays in St. Louis
September 9 3:00 – 4:30 pm
J.C. Penney Conference Center Room 126
Univ. of Missouri
1 University Blvd.
314-516-6392
Sponsored by Community Partnership Project at UM-St. Louis
A panel of nurses and doctors will speak on inequalities in the health care field and the effects of these differences.
3. Suicide Prevention Training at St. Patrick Center
September 24 9:00am – 11:00 am
Registration 8:30 – 9:00am Fee $15
Catholic Charities Conference Center
800 N. Tucker St. Louis
314-802-5413
Thanks and have a great day!
Peace
Alexa Previti
Gateway Vincentian Volunteer
St. John's Mercy Neighborhood Ministry
3660 Gravois Ave
Saint Louis, MO 63116
314-865-0927 ext 4 314-865-0679 (fax)
Alexa.Previti@Mercy.net
stjohnsmercy.org/services/neighborhoodministry
1. Energy and Health Forum
September 12 10:00am – 3:00pm
Wild Acres Park
2500 Ashby Rd.
Overland, 63114
314-446-4424
Sponsored by The Overland Business Association & Community Action Agency of St. Louis. There will be workshops on energy conservation, demonstrations on installing weatherizing materials, free home weatherization kits and more!
2. Understanding the Role Race Plays in St. Louis
September 9 3:00 – 4:30 pm
J.C. Penney Conference Center Room 126
Univ. of Missouri
1 University Blvd.
314-516-6392
Sponsored by Community Partnership Project at UM-St. Louis
A panel of nurses and doctors will speak on inequalities in the health care field and the effects of these differences.
3. Suicide Prevention Training at St. Patrick Center
September 24 9:00am – 11:00 am
Registration 8:30 – 9:00am Fee $15
Catholic Charities Conference Center
800 N. Tucker St. Louis
314-802-5413
Thanks and have a great day!
Peace
Alexa Previti
Gateway Vincentian Volunteer
St. John's Mercy Neighborhood Ministry
3660 Gravois Ave
Saint Louis, MO 63116
314-865-0927 ext 4 314-865-0679 (fax)
Alexa.Previti@Mercy.net
stjohnsmercy.org/services/neighborhoodministry
Friday, August 28, 2009
Highlights from President Obama @ Health Care Forum
www.HopeandHelpCenter.org
Highlights from OFA's National Health Care Forum
President Obama Speaks at Organizing For American on HealthCare Reform.
AUGUST 20, 2009
Highlights from OFA's National Health Care Forum
President Obama Speaks at Organizing For American on HealthCare Reform.
AUGUST 20, 2009
Tenofovir Not Necessarily Hard on the Kidneys
www.HopeandHelpCenter.org
Tenofovir Not Necessarily Hard on the Kidneys
Tenofovir (found in Viread, Truvada and Atripla) as part of a first HIV regimen isn’t necessarily harder on the kidneys than drugs such as Ziagen (abacavir), according to a study published online August 25 in AIDS. The combination of tenofovir with a Norvir (ritonavir)–boosted protease inhibitor (PI), however, did demonstrate reductions in kidney function.
Though most large clinical trials of tenofovir have not found signs of kidney dysfunction, there have been case reports of harmful effects on the kidneys, predominantly by causing dysfunction in the tube that filters out proteins in urine and the development of Fanconi syndrome, which affects the kidney’s reabsorption function.
To determine whether tenofovir could decrease kidney function, Joel Gallant, MD, MPH, and Richard Moore, MD, from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, examined the medical records of 432 HIV-positive patients from their HIV clinic who started antiretroviral therapy for the first time. Just under half started a regimen containing tenofovir, and the rest started a regimen containing a nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI).
The most common NRTIs used were Retrovir (zidovudine), followed by Ziagen (abacavir) and Zerit (stavudine). Kidney function was assessed by measuring the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of the kidneys. The two study endpoints were a 25 percent or a 50 percent reduction in GFR after two years of follow-up.In all, there was no difference between tenofovir and NRTIs in the proportion reaching a 25 or 50 percent reduction in GFR.
The only factors associated with a greater likelihood of having a 25 percent reduction in GFR were older age, a CD4 count less than 200, hypertension and the combination of tenofovir with a Norvir-boosted PI. Race and diabetes were not associated with a decreased GFR.
The authors conclude that tenofovir is a safe drug used as part of an initial treatment regimen, but they recommended that older patients, those with low CD4s or hypertension and those combining tenofovir with a Norvir-boosted PI should be monitored more closely.
Search: tenofovir, Viread, Truvada, Atripla, Ziagen, abacavir, Joel Gallant, Richard Moore, kidney, GFR
Original Post~ http://www.poz.com/rssredir/articles/hiv_tenofovir_kidney_761_17163.shtml
Tenofovir Not Necessarily Hard on the Kidneys
Tenofovir (found in Viread, Truvada and Atripla) as part of a first HIV regimen isn’t necessarily harder on the kidneys than drugs such as Ziagen (abacavir), according to a study published online August 25 in AIDS. The combination of tenofovir with a Norvir (ritonavir)–boosted protease inhibitor (PI), however, did demonstrate reductions in kidney function.
Though most large clinical trials of tenofovir have not found signs of kidney dysfunction, there have been case reports of harmful effects on the kidneys, predominantly by causing dysfunction in the tube that filters out proteins in urine and the development of Fanconi syndrome, which affects the kidney’s reabsorption function.
To determine whether tenofovir could decrease kidney function, Joel Gallant, MD, MPH, and Richard Moore, MD, from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, examined the medical records of 432 HIV-positive patients from their HIV clinic who started antiretroviral therapy for the first time. Just under half started a regimen containing tenofovir, and the rest started a regimen containing a nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI).
The most common NRTIs used were Retrovir (zidovudine), followed by Ziagen (abacavir) and Zerit (stavudine). Kidney function was assessed by measuring the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of the kidneys. The two study endpoints were a 25 percent or a 50 percent reduction in GFR after two years of follow-up.In all, there was no difference between tenofovir and NRTIs in the proportion reaching a 25 or 50 percent reduction in GFR.
The only factors associated with a greater likelihood of having a 25 percent reduction in GFR were older age, a CD4 count less than 200, hypertension and the combination of tenofovir with a Norvir-boosted PI. Race and diabetes were not associated with a decreased GFR.
The authors conclude that tenofovir is a safe drug used as part of an initial treatment regimen, but they recommended that older patients, those with low CD4s or hypertension and those combining tenofovir with a Norvir-boosted PI should be monitored more closely.
Search: tenofovir, Viread, Truvada, Atripla, Ziagen, abacavir, Joel Gallant, Richard Moore, kidney, GFR
Original Post~ http://www.poz.com/rssredir/articles/hiv_tenofovir_kidney_761_17163.shtml
Stopping Swine Flu Up to You
www.HopeandHelpCenter.org
Stopping Swine Flu Up to You
Before the Vaccine Arrives, It's Up to Citizens to Slow Swine Flu
By Daniel J. DeNoonWebMD Health News
Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD
Aug. 26, 2009 -- Who's on the front line of this fall's flu fight? You are, say HHS and CDC officials.
Until Thanksgiving, at the earliest, it's going to be up to you to try not to catch the flu. And if you do catch the flu, it's going to be up to you to try not to infect anyone else.
Swine Flu Outbreak: Get the Facts
Get the latest swine flu facts and information from WebMD, the CDC and other public health agencies.
Swine Flu Center
Video: Swine Flu Precautions
Swine Flu Symptoms
Can a Mask Prevent Swine Flu?
Swine Flu: 10 Things Not To Do
Like people, pigs can get influenza (flu), but swine flu viruses aren't the same as human flu viruses.
Why? The government is rushing to deliver H1N1 swine flu vaccine to states on or around Oct. 15. Vaccination likely will take two shots given three weeks apart.
No protection is expected until two to four weeks after the second shot -- around Thanksgiving for those who start vaccination in mid-October.
"We are not going to have vaccine before H1N1 disease gets here because the disease never went away this summer," Anne Schuchat, MD, director of the CDC's Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said this week at a pandemic flu symposium.
"Schools are now opening and cases are appearing. I would expect to see clusters popping up soon."
"I think we're going to have an interesting fall," Steven C. Redd, MD, director of the CDC's Influenza Coordination Unit, said at the symposium.
All relevant branches of the U.S. government are making full-speed-ahead efforts to prepare for a bad flu season, as the new H1N1 swine flu collides with the seasonal flu. But in the end, the government can do only so much.
The rest is up to citizens, says Kathleen Sebelius, secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
"It is essential people make plans, because we will not have a vaccine available for a few months," Sebelius said at the CDC symposium.
What plans?
The first part of the plan is to avoid infection:
Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly. Use soap and warm water when available; use hand sanitizer between hand washings.
Avoid close contact with sick people. Close contact means getting within 6 feet of a sick person. If you must care for someone who is ill, minimize close contact.
It's not known whether face masks protect against infection. If you use one, don't slack off on hand washing or avoiding close contact with sick people. Use the face mask properly and throw it away after use.
Get your seasonal flu vaccine as soon as possible. It's safe, and it protects against the three seasonal flu bugs expected to circulate this fall and winter -- even though it won't protect against H1N1 swine flu.
The second part of the plan is to keep from spreading the swine flu virus:
Stay home if you are sick.
Observe flu etiquette. Don't cough or sneeze into your hands. Cough/sneeze into a tissue -- or, failing that, your elbow.
If you can do so comfortably, wear a face mask if you come into contact with others.
If you are an employer, do not penalize workers for staying home if sick or for caring for sick children.
© 2009 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved.
Make plans -- now -- for what you'd do if you or your children get sick this fall.
4 Must-See Articles
Sinus Trouble? Take the Health Check
Photos: Anatomy of a Sore Throat
Photos: Natural Cold & Flu Remedies
Photos: See What Sinus Pain Looks Like
1 2
Next Page >
Stopping Swine Flu Up to You
Before the Vaccine Arrives, It's Up to Citizens to Slow Swine Flu
By Daniel J. DeNoonWebMD Health News
Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD
Aug. 26, 2009 -- Who's on the front line of this fall's flu fight? You are, say HHS and CDC officials.
Until Thanksgiving, at the earliest, it's going to be up to you to try not to catch the flu. And if you do catch the flu, it's going to be up to you to try not to infect anyone else.
Swine Flu Outbreak: Get the Facts
Get the latest swine flu facts and information from WebMD, the CDC and other public health agencies.
Swine Flu Center
Video: Swine Flu Precautions
Swine Flu Symptoms
Can a Mask Prevent Swine Flu?
Swine Flu: 10 Things Not To Do
Like people, pigs can get influenza (flu), but swine flu viruses aren't the same as human flu viruses.
Why? The government is rushing to deliver H1N1 swine flu vaccine to states on or around Oct. 15. Vaccination likely will take two shots given three weeks apart.
No protection is expected until two to four weeks after the second shot -- around Thanksgiving for those who start vaccination in mid-October.
"We are not going to have vaccine before H1N1 disease gets here because the disease never went away this summer," Anne Schuchat, MD, director of the CDC's Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said this week at a pandemic flu symposium.
"Schools are now opening and cases are appearing. I would expect to see clusters popping up soon."
"I think we're going to have an interesting fall," Steven C. Redd, MD, director of the CDC's Influenza Coordination Unit, said at the symposium.
All relevant branches of the U.S. government are making full-speed-ahead efforts to prepare for a bad flu season, as the new H1N1 swine flu collides with the seasonal flu. But in the end, the government can do only so much.
The rest is up to citizens, says Kathleen Sebelius, secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
"It is essential people make plans, because we will not have a vaccine available for a few months," Sebelius said at the CDC symposium.
What plans?
The first part of the plan is to avoid infection:
Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly. Use soap and warm water when available; use hand sanitizer between hand washings.
Avoid close contact with sick people. Close contact means getting within 6 feet of a sick person. If you must care for someone who is ill, minimize close contact.
It's not known whether face masks protect against infection. If you use one, don't slack off on hand washing or avoiding close contact with sick people. Use the face mask properly and throw it away after use.
Get your seasonal flu vaccine as soon as possible. It's safe, and it protects against the three seasonal flu bugs expected to circulate this fall and winter -- even though it won't protect against H1N1 swine flu.
The second part of the plan is to keep from spreading the swine flu virus:
Stay home if you are sick.
Observe flu etiquette. Don't cough or sneeze into your hands. Cough/sneeze into a tissue -- or, failing that, your elbow.
If you can do so comfortably, wear a face mask if you come into contact with others.
If you are an employer, do not penalize workers for staying home if sick or for caring for sick children.
© 2009 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved.
Make plans -- now -- for what you'd do if you or your children get sick this fall.
4 Must-See Articles
Sinus Trouble? Take the Health Check
Photos: Anatomy of a Sore Throat
Photos: Natural Cold & Flu Remedies
Photos: See What Sinus Pain Looks Like
1 2
Next Page >
Thursday, August 27, 2009
HealthCare Reform EVENT (FREE) AUG 30th
www.HopeandHelpCenter.org
HealthCare Reform EVENT (FREE) AUG 30th @ IBEW Union Hall
OFA's Let's Get It Done Health Insurance Event!
The time for health insurance reform is now!
Host:
St. Louis Activist Hub
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Time:
7:00pm - 10:00pm
Location:
IBEW Local 1 Union Hall
Street:
5850 Elizabeth (one block east of Hampton)
City/Town:
Saint Louis, MO 63109
Description ~
The small minority of Americans who oppose health care reform have certainly made their opinion known in the St. Louis region during the Congressional August recess. Now it's time for progressives and health care reform supporters to have our say! Organizing for America and Health Care for America Now are organizing a St. Louis stop for a national Health Insurance Reform Now Bus Tour. This is the best chance we have to end the August Recess with a powerful statement that we need to change the system that is destroying the lives of hundreds of thousands of people every year.
Please sign up for the OFA event here: http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vbXkuYmFyYWNrb2JhbWEuY29tL3BhZ2UvZXZlbnQvZGV0YWlsL2xldHNnZXRpdGRvbmVoZWFsdGhpbnN1cmFuY2VyZWZvcm1ub3dwdWJsaWNldmVudHMvZ3BmazM1 And please come out and add your voice to the growing call for change.
We can win this!Here's a short video of Senator Ted Kennedy speaking about his life mission, healthcare reform: http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vd3d3LnlvdXR1YmUuY29tL3dhdGNoP3Y9UHJKVmJDekpINmMmZmVhdHVyZT1wbGF5ZXJfZW1iZWRkZWQ=
FYI, there is a similar facebook event here: http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vd3d3LmZhY2Vib29rLmNvbS9ldmVudC5waHA/ZWlkPTEyMDU1MjU3NjczMQ== .
I created this one to invite members of the Activist Hub to this extremely important event.
HealthCare Reform EVENT (FREE) AUG 30th @ IBEW Union Hall
OFA's Let's Get It Done Health Insurance Event!
The time for health insurance reform is now!
Host:
St. Louis Activist Hub
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Time:
7:00pm - 10:00pm
Location:
IBEW Local 1 Union Hall
Street:
5850 Elizabeth (one block east of Hampton)
City/Town:
Saint Louis, MO 63109
Description ~
The small minority of Americans who oppose health care reform have certainly made their opinion known in the St. Louis region during the Congressional August recess. Now it's time for progressives and health care reform supporters to have our say! Organizing for America and Health Care for America Now are organizing a St. Louis stop for a national Health Insurance Reform Now Bus Tour. This is the best chance we have to end the August Recess with a powerful statement that we need to change the system that is destroying the lives of hundreds of thousands of people every year.
Please sign up for the OFA event here: http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vbXkuYmFyYWNrb2JhbWEuY29tL3BhZ2UvZXZlbnQvZGV0YWlsL2xldHNnZXRpdGRvbmVoZWFsdGhpbnN1cmFuY2VyZWZvcm1ub3dwdWJsaWNldmVudHMvZ3BmazM1 And please come out and add your voice to the growing call for change.
We can win this!Here's a short video of Senator Ted Kennedy speaking about his life mission, healthcare reform: http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vd3d3LnlvdXR1YmUuY29tL3dhdGNoP3Y9UHJKVmJDekpINmMmZmVhdHVyZT1wbGF5ZXJfZW1iZWRkZWQ=
FYI, there is a similar facebook event here: http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vd3d3LmZhY2Vib29rLmNvbS9ldmVudC5waHA/ZWlkPTEyMDU1MjU3NjczMQ== .
I created this one to invite members of the Activist Hub to this extremely important event.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Are Antidepressants Safe During Pregnancy?
Are Antidepressants Safe During Pregnancy?
Report Offers Guidelines for Treating Depression in Pregnant WomenBy Salynn BoylesWebMD Health News
Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD
Aug. 21, 2009 -- Women who take antidepressants face a difficult choice when they become pregnant, and for many the risks vs. benefits of continuing treatment are not clear, a joint report from the American Psychiatric Association and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists finds.
The report confirms that there are far more questions than answers about the dangers antidepressants pose to the babies born to women who take them.
It also presents guidelines to help doctors and patients identify who should and should not consider stopping drug treatment.
Pregnant women who experience psychotic episodes, have bipolar disorder, or who are suicidal or have a history of suicide attempts should not be taken off antidepressants, the report concludes.
"We know that untreated depression poses real risks to babies. That is not conjecture," Yale University School of Medicine ob-gyn Charles Lockwood, MD, tells WebMD. "We know much less about the risks associated with antidepressant use. It is clear that more study is needed."
According to one study, the rate of antidepressant use during pregnancy more than doubled between 1999 and 2003. The study found that in 2003, one in eight women took an antidepressant at some point during her pregnancy.
Greater use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants like Prozac, Paxil, and Zoloft were largely responsible for the increase.
These drugs were generally considered safe for pregnant women at the time, but safety concerns soon emerged, especially regarding Paxil.
Separate studies from Sweden and the U.S. suggested an increased risk for congenital heart defects in babies born to women who took Paxil during pregnancy.
The reports led the FDA to issue an advisory in December 2005 warning about the potential risk based on early results of two studies.
But the joint panel found the evidence linking Paxil use during pregnancy to heart problems in newborns to be inconclusive.
Lockwood tells WebMD that if the risk is real, it is probably not limited to Paxil alone.
"It is very likely to be a class effect and not just this one drug," he says.
Miscarriage, Low Birth Weight, and Preterm Birth
SSRI use during pregnancy has also been linked in some studies to an increased risk for miscarriage, low birth weight, and preterm delivery.
But once again, the report found no definitive link between the use of the antidepressants and these pregnancy outcomes.
"Antidepressant use in pregnancy is well studied, but available research has not yet adequately controlled for other factors that may influence birth outcomes including maternal illness or behaviors that can adversely affect pregnancy," the joint panel writes.
The report was published in both the American Psychiatric Association journal General Hospital Psychiatry and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecology journal Obstetrics and Gynecology.
The joint panel concludes that a gradual reducing of antidepressant dosages and stopping antidepressants altogether may be appropriate for women who hope to become pregnant if they have had mild or no symptoms for six months or longer.
4 Must-See Articles
Photos: 10 Ways to Soothe Your Crying Baby
Green Poop Explained: Baby Bowel Movements
Baby's Skin: Tips to Prevent Rashes
Photos: Contagious Coughs--Know the Danger Signs
President Obama Announces New Discussions on HIV and AIDS
www.HopeandHelpCenter.org
President Obama Announces New Discussions on HIV and AIDS
Saturday August 22, 2009
Beginning next week, the White House office of HIV/AIDS Policy will launch National HIV/AIDS Community Discussions, a series of public discussions on HIV and AIDS.
The discussions will provide a public venue to explore what's needed and what can be done with regards to HIV and AIDS in the US. According to the White House Office of HIV/AIDS Policy the goal of the discussions is to ultimately reduce the incidence of HIV; increase access to HIV care; and to end the disparities that exist in HIV care.
The first event in the series of discussions will be held August 25 in Atlanta.
What Would You Tell the President About the Needs of the HIV Community?
So if you had the chance to speak in one of these events or to chat with President Obama, what would you tell him?
What do you think is the most important issue facing the HIV community right now?
ORIGINAL POST & COMMENTS
President Obama Announces New Discussions on HIV and AIDS
Saturday August 22, 2009
Beginning next week, the White House office of HIV/AIDS Policy will launch National HIV/AIDS Community Discussions, a series of public discussions on HIV and AIDS.
The discussions will provide a public venue to explore what's needed and what can be done with regards to HIV and AIDS in the US. According to the White House Office of HIV/AIDS Policy the goal of the discussions is to ultimately reduce the incidence of HIV; increase access to HIV care; and to end the disparities that exist in HIV care.
The first event in the series of discussions will be held August 25 in Atlanta.
What Would You Tell the President About the Needs of the HIV Community?
So if you had the chance to speak in one of these events or to chat with President Obama, what would you tell him?
What do you think is the most important issue facing the HIV community right now?
ORIGINAL POST & COMMENTS
CDC Hints at HIV Testing...Without Consent
www.HopeandHelpCenter.org
CDC Hints at HIV Testing...Without Consent
Monday August 17, 2009
In an effort to slow the spread of HIV, the CDC is suggesting HIV testing of emergency room patients without their consent. You heard right...without their consent. Many believe that informed consent actually is a barrier to getting people tested.
In the US more that 150 people per day are still becoming newly infected. By normalizing testing, meaning treating HIV testing like any other blood test, many feel it will take the stigma of testing out of the process and people will get tested.
However, others feel testing without consent means people will get results without any education as to what to do after testing positive. Advocates of informed consent feel it helps people understand their treatment options and gets them into medical care they may not get into if tested without consent.
Supporters of mandatory testing say it will help identify those people unaware of their infection. Without knowledge of their infection, people continue to engage in at-risk behavior, placing others at risk for new HIV infections.
Many states now require informed consent for HIV testing, however, one of those states, New York, now has a bill in their legislature that would eliminate the informed consent requirement. In a related story, the Veterans Administration (VA) are now offering HIV testing as part of all routine medical care and have dropped the written consent requirement.
Is there a change in the wind?
What Do You Think?
So...what do you think? Should everyone who sets foot in their local ER be tested for HIV whether they want to be tested or not? Some would say it would be for the benefit of public health. Others may see it as a 1984 - like policy. What do you think?
COMMENTS AND ORIGINAL POST
CDC Hints at HIV Testing...Without Consent
Monday August 17, 2009
In an effort to slow the spread of HIV, the CDC is suggesting HIV testing of emergency room patients without their consent. You heard right...without their consent. Many believe that informed consent actually is a barrier to getting people tested.
In the US more that 150 people per day are still becoming newly infected. By normalizing testing, meaning treating HIV testing like any other blood test, many feel it will take the stigma of testing out of the process and people will get tested.
However, others feel testing without consent means people will get results without any education as to what to do after testing positive. Advocates of informed consent feel it helps people understand their treatment options and gets them into medical care they may not get into if tested without consent.
Supporters of mandatory testing say it will help identify those people unaware of their infection. Without knowledge of their infection, people continue to engage in at-risk behavior, placing others at risk for new HIV infections.
Many states now require informed consent for HIV testing, however, one of those states, New York, now has a bill in their legislature that would eliminate the informed consent requirement. In a related story, the Veterans Administration (VA) are now offering HIV testing as part of all routine medical care and have dropped the written consent requirement.
Is there a change in the wind?
What Do You Think?
So...what do you think? Should everyone who sets foot in their local ER be tested for HIV whether they want to be tested or not? Some would say it would be for the benefit of public health. Others may see it as a 1984 - like policy. What do you think?
COMMENTS AND ORIGINAL POST
Friday, August 21, 2009
HealthCare Rally tommorow - AUG 22nd
www.HopeandHelpCenter.com
HealthCare Rally tommorow - AUG 22nd
http://www.bellevillepride.com/
Dear BellevillePride.com Supporters,
Progressives need to stick together so I am helping promote this Health Care Rally tomorrow. Nothing is more critical for LGBTQ community than supporting Health Care Reform now! Lesbian women are often discriminated and dropped from their insurance because of their higher risk of cancers. Gay/Bi men are still discriminated by health insurance companies due to HIV/AIDS testing. The LGBTQ is directly effected by this issue so lets come out and show the public what this has become, "an argument about CLASS."
There will be a big group of Progressives meeting up at Senator McCaskill's office at 5850 Delmar at the same time the St. Louis teabaggers will be there. Since it would be extra fun to have some coordinated chants and maybe some love and friendship songs for the teabaggers, please try to get there a little early to practice, say around 11:15. There's a parking lot across from Senator McCaskill's office; let's meet in that parking lot near the street. Look for the Billionaires for Wealthcare signs.
A few other things to keep in mind for the rally:
1. Please DO NOT get into any arguments or yelling matches with teabaggers. Teabaggers are billionaires' best friends since they are fighting to protect a health care system that only serves our profit motives, and they will record anything they can to make other people look bad. Which brings me to my next suggestion...
2. Bring any video cameras you can! The more we capture on camera, the better! We have sent out press advisories and think this would be a fun event for the media to cover, but nothing is ever guaranteed. But if we record our own video, we'll be able to spread our pro-billionaire message around the globe.
3. Please go here to get some sign ideas: http://billionairesforweal..thcare.com/Signage.html . At the bottom of the page, there's a link where you can download signs to print out directly. Feel free to bring other props as well such as fake cash or cigars. And please share any fun ideas you have for how we can interact with the teabaggers.
4. It's better if you can dress up! This will be really fun if we all come in outlandish outfits. If you don't have anything you could try going to Vintage Haberdashery (Morganford and Connecticut) or Johnny Brock's (4320 Hampton), but even if you don't have a costume please don't let that discourage you from attending.
5. The teabaggers will also be in costume, oddly enough. They are supposed to dress like "patriots." Make of that what you will.
Let's all show up with the primary goal of having a good time and reminding people that "Wealthcare is for the rich!"
Check out http://www.facebook.com/ev..ent.php?eid=118663195813
For specific details.
See you there,
Ed Reggi
(http://Showmenohate.blogspot.com )
HealthCare Rally tommorow - AUG 22nd
http://www.bellevillepride.com/
Dear BellevillePride.com Supporters,
Progressives need to stick together so I am helping promote this Health Care Rally tomorrow. Nothing is more critical for LGBTQ community than supporting Health Care Reform now! Lesbian women are often discriminated and dropped from their insurance because of their higher risk of cancers. Gay/Bi men are still discriminated by health insurance companies due to HIV/AIDS testing. The LGBTQ is directly effected by this issue so lets come out and show the public what this has become, "an argument about CLASS."
There will be a big group of Progressives meeting up at Senator McCaskill's office at 5850 Delmar at the same time the St. Louis teabaggers will be there. Since it would be extra fun to have some coordinated chants and maybe some love and friendship songs for the teabaggers, please try to get there a little early to practice, say around 11:15. There's a parking lot across from Senator McCaskill's office; let's meet in that parking lot near the street. Look for the Billionaires for Wealthcare signs.
A few other things to keep in mind for the rally:
1. Please DO NOT get into any arguments or yelling matches with teabaggers. Teabaggers are billionaires' best friends since they are fighting to protect a health care system that only serves our profit motives, and they will record anything they can to make other people look bad. Which brings me to my next suggestion...
2. Bring any video cameras you can! The more we capture on camera, the better! We have sent out press advisories and think this would be a fun event for the media to cover, but nothing is ever guaranteed. But if we record our own video, we'll be able to spread our pro-billionaire message around the globe.
3. Please go here to get some sign ideas: http://billionairesforweal..thcare.com/Signage.html . At the bottom of the page, there's a link where you can download signs to print out directly. Feel free to bring other props as well such as fake cash or cigars. And please share any fun ideas you have for how we can interact with the teabaggers.
4. It's better if you can dress up! This will be really fun if we all come in outlandish outfits. If you don't have anything you could try going to Vintage Haberdashery (Morganford and Connecticut) or Johnny Brock's (4320 Hampton), but even if you don't have a costume please don't let that discourage you from attending.
5. The teabaggers will also be in costume, oddly enough. They are supposed to dress like "patriots." Make of that what you will.
Let's all show up with the primary goal of having a good time and reminding people that "Wealthcare is for the rich!"
Check out http://www.facebook.com/ev..ent.php?eid=118663195813
For specific details.
See you there,
Ed Reggi
(http://Showmenohate.blogspot.com )
Free Mammagraphy Screening - SEPT 16th
www.HopeandHelpCenter.org
There is free mammagraphy screening for uninsured women on 3
Wed., Sept. 16th
between 9:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.
at Isaiah 58 Ministries at
2149 S. Grand Blvd.
Appointments are required.
Call June at 314.776.1410 M-F from 10-2.
There is free mammagraphy screening for uninsured women on 3
Wed., Sept. 16th
between 9:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.
at Isaiah 58 Ministries at
2149 S. Grand Blvd.
Appointments are required.
Call June at 314.776.1410 M-F from 10-2.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
New Evidence in Debate Over Treatment as Prevention
www.HopeandHelpCenter.org
August 19, 2009
New Evidence in Debate Over Treatment as Prevention
People with viral loads less than 50 copies tend to keep their virus suppressed consistently, which lends weight to the argument that such folks are unlikely to pass their infection on to their HIV-negative sex partners, according to a study published in HIV Medicine and reported by aidsmap.
A declaration by Swiss researchers sent a shockwave through the HIV community in January 2008, when they claimed that certain heterosexual people with HIV simply couldn’t pass the virus on to their HIV-negative partners, even in the absence of condom use or other barrier methods. There were some qualifiers: Both partners needed to be sexually monogamous, and neither could have a sexually transmitted infection. Also, the HIV-positive partner needed to be adherent to his or her medication and have had an undetectable viral load for at least six months before engaging in unprotected sexual activity.
A number of studies have, in fact, demonstrated that people with HIV are far less likely to transmit the virus if they have an undetectable viral load, but the Swiss declaration was the first to claim that the risk is essentially nil. One counter-argument raised by critics: People with HIV adhering to antiretroviral (ARV) therapy may experience viral blips, where their virus goes up temporarily. This could, theoretically, increase the risk of transmission if condoms are not being used.
To examine the likelihood of blips, Christophe Combescure, PhD, from the University Hospital Geneva, in Switzerland, and his colleagues from the Swiss HIV Cohort examined data on 6,168 patients who were on ARV therapy and had successive viral load tests between 2003 and 2007. Though the frequency of visits varied, most people had viral load tested once every three months.
Combescure’s team found that when people claimed to have missed no doses of their ARVs in the previous four weeks, they had an 85 percent chance of having their HIV levels remain under 50 copies consistently. Most viral load blips were transient. In people whose virus jumped to between 200 and 1,000 copies—detectable but still associated with a very low risk of HIV transmission—66 percent went back to undetectable at the next test.
This was less true for people whose virus had jumped to more than 1,000 copies—when transmission may be more likely to occur, the authors explain. Just 30 percent of them went back to undetectable. This occurred rarely however. The overall chance that a person would go from undetectable to more than 1,000 copies was just 2 percent, and if a person was on a potent three-drug regimen this dropped to 1 percent.
In the final analysis, poor adherence or an inferior regimen explained most of the viral load increases to more than 1,000 copies. The authors concede, however, that the “data leave open the possibility that unexplained rises in viral load above 1,000 copies/ml, although rare, may occur.”
These data also do not explore the possibility that viral load in the genital compartment may be much higher than in blood, and the impact that may have on infectiousness.
Search: Swiss declaration, viral load, treatment as prevention, consistent viral load
http://www.poz.com/rssredir/articles/hiv_prevention_transmission_761_17126.shtml
August 19, 2009
New Evidence in Debate Over Treatment as Prevention
People with viral loads less than 50 copies tend to keep their virus suppressed consistently, which lends weight to the argument that such folks are unlikely to pass their infection on to their HIV-negative sex partners, according to a study published in HIV Medicine and reported by aidsmap.
A declaration by Swiss researchers sent a shockwave through the HIV community in January 2008, when they claimed that certain heterosexual people with HIV simply couldn’t pass the virus on to their HIV-negative partners, even in the absence of condom use or other barrier methods. There were some qualifiers: Both partners needed to be sexually monogamous, and neither could have a sexually transmitted infection. Also, the HIV-positive partner needed to be adherent to his or her medication and have had an undetectable viral load for at least six months before engaging in unprotected sexual activity.
A number of studies have, in fact, demonstrated that people with HIV are far less likely to transmit the virus if they have an undetectable viral load, but the Swiss declaration was the first to claim that the risk is essentially nil. One counter-argument raised by critics: People with HIV adhering to antiretroviral (ARV) therapy may experience viral blips, where their virus goes up temporarily. This could, theoretically, increase the risk of transmission if condoms are not being used.
To examine the likelihood of blips, Christophe Combescure, PhD, from the University Hospital Geneva, in Switzerland, and his colleagues from the Swiss HIV Cohort examined data on 6,168 patients who were on ARV therapy and had successive viral load tests between 2003 and 2007. Though the frequency of visits varied, most people had viral load tested once every three months.
Combescure’s team found that when people claimed to have missed no doses of their ARVs in the previous four weeks, they had an 85 percent chance of having their HIV levels remain under 50 copies consistently. Most viral load blips were transient. In people whose virus jumped to between 200 and 1,000 copies—detectable but still associated with a very low risk of HIV transmission—66 percent went back to undetectable at the next test.
This was less true for people whose virus had jumped to more than 1,000 copies—when transmission may be more likely to occur, the authors explain. Just 30 percent of them went back to undetectable. This occurred rarely however. The overall chance that a person would go from undetectable to more than 1,000 copies was just 2 percent, and if a person was on a potent three-drug regimen this dropped to 1 percent.
In the final analysis, poor adherence or an inferior regimen explained most of the viral load increases to more than 1,000 copies. The authors concede, however, that the “data leave open the possibility that unexplained rises in viral load above 1,000 copies/ml, although rare, may occur.”
These data also do not explore the possibility that viral load in the genital compartment may be much higher than in blood, and the impact that may have on infectiousness.
Search: Swiss declaration, viral load, treatment as prevention, consistent viral load
http://www.poz.com/rssredir/articles/hiv_prevention_transmission_761_17126.shtml
What H1N1 (Swine) Flu Means for HIV-Positive People
www.HopeandHelpCenter.org
An Update on What H1N1 (Swine) Flu Means for HIV-Positive People
HIV Expert Joel Gallant, M.D., M.P.H., Provides the Details
By Myles Helfand
("For most people with HIV, the swine flu is pretty much the same as it would be with somebody without HIV.")
August 11, 2009
This interview with Joel Gallant, M.D., M.P.H., is our second update with Dr. Gallant this year on what the swine flu pandemic means for people with HIV. We first spoke with Dr. Gallant in spring 2009, shortly after the global swine flu outbreak had begun.
You and I last spoke at the end of April, when swine flu was still known as "swine flu" instead of "novel influenza H1N1." You felt it probably was going to end up being a pretty big deal, in terms of the sheer number of people who actually were affected by the flu, but not so much in terms of the dangerousness of the actual virus. How have things panned out in the three months since then?
Joel E. Gallant,
M.D., M.P.H.
That prediction turned out to be true for the epidemic we've seen so far. It has been a big epidemic, to the point that the WHO [World Health Organization] has classified it at the highest level of pandemic classification. Keep in mind that those levels don't reflect severity of the disease; they only reflect the scope of the epidemic.
It's been a big pandemic, but it has not been a big killer so far, and things have quieted down a little bit in the summer up in the northern part of the globe, as we would expect it to. The real unknown is what's going to happen in the fall, when we expect to see a resurgence of the epidemic.
As we enter the latter part of the summer here in the Northern Hemisphere, the Southern Hemisphere is going through the latter part of its winter. How have things panned out down there, as far as you know?
There is certainly plenty of flu going around, but we have not seen a huge spike, which is what we're worried about in North America and the northern part of the globe.
Do we know how much of that might be due to poor reporting in the Southern Hemisphere, as opposed to the virus actually not being that dangerous?
It's certainly possible, although we have to remember that there has been reporting of the flu from all over the world. In many parts of the world, this is perhaps the best-reported epidemic we've seen for this kind of thing. So I don't think it would be just that.
It's so well-reported that the WHO recently told everybody to stop reporting new cases, because they have gotten so many reports -- basically every corner of the world now has documented infections. The last time I checked, almost 140,000 people had been officially diagnosed around the world, about 40,000 of those in the U.S.
As of about a month ago the U.S. was at 33,000, with 170 deaths. Worldwide, I think it was around 90,000 people infected. And that was the beginning of July.
It's probably reasonable to assume that many, many more people have gotten infected, and maybe even have died from it. Officially, I think 800 have died worldwide.
Of course, we have to remember that we would expect much more death with the normal seasonal flu. A lot was made in the U.S. about the fact that we had 36,000 deaths from seasonal flu -- a typical winter flu -- versus 170 from H1N1. Yet, the 170 deaths certainly got a lot more attention than the 36,000 annual deaths from seasonal flu.
But there is a big difference, in terms of who is at risk for death, with this flu versus seasonal flu. There are a lot of very important differences.
What are those differences?
Seasonal flu typically affects people at extremes of age -- older people or very young people and infants -- or people with chronic medical conditions. What's different about H1N1 is that -- in a way, like the 1918 flu pandemic -- it tends to affect young adults more severely. In fact, people who were born before 1957, if they're healthy, are generally somewhat protected. The further out they are from 1957, the greater their risk. This is not the typical pattern you would see with seasonal flu, where it's mostly going to be older people.
Other risk factors for severe disease with this flu would be:
diabetes
chronic lung disease, such as asthma
obesity (interestingly enough)
pregnancy
immunodeficiency, which could include HIV-related immunodeficiency, or AIDS
Do we have any numbers in terms of how many of the people who were officially infected with H1N1, or those who have officially died, had HIV?
I haven't seen numbers like that. I would imagine that it's not a huge percentage, in part because we can treat the immunodeficiency of HIV. If people are on treatment and have a decent CD4 count, they are probably not at significantly greater risk, in comparison with somebody who has a chronic immunodeficiency that is not treatable.
So you would still feel that the precautions that you gave a few months ago are accurate for people who have HIV and might be concerned about swine flu?
Yes. I think it's something we all have to be concerned about. For the average person with HIV in this country, who is on antiretroviral therapy and is doing fine, I don't think their concern should be much greater than it would be for the general population. But I don't want to downplay the potential severity of this, if we see a resurgence in the epidemic in the fall -- as we expect to see.
For me, as a journalist, this is a tough balance to strike. Because I, on one hand, want to inform people responsibly, and I want to provide the full story and explain exactly what's going on, in well-measured terms. But at the same time, the Government Accountability Office recently issued a report to Congress saying we are not ready if there is a major outbreak of swine flu this fall. There seems to be a great deal of uncertainty about what we can expect, what we should be afraid of and what we should be prepared for.
Well, that's right: This is completely unpredictable. I think there's no question that we're going to have an increase in the number of cases in the fall. Everybody knows that that's going to happen. The question is, will it be a disastrous pandemic like 1918? Or will it be a more moderate pandemic like we've seen in some other years since then?
We are absolutely not prepared for a 1918-type flu pandemic. Whether we're prepared for a more moderate epidemic is unclear. I would say that a lot of people are a little bit pessimistic about that, as well.
Wow. So where does that leave us? Should we panic?
Yeah. Panic is a good thing. [Laughs.] No, no. We shouldn't panic, in part because there's really not much the individual can do.
There are certainly flu vaccines in development. Usually a flu vaccine takes about six months to be developed, and we're hoping that we will have it in October or November. Of course, the question of supply is important: Will we have enough? If not, who will get the vaccine?
Another difference between 1918 and 2009 is that, in addition to -- hopefully -- a vaccine, we also have drugs that can treat this flu. So far, the flu drugs that we use are still effective. That could change, but for now, they're quite effective.
You're speaking about Tamiflu [generic name: oseltamivir] and Relenza [generic name: zanamivir]?
Yes, Tamiflu and Relenza. Those two drugs are active against this flu virus. In 1918, we had neither a vaccine nor treatment, and we didn't have antibiotics for people who developed bacterial complications. So there really was virtually nothing we could do about the flu back then. That's no longer the case.
Those are really important points. In terms of the strains themselves, there is some rough similarity between the 1918 and 2009 viruses -- they are both forms of H1N1, right?
Right.
But the environment is so utterly different this time around that, almost regardless, we would probably be better off?
Yes. I certainly think we will be better off. Of course, there's a potential for more rapid spread, just because the world is a much smaller place than it was in 1918. But even in 1918, there wasn't much that could be done to prevent global spread, and that's certainly the case now.
So then, when it comes down to the practical nuts and bolts for people who are living with HIV, what can people do to make themselves safe? Who should be most concerned about keeping themselves safe?
I think that the people who should be most concerned are people with very low CD4 counts. People with higher CD4 counts should probably have the same level of concern that anyone else would have.
What can you do? There's not a whole lot you can do. Obviously, you would probably want to avoid traveling into a place that was in the middle of a big outbreak. But as we saw with this pandemic, things may have started out in Mexico, but they quickly spread beyond that. So, restricting travel is probably of limited benefit.
I think people who actually are sick have a bit more control over the spread of flu than people who aren't sick. People who are sick need to stay home for at least seven days, or 24 hours after they recover [whichever comes first]. They need to cover their sneezes. They need to wash their hands a lot, and try to avoid spreading it to other people.
But if you're a person who doesn't have the flu and you're out in the world, in the company of others, I'm not sure there's a whole lot you can really do to prevent infection, other than just hand washing and the usual precautions.
So you wouldn't recommend, maybe, wrapping yourself in Saran Wrap, not shaking anyone's hands and putting a face mask on? OK, that's a bit over the top. But would you consider recommending that people shouldn't shake other people's hands?
I almost feel that shaking hands is going out of fashion, in general, anyway. But, yes; in the middle of a flu epidemic, I suppose that would be one thing. Certainly, we know that hand shaking is a good way to spread flu. It doesn't have to be from a sneeze or from a cough. Washing hands is a great way to limit any damage that's done from touching.
Masks are more helpful for people who have the flu than they are for people who don't. A very simple surgical mask put on somebody who has got the flu will help to prevent spraying the flu virus into the air. But if you're wearing a mask to try to avoid the flu, the typical masks aren't quite as effective. They need to be a more expensive, well-fitting, respirator-type mask, which is not as widely available as the surgical masks.
You're one for one so far in terms of predicting how the swine flu epidemic is going to unfold. Would you care to go for two for two?
All right. I'm going to try to be an optimist, and I'm going to say that we are going to see a moderately big epidemic in the fall, but that we'll have a fairly low fatality rate, in comparison with both the 1918 flu pandemic and seasonal flu outbreaks. I'll predict that we will not see the kind of disastrous 1918-type pandemic that is so famous now, and that is so dreaded.
The nightmare scenario is a genetic reassortment between the H1N1 and H5N1 viruses, which could result in a highly lethal, highly contagious pandemic. I think that's unlikely. If I were betting money, I would bet against it. But I can't let this talk go without at least mentioning the nightmare scenario.
[Laughs.] I appreciate that. I suppose what it comes down to is that there is a limit to what we, as individuals, have control over with respect to what's going to happen. But there are some common-sense precautions that we can take -- whether we have HIV or not, whether we have low CD4 counts or not -- to keep ourselves as protected as possible, and keep other people protected.
Yes, that's absolutely right. Common-sense precautions. In the end, my motto is: Don't worry about things you can't control. Easier said than done.
If only. But this is a good start. Dr. Gallant, thank you so much.
This transcript has been lightly edited for clarity.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This article was provided by The Body.
http://www.thebody.com/content/art51548.html
An Update on What H1N1 (Swine) Flu Means for HIV-Positive People
HIV Expert Joel Gallant, M.D., M.P.H., Provides the Details
By Myles Helfand
("For most people with HIV, the swine flu is pretty much the same as it would be with somebody without HIV.")
August 11, 2009
This interview with Joel Gallant, M.D., M.P.H., is our second update with Dr. Gallant this year on what the swine flu pandemic means for people with HIV. We first spoke with Dr. Gallant in spring 2009, shortly after the global swine flu outbreak had begun.
You and I last spoke at the end of April, when swine flu was still known as "swine flu" instead of "novel influenza H1N1." You felt it probably was going to end up being a pretty big deal, in terms of the sheer number of people who actually were affected by the flu, but not so much in terms of the dangerousness of the actual virus. How have things panned out in the three months since then?
Joel E. Gallant,
M.D., M.P.H.
That prediction turned out to be true for the epidemic we've seen so far. It has been a big epidemic, to the point that the WHO [World Health Organization] has classified it at the highest level of pandemic classification. Keep in mind that those levels don't reflect severity of the disease; they only reflect the scope of the epidemic.
It's been a big pandemic, but it has not been a big killer so far, and things have quieted down a little bit in the summer up in the northern part of the globe, as we would expect it to. The real unknown is what's going to happen in the fall, when we expect to see a resurgence of the epidemic.
As we enter the latter part of the summer here in the Northern Hemisphere, the Southern Hemisphere is going through the latter part of its winter. How have things panned out down there, as far as you know?
There is certainly plenty of flu going around, but we have not seen a huge spike, which is what we're worried about in North America and the northern part of the globe.
Do we know how much of that might be due to poor reporting in the Southern Hemisphere, as opposed to the virus actually not being that dangerous?
It's certainly possible, although we have to remember that there has been reporting of the flu from all over the world. In many parts of the world, this is perhaps the best-reported epidemic we've seen for this kind of thing. So I don't think it would be just that.
It's so well-reported that the WHO recently told everybody to stop reporting new cases, because they have gotten so many reports -- basically every corner of the world now has documented infections. The last time I checked, almost 140,000 people had been officially diagnosed around the world, about 40,000 of those in the U.S.
As of about a month ago the U.S. was at 33,000, with 170 deaths. Worldwide, I think it was around 90,000 people infected. And that was the beginning of July.
It's probably reasonable to assume that many, many more people have gotten infected, and maybe even have died from it. Officially, I think 800 have died worldwide.
Of course, we have to remember that we would expect much more death with the normal seasonal flu. A lot was made in the U.S. about the fact that we had 36,000 deaths from seasonal flu -- a typical winter flu -- versus 170 from H1N1. Yet, the 170 deaths certainly got a lot more attention than the 36,000 annual deaths from seasonal flu.
But there is a big difference, in terms of who is at risk for death, with this flu versus seasonal flu. There are a lot of very important differences.
What are those differences?
Seasonal flu typically affects people at extremes of age -- older people or very young people and infants -- or people with chronic medical conditions. What's different about H1N1 is that -- in a way, like the 1918 flu pandemic -- it tends to affect young adults more severely. In fact, people who were born before 1957, if they're healthy, are generally somewhat protected. The further out they are from 1957, the greater their risk. This is not the typical pattern you would see with seasonal flu, where it's mostly going to be older people.
Other risk factors for severe disease with this flu would be:
diabetes
chronic lung disease, such as asthma
obesity (interestingly enough)
pregnancy
immunodeficiency, which could include HIV-related immunodeficiency, or AIDS
Do we have any numbers in terms of how many of the people who were officially infected with H1N1, or those who have officially died, had HIV?
I haven't seen numbers like that. I would imagine that it's not a huge percentage, in part because we can treat the immunodeficiency of HIV. If people are on treatment and have a decent CD4 count, they are probably not at significantly greater risk, in comparison with somebody who has a chronic immunodeficiency that is not treatable.
So you would still feel that the precautions that you gave a few months ago are accurate for people who have HIV and might be concerned about swine flu?
Yes. I think it's something we all have to be concerned about. For the average person with HIV in this country, who is on antiretroviral therapy and is doing fine, I don't think their concern should be much greater than it would be for the general population. But I don't want to downplay the potential severity of this, if we see a resurgence in the epidemic in the fall -- as we expect to see.
For me, as a journalist, this is a tough balance to strike. Because I, on one hand, want to inform people responsibly, and I want to provide the full story and explain exactly what's going on, in well-measured terms. But at the same time, the Government Accountability Office recently issued a report to Congress saying we are not ready if there is a major outbreak of swine flu this fall. There seems to be a great deal of uncertainty about what we can expect, what we should be afraid of and what we should be prepared for.
Well, that's right: This is completely unpredictable. I think there's no question that we're going to have an increase in the number of cases in the fall. Everybody knows that that's going to happen. The question is, will it be a disastrous pandemic like 1918? Or will it be a more moderate pandemic like we've seen in some other years since then?
We are absolutely not prepared for a 1918-type flu pandemic. Whether we're prepared for a more moderate epidemic is unclear. I would say that a lot of people are a little bit pessimistic about that, as well.
Wow. So where does that leave us? Should we panic?
Yeah. Panic is a good thing. [Laughs.] No, no. We shouldn't panic, in part because there's really not much the individual can do.
There are certainly flu vaccines in development. Usually a flu vaccine takes about six months to be developed, and we're hoping that we will have it in October or November. Of course, the question of supply is important: Will we have enough? If not, who will get the vaccine?
Another difference between 1918 and 2009 is that, in addition to -- hopefully -- a vaccine, we also have drugs that can treat this flu. So far, the flu drugs that we use are still effective. That could change, but for now, they're quite effective.
You're speaking about Tamiflu [generic name: oseltamivir] and Relenza [generic name: zanamivir]?
Yes, Tamiflu and Relenza. Those two drugs are active against this flu virus. In 1918, we had neither a vaccine nor treatment, and we didn't have antibiotics for people who developed bacterial complications. So there really was virtually nothing we could do about the flu back then. That's no longer the case.
Those are really important points. In terms of the strains themselves, there is some rough similarity between the 1918 and 2009 viruses -- they are both forms of H1N1, right?
Right.
But the environment is so utterly different this time around that, almost regardless, we would probably be better off?
Yes. I certainly think we will be better off. Of course, there's a potential for more rapid spread, just because the world is a much smaller place than it was in 1918. But even in 1918, there wasn't much that could be done to prevent global spread, and that's certainly the case now.
So then, when it comes down to the practical nuts and bolts for people who are living with HIV, what can people do to make themselves safe? Who should be most concerned about keeping themselves safe?
I think that the people who should be most concerned are people with very low CD4 counts. People with higher CD4 counts should probably have the same level of concern that anyone else would have.
What can you do? There's not a whole lot you can do. Obviously, you would probably want to avoid traveling into a place that was in the middle of a big outbreak. But as we saw with this pandemic, things may have started out in Mexico, but they quickly spread beyond that. So, restricting travel is probably of limited benefit.
I think people who actually are sick have a bit more control over the spread of flu than people who aren't sick. People who are sick need to stay home for at least seven days, or 24 hours after they recover [whichever comes first]. They need to cover their sneezes. They need to wash their hands a lot, and try to avoid spreading it to other people.
But if you're a person who doesn't have the flu and you're out in the world, in the company of others, I'm not sure there's a whole lot you can really do to prevent infection, other than just hand washing and the usual precautions.
So you wouldn't recommend, maybe, wrapping yourself in Saran Wrap, not shaking anyone's hands and putting a face mask on? OK, that's a bit over the top. But would you consider recommending that people shouldn't shake other people's hands?
I almost feel that shaking hands is going out of fashion, in general, anyway. But, yes; in the middle of a flu epidemic, I suppose that would be one thing. Certainly, we know that hand shaking is a good way to spread flu. It doesn't have to be from a sneeze or from a cough. Washing hands is a great way to limit any damage that's done from touching.
Masks are more helpful for people who have the flu than they are for people who don't. A very simple surgical mask put on somebody who has got the flu will help to prevent spraying the flu virus into the air. But if you're wearing a mask to try to avoid the flu, the typical masks aren't quite as effective. They need to be a more expensive, well-fitting, respirator-type mask, which is not as widely available as the surgical masks.
You're one for one so far in terms of predicting how the swine flu epidemic is going to unfold. Would you care to go for two for two?
All right. I'm going to try to be an optimist, and I'm going to say that we are going to see a moderately big epidemic in the fall, but that we'll have a fairly low fatality rate, in comparison with both the 1918 flu pandemic and seasonal flu outbreaks. I'll predict that we will not see the kind of disastrous 1918-type pandemic that is so famous now, and that is so dreaded.
The nightmare scenario is a genetic reassortment between the H1N1 and H5N1 viruses, which could result in a highly lethal, highly contagious pandemic. I think that's unlikely. If I were betting money, I would bet against it. But I can't let this talk go without at least mentioning the nightmare scenario.
[Laughs.] I appreciate that. I suppose what it comes down to is that there is a limit to what we, as individuals, have control over with respect to what's going to happen. But there are some common-sense precautions that we can take -- whether we have HIV or not, whether we have low CD4 counts or not -- to keep ourselves as protected as possible, and keep other people protected.
Yes, that's absolutely right. Common-sense precautions. In the end, my motto is: Don't worry about things you can't control. Easier said than done.
If only. But this is a good start. Dr. Gallant, thank you so much.
This transcript has been lightly edited for clarity.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This article was provided by The Body.
http://www.thebody.com/content/art51548.html
Near Southside Coalition - Upcoming Health Events
www.HopeandHelpCenter.org
NEW HEALTH BULLETIN BOARD~ http://hopeandhelpcenter.net/healthinfo.aspx
Near Southside Coalition - Upcoming Health Events
1. There is HIV Screening sponsored by Saint Louis Efforts for AIDS and Joint Neighborhood Ministry on Wednesday, Aug. 19th from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at 2911 McNair.
www.HopeandHelpCenter.org
For those unable to make it then, they can call to make an appointment at 1027 S. Vandeventer, Suite 700.
The number is 314.645.6451 and office hours are (;30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. M-F.
2. There is free mammagraphy screening for uninsured women on 3
Wed., Sept. 16th between 9:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.
at Isaiah 58 Ministries at
2149 S. Grand Blvd.
Appointments are required.
Call June at 314.776.1410 M-F from 10-2.
3. Several organizations have Christmas programs for families in need.
St. Vincent De Paul, with Grace Hill and Kingdom House, has a program.
People can contact Father Otto at St. Vincent De Paul at 314.231,9328.
Also St. John's Mercy Neighborhood Ministries has one. Contact Chery Persons at 314.865.0927.
4. There's a community meeting about the H1N1 virus at Grace Hill on Sat., Aug. 29th at 12th & Park.`
NEW HEALTH BULLETIN BOARD~ http://hopeandhelpcenter.net/healthinfo.aspx
Near Southside Coalition - Upcoming Health Events
1. There is HIV Screening sponsored by Saint Louis Efforts for AIDS and Joint Neighborhood Ministry on Wednesday, Aug. 19th from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at 2911 McNair.
www.HopeandHelpCenter.org
For those unable to make it then, they can call to make an appointment at 1027 S. Vandeventer, Suite 700.
The number is 314.645.6451 and office hours are (;30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. M-F.
2. There is free mammagraphy screening for uninsured women on 3
Wed., Sept. 16th between 9:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.
at Isaiah 58 Ministries at
2149 S. Grand Blvd.
Appointments are required.
Call June at 314.776.1410 M-F from 10-2.
3. Several organizations have Christmas programs for families in need.
St. Vincent De Paul, with Grace Hill and Kingdom House, has a program.
People can contact Father Otto at St. Vincent De Paul at 314.231,9328.
Also St. John's Mercy Neighborhood Ministries has one. Contact Chery Persons at 314.865.0927.
4. There's a community meeting about the H1N1 virus at Grace Hill on Sat., Aug. 29th at 12th & Park.`
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