AIDS Daily Summary July 20, 1994 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National AIDS Clearinghouse makes available the following information as a public service only. Providing this information does not constitute endorsement by the CDC, the CDC Clearinghouse, or any other organization. Reproduction of this text is encouraged; however, copies may not be sold, and the CDC Clearinghouse should be cited as the source of this information. "Sharp Increase in Vietnam's AIDS Death" Reuters (07/20/94) The number of AIDS deaths in Vietnam rose sharply from 34 in June to 48 in July, reported a spokesman for the National AIDS Protection Committee. Increases were also observed in the number of HIV carriers, which had reached 1,512 by July 15, and the number of AIDS patients, 125 in all. The sharp increase can primarily be attributed to difficulties in gathering reports from all over Vietnam, the spokesman explained. Because of decades of war and isolation, the country did not identify its first case of HIV until December 1990, and its first AIDS case until just last year. Since then, increased prostitution and drug use have spread the disease. The country quadrupled its AIDS protection budget to $4 million this year. "AIDS on Increase in Lebanon, Minister Says" Reuters (07/20/94) Lebanon saw 48 AIDS cases this year, raising the tally to 251, said Health Minister Marwan Hamade, who also noted that the total is probably optimistic because not all cases were reported. Eighty percent of the new cases originated in Africa, where many Lebanese work, he added. The Lebanese parliament last year allocated $400,000 to containing the spread of AIDS. "Across the USA: Indiana" USA Today (07/20/94) P. 9A Health officials in Indianapolis, Ind., who report that AIDS is now the No. 1 killer of young males, plan to mount a major television broadcasting awareness campaign that will target adolescents and young adults. "Repligen to Cut Jobs, Abandon HIV Work Amid Steeper Losses" Wall Street Journal (07/20/94) P. B5 Repligen Corp. announced that it will slash its work force by 37 percent and halt its clinical research on a vaccine for HIV in an attempt to conserve its $30 million in cash. The Cambridge, Mass.-based biotech company reported a $2.1 million drop in revenue in the fiscal quarter ended June 30, which reflects a reduction in research and development contracts. Repligen will now focus on its four most promising products, including two potential cancer treatments, an immune modulator, and an antibody fragment it is developing with Eli Lilly & Co. "Area AIDS Cases Top 10,000, Report Says" Houston Chronicle (07/19/94) P. 15A; Urban, Jerry The number of residents in the Houston, Texas, area who have AIDS has bypassed 10,000--61 percent of whom have died--and some 30,000 are infected with HIV, according to a report from the city Department of Health and Human Services. The first AIDS diagnosis in the area was documented in 1981, and the number of cases had reached 10,835 by May 1994, the report reveals. These figures are indicative of the continued percentage increase in the incidence of AIDS among women, African Americans, and Hispanics. The report also reflected an increase in the disease among heterosexuals and through intravenous drug use. "Woman Indicted Over Money Loss of AIDS Patient" Houston Chronicle (07/19/94) P. 13A; Robinson, James A grand jury on Monday indicted Houston woman Clortis "C.C." Roberts, director of the Foundation for Women and Children with AIDS, on a felony charge involving the misappropriation of an AIDS patient's money. The criminal charge, punishable by two to 20 years in jail, follows a jury's decision in April to award Lawrence White damages of $180,000 after finding that Roberts had defrauded him. In that civil trial, Roberts admitted to spending White's money on personal expenses, but insisted that White gave her the money. The patient countered that he had given Roberts his power of attorney so that she could handle his medical bills. White died in June, poor. The state attorney general's office is reviewing allegations that Roberts also diverted money from her foundation for personal use. "Vaccine Option Helping Texas Biotech Firm Avoid Market's Ills" Knight-Ridder/Tribune Business News (07/18/94); Baird, Jaine Sheffield Medical Technology's stock soared 70 percent last month, after the Houston biotech company announced its acquisition of an exclusive option to license an AIDS vaccine under development by Jean-Claude Chermann, one of the world's top AIDS scientists. The firm is rebelling against a strong downward trend that has depressed biotech stocks since December. While none of the 20 or so companies working on an AIDS vaccine have been successful because of the numerous types of HIV, which mutate rapidly, Chermann claims to have developed a vaccine that recognizes the virus, regardless of strain, mutation, or means of infection. The firm is also considering an offer to license an AIDS treatment developed by another French scientist, Claude Nicolau. In the meantime, Sheffield has initiated clinical trials on the drug Halperin as a treatment for Kaposi's sarcoma, a skin disorder common among AIDS patients. "Twist at Prof Allain's Appeal" Lancet (07/09/94) Vol. 344, No. 8915, P. 120; Bader, Jean-Michel The Supreme Court of Paris recently rejected an appeal by Prof. J.P. Allain against his conviction stemming from France's HIV scandal. The court also ruled against an application by the prosecution to change the charge against Allain to that of willful poisoning, saying that new evidence was needed to demonstrate intention to poison. Allain must now cling to the hope that the High Court, which will convene shortly to discuss the matter, will grant him early release--which is customary in France when half of a prison term has been completed. The Minister of Justice, however, can appeal against such a release, and has announced his intention to do just that. "Guidelines for Preventing Transmission of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Through Transplantation of Human Tissue and Organs" Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (05/20/94) Vol. 43, No. RR-8, P. 1 Most transmission of HIV to organ and/or tissue recipients happened before the implementation of donor screening in 1985. Recommendations for preventing HIV transmission through human tissue and organs significantly reduced the risk for this mode of transmission. HIV transmission from an HIV-negative donor who was screened, however, alerted authorities to the need for revised guidelines. The Public Health Service formed a working group made up of representatives from various federal agencies, which concluded that revisions should be made to existing recommendations to further reduce the already low risk of HIV transmission through organ and tissue transplant. The new guidelines address the issues of donor screening, testing, and grounds for exclusion; inactivation or elimination of infectious agents before transplantation; timely detection, reporting, and tracking of potentially infected tissues, organs, and recipients; and recall of stored tissues from donors discovered to be HIV-positive. Also considered were the differences between the screening of living and dead donors and the differences between procuring and distributing organs and tissues.