Sex, drugs and HIV infection in a New York City hospital outpatient population

Article Abstract:

A study was conducted of 1,119 individuals, other than male intravenous drug users or homosexuals, who were attending outpatient clinics at Bellevue Hospital Center in New York City, who had no prior indication of being infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and who were willing to be tested for the presence of antibodies to HIV. The percentage of individuals who had antibodies to HIV was 6.3 (70 out of 1,117). By sex, the breakdown was 7.1 percent (26 out of 368) of the men and 5.9 percent (44 out of 749) of the women. Of women who used intravenous drugs 37 percent (27 out of 74) were HIV-positive. From interviews, it appeared that most heterosexual men who were positive for HIV infection had had sex with prostitutes or sex with numerous partners. The most frequent risk factors for women who were infected with HIV were sex with a male intravenous drug user, the use of intravenous drugs, and living in New York City for a long period of time. Sex with multiple partners did not appear to be a risk factor for women. Therefore, this study shows that HIV is being spread heterosexually. The frequency of sexual activity with persons from groups considered at high risk for AIDS was 11 percent among men and 18 percent among women. The use of condoms, which may prevent the spread of HIV, was rare among the individuals interviewed. The risk factors for HIV infection were the same as those seen in another study conducted in sexually transmitted disease clinic in Baltimore, Maryland. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Sexually transmitted diseases, Complications and side effects, Risk factors, Demographic aspects, HIV infection, HIV infections, New York, AIDS (Disease), Intravenous drug abuse, AIDS virus carriers, HIV carriers, New York (City)

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A novel detection assay for the early diagnosis of HIV-1 infected infants

Article Abstract:

The diagnosis of newborns with HIV-1 may become easier with the development of a new test that detects viral antigens, or proteins, in peripheral blood lymphocytes. It is difficult to diagnose newborns under six months old as HIV-positive because traditional methods may detect the presence of an immune response from the mother which entered the child's blood through the placenta. Current methods only identify 30% to 50% of HIV-infected infants at birth. However, the in vitro antigen (IVAG) method can detect a specific antigen in infants during the first two months of life. Antigens stimulate immune responses in the body. The test was found to be effective in detecting HIV-1 infection in 15 out of 17 infants younger than two months of age. Three out of seven infants tested positive at birth. In infants tested between two and six months of age, 100% accuracy was found. There were no false positives.

Innovations, Diagnosis, Identification and classification, HIV testing, HIV tests, Antigens

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Perinatal transmission and viral evolution of hepatitis C virus quasispecies in infants coinfected with HIV

Article Abstract:

The nature of perinatal HCV (hepatitis C virus) infection in HIV-coinfected infants is examined, and assessment of the evolution of viral quasispecies is carried out. The results reveal that multiple HCV variants transmitted from mother to child and their early changes in the child may be related to maternal antibody. . .

Science & research, Research, Evaluation, Communicable diseases, Hepatitis C virus

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