World AIDS Day - 2013

Credit AIDS.gov

 

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Like so many others, I’ve lost friends and family members to the AIDS pandemic over the past three decades. AIDS has claimed more than 36 million lives since it was first reported 32 years ago, and today there are an estimated 33 million people around the world living with HIV.

 

The availability of antiretroviral therapy (ART) means that HIV infection isn’t the automatic death sentence it once was, but not everyone is able to receive this vital treatment.

 

Despite progress in treatments and ongoing work on candidate vaccines, new challenges continue to emerge with this rapidly mutating retrovirus. Just this week Lund University in Sweden announced their discovery of a new, highly aggressive strain of HIV that leads to the development of AIDS much quicker than HIV normally does. 

 

From their press release:

 

There are over 60 different epidemic strains of HIV-1 in the world, and geographic regions are often dominated by one or two of these. If a person becomes infected with two different strains, they can fuse and a recombined form can occur.

"Recombinants seem to be more vigorous and more aggressive than the strains from which they developed", explained Angelica Palm, a doctoral student at Lund University.

The recombinant studied is called A3/02 and is a cross between the two most common strains in Guinea-Bissau, West Africa - 02AG and A3. It has previously been described by Joakim Esbjörnsson, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Oxford, who is a co-author of the study.

So far, the new strain has only been identified in West Africa, but other studies have shown that the global spread of different recombinants is increasing. In countries and regions with high levels of immigration, such as the US and Europe, the trend is towards an increasingly mixed and complex HIV flora, unlike in the beginning of the epidemic when a small number of non-recombinant variants of the virus dominated. There is therefore reason to be wary of HIV recombinants in general.

 

In October, Russian media reported on a rapidly emerging strain of HIV in Siberia, which is now responsible for half of all new infections in that region.  And this week the ECDC and WHO, in joint press release, announced that 131,000 new HIV infections were reported in the WHO European region, an increase of 8% over the previous year.  They write:

 

This confirms a steady increase across Europe over the last year: a 9% rise in eastern Europe and central Asia (EECA) countries and a less than 1% rise in the countries of the European Union and European and Economic Area (EU/EEA).

Of the new HIV infections in the Region, almost 102 000 were reported in the EECA and over  29 000 in the EU/EEA. The total number includes more than 55 000 newly diagnosed HIV infections in 2012 reported to ECDC and the WHO, and nearly 76 000 new cases recorded by the Federal Statistics Agency of the Russian Federation through its database.

 

Each year December 1s is designated World AIDS Day, and this year the theme is  "Shared Responsibility: Strengthening Results for an AIDS-Free Generation

 

A few web resources for you include:

 

This week’s MMWR from the CDC.

 

World AIDS Day — December 1, 2013

Weekly

November 29, 2013 / 62(47);946-946

World AIDS Day draws attention to the current status of the human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) epidemic worldwide. The theme for this year's December 1 observance is "Shared Responsibility: Strengthening Results for an AIDS-Free Generation."

The first cases of AIDS were reported more than 32 years ago in the June 5, 1981, issue of MMWR. Since then, an estimated 36 million persons worldwide have died from HIV/AIDS; an estimated 35.3 million persons continue to live with HIV infection (1).

In the United States, approximately 636,000 persons with AIDS diagnoses have died since the first cases were reported (2); an estimated 1.1 million persons continue to live with HIV infection (3).

Global efforts, including the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (for which CDC is an implementing partner), provided antiretroviral therapy to approximately 9.7 million persons in low-income and middle-income countries in 2012, an increase of 1.6 million persons from 2011 (4).

The United State’s government web portal for AIDS/HIV information  AIDS.GOV.

And last stop is the WORLD AIDS DAY website, where you can find out more about this ongoing pandemic, and how you can help.

World AIDS Day 2012

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While we remain vigilant against the next pandemic – likely to arise from a zoonotic source – the world continues to battle the HIV virus, which has taken the lives of roughly 30 million people over the past 3 decades.

 

Today, December 1st, is World AIDS Day which serves to draw attention to the current status of this global epidemic.  The theme of this year’s observance is `Working Together for an AIDS-Free Generation’.

 

Thirty years into this epidemic, it would be hard to find anyone whose life hasn’t been touched in some way by this disease.   According to this week’s MMWR:

 

In the United States, approximately 602,000 persons diagnosed with AIDS have died since the first cases were reported (3), and approximately 50,000 persons become infected with HIV each year (4). An estimated 1.1 million persons in the United States are living with HIV infection (5).

 

The United States government maintains an extensive AIDS/HIV information website, called AIDS.gov.  Here you’ll find suggestions as to how you can help today, and every day, with the fight against  AIDS and HIV.

 

 

Below you’ll find a short video produced by AIDS.Gov on World AIDS Day 2012.

 

 

For a more international perspective you may wish to visit http://www.worldaidscampaign.org/

 

 

 

WORLD AIDS DAY

World AIDS Day is celebrated on December 1 each year around the world. It has become one of the most recognised international health days and a key opportunity to raise awareness, commemorate those who have passed on, and celebrate victories such as increased access to treatment and prevention services.

 

UNAIDS took the lead on World AIDS Day campaigning from its creation until 2004. From 2004 onwards the World AIDS Campaign’s Global Steering Committee began selecting a theme for World AIDS Day in consultation with civil society, organisations and government agencies involved in the AIDS response.

 

Themes run for one or two years and are not just specific to World AIDS Day. Campaigning slogans such as ‘Stop AIDS. Keep the Promise’ have been used year round to hold governments accountable for their HIV and AIDS related commitments.

 

History of World Aids Day
World AIDS Day Timeline : 1988 – 2011

World Aids Day Publications
Publications and reports on human rights and universal access

December 1st: World AIDS Day

 

 

 

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Like so many others, I’ve lost friends to the AIDS pandemic over the years, which has claimed more than 25 million lives over the past 3 decades. Today there are an estimated 33 million people around the world living with HIV.

 

The availability of antiretroviral therapy (ART) today means that HIV infection isn’t the automatic death sentence it once was, but not everyone is able to get this vital treatment.

 

The global economic difficulties of the past several years have put a dent in public and private funding of many health initiatives, including HIV prevention and treatment (see BBC report  HIV funding cut as science brings 'decisive moment')

 

Progress has been made, however, although not evenly around the world. Today, a brief roundup of World AIDS Day related links.

 

First, from the World Health Organization.

 

Significant global progress in preventing and treating HIV

WHO

30 November 2011 -- The new Report on the global HIV/AIDS response released today, shows inspiring progress with a 15% reduction of new infections and a 22% decline in deaths. This progress highlights the importance of long-term investment in HIV/AIDS. There is now a very real possibility of getting ahead of the epidemic. However, gains made to date are being threatened by a decline in resources for AIDS.

• Read the news release
• Read the new fact sheet on HIV/AIDS

 

 

The ECDC’s report on AIDS and HIV shows that progress isn’t universal, with new HIV infection rates continuing to rise across the European Union and the European Economic Area (EU/EEA).

 

World AIDS Day: HIV transmission shows no sign of declining in Europe

30 Nov 2011

ECDC

Marking World AIDS Day 2011, ECDC and the WHO Regional Office for Europe release today their joint publication HIV/AIDS surveillance in Europe 2010. The new data raises concern about the continuing transmission of HIV in Europe, as newly diagnosed HIV infections are still on the increase.

 

In 2010, 27.116 newly diagnosed HIV infections were reported across the European Union and the European Economic Area (EU/EEA) indicating an increase of around 4%. In contrast, the steady decrease of AIDS cases continued in 2010 with 4.666 reported cases in the EU/EEA region. This constitutes a decrease of nearly 50% in reported AIDS cases from 2004 to 2010.

 

The HIV epidemics are remarkably distinct in individual countries but overall HIV continues to disproportionally affect certain key populations, in particular men who have sex with men, persons originating from countries with generalised HIV epidemics and people who inject drugs.

(Continue . . . )

 

 

 

The CDC’s  MMWR yesterday released a Vital Signs Report:

 

Vital Signs: HIV Prevention Through Care and Treatment — United States

Early Release

November 29, 2011 / 60(Early Release);1-6

Abstract

Background: An estimated 1.2 million persons in the United States were living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in 2008. Improving survival of persons with HIV and reducing transmission involve a continuum of services that includes diagnosis (HIV testing), linkage to and retention in HIV medical care, and ongoing HIV prevention interventions, including appropriately timed antiretroviral therapy (ART).

 

Methods: CDC used three surveillance datasets to estimate recent HIV testing and HIV prevalence among U.S. adults by state, and the percentages of HIV-infected adults receiving HIV care for whom ART was prescribed, who achieved viral suppression, and who received prevention counseling from health-care providers. Published data were used to estimate the numbers of persons in the United States living with and diagnosed with HIV and, based on viral load and CD4 laboratory reports, linked to and retained in HIV care.

 

Results: In 2010, 9.6% of adults had been tested for HIV during the preceding 12 months (range by state: 4.9%--29.8%). Of the estimated 942,000 persons with HIV who were aware of their infection, approximately 77% were linked to care, and 51% remained in care. Among HIV-infected adults in care, 45% received prevention counseling, and 89% were prescribed ART, of whom 77% had viral suppression. Thus, an estimated 28% of all HIV-infected persons in the United States have a suppressed viral load.

 

Conclusions: Prevalence of HIV testing and linkage to care are high but warrant continued effort. Increasing the percentages of HIV-infected persons who remain in HIV care, achieve viral suppression, and receive prevention counseling requires additional effort.

 

Implications for Public Health Practice: Public health officials and HIV care providers should improve engagement at each step in the continuum of HIV care and monitor progress in every community using laboratory reports of viral load and CD4 test results.

 

(Continue . . . )

 

 

And last stop is the WORLD AIDS DAY website, where you can find out more about this ongoing pandemic, and how you can help.

 

 

Referral: McKenna On 30 Years Of AIDS

 

 

 

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This month marks the 30th anniversary of the first detection of what would turn out to be a new devastating global epidemic called HIV-AIDS.

 

The CDC, along with the WHO, and other agencies and entities are commemorating this anniversary in a variety of ways. The CDC’s Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention (DHAP) has set up the following website with blogs, videos, photos and events.

 

 

And you’ll find that this week’s MMWR focuses on HIV Surveillance — United States, 1981–2008 (June 3, 2011 / Vol. 60 / No. 21).

But for a unique look back at the early days of the HIV epidemic, I would direct you to Flublogia’s favorite `scary disease girl’ – Maryn McKenna – who worked for many years for the Atlanta-Journal Constitution as their science, medical and  CDC reporter.

 

In 2004 Maryn published her first book, Beating Back The Devil, which chronicled the history of the CDC’s  Epidemic Intelligence Service. 

 

 

Part of that history, which covered the eradication of smallpox, the near-eradication of polio, and the discovery of Legionnaires' disease (among many others) - was the detection of HIV-AIDS in 1981.

 

Maryn is excerpting portions of her book in her blog this week, and as with just about everything she writes, this is highly recommended.

 

 

30 Years of AIDS, And How It Began. (Part 1)

By Maryn McKenna June 2, 2011

World AIDS Day

 

 

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Although it no longer captures the kind of headlines it once did, AIDS hasn’t gone away.  Every day, more than 7,000 new infections are estimated to occur, and each day there are nearly 5,000 new deaths.

 

Some progress has been made, of course.

 

Globally, new infections are down 20% over a decade ago, and more than 5 million people in low- and middle-income countries now have access to antiretroviral treatment, compared to just 700,000 in 2004.

 

Despite these gains, the burden of AIDS continues to weigh heavily, and in some places – like Armenia, Bangladesh, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and the Philippines – the incidence of AIDS is increasing at an alarming rate.

 

 

While the AIDS epidemic has begun to stabilize, there are still two new HIV infections for every one person starting HIV treatment. 

 

Which is why the emphasis is on prevention.

 

Today, December 1st, is World AIDS Day, and scores of organizations and agencies are using it to promote global awareness and action against this ongoing human tragedy.

 

A round up of a few of these resources, to start your morning.

First stop is the United Nations World AIDS Day site, which includes the 2010 global report on HIV and AIDS, along with a number of additional resources.

 

 

 

AIDS INFO DATABASE

EPIDEMIOLOGY SLIDES

AIDS SCORECARDS

HIV PREVALENCE MAP

UNAIDS REPORT ON THE GLOBAL AIDS EPIDEMIC 2010

 

The United States has its own official AIDS web portal called AIDS.gov.   You can follow them on Twitter by subscribing to @AIDSgov.

 

 

Last stop is the official site for World AIDS Day.

 

Today Is World AIDS Day

 

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Nearly 30 years after AIDS first emerged into the world’s consciousness (it was around long before we knew about it), it is hard to find anyone who doesn’t know someone who has been touched by the AIDS pandemic.

 

I’ve lost friends and relatives to AIDS, as have many of you.  

Somehow, AIDS has become so commonplace, for many people it has become the forgotten pandemic.

 

In some ways, I suppose, that’s progress.  The hysteria of the 1980s, the unfounded fears of contagion, and the stigma of the disease are low points in our history best left in our wake.

 

But lest we forget, AIDS claims thousands of lives each day.   In some African nations, whole generations are at risk.  

 

The life expectancy in South Africa has been so thoroughly impacted, that instead of living 64 years as they did 20 years ago, the average South African today is expected to only live to age 50.

 

The US government has an AIDS website called  AIDS.GOV and you can follow them on Twitter at @AIDSGov.