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Query: UMLS:C0019693 (HIV)
 170,526 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Oral sex continues to be a source of confusion in determining its risk for HIV transmission. Educator Dave Nimmons concludes that oral sex offers a possible, but very low, risk of HIV infection and states that much of the concern about oral sex and HIV prevention centers around two dozen cases of single occurrences of oral transmission from all over the world. Many researchers believe that knowledge about this small number of cases facilitates informed decisions about risk and demonstrates under which conditions transmission is possible. There is concern, however, that because a single case can personalize an issue, it can have a more powerful effect on an individual's imagination than a study with many participants. To reduce HIV transmission risk, researcher Paul O'Malley suggests avoiding trauma to the mouth and throat, especially vigorous or prolonged oral sex, avoiding oral sex when infections or abrasions in the mouth and throat are present, and avoiding the use of stimulant substances that dull sensation. At the Vancouver conference, there was little disagreement from a panel of experts that oral sex is an extremely low-risk activity. Researcher Traux presented results from a multivariate analysis of risk assessment data from HIV-antibody testing interviews and found that anal sex and drug use were associated with increased seroprevalence and oral sex was not. Interestingly, there was no statistically significant difference in seroprevalence rates between people who used condoms during oral sex and those who did not. The panels also discussed a recent study in which six out of seven rhesus monkeys became infected with simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) after it was dabbed on the back of their mouths. Effective counselors and educators can work to raise consciousness about the actual risk of transmission from oral sex, determine whether an individual can increase or decrease this risk, determine the meaning of oral sex in a person's life, and the extent to which the person is comfortable taking any risk.
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PMID:The riddle of oral sex. 1136 48

Diagnostic companies are developing more sensitive assays that can test for fewer than 400 copies of HIV and that will be greatly helpful in clinical trials. Roche Diagnostic Systems is waiting for Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for its Ultrasensitive Method Test to use in clinical trials. To be approved, the test must have a one-to-one correlation with existing viral load tests. Using these sensitive assays to assess the efficacy of new drugs will be an obvious benefit. There may be confusion among patients, however, if they were told earlier that their viral load was undetectable and now learn that it can be measured. AIDS researchers are aiming for a viral load of zero copies. Roche is developing a DNA assay to determine total eradication of the virus once it is undetectable with the viral load assay.
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PMID:New ultrasensitive test may cause ultra-confusion. 1136 15

Murex Technologies has launched an HIV drug resistance test, LiPA HIV-1 RT, that is causing both confusion and excitement. Researchers warn that resistance testing is still in its infancy and urge that the test be used with caution. Researchers are concerned with the number of patients who are failing drug therapy after only one year. Drug failure can be caused by a number of reasons, including patient noncompliance and the ineffectiveness of the treatment. Resistance tests are being developed for both genotypic and phenotypic resistance. The mechanisms of how resistance develops, and the benefits and advantages of each type of test are discussed.
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PMID:Resistance test welcomed, with caution. 1136 16

HIV-positive hemophiliacs are beginning to receive settlement payments from their class action lawsuits against pharmaceutical companies. The monies must be distributed to claimants by the end of February 1998 but there is concern that the deadline will not be met. A great deal of confusion and mistrust has also been associated with the content of the release form that each claimant is required to sign. Concerns about the expanded protection for the defendants, the inclusion of the government in the release terms, and the distinctions between Medicaid and private insurer liens are raised. Additional barriers to claim settlements are discussed.
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PMID:Settlement monies begin to flow. 1136 43

About 7,000 HIV-positive women are giving birth each year, and vertical HIV transmission from mother to child occurs in almost 25 percent of those cases. AZT is the only drug proven effective in reducing vertical transmission, but it is not completely effective and the potential long-term risks to both the infants and their mothers are unknown. In addition, although children born to HIV-positive mothers are tested regularly, their HIV status cannot be definitively determined until they are 18 months old. Researchers continue to debate how aggressively to treat pregnant patients with combination therapy. There are few support groups available to HIV-positive women facing the risks and concerns of a high-risk pregnancy; spirituality may be helpful to some HIV-positive women to make sense of the confusion surrounding pregnancy.
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PMID:She's having a baby? 1136 59

While nearly ten percent of diagnosed cases of AIDS occur in people 50 years old and older, there has been little attention given to this group in the areas of prevention, education, psychosocial support, or treatment because HIV/AIDS is thought to be the disease of the young and sexually active. Evidence points to many infected older people contracting the disease through homosexual contact. Also, older people are often finding themselves dating again due to divorce or being widowed, and engaging in sexual activity without protection. Elderly people presenting with confusion or altered mental status or having severe bouts of pneumonia may first be evaluated for other possibilities before HIV is considered. HIV should be considered in the initial assessment in diagnosis when older patients are having more serious opportunistic-type infections in order to begin HIV treatment as early as possible. Statistics of AIDS cases by age at diagnosis reported through June 1997 are presented.
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PMID:The forgotten tenth: AIDS in the older generation. 1136 36

A support group has emerged for HIV-negative women who are lovers or life partners of HIV-positive men. The group, called Mayer-Avedon after its founders Elizabeth Avedon and Ruth Mayer, provides an environment that attempts to liberate these women from the pain and confusion the disease can inflict. Issues that are often discussed include single motherhood, having a child with a HIV-positive partner, and the loss of self due to caring for a HIV-positive partner.
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PMID:Mayer-Avedon women's support group. 1136 14

There is a great deal of confusion among medical providers on the issue of patient confidentiality. Providers often must weigh whether it is correct to protect a patient's right to non-disclosure compared to a third-party's right to know of potential exposure to HIV or other infectious illnesses. Several case studies are presented. As a general guideline, the courts have supported the right to privacy if exposure risks are low.
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PMID:Finding a balance: confidentiality versus the duty to warn. 1136 36

A study done at the Albany (NY) Medical Center found 72 significant errors in prescriptions among 59 HIV-positive patients. Thirty-two percent of the patients were overdosed, and 57 percent of the patients were underdosed. Possible causes for the errors included confusion about dose amount and multiple drug dosing. Of the errors, 78 percent were considered serious and 21 percent were considered clinically significant.
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PMID:One-third of patients receives overdoses. 1136 89

Changes in the Social Security system were implemented in October 1999, making it more user-friendly for people receiving disability benefits. The modifications include an annual Social Security statement containing information on disability or retirement benefits and annual earnings for a person's entire work history. Social Security is also initiating the Prototype Redesign Process, which is intended to improve the way they determine eligibility. The process is described in detail, and could have a major impact on HIV/AIDS-related claims. The program is being tested in various California counties and in some States, and there may be some confusion until the transition is complete. A list of Social Security offices affected by the Protocol Redesign Process is provided.
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PMID:Many changes under way this fall at Social Security. 1136 27


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