News That Matters - December 1, 2008 - World AIDS Day

News That Matters Brought to you by PlanPutnam.Org About the Day World AIDS Day is observed every year on December 1st. The World Health Organization established World AIDS Day in 1988. World AIDS Day provides governments, national AIDS programs, faith organizations, community organizations, and individuals with an opportunity to raise awareness and focus attention on the global AIDS epidemic. The Facts In 2007, the estimated number of persons living with HIV worldwide was 33.2 million and there were 2.7 million people newly infected. More>> Resources We hope these resources will assist your efforts to educate, motivate, and mobilize your local community in the fight against HIV/AIDS! Join AIDS.gov to promote this important day! Join the “Facing AIDS: World AIDS Day 2008 Campaign Participate in a Blogging Call to Action on December 1st Posters, Public Service Announcements (PSAs) and Other Resources Download and customize these posters to promote your World AIDS Day events! Video PSA features Dr. Julie Gerberding [CDC] and Kenneth Cole, produced by Discovery Health (52 seconds) CDC World AIDS Day Resource Page Fact sheets Download HIV/AIDS fact sheets, post them on bulletin boards, share with local newspapers, and distribute them at events! Read about the CDC’s New HIV Incidence Data Websites AIDS.gov: the gateway to Federal domestic HIV/AIDS prevention, testing, treatment, research information. PEPFAR.gov: the official website of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. worldaidscampaign.org: brochures and information about events worldwide. Mobile Resources To find an HIV Testing location near you, send a text message with your ZIP code to KNOWIT (566948) or visit www.hivtest.org. What is HIV? HIV is a virus that attacks the body's immune system - the body's defence against diseases. The latest research suggests that between 70 and 90 per cent of people may experience symptoms of infection a few days after having been infected. Three symptoms occurring together: fever, rash and a severe sore throat should always be considered a potential indicator of HIV infection. These symptoms usually disappear within two or three weeks. Other people may not have symptoms to start with. In all cases, without effective treatment the immune system will eventually become very weak and no longer be able to fight off illnesses. Are HIV and AIDS the same? No. When someone is described as living with HIV, they have the HIV virus in their body. A person is considered to have developed AIDS when the immune system is so weak it can no longer fight off a range of diseases with which it would normally cope. I don't know anyone with HIV... do I? There are approximately 80,000 people living with HIV in the UK and about a third of these don't know that they are infected. The epidemic is still growing in the UK with around 7,000 new diagnoses every year. Even if someone you know is living with HIV, they may not feel able to tell you. Is there a cure for HIV? No, but treatment can keep the virus under control and the immune system healthy. People on HIV treatment can live a healthy, active life, although they may experience side effects from the treatment. If HIV is diagnosed late, treatment may be less effective in preventing AIDS. What's it like living with HIV? If people with HIV are diagnosed early and respond to treatment they can be healthy, work and have relationships like anyone else and have a long life expectancy. Coming to terms with an HIV diagnosis and getting used to treatment can be very difficult however, and people living with HIV will often need support from healthcare providers, friends and family, employers and support organisations. Why do people find it hard to tell others they are HIV positive? People living with HIV may find it hard to tell others about their condition as they worry that people will reject them, or they will experience prejudice from friends, family and colleagues. People living with HIV can also experience discrimination in their workplace, in healthcare settings (e.g., GPs and dentists), from members of their local community and through the media. HIV prejudice is often the result of ignorance about how HIV is passed on and unfounded fear of becoming infected. Encouraging those around us to talk about HIV and find out the facts can help overcome this. International Statistics: People living with HIV: 33 million people living with HIV worldwide 30.8 million adults 15.5 million women 2.0 million children under 15 New HIV cases in 2007: 2.7 million total new cases 2.3 million adults 370,000 children under 15 HIV-related deaths in 2007: 2.0 million total deaths All figures from UNAIDS. New HIV Cases Could Be Reduced By 95% With Universal Voluntary Testing And Immediate Treatment, Mathematical Model Shows ScienceDaily (Nov. 29, 2008) — Universal and annual voluntary testing followed by immediate antiretroviral therapy treatment (irrespective of clinical stage or CD4 count) can reduce new HIV cases by 95% within 10 years, according to new findings based on a mathematical model developed by a group of HIV specialists in WHO. Authors of the study also report that the universal voluntary testing followed by immediate ART could have additional public health benefits, including reducing the incidence of tuberculosis and the transmission of HIV from mother to child. Additionally, the model suggests that there could be a significant reduction of HIV-related morbidity and mortality in resource-limited countries with generalized HIV epidemics. The current WHO policy on treatment involves voluntary testing and clinical and/or immunological evaluation (e.g. CD4 count) to determine eligibility for treatment with antiretrovirals. The authors emphasize the theoretical nature of the exercise based on data and raise a number of concerns regarding feasibility, including the protection of individual rights, drug resistance, toxicity and financing challenges. The paper does not signal a change in WHO guidance. WHO-recommended preventive interventions need to be maintained and expanded. This includes male circumcision, partner reduction, correct and consistent use of condoms, and interventions targeting most-at-risk populations, also known as "combination prevention." WHO will convene a meeting early next year bringing together ethicists, funders, human rights advocates, clinicians, prevention experts and AIDS programme managers to discuss this and other issues related to the wider use of antiretroviral therapy for HIV prevention. 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