                     AIDS Daily Summary
                      March 27, 1996

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 National AIDS Clearinghouse, or any
other organization. Reproduction of this text is encouraged;
however, copies may not be sold, and the CDC National AIDS
Clearinghouse should be cited as the source of this information.
Copyright 1996, Information, Inc., Bethesda, MD


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"Lifeline: AIDS Survey"
"New Magic Act Means Handling Diverse Tasks"
"HHS Awards Supplemental Grants for HIV/AIDS Services"
"U.S. Court Throws Out AIDS Privacy Award"
"Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine Safe, Immunogenic in HIV-Infected Children"
"Cell Genesys Gene Therapy Promising in Early Trial"
"Paromomycin Effective Against Cryptosporidiosis in AIDS Patients"
"Lytic Growth of Kaposi's Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus (Human
Herpesvirus 8) in Culture"
"Curcumin: Clinical Trial Finds No Antiviral Effect"
"South Africa's AIDS Play Provokes Controversy"
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"Lifeline: AIDS Survey"
USA Today (03/27/96) P. 1D;  Vigoda, Arlene
       A new survey of more than 1,500 adults found that Americans
think schools should teach preteens about AIDS and that television
stations should advertise condoms.  The survey, released by the
Kaiser Family Foundation, revealed that Americans are more
knowledgeable about AIDS and HIV than other issues, although they
still have misconceptions.  For example, more than half of the
respondents believe that donating blood is risky.  Twelve percent
believe that AIDS is God's punishment for homosexual behavior, and
18 percent believe there is "some truth" to reports that HIV was
produced in a germ-warfare laboratory.

"New Magic Act Means Handling Diverse Tasks"
USA Today (03/27/96) P. 1C;  Johnson, Earvin
       Magic Johnson, who has HIV and recently returned to
professional basketball, reports in USA Today that he is no longer
afraid of the virus, that his immune system is strong, and that
being a husband and father has improved his life.  He says his life
is more varied now, with his roles as family man, businessman, and
AIDS activist. Furthermore, he claims that setting an example for
younger basketball players is especially important now.  Johnson
notes that basketball and the players have changed since he retired
in 1991, and adds that he recognizes that he too has to adjust.

"HHS Awards Supplemental Grants for HIV/AIDS Services"
Reuters (03/26/96)
       The Department of Health and Human Services awarded 41 cities
nearly $44 million in supplemental grants for care for low-income
AIDS patients last week.  The money was granted under the Ryan White
Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency Act of 1990, but reflects
only partial-year funding because Congress is still working on the
department's 1996 budget.  Since 1991, more than $1 billion has been
given to cities through the Ryan White CARE Act.

"U.S. Court Throws Out AIDS Privacy Award"
Reuters (03/26/96)
       A California appeals court has rejected a $275,000 award won
by a former Delta Air Lines sales agent who alleged he was wrongly
fired in 1991 because he revealed that he had HIV.  The court panel
found that Joseph Sullivan's family could not collect the award
because California law prohibits compensation for pain and suffering
if the victim dies before the ruling is final, and Sullivan died in
1995. Delta held that Sullivan was fired for being unreliable and
frequently absent from work.  A jury made the award based on the
decision that the company had invaded Sullivan's privacy by posting
his name on a report on HIV-positive employees.

"Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine Safe, Immunogenic in HIV-Infected Children"
Reuters (03/26/96)
	A 5-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine is as safe as, and
maybe more effective than, a licensed 28-valent polysaccharide
vaccine for the prevention of invasive pneumococcal infection in
children with HIV.  Dr. James C. King, Jr. and colleagues at the
University of Maryland compared the two vaccines in 30 HIV-infected
children and 30 noninfected children.  Children in both groups
showed greater increases in titers with the pneumococcal conjugate
vaccine.  King says further studies are needed to test repeated
doses of the vaccine in immunocompromised children.

"Cell Genesys Gene Therapy Promising in Early Trial"
Reuters (03/26/96)
	An experimental HIV therapy, in which T-cells are taken from
an HIV-negative donor, genetically altered to target HIV, and
infused into an HIV patient, has shown promise in an early trial,
announced Robert Walker of the National Institutes of Health at a
recent meeting.  Volunteers are currently being recruited for a
Phase II trial, to be sponsored by Cell Genesys Inc. and Hoechst
Marion Roussel and conducted by researchers at the National
Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.  The therapy, which
could be used in combination with antiviral drugs, may help restore
immune function in AIDS patients.

"Paromomycin Effective Against Cryptosporidiosis in AIDS
Patients"
Reuters (03/26/96)
	Paromomycin, an aminoglycoside antibiotic, seems to give AIDS
patients with cryptosporidiosis relief from diarrhea and stabilize
weight loss.  A study of 32 patients who completed four weeks of
therapy with the drug found that nearly half experienced a decrease
in diarrhea and weight gain or at least weight stabilization.  Only
9 percent were cured, however.  Dr. Timothy P. Flanigan of the
Miriam Hospital in Providence, R.I., and colleagues concluded that
paromomycin should be considered initial therapy for
cryptosporidiosis in AIDS patients until a more effective therapy is
available.

"Lytic Growth of Kaposi's Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus (Human
Herpesvirus 8) in Culture"
Nature Medicine (03/96) Vol. 2, No. 3, P. 342;  Renne, Rolf; Zhong,
Weidong;  Herndier, Brian; et al.
       HIV is known to be a major risk factor for Kaposi's sarcoma
(KS), but the cancer can occur in the absence of the virus.
Homosexual men with AIDS are 20 times more likely to develop KS than
women and children with the disease, a fact which suggests that a
sexually transmitted agent may be involved in the development of KS.
A newly identified herpesvirus, KS-associated herpesvirus (KSHV), or
human herpesvirus 8 (HHV8), is this suspected agent.  The lack of a
cell culture system for the virus' growth has hindered research into
its role in KS, but Don Ganem of the University of California at San
Francisco and colleagues report that they have developed a system
for growing the virus.  This system will enable detailed study of
viral replication, the testing of antiviral drugs, and the
development of tests to screen for viral infection.

"Curcumin: Clinical Trial Finds No Antiviral Effect"
AIDS Treatment News (03/01/96) No. 242, P. 1;  James, John S.
       Curcumin, an ingredient in the curry spice turmeric, was
tested in a clinical trial with 40 volunteers and found to have no
effect in reducing viral load or increasing CD4 cell counts.  The
study was conducted by the Community Research Initiative (CRI) of
New England, a community-based research organization.  Although
curcumin has shown anti-HIV activity in cell cultures in laboratory
tests, an earlier clinical trial was inconclusive. Jim Hellinger of
CRI said that "despite the lack of apparent antiviral or CD4
effects, most participants liked taking curcumin, and felt better
about taking it."  A blood test for curcumin levels may provide more
information about why no antiviral activity was documented.

"South Africa's AIDS Play Provokes Controversy"
Lancet (03/02/96) Vol. 347, No. 9001, P. 610;  Lee, Nick
	A debate has arisen in South Africa over the Department of
Health's funding of a musical about AIDS awareness, called "Sarafina
2."  The department has provided $3.45 million for the show, which
was written by Mbongeni Ngema.  The money was donated by the
European Union (EU), which said it had allocated $12 million to AIDS
awareness efforts in South Africa, but had not designated money for
the play itself, as the Department had claimed.  Department
officials are now prohibited from talking about the situation with
the media, although Manto Tshabalala's parliamentary portfolio
committee on health will be investigating the controversy.
