Agenda - Council - 07/23/1991 - Laserfiche WebLink

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A~n A~ of ~. U~~ ~. 1 ~SO. CDC. Pmsom~ om~ yo~ ~hi~--U~ States. M~R 1984 ;33:12g-31. Current Trends Additional Recommendations to Reduce Sexual and Drug Abuse-Related Transmission of Human T-Lyrnphotropic Virus Type Ill/ Lymphadenopathy-Associated Virus BACKGROUND Human T.lymphotropic virus type III/lymDhactenopathy-associatecl vir~s (HTLV-III/LAV). the virus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (A,i~S). is transmitted throu~jh sexual contact. Darantera[ exposure to infected bloocl or blood coml:~nents, and perinaz&lly from mother to fetus or neonate, in the United States. over 73% of adult AIDS patients are homosexual or bisexual men; 1 1% of these.males also had a history of intravenous (IV) drug abuse. Seventeen percent of all ac:lull AIDS patients we xual men or women who al:meed IV clrugs ( 7.2 }. The prevalence of HTLV-III/LAV ~ntibo~y is high in certain risk groups I in the United States Since a large proportion of seropositive asymptomatic persons have been shown to be viremic (5 J. all seropositive individuals, whether symptomatic or not. must be presume~ cape- ble of transmitting this infection. A repeatedly reactive serologic test for HTLV-III/LAV has im- portant medical, es well as I:,Jbiic health, implications for ~he individual and his/her health-care provider. The purpose of these recommendations is to suggest ways to facilitate icientificatio~ of seropositive asymptomatic persons, both for medical evaluation am:l for counseiir~g to pre- vent transmission. Previous U.S. Public Health Service recommendations pertaining to sexuat. IV drug abuse. ami perinatal transmission of HTLV-IIL/LAV have 1beton pul:dished (6-El. Reciuction of sexual and IV transm~Sion of HTLV-#VLAV should be enhanced by using available serologic tests to give asymptomatic, infected individuals in high-risk grouETs the opportunity to know their slatus sc) they con take apprOl:~flote steps to prevent the further transmission of this virus. Since the obfectrve of trinse _~ctcJJtional recommendations is to held interrupt transmission by encouraging testing and counseling among persons in high-risk groups, careful attention mu.~t Do paicJ to maintmning conhOentiality anti to projecting recoras tram any unautr~or,zed disclosure. The a~lity of health cJeDartments to assure confictentielity--and the publ~ confi- dence in that ability--are crucSol to efforts 1o increase the number o! persons requesting such testing and counseling. Without appropriate c0~ficJentLality prolection, anonymous testing shouk::f t>e cofls~derm:f. Persons tested anonymously would still be offered medical evaluation and counseiing. PERSONS AT INCREASED RISK OF HTLV-IIi/LAk' INFECTION Jaersons at re<treated risk of HTLV-Ut/LAV infection ittcJude: (1) homosexual and bisexual rhea: (2) Dresen! or I:mSt IV Ckug abusers; [3) persons w~th clinical or Laboratory evidence of teclK)n, such as those with S~nS or symptoms compatible with AIDS or AlDS-relatecl com- I~ex (ARC)' (4) persons born tn countries where rteterose~cual tr~n~rr~is~,r~n ,~ th~tj~ tr~ nl~v