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From: werner@aecom.UUCP (Craig Werner)
Newsgroups: net.motss,net.med
Subject: Test for exposure to AIDS
Message-ID: <1075@aecom.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 3-Jan-85 15:49:47 EST
Article-I.D.: aecom.1075
Posted: Thu Jan  3 15:49:47 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 6-Jan-85 00:22:16 EST
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Organization: Albert Einstein Coll. of Med., NY
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	Second of a set of occasional articles on AIDS

	AIDS is an acronym for Aquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. Some notes
on that name: Syndrome is a technical term meaning we don't know what causes
it, or exactly what it does, but it appears often enough that we need a name.
	AIDS has up to now been diagnosed not directly but by the appearance
of certain opportunistic infections, such as Kaposi's Sarcoma.
	[Incidentally, AIDS-associated Kaposi's Sarcoma generally only occurs
in Gays, IV-drug users tend not to show Kaposi's but tend to show other
opportunistic infections.]	
	By this time, the immunosuppression characteristic of AIDS has already
occurred and the disease is invariably fatal within a few years. (7000 have 
already died.)

	Now there is a way to detect exposure to the virus that reputedly
causes AIDS, HTLV-3. It is a simple blood test, easy to do and very reliable.
It involves antibodies to the virus.

	Some sample data on the test:

		Group				% HTLV-3 positive
		AIDS patients				99.7%
		pre-AIDS			       ~90%
		Healthy Homosexuals (in SF)	       ~70-80%
		IV Drug Users			[I don't have this one ~50%?]
		Hemophiliacs required F-VIII		~30%
		Random Healthy Heterosexuals		0.003%

	The test is not in wide use, however, for several NON-MEDICAL but
rather POLITICAL reasons.
	The first is reporting. Since no one knows what a Positive sign
means. (Several of the Healthy Homosexuals who were tested AIDS positive
later came down with the disease, but it was a very miniscule percentage.)
Do you tell someone? The psychic risk was judged to be too great by some.
	The second reason is similar. The test was designed to protect the
integrity of the blood banks. Therefore it was suggested to keep a registry
of those with HTLV-3 Positive blood (Like ABO and Rh typing) and only use that
blood for research purposes not for transfusion. [It is done now in NY by a
consent form which is confidential.]
	Well, Gay groups protested vigorously. Look at the data and see why.
The test is very good for identifying those with AIDS. But it is almost as
good for identifying homosexuals (at least in SF - other parts of the
country may vary.) and they feared labeling. Articles could be written on
this alone, but I must go on.
	The third reason is that people feared that people who may have been
exposed to AIDS might be more likely to give blood (using donation as a 
diagnostic test) to see if they really have the disease, causing much more
contamination of the blood supply than already exists, especially if the
test is not available in large enough quantities or is not sensitive enough
and misses some HTLV-3 contaminated blood.

	The variations are enormous, but I prefer shorter articles.
Next time: AIDS in Africa, Heterosexual Transmission.

-- 
				Craig Werner
				!philabs!aecom!werner
		What do you expect?  Watermelons are out of season!