I found this article with todays date on it (October 25, 2010) but the actual incident happened in 2008 so I'm not sure if this case was just discovered now or it is just now being made public. I am a little confused about that but either way it is horrific. Back in 2008, HIV positive blood was given to a patient who had just received a kidney transplant (Enriquez, 2010). The blood was donated from someone in Missouri and given to the patient in Colorado (Enriquez, 2010). According to the CDC, this was the first case in 8 years of HIV being transmitted through a blood transfusion (Enriquez, 2010). The scariest part of this for me is that the blood from the donor tested negative. This is because the donor was "tested during a 9 day eclipse period" (Enriquez, 2010). I do not know what this "eclipse period" means but apparently later on the HIV was seen in the plasma of the blood. The CDC said that the donor didn't reveal any high risk sexual practices and that it may have been undetectable anyways because the virus was at an early stage (Enriquez, 2010). The blood from this donor was also given to a heart patient in Arkansas who died 2 days after the blood transfusion (Enriquez, 2010). It could not be determined if this heart patient contracted the HIV.
I am shocked that this happened. Like I said before, it is so scary that the blood was tested and yet showed up negative for HIV. I'm just wondering how this can be avoided in the future. Did this happen because of negligence or was it simply unavoidable? It is not like the blood wasn't tested, it seems every precaution was taken, I am just dumbfounded. I can't even imagine what the kidney patient is going through. They had to wait to receive a kidney to live and now they have been infected with HIV. If I were in their situation I would want to sue but like I said, on what grounds did this happen? Hopefully this sort of thing doesn't happen again, the CDC did say it was the first time in 8 years and that HIV infection through blood transfusion is rare but it is just petrifying to hear.
Did you know?
HIV positive incarcerated woman have "high rates of cervical cytological abnormalities, sexually transmitted diseases, and certain gynecological infections" (Onorato, 2001). Vagnial infections are "slightly more common anibg HIV infected incarcerated women than non-infected incarcerated women" (Onorato, 2001).
References:
Enriquez, J. (2010, October 25). HIV-tainted blood given to kidney donation patient. Retrieved from http://seerpress.com/hiv-tainted-blood-given-to-kidney-donation-patient/11025/
Onorato, M. (2001, May). Hiv infection among incarcerated women. Retrieved from http://www.thebody.com/content/whatis/art12954.html
Monday, October 25, 2010
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Following Up
Since I found an article about it I decided to sort of do a follow up to my last blog. Last week I wrote about how 2 major adult video production comapnies had shut down because an adult film star tested positive for HIV. Luckily so far it seems that "patient zero" (the HIV positve adult film star) has not infected anyone (Tate, 2010). Only 1 round of tests have been conducted so far and so far, everyone that has come into contact with patient zero has tested negative. (Tate, 2010). I am so thankful and shocked that no one has been infected. After reading about how in the adult industry there is a lack of condom use on set I thought for sure another person would have been infected. There is so major luck on the side of these adult film stars. Hopefully this will teach everyone in the industry a lesson and condom use will become more common. A persons life is more important than selling an adult video so hopefully everyone gets over their lack of condom use and starts to practice safe sex.
Did You Know?
Cook county prisons in Chicago have received a $7 million grant to study HIV in inmates (AP, 2010). The National Institutes of Health have given the University of Illinois at Chicago this grant in order for them to find better ways to treat and test for HIV (AP, 2010). The researchers will come up with a system to test every inamte as they enter prison for HIV unless they opt out of taking the test (AP, 2010). The researchers aim is to reduce HIV transmission and increase detection of HIV (AP, 2010).
References:
Tate, R. (2010, October 21). Hiv positive porn star miraculously didn't infect anyone else. Retrieved from http://gawker.com/5669223/hiv-positive-porn-star-miraculously-didnt-infect-anyone-else
Associated Press . (2010, October 21). Uic gets $7million grant to study hiv in inmates. Retrieved from http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-il-uic-hivgrant,0,4794583.story
Did You Know?
Cook county prisons in Chicago have received a $7 million grant to study HIV in inmates (AP, 2010). The National Institutes of Health have given the University of Illinois at Chicago this grant in order for them to find better ways to treat and test for HIV (AP, 2010). The researchers will come up with a system to test every inamte as they enter prison for HIV unless they opt out of taking the test (AP, 2010). The researchers aim is to reduce HIV transmission and increase detection of HIV (AP, 2010).
References:
Tate, R. (2010, October 21). Hiv positive porn star miraculously didn't infect anyone else. Retrieved from http://gawker.com/5669223/hiv-positive-porn-star-miraculously-didnt-infect-anyone-else
Associated Press . (2010, October 21). Uic gets $7million grant to study hiv in inmates. Retrieved from http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-il-uic-hivgrant,0,4794583.story
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
XXX = HIV?
I came cross an article today that was sort of unexpected. News broke today of 2 major porn production companies in California shutting down production as a result of a porn star testing positive for HIV. I was shocked to read this because I always thought that there were strict rules about testing in this industry. In a place were individuals frequently have multiple sexual partners I just thought that testing would be strictly enforced and this issue could be avoided.
Wicked Pictures and Vivid Entertainment have shut down production and are desperately trying to find everyone this HIV positive individual has come into contact with so they can do testing (Shahid, 2010). The individual, who's identity and gender are being kept under wraps, resides in California (Shahid, 2010). Apparently, this isn't the first time an HIV positive porn star has caused the shut down of production companies (you would have thought the industry learned from their mistakes the first time!). Last year a woman tested HIV positive directly after filming and in 2004 14 people were said to be infected by an HIV outbreak that briefly shut down production studios in California (Shahid, 2010). Darren James, the individual responsible for the HIV outbreak in 2004 blamed the industry for "failing to protect actors from being infected" (Shahid, 2010).
"Under law, porn actors are required to test negative for HIV and any other sexually transmitted diseases within 30 day of filming" (Shahid, 2010). With this said I came across another interesting point, "Officials in L.A. have blasted the adult film industry for the lack of condom use on porn sets" (Shahid, 2010). This lifestyle just seem SO high risk to me. After learning that HIV sometimes will not show up for 6 months, this fact to me almost nulls the law of being negative for HIV within 30 days of filming, you could test negative but still be positive as we've all learned from doing module assignments. Perhaps in this industry no matter how careful, it is always going to be high risk. I just hope that this isn't another outbreak and that no one else is infected but honestly after reading about the lack of condom use on porn sets, my hopes are low.
"Down Low"
Last week Oprah did a show about men who were "down low''. It is funny that Teach brought this up becasue my mother was actually watching this episode and I caught bits and pieces of it. After doing a little research, I found out that "down low" is "slang for bisexual men who don't identify as gay and conceal that part of their lives- and the supposed link to HIV rates among black women" (Wright, 2010). Oprah interviewd a woman who sued her "down low" ex-husband for giving her HIV.
Did You Know?
A study of a womens prison in New South Wales, Australia interviewed 199 inmates. 36% of the inmates reported having sex with another inmate, most of which was oral sex, and only 4% reported the use of a dental dam (CDC, 2010). This is horrible! I understand protection may be hard to come by in prison but is just seems like these women do not even care that they are putting themselves at risk.
Sources:
Shahid, A. (2010, October 13). Porn star tests positive for hiv, wicked pictures and vivid entertainment studios postpone filming. Retrieved from http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/2010/10/13/2010-10-13_porn_star_tests_positive_for_hiv_wicked_pictures_and_vivid_entertainment_studios.html?r=news/national.
Wright, K. (2010, October 11). More on oprah and the truth about \"down low\" black men. Retrieved from http://colorlines.com/archives/2010/10/more_on_oprah_and_the_truth_about_the_down_low.html.
CDC.(2010, August 31). Sexual practices and dental use among women prisoners. Retrieved from http://www.thebody.com/content/whatis/art58266.html.
Wicked Pictures and Vivid Entertainment have shut down production and are desperately trying to find everyone this HIV positive individual has come into contact with so they can do testing (Shahid, 2010). The individual, who's identity and gender are being kept under wraps, resides in California (Shahid, 2010). Apparently, this isn't the first time an HIV positive porn star has caused the shut down of production companies (you would have thought the industry learned from their mistakes the first time!). Last year a woman tested HIV positive directly after filming and in 2004 14 people were said to be infected by an HIV outbreak that briefly shut down production studios in California (Shahid, 2010). Darren James, the individual responsible for the HIV outbreak in 2004 blamed the industry for "failing to protect actors from being infected" (Shahid, 2010).
"Under law, porn actors are required to test negative for HIV and any other sexually transmitted diseases within 30 day of filming" (Shahid, 2010). With this said I came across another interesting point, "Officials in L.A. have blasted the adult film industry for the lack of condom use on porn sets" (Shahid, 2010). This lifestyle just seem SO high risk to me. After learning that HIV sometimes will not show up for 6 months, this fact to me almost nulls the law of being negative for HIV within 30 days of filming, you could test negative but still be positive as we've all learned from doing module assignments. Perhaps in this industry no matter how careful, it is always going to be high risk. I just hope that this isn't another outbreak and that no one else is infected but honestly after reading about the lack of condom use on porn sets, my hopes are low.
"Down Low"
Last week Oprah did a show about men who were "down low''. It is funny that Teach brought this up becasue my mother was actually watching this episode and I caught bits and pieces of it. After doing a little research, I found out that "down low" is "slang for bisexual men who don't identify as gay and conceal that part of their lives- and the supposed link to HIV rates among black women" (Wright, 2010). Oprah interviewd a woman who sued her "down low" ex-husband for giving her HIV.
Did You Know?
A study of a womens prison in New South Wales, Australia interviewed 199 inmates. 36% of the inmates reported having sex with another inmate, most of which was oral sex, and only 4% reported the use of a dental dam (CDC, 2010). This is horrible! I understand protection may be hard to come by in prison but is just seems like these women do not even care that they are putting themselves at risk.
Sources:
Shahid, A. (2010, October 13). Porn star tests positive for hiv, wicked pictures and vivid entertainment studios postpone filming. Retrieved from http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/2010/10/13/2010-10-13_porn_star_tests_positive_for_hiv_wicked_pictures_and_vivid_entertainment_studios.html?r=news/national.
Wright, K. (2010, October 11). More on oprah and the truth about \"down low\" black men. Retrieved from http://colorlines.com/archives/2010/10/more_on_oprah_and_the_truth_about_the_down_low.html.
CDC.(2010, August 31). Sexual practices and dental use among women prisoners. Retrieved from http://www.thebody.com/content/whatis/art58266.html.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
New Perspectives
So I don't know if it is just me but I feel like I am so much more aware of HIV/AIDS in the media today. I feel like I see newspaper articles or webpage articles about it much more than I did before. I think this is because I am more aware of the subject because I have been taking this class. I have been talking to my co-workers about the things I have been learning as well as my freinds and my parents. I am suprised at myself at how often I bring the topic up. Sometimes my parent look at me and are like, where are you getting this stuff from!? I told them about how I'm taking this class and they couldn't beleive there was a class all about HIV and AIDS. Like me, they were pleasantly suprised. I am thankful for the way this class has opened my eyes and my mind in so many way. I'm looking forward to learning more and excited to see what else I come across.
When looking for AIDS/HIV organization I came upon the website for the Blue Diamond Society. What makes this organization different from the other ones I found is its mission. On their website it states, "Blue diamond society fights for sexual and gender minority's social justice and right" Web: About blue diamond society, retrieved October 7, 2010. This organization reaches out specifically to gays and lesbians who are infected with HIV or AIDS as well as those who aren't. Blue diamond society is based in Nepal where religion prohibits and condemns homosexuality. Their website states that they strive to improve sexual health and human rights of the sexual minorities in Nepal. Some of the things they do include health promotion for sexual minorites, raising awareness of HIV/AIDS, documenting human rights violations and psycho-social counseling. Many of the individuals who run this organization are trained in HIV prevention techniques.
Did You Know:
There are more women in prison infected with HIV than men. Specifically, HIV infection in incacerated women are about two times higher than the rate of HIV infected incarcerated men. The HIV infection rate of incarcerated women are also 35 times higher than HIV infection in non-incarcerated women. I contintue to be shocked by the many statistics I come across and I'm sure I'm going to learn a lot more that surprise me!
Sources:Blue Diamond Society: http://www.bds.org.np/aboutus.htmlHIV Education Prison Project: http://www.idcronline.org/archives/june99/index.html
When looking for AIDS/HIV organization I came upon the website for the Blue Diamond Society. What makes this organization different from the other ones I found is its mission. On their website it states, "Blue diamond society fights for sexual and gender minority's social justice and right" Web: About blue diamond society, retrieved October 7, 2010. This organization reaches out specifically to gays and lesbians who are infected with HIV or AIDS as well as those who aren't. Blue diamond society is based in Nepal where religion prohibits and condemns homosexuality. Their website states that they strive to improve sexual health and human rights of the sexual minorities in Nepal. Some of the things they do include health promotion for sexual minorites, raising awareness of HIV/AIDS, documenting human rights violations and psycho-social counseling. Many of the individuals who run this organization are trained in HIV prevention techniques.
Did You Know:
There are more women in prison infected with HIV than men. Specifically, HIV infection in incacerated women are about two times higher than the rate of HIV infected incarcerated men. The HIV infection rate of incarcerated women are also 35 times higher than HIV infection in non-incarcerated women. I contintue to be shocked by the many statistics I come across and I'm sure I'm going to learn a lot more that surprise me!
Sources:Blue Diamond Society: http://www.bds.org.np/aboutus.htmlHIV Education Prison Project: http://www.idcronline.org/archives/june99/index.html
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