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Calls for a more inclusive ban of exotic animals
Newsdesk India mobilises political leaders to combat HIV
AP
Indian lawmakers—representing all awareness campaigns to bring openness democratic bodies from village to discussions of what is otherwise assemblies to national parliament— perceived as a difficult topic. have expressed their commitment to New data presented at the meeting lead the fight against HIV/AIDS by shows the number of HIV-infected creating a positive environment to people in India ranges from 3·82 confront stigma and discrimination million to 4·58 million. “When we say attached to the infection. A declaration 4·58 million as the higher end of the adopted at the end of the first ever range, this includes a mark-up of 20% gathering of political to include unaccounted leaders to discuss the for numbers of infectRights were not HIV epidemic in India ions among high-risk granted to (New Delhi, July groups and age groups 26–27, 2003) underother than 15–49 years”, include this lined the role elected clarified Meenakshi image in representatives can Datta Ghosh (National electronic have in creating an AIDS Control Organisenabling environment ation; NACO). media. Please necessary to fight The transmission refer to the HIV/AIDS. patterns are also printed journal. “Our response to changing—whereas the epidemic has been there is a decline in HIV somewhat belated”, Atal Behari Vajpayee transmission through observed Indian Prime blood and blood Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee. products, there is a rise in mother-to“Countries that have succeeded in child transmission. In states such as reversing the trend of the epidemic Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and have been open about their epidemic. Maharashtra, prevalence rates among We need also to demonstrate this pregnant women have exceeded 1%. openness and complete absence of Also, the infection is not only confined prejudice towards affected persons”. He to high-risk groups in cities, but is asked leaders to personally lead spreading to rural areas and the general
population. In 2002 alone, 300 000 Indians became newly infected with HIV. “As HIV prevalence continues to rise in some states, the challenge now is to rapidly scale-up AIDS prevention programmes nationwide, make them sustainable, and ensure that AIDS treatment is widely accessible to people living with HIV/AIDS”, suggested Peter Piot, Executive Director, UNAIDS. But at present, Indian government policies focus on prevention rather than treatment. Kousalya Periasamy (Positive Women Network of South India) brought this issue to the fore: “An average Indian living with HIV/AIDS is unable to afford HIV drugs. The prices of antiretrovirals made by Indian pharmaceutical companies are still very high. Also, antiretroviral treatment needs to be standardised to monitor testing and administration of drugs. Most parts of the country still don’t have these systems that are accessible and affordable to us”, she pointed out. NACO’s Ghosh later told TLID: “We are examining this issue. It is possible that there will be a rethinking”. Dinesh C Sharma
Calls for a more inclusive ban of exotic animals Local veterinary and public-health leaders are applauding a temporary ban on the importation and local movement of specific African rodents and prairie dogs in the USA, but recommend expanding the ban to restrict the redistribution of all exotic animals with a potential adverse effect on public health. “The monkeypox outbreak was just a particularly newsworthy example, but public-health officials have had to deal on many different levels with the results of importation of exotic animals”, Jo Hofmann (Communicable Disease Epidemiology, Washington Department of Health, Shoreline, Washington, USA) told TLID. An internal group at the US Centers for Disease Control and
528
Prevention (CDC) recently submitted a white paper on this issue to the director of the CDC. Julie Gerberding will be evaluating the committee’s recommendation and carrying it forward to the Department of Health and Human Services, according to Marty Cetron (Division of Global Migration and Quarantine, National Center for Infectious Diseases, CDC, Atlanta, GA, USA). “The paper looks at the idea that in the last three decades approximately two-thirds of emerging infections have been zoonotic in origin, and the need for a more controlled look at animal importation into the USA as well as the exotic pet industry for domestic movement of animals and exportation of animals”, Cetron told TLID.
“We recommended that the working group look at all exotic animals, not just the animals that were listed in the ban”, says Hofmann, who also co-authored a joint statement of the National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians and the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists on development of restrictions, which was submitted to CDC, US Department of Agriculture, US Fish and Wildlife Services, and US Food and Drug Administration. The CDC group that worked on the white paper agreed that a broader look at this issue beyond the African rodents needs to take place. “All the forward-looking options offered extend beyond the current ban”, Cetron says. Mary Quirk
THE LANCET Infectious Diseases Vol 3 September 2003
http://infection.thelancet.com
For personal use. Only reproduce with permission from The Lancet.
AP
Indian lawmakers—representing all awareness campaigns to bring openness democratic bodies from village to discussions of what is otherwise assemblies to national parliament— perceived as a difficult topic. have expressed their commitment to New data presented at the meeting lead the fight against HIV/AIDS by shows the number of HIV-infected creating a positive environment to people in India ranges from 3·82 confront stigma and discrimination million to 4·58 million. “When we say attached to the infection. A declaration 4·58 million as the higher end of the adopted at the end of the first ever range, this includes a mark-up of 20% gathering of political to include unaccounted leaders to discuss the for numbers of infectRights were not HIV epidemic in India ions among high-risk granted to (New Delhi, July groups and age groups 26–27, 2003) underother than 15–49 years”, include this lined the role elected clarified Meenakshi image in representatives can Datta Ghosh (National electronic have in creating an AIDS Control Organisenabling environment ation; NACO). media. Please necessary to fight The transmission refer to the HIV/AIDS. patterns are also printed journal. “Our response to changing—whereas the epidemic has been there is a decline in HIV somewhat belated”, Atal Behari Vajpayee transmission through observed Indian Prime blood and blood Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee. products, there is a rise in mother-to“Countries that have succeeded in child transmission. In states such as reversing the trend of the epidemic Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and have been open about their epidemic. Maharashtra, prevalence rates among We need also to demonstrate this pregnant women have exceeded 1%. openness and complete absence of Also, the infection is not only confined prejudice towards affected persons”. He to high-risk groups in cities, but is asked leaders to personally lead spreading to rural areas and the general
population. In 2002 alone, 300 000 Indians became newly infected with HIV. “As HIV prevalence continues to rise in some states, the challenge now is to rapidly scale-up AIDS prevention programmes nationwide, make them sustainable, and ensure that AIDS treatment is widely accessible to people living with HIV/AIDS”, suggested Peter Piot, Executive Director, UNAIDS. But at present, Indian government policies focus on prevention rather than treatment. Kousalya Periasamy (Positive Women Network of South India) brought this issue to the fore: “An average Indian living with HIV/AIDS is unable to afford HIV drugs. The prices of antiretrovirals made by Indian pharmaceutical companies are still very high. Also, antiretroviral treatment needs to be standardised to monitor testing and administration of drugs. Most parts of the country still don’t have these systems that are accessible and affordable to us”, she pointed out. NACO’s Ghosh later told TLID: “We are examining this issue. It is possible that there will be a rethinking”. Dinesh C Sharma
Calls for a more inclusive ban of exotic animals Local veterinary and public-health leaders are applauding a temporary ban on the importation and local movement of specific African rodents and prairie dogs in the USA, but recommend expanding the ban to restrict the redistribution of all exotic animals with a potential adverse effect on public health. “The monkeypox outbreak was just a particularly newsworthy example, but public-health officials have had to deal on many different levels with the results of importation of exotic animals”, Jo Hofmann (Communicable Disease Epidemiology, Washington Department of Health, Shoreline, Washington, USA) told TLID. An internal group at the US Centers for Disease Control and
528
Prevention (CDC) recently submitted a white paper on this issue to the director of the CDC. Julie Gerberding will be evaluating the committee’s recommendation and carrying it forward to the Department of Health and Human Services, according to Marty Cetron (Division of Global Migration and Quarantine, National Center for Infectious Diseases, CDC, Atlanta, GA, USA). “The paper looks at the idea that in the last three decades approximately two-thirds of emerging infections have been zoonotic in origin, and the need for a more controlled look at animal importation into the USA as well as the exotic pet industry for domestic movement of animals and exportation of animals”, Cetron told TLID.
“We recommended that the working group look at all exotic animals, not just the animals that were listed in the ban”, says Hofmann, who also co-authored a joint statement of the National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians and the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists on development of restrictions, which was submitted to CDC, US Department of Agriculture, US Fish and Wildlife Services, and US Food and Drug Administration. The CDC group that worked on the white paper agreed that a broader look at this issue beyond the African rodents needs to take place. “All the forward-looking options offered extend beyond the current ban”, Cetron says. Mary Quirk
THE LANCET Infectious Diseases Vol 3 September 2003
http://infection.thelancet.com
For personal use. Only reproduce with permission from The Lancet.