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European health officials warn Greece to address increasing number of HIV cases

Officials with the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said Greece must act to combat a rising number of HIV cases within high-risk populations, including drug users, or face increased health care costs in the future, Reuters reports.

30 Nov 2012

Mother-to-child transmission of HIV can be eliminated through collective alliances

"The global economic crisis has caused many to reassess, refocus and redirect financial priorities," and "as a result, vital international aid to combat global health issues like HIV/AIDS is threatened," Rhonda Zygocki, executive vice president of policy and planning at Chevron Corporation, and Frank Beadle de Palomo, CEO of mothers2mothers International, write in the Huffington Post's "Impact" blog.

30 Nov 2012

U.S. must continue to lead in HIV/AIDS investments but everyone needs to increase efforts

The "Blueprint for an AIDS-free Generation," released on Thursday by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, "shows that upfront investments to support the rapid scale-up of lifesaving AIDS treatment will yield significant savings -- of both lives and dollars -- in the near future," Archbishop Desmond Tutu, archbishop emeritus of Cape Town, South Africa, writes in the Huffington Post's "Impact" blog.

30 Nov 2012

More widespread HIV treatment helped South Africa increase life expectancy, researchers say

With the average life expectancy for South Africans at 60 years old, the country "has achieved a 'stunning' increase in life expectancy in the last three years due to a government push to roll out antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) to people with HIV/AIDS," according to a study published in the Lancet on Thursday, Reuters reports.

30 Nov 2012

President Obama releases statement, signs presidential proclamation commemorating World AIDS Day

The White House on Thursday released a statement by President Barack Obama commemorating World AIDS Day, observed annually on December 1.

30 Nov 2012

Membrane-proximal external region of HIV could be used to design vaccines

Beatriz Apellaniz, PhD holder of the UPV/EHU-University of the Basque Country, has studied in her PhD thesis HIV regions that could be used to design a vaccine. The researcher has focussed her research on a specific region of the surface protein of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), which is responsible for the Autoimmune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), one of the diseases with the greatest human morbidity and mortality.

30 Nov 2012

U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator reflects on PEPFAR blueprint for achieving global 'AIDS-free generation'

Writing in the AIDS.gov blog, U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator Ambassador Eric Goosby reflects on the new PEPFAR blueprint (.pdf) for achieving a global "AIDS-free generation," released by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Thursday.

30 Nov 2012

Home Access Health urges individuals at risk for HIV infection to get tested

Home Access Health Corporation, America's leading provider of at-home HIV tests, today recognized World Aids Day Saturday by urging individuals at risk for HIV infection to get tested.

30 Nov 2012

Clinton's blueprint for 'AIDS-free generation' focuses on preventing new infections, stopping HIV-infection progression

Before Secretary of State Hilary Rodham Clinton passes the reins to her successor, she's got a few loose ends to tie up. One of them is mapping out the U.S.'s continuing efforts to combat AIDS around the world. So today she unveiled a blueprint for what she called an "AIDS-free generation."

30 Nov 2012

Guineafowl may spread Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus

Turkey raises and releases thousands of non-native guineafowl to eat ticks that carry the deadly Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus. Yet research suggests guineafowl eat few ticks, but carry the parasites on their feathers, possibly spreading the disease they were meant to stop, says a Turkish biologist working at the University of Utah.

30 Nov 2012

Secretary Clinton unveils 'blueprint' for achieving 'AIDS-free generation'

"Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Thursday unveiled a game plan for achieving a global 'AIDS-free generation,' committing the United States to rapidly scaling up medical interventions that are beating back what once was seen as an unconquerable disease," Reuters reports.

30 Nov 2012

Blog examines report on state of TB funding

Writing in the Global Health Technologies Coalition's "Breakthroughs" blog, Eleonora Jimenez-Levi, a senior researcher at the Treatment Action Group (TAG), examines the 2012 Report on Tuberculosis Research Funding Trends: 2005–2011,"the latest report on the state of funding for tuberculosis (TB) research and product development."

30 Nov 2012

HIV travel bans violate human rights, hurt business

Writing in the Huffington Post's "Impact" blog, Chip Bergh, president and CEO of Levi Strauss & Co., and Kenneth Cole, CEO of Kenneth Cole Productions and chair of the Board of amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, discuss why some CEOs oppose HIV travel bans.

30 Nov 2012

Number of new HIV/AIDS cases in China increases over 2011

"The number of new HIV/AIDS cases in China jumped in the first 10 months of the year, as premier-in-waiting Li Keqiang promised to let non-governmental groups play a bigger role in fighting an epidemic spreading fast in vulnerable groups," Reuters reports.

30 Nov 2012

More than 40 CEOs urge 45 countries to lift HIV travel restrictions

In a joint initiative headed by GBC Health, UNAIDS, and Levis Strauss & Co., more than 40 CEOs have signed a pledge urging 45 countries to repeal policies and laws restricting travel for people living with HIV, TakePart.com reports.

30 Nov 2012

Fully funded Global Fund key to preventing MTCT of HIV

"HIV is the leading cause of death of women of reproductive age," and without HIV, "maternal mortality worldwide would be 20 percent lower," Lucy Chesire, executive director and secretary to the Board of the TB ACTION Group, writes in the Huffington Post's "The Big Push" blog.

30 Nov 2012

AIDS.gov blog publishes posts leading up to World AIDS Day

Leading up to World AIDS Day on December 1, the AIDS.gov blog published several pieces discussing progress in reaching the goal of an AIDS-free generation.

30 Nov 2012

Project shows simple steps reduce hospital infections

Seven health care institutions participated in a quality-improvement project advanced by the Joint Commission and the American College of Surgeons to reduce colorectal surgical-site infection rates. During a two and a half year period, those facilities saved more than $3.7 million by avoiding 135 infections.

30 Nov 2012

Many adult entertainment club workers do not have access to basic healthcare

It probably won't come as a surprise to hear that most adult entertainment club workers - exotic dancers and other female club employees such as bartenders, waitresses and hostesses - don't have great medical benefits. The nature of their work makes them easy prey for repeated unwanted sexual advances and behavior. Add in the prevalence of risky sexual behavior and substance abuse and you've got a perfect storm for unchecked health risks.

30 Nov 2012

First Edition: November 30, 2012

Today's headlines include news about the continuing partisan back and forth regarding "fiscal cliff" negotiations as well as reports on the health law's implementation.

30 Nov 2012