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Focusing

And the increased connection....

Whats amazing to me is that we know everything else but how to stop this epidemic from increasing...

AIDS/HIV

New York State remains the national epicenter of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. With 7% of the US population, New York accounts for more than 19% of the cases confirmed in the US. The AIDS epidemic in New York State continues to be dominated by cases diagnosed among people of color, intravenous drug users, and males. People of color accounted for 85.7% of AIDS cases among women and 78.8 % of cases among men reported in 1997. In AIDS cases reported through September 1998, people of color accounted for 90.2 percent of pediatric cases. In New York State, Blacks have accounted for the largest proportion of total annual incident cases since 1988.

What accounts for the HIV/AIDS epidemic in our communities? In large part, a second epidemic: Substance Abuse.

The fact is substance abuse - especially injection drug use - drives the HIV/AIDS epidemic in African-American and Latino communities. Injection drug users account for 57% of new AIDS cases among Blacks, and 62% of those among Latinos.

The epidemics of substance abuse, HIV/AIDS, and Hepatitis C have created a public health crisis in communities of color throughout New York State.

The Statewide Black and Puerto Rican / Latino Substance Abuse Task Force calls on you to join us in the fight against these epidemics.

HEPATITIS.

Hepatitis literally means inflammation of the liver. Viral Hepatitis is caused by one of several distinct viral agents such as hepatitis A (HAV), Hepatitis B (HBV), or Hepatitis C (HCV) virus. Hepatitis can also result from non infectious causes such as excessive alcohol use, as a side effect of certain medications or as a symptom of other illnesses. High rates of HAV, HBV, and HCV are found in the same communities in which high rates of HIV, and is transmitted through similar activities.



Viral Agent
Hepatitis A
Hepatitis B
Hepatitis C



Initial Symptoms
Jaundice, fatigue, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, intermittent nausea, diarrhea; in many cases the symptoms may be absent or very mild
Symptoms, if present, similar to HAV; severe disease can lead to liver failure and may be fatal
Symptoms similar to HAV and are usually absent or very mild







Chronic Illness
Virtually all patients have complete recovery within 3 to 6 months; never chronic; life long immunity to HAV
90% of those infected will recover fully and have lifelong immunity to HBV; 10% do not clear the infection and develop either mild chronic persistent HBV or more aggressive chronic active HBV which can lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer
75% - 85% of persons infected with HCV become carriers; of these 10% - 20% will develop significant liver disease which can lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer; disease develops slowly, often without symptoms for 10 - 30 years; HCV reinfection is possible





Treatment
Initial illness usually managed at home; rest; avoid school; no specific dietary restrictions; no treatment except management of symptoms
Initial illness managed similarly to HAV, although hospitalization may be required; medications are available for chronic illness and have a success rate of 30% - 40%
Initial illness managed similarly to HAV; medication is available to treat chronic illness and has a success rate of 25% - 50%; avoidance or reduction of alcohol is especially important; new drugs are under development







Prophylaxis
Vaccine available and recommended for IDUs, MSMs, persons with HCV, and some travelers; immunoglobulin available for post exposure prophylaxis for unvaccinated close contacts
Vaccine recommended as part of early childhood immunization, for health care workers, IDUs, household contacts of persons w/ HBV and non monogamous adults; immunoglobulin and vaccine are recommended after recent known exposure has occurred
There is no vaccine

Funny, and you'll see African-Americans on this site ridiculing places like Brazil for its "allegedly" high HIV/AIDS rate and not even bothering to look in their own backyard. Scary.

Good point.

I'm looking for the specifics on BK alone... cause that shit is serious.

Well dealing closer to me.............Washington, DC and Baltimore have the highest HIV/AIDS rate in this area I believe............