Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Higher Rates Of Intravenous Drug Use May Contribute To Gay Teens' Increased HIV Risk
Stat: High Rates Of Injection Drug Use Increases Gay Teens’ HIV Risk
Gay and bisexual male teens in the United States don’t engage in riskier sexual behaviors than straight males, but are more likely to use injection drugs — which could contribute to an already elevated risk for contracting HIV, a new study reports. Men with male sexual partners are 57 times more likely to be diagnosed with HIV than men with female partners, and this number rises for gay men of color. (Wessel, 7/20)
The Hill: New Federal Data Find Little Difference In HIV Risk For Gay Teens Despite Similar Sexual Behavior
New federal data finds little difference in the sexual behavior of gay and heterosexual teenage boys but a significant difference in the risk of HIV infection. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention presented study results Wednesday that indicate gay and bisexual teenage boys are at a “substantially higher risk” of contracting HIV. (Clason, 7/20)
The Washington Post: Prisons Around The World Are Reservoirs Of Infectious Disease
Prisoners around the world and people who were formerly incarcerated have a higher burden of HIV and other infectious diseases than the general population, worsening the spread of diseases inside and outside of prison, according to new research. In a series of six papers in medical journal the Lancet, researchers from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health analyzed the prevalence of infectious diseases including HIV, hepatitis C, hepatitis B and tuberculosis between 2005 and 2015. (Beachum, 7/20)
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: UW Team Unravels Mystery With DNA Sequencing
Researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison have used DNA sequencing to unravel an 85-year-old mystery, pinpointing the genetic cause for Mauriac syndrome, a rare condition that affects children with poorly controlled Type 1 diabetes. The syndrome, first described 85 years ago by the French doctor Pierre Mauriac, is marked by massive enlargement of the liver, growth failure and delayed puberty. The afflicted children have Type 1 diabetes and are unable to control their blood sugar. (Johnson, 7/20)
