Faculty Bibliography

Patients don't hesitate to complain to their physicians after being made to wait in the office, or when they feel they've received so-so treatment during their eight-minute consult

The ultimate dream of AIDS researchers is to find a nonvirulent strain of HIV and turn it into a safe, effective vaccine. Since the late 1980s, a team of Australian scientists has believed such a strain existed in a small group of people inadvertently infected with HIV through transfusions from one blood donor. People in the group were never treated for HIV infection, yet they have carried the strain for up to 17 years without developing AIDS symptoms. Because no similar group has been found elsewhere, world attention has focused on the Australian effort to use this strain of naturally weakened live virus to make a vaccine. Australian Red Cross officials initially rejected his request to meet the people he had inadvertently infected. Jennifer Learmont, the Australian Red Cross social worker whose research identified the rare cluster in the late 1980s, said she discouraged John [Mills] from meeting recipients, fearing it could harm him psychologically. But after learning that John had repeated the request, Learmont promised to try to arrange a meeting between John and any infected recipient willing to meet him

It's called the silent killer. By the time many middle-aged and menopausal women finally consult with their doctors about their vague, nonspecific complaints of pelvic pain, backache, bloating and overall malaise, they're stunned when they're finally told that thief test results indicate advanced ovarian cancer

The ultimate dream of AIDS researchers is to find a nonvirulent strain of H.I.V. and turn it into a safe, effective vaccine. Since the late 1980's, a team of Australian scientists has believed such a strain existed in a small group of people inadvertently infected with H.I.V. through transfusions from one blood donor. In February, after losing 75 pounds in five months, John (Mills), who asked that his last name not be used, was found to have an AIDS-related infection of the brain and spinal cord. And two recipients have shown signs of weakening immune systems but have not become ill. Three other group members remain healthy. (The remaining three died from causes believed unrelated to AIDS.) Australian Red Cross officials initially rejected his request to meet the people he had inadvertently infected. Jennifer C. Learmont, the Australian Red Cross social worker whose research identified the rare cluster in the late 1980's, said she discouraged John from meeting recipients, fearing it could harm him psychologically. But after learning that John had repeated the request, Ms. Learmont promised to try to arrange a meeting between John and any infected recipient willing to meet him, but no session has yet been held

An older member of the benzodiazepine family of sedatives, Valium is now being dispensed to thousands of fleeing Kosovar refugees to treat the anxiety, insomnia and depression associated with he horrors of their persecution and forced flight

David Oshinsky reviews the book "A Nearly Normal Life: A Memoir" by Charles L. Mee

SETTING: Several social service agencies in New York City, and the Chest Clinic of Bellevue Hospital, a large public hospital. OBJECTIVE: To determine the utility of screening as a preventive and control measure among persons at risk for tuberculosis. DESIGN: Persons seeking social services at several private agencies in New York City were screened, and those with a positive skin test or symptoms suggestive of active tuberculosis were referred to the Chest Clinic for evaluation. RESULTS: Of 3828 persons evaluated, 20 had active tuberculosis, and 33% of the screened cohort were tuberculin skin test positive. Of 466 persons with tuberculosis infection who were evaluated, only 55 persons were given isoniazid (INH), and only 20 completed preventive therapy. Most patients who were not given INH had taken it previously, were older than 35 years, or had continuing alcohol use which made physicians reluctant to prescribe isoniazid. CONCLUSION: Screening for tuberculosis may detect a significant number of cases of active disease when the background prevalence of the disease is very high. However, screening for infection as a means to prevent future cases is unlikely to be effective unless rates of administration and completion of isoniazid preventive therapy are increased