On HIV/AIDS cases

It appears that your article 37 HIV/AIDS cases reported from The Jakarta Post, Feb. 16, 2000, has suffered at the hands of the editor's scissors. I suspect that the last sentence of the third paragraph should read: Of these 37 new cases, ten people are known to be infected with HIV through this behavior sharing needles among drug users], of whom four have AIDS.

Note that the term "full-blown AIDS" is no longer considered appropriate, and that all people with AIDS are by definition infected with HIV.

In addition, it is incorrect to state that the first cases of infection with HIV among injecting drug users (IDU) were detected last July. My records do not go back far enough to tell me when the first cases were diagnosed, but in March 1995 there were already three cases recorded by the Ministry of Health. However, it is indeed of major concern that, since last June, the number of cases among IDUs has increased from six to 35, a doubling every three months. Indications are that this rate of increase will probably be sustained for the foreseeable future unless immediate and drastic steps are taken.

CHRIS W. GREEN

AIDS Activist

Jakarta