On HIV/AIDS cases

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