sodium-hypochlorite and Acquired-Immunodeficiency-Syndrome

The authors are discussing the interest of promoting the use of bleach as a powerful disinfectant among drug users. Following the researches conducted in the United States of America, the use of bleach has been introduced on an experimental basis in Paris. This action-research allowed to meet 1500 drug users who have received bleach and prevention materials. The evaluation of the action was conducted on a sample of 478 subjects. It was found that bleach could be used by addicts for syringe decontamination. The communication strategy implies a direct personal contact and a non judgmental message. Syringes must be carefully cleaned and rinsed at least twice with bleach in order to allow a one minute contact. In the absence of a new syringe the use of bleach provides a reasonable means of risk reduction if detoxification cannot be achieved.

Topics: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome; Disinfection; Humans; Needles; Sodium Hypochlorite

The effectiveness of education in reducing high-risk human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission behaviors was examined in 313 injection drug users. Involvement in high-risk behaviors was assessed via structured interview at study entry and 4 months following the intervention. Subjects were randomly assigned to (1) AIDS education, (2) AIDS education with optional HIV antibody testing, or (3) a wait list. The sample as a whole decreased its involvement in high-risk behaviors, but there were no significant differences as a function of experimental group assignment.

Topics: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome; Adult; AIDS Serodiagnosis; Confounding Factors, Epidemiologic; Contraceptive Devices, Male; Disinfection; Female; Health Behavior; Health Services Research; Humans; Interviews as Topic; Male; Needle Sharing; Needles; Patient Education as Topic; Risk Factors; Sexual Behavior; Sodium Hypochlorite; Substance Abuse, Intravenous; Washington

This study describes the development of Cryptosporidium parvum in MDCK, MA-104, Hep-2 and Vero cell lines. Differences in susceptibility, infectivity, and the methodology of excystation were determined. Various solutions were considered to determine the factors which enhanced the excystation (eg with and without sodium hypochlorite, trypsin or sodium taurocholate). It was shown that the sporozoites could be excysted in media either with or without trypsin and sodium taurocholate, but the number of sporozoites in the latter solution was less than the former one. Only oocysts digested by sodium hypochlorite and trypsin can enter the culture cells. Numerous meronts and oocysts were demonstrated and persisted for 9 days. Asexual stages were not observed in MA-104. Only few oocysts could be detected 1-3 days post-inoculation. There was a significant difference between the number of oocysts, which invaded MDCK, MA-104, and Hep-2 cells. MDCK gave the highest susceptibility to oocyst invasion among the three cell lines and asexual stages were also found. Among the 25 isolates, which had been cultivated, 23 isolates could infect MDCK and Hep-2. Only 2 isolates could not infect the MDCK cell. These 2 isolates could infect the Vero cell and yielded high numbers of trophozoites. Praziquantel (PZQ), doxycycline, and paromomycin (PRM) were tested on the infecting parasites. The drugs were added either with the inoculum or 24 hours after inoculation. None of them was effective, including PRM, which had been previously reported as effective.

Topics: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome; Animals; Anthelmintics; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Cell Culture Techniques; Cell Line; Cryptosporidiosis; Cryptosporidium parvum; Feces; Humans; Oocysts; Sodium Hypochlorite; Sporozoites; Taurocholic Acid; Trypsin

The growing importance of drug use as a mode of HIV transmission has led to increased attention to AIDS prevention among intravenous drug users (IVDUs). This analysis examines the effectiveness of bleach distribution, a program to prevent HIV transmission via shared needles.. We used a Markov model to assess the role of the initial HIV prevalence among drug users in determining the effectiveness of bleach programs. The model incorporates survey data on risk behaviors and published information describing HIV incubation and mortality. It predicts life expectancy for cohorts of IVDUs with and without a bleach program to estimate program effectiveness.. We found that bleach programs can produce the greatest life-year savings in areas of low HIV prevalence. In the lowest prevalence scenario (0.02 initial prevalence), initiation of the program resulted in a projected savings of 2.3 life years per HIV-negative drug user, compared with 1.7 and 1.3 years under medium (0.25) and high (0.60) prevalence, respectively.. While bleach programs are beneficial in all groups of IVDUs, these results highlight the advantages of introducing bleach programs early, when prevalence is still comparatively low in a drug-user population.

Topics: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome; Disinfection; Humans; Life Expectancy; Models, Biological; Needles; Probability; Sodium Hypochlorite; Substance Abuse, Intravenous

Conducted a study of behavior change associated with a street-based AIDS education project targeted to intravenous (IV) drug users in San Francisco. Two cross-sections were sampled from drug detoxification clinics and street locations in 1986 (n = 438) and 1987 (n = 623). Significant increases were reported in the percentage of IV drug users who used bleach to decontaminate syringes, who did not share needles in past year, and in condom use. A significant reduction in an index of the number of needle-sharing partners was reported. Respondents ranked treatment program as most important source of AIDS information prior to implementation of the program, and ranked outreach workers as most important after implementation. Findings suggest that this community-based outreach program had at least some impact on knowledge about AIDS and may have led to reductions in behaviors known to transmit HIV.

Topics: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome; California; Community Health Services; Disinfection; Health Education; Humans; Risk Factors; Social Environment; Sodium Hypochlorite; Substance Abuse, Intravenous

Considerable voluntary risk reduction has occurred among IVDUs in New York City. The purpose of the AIDS Outreach Project was to improve upon the existing level of risk reduction by providing information and anonymous HIV testing to street-recruited IVDUs. Intake and follow-up interviews were conducted with 121 subjects (44% of 276 at intake), with a mean of 4.5 months between interviews. Significant risk reduction occurred in many drug and sexual risk behaviors, although not in bleach use, and more than half of the subjects continued to engage in high-risk sexual behavior. An analysis of differences in risk reduction between early and later intake groups indicated that external trends were not sufficient to account for observed risk reduction. Among subjects engaged in high-risk behavior at intake, those who injected less or were enrolled in drug abuse treatment were more likely to stop high-risk drug injecting. Subjects who (at intake) engaged in less frequent unprotected sex, or who had had sex with someone with AIDS, were more likely to stop high-risk sexual behavior. The majority of subjects at low risk at intake maintained low-risk behavior. Informational interventions appear to be most successful among those IVDUs already engaging in lower levels of risk behavior. More effective methods are needed for those whose level of risk behavior is greater. These might include peer pressure and distributing bleach (as opposed to only providing information about bleach).

Topics: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome; Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Black or African American; Contraceptive Devices, Male; Disinfection; Female; Health Education; Hispanic or Latino; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Multivariate Analysis; Regression Analysis; Sexual Behavior; Sodium Hypochlorite; Substance Abuse, Intravenous; White People

Topics: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome; Disinfection; Humans; Injections, Intravenous; Sodium Hypochlorite; Sterilization; Substance-Related Disorders; Syringes

Topics: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome; Alginates; Dental Impression Materials; Dental Technicians; Disinfection; Glutaral; Hepatitis B; Humans; Occupational Diseases; Silicone Elastomers; Sodium Hypochlorite; Sterilization; Surface Properties

Reverse transcriptase activity of lymphadenopathy associated virus was assayed after exposure to various standard chemical disinfectants. 25% ethanol or 1% glutaraldehyde should prove sufficient to disinfect medical instruments, and 0.2% sodium hypochlorite for cleaning floors and benches. 0.1% formalin is too slow to be recommended.

Topics: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome; Cells, Cultured; Deltaretrovirus; Disinfectants; Ethanol; Formaldehyde; Glutaral; Humans; Propiolactone; Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors; Sodium Hydroxide; Sodium Hypochlorite; T-Lymphocytes; Time Factors