REPORT: AIDS is Devastating U.S. Black Gay Men

A new report from the Black AIDS Institute titled "Back of the Line: The State of AIDS among Black Gay Men in America 2012" documents the devastating impact that AIDS has had, and continues to have, on Black gay men in the United States.

From the Executive Summary:

Accounting for one in 500 people living in the U.S., Black MSM make up nearly one in four new HIV infections and one in six Americans living with HIV. Black MSM represent 9% of all MSM in the U.S., but account for 38% of new infections among MSM. In New York City, Black MSM are 325 times more likely to be diagnosed with HIV than heterosexual Black males. Nationally, HIV prevalence among Black MSM is roughly double the prevalence among white MSM. Although AIDS is a nationwide crisis for Black MSM, evidence indicates that the problem is especially severe in the South, where new cases are rising most rapidly. 

HIV represents a lifetime challenge for Black MSM. Among young men ages 13-24, Black MSM are 14 times more likely to test HIV-positive than white MSM. One in four Black MSM are already infected with HIV by the time they reach age 25. By age 40, 60% of Black MSM are living with HIV.

What's nice about the report that in addition to documenting the problem, it also provides suggestions for addressing the issue, calling for a series of recommendations:

1. Demonstrate leadership in the fight against AIDS for Black MSM
2. Achieve saturation HIV testing among Black MSM
3. Maximize the preventive and therapeutic benefits of antiretroviral therapy
4. Dramatically reduce STDs among Black MSM
5. Introduce pre-exposure prophylaxis
6. Effectively target Black MSM with high-impact prevention
7. Build sustainable community capacity
8. Develop new prevention tools for Black MSM
9. Implement a national plan to reduce the vulnerability of Black MSM

The report summarizes these recommendations into three priority steps that should be taken immediately:

Develop a national plan to end AIDS among Black MSM. As one of its highest priorities, Health and Human Services should immediately spearhead an inclusive process—involving relevant federal agencies (e.g., CDC, HRSA, CMS, Office of Minority Health, SAMHSA), Black MSM, Black and LGBT leaders, the philanthropic and private sectors, and state and local health departments—to develop a clear, results-driven national plan to end the epidemic among Black MSM

Exert genuine, sustained leadership in the fight against AIDS among Black MSM. Diverse non-governmental actors must recognize both that AIDS remains a severe and worsening crisis among Black MSM and that government alone cannot turn the tide against AIDS

Combat homophobia and other social challenges faced by Black MSM. Governmental and non-governmental actors must join together with Black MSM to address the root causes of Black MSM’s vulnerability to HIV and the factors that diminish health care access.

The 19th International AIDS Conference begins in Washington, D.C. on Sunday. Although President Obama will not be attending the event in person, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will. Let's hope she has something to say which addresses these issues. Additionally, the Obama Administration just recently announced that it is releasing $80 million in federal funds which will effectively eradicate all waiting lists on state AIDS Drug Assistance Programs (ADAP), allowing access to life-saving anti-retroviral medication to everyone in the United States who needs it.

Things are looking up...

Hat/tip to Rod 2.0

The New Gay Plague Panic: MRSA

Joe.My.God and Bloggernista continue their excellent work by reporting on the latest 'gay plague' panic discussion about a new strain of MRSA (methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus) which the New York Times and other media outlets have been reporting has been showing up in higher than average occurrences in geographically compact gay ghettoes like the Castro District in San Francisco and Boston. Mad Professah has commented over at Rod 2.0's coverage of the same story. The new strain is resistant to not only methicillin but also mupirocin, clindamycin and tetracylcine.

For example, Joe has a link to this recent statement by the CDC on MRSA infections in Men who have Sex with Men:

MRSA is a common cause of skin infections throughout the United States. These infections occur in men, women, adults, children, and persons of all races and sexual orientations, and are known to be transmitted by close skin-to-skin contact. In this issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine, Diep et al looked at isolates of MRSA - USA300 strains containing a particular plasmid associated with additional drug resistance. The paper shows that multidrug-resistant USA300 has emerged as an important source of disease among men with have sex with men in 2 geographically distinct communities.

The strains of MRSA described in the recent Annals of Internal Medicine have mostly been identified in certain groups of men who have sex with men (MSM), but have also been found in some persons who are not MSM. It is important to note that the groups of MSM in which these isolates have been described are not representative of all MSM, so conclusions can not be drawn about the prevalence of these strains among all MSM. The groups studied in this report may share other characteristics or behaviors that facilitate spread of MRSA, such as frequent skin-to-skin contact.

CDC’s extensive and continuing study of invasive MRSA in 9 US states indicates that these strains are rare. CDC continues to monitor resistance patterns and strain characteristics in MRSA isolates submitted to CDC for a variety of investigations. Bacteria are able to acquire resistance to antibiotics. It is concerning that these bacteria are becoming resistant to more antibiotics than the typical community associated-MRSA strains because this limits the available treatment options. Fortunately, there are still effective choices available to treat infections when antibiotics are required, including those antibiotics given by mouth. It remains important to do what we can to prevent transmission of these strains and of MRSA in general.

MRSA is typically transmitted through skin-to-skin contact, which occurs during a variety of activities, including sex. There is no evidence at this time to suggest that it MRSA is a sexually-transmitted infection in the classical sense.

I'd love to get the backstory on the CDC moving so quickly to send out a statement in this area. I wonder of openly gay Dr. Kevin Fenton who heads CDC Sexually Transmitted Diseases department had something to do with it.


Mad Professah had a MRSA skin infection himself way back in 2004 which was quickly cured with mupirocin creme and sulfa drugs but it was NOT a fun experience! (It lasted about two weeks.) I have no idea how I got it, I had been reading grant reports in the Washington, D.C. area when I noticed a very nasty looking ingrown hair/pimple on my leg. By the time I got back home to L.A. my leg had a 6" diameter angry-looking raised area which was extremely painful to touch.

As I reported last year 95, 000 Americans were infected with MRSA last year according to a study and over 19, 000 people died from the invasive version of MRSA infection.
Both the new strain found in the "gay ghettoes" and the standard MRSA are known as MRSA USA300.