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Epidemiology

JPRS-TEP-88-012 CONTENTS 8 June 1988

AFRICA (SUB-SAHARA)

CAPE VERDE

AIDS Kills Eight in Cabo Delgado [Maputo NOTICIAS, 19 Mar 88] 1

MOZAMBIQUE

AIDS Prevention Program Launched by Health Ministry [Maputo NOTICIAS, 17 Mar 88] .". 1

AIDS Awareness Campaign Launched in Gaza [Maputo NOTICIAS, 29 Mar 88] 2

Donors Conference in Maputo Discusses Financing of AIDS Program

[Maputo NOTICIAS, 20 Apr 88] 2

Results of Vaccination Program [Maputo NOTICIAS, 31 Mar 88] 3

SOUTH AFRICA

Government's AIDS Campaign Said To Be Succeeding 4

Public Awareness Increase [Johannesburg THE CITIZEN, 2 May 88] 4

Chamber Considers New AIDS Law [Johannesburg THE CITIZEN, 2 May 88] 4

Education Department Proposes AIDS as Compulsory School Subject

[Johannesburg THE CITIZEN, 2 May 88] 4

Sanlam Medical Officer Figures Cost of AIDS Treatment

[Dianna Games; Johannesburg BUSINESS DA Y, 2 May 88] 5

11 AIDS Carriers in Bophuthatswana; 2 Dead [Johannesburg SAPA, 14 Apr 88] 6

UGANDA

NRA Officers Receive AIDS Education [Kampala NEW VISION, 19 Apr 88] 6

AIDS Research Fund Launched [Robinah Basalirwa; Kampala NEW VISION, 14 Apr 88] 6

EAST ASIA

HONGKONG

New AIDS Victim; Blood Contamination Figures Given

[Mary Ann Benitez; Hong Kong SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST, 27 Apr 88] 7

Authorities Fear Measles Outbreak, Push Immunization 7

'Emergency' Campaign

[Mary Ann Benitez; Hong Kong SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST, 23 Apr 88] 7

Dispute Over Vaccination Levels

[Mary Ann Benitez; Hong Kong SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST, 28 Apr 88] 8

VIETNAM

Spring Rice Crop Infestations [Duy Nghi; Hanoi KHOA HOC VA DOI SONG, 1 Apr 88] 8

LATIN AMERICA

ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA

10 Cases of AIDS Found, Half in Last 6 Months [BARBADOS ADVOCATE, 27 Apr 88] 10
JPRS-TEP-88-012

8 June 1988 2

BAHAMAS

Minister of Health Discusses Anti-AIDS Measures [Nassau THE TRIBUNE, 25 Apr 88] 10

BARBADOS

Latest Figures Released on AIDS Mortality Rate

[Bridgetown BARBADOS ADVOCATE, 22 Apr 88] 1»

GRENADA

AIDS Concerns Voiced; 11 Deaths Reported [DAILY EXPRESS, 28 Apr 88] 11

TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

Caribbean Health Center Reports on AIDS Situation

[Kingston THE SUNDAY GLEANER, 27Mar 88] "

NEAR EAST & SOUTH ASIA

EGYPT

Policies Changed, Concerns Voiced Over AIDS in Alexandria

['Amir 'Id; Cairo AL-SHA'B, 3 May 88] li

Attempts To Stop Spread of Meningitis

[Ahmad Nasr al-Din, Ahdaf al-Bandari, Muwaffaq Abu-al-nil; Cairo AL-AHRAM AL-DUWALI, 4

* OJ?7 •• *-^

Border Authorities Take Steps Against Malaria "[Cairo AL-AHRAM AL-DUWALI, 4 May 88] 15

Locust Invasion Begins [Cairo AL-AHRAM AL-DUWALI, 4 May 88] 17

ISRAEL

Israeli Firm Debuts AIDS Rapid Detection Kit [Amnon Atad; Tel Aviv DAVAR, 19 May 88] 18

MOROCCO

Rice Growing Threatened by Disease, Pests

[Mustapha Soulaymani; Rabat L'OPINION, 20 Apr 88] »

Progress in Anti-Locust Campaign Reviewed 1'""*" !o

Cool Weather Stems Locust Movement [Mustapha Soulayman; Rabat L OPINION] iv

Long-term Eradication Effort Required [Djamila Chekrouni; Rabat L'OPINION, 3 Apr 88] .. 19

Locust Eradication Statistics [Rabat L'OPINION, 26 Mar 88] 20

Locust Eradication Statistics as of 16 April [Casablanca MAROC SOIR, 19 Apr 88] 20

TUNISIA

Eighty-six Test Positive for HIV Virus [Tunis LA PRESSE, 29 Mar 88] 20

National Vaccination Day Shows Promising Results [Tunis LA PRESSE, 31 Mar 88] 20

Battle Under Way Against Nationwide Locust Infestation ••• 21

Control Mechanisms Set Up [MoncefBelkadi; Tunis LE RENOUVEAU, 22 Mar 88] 21

Herders Warned About Insecticides [Tunis LA PRESSE, 19 Mar 88] 22

Maghreb Officials Meet [Tunis LA PRESSE, 23 Mar 88] 22

New Swarms Detected [Fatma Zaghouani; Tunis LA PRESSE, 23 Mar 88] 23

FAO Official Speaks [K.B.; Tunis LA PRESSE, 23 Mar 88] 23

Situation in Gafsa Reported [F.M.; Tunis LA PRESSE, 31 Mar 88] 24

Locusts Return to Kairouan [F.Z.; Tunis LA PRESSE, 31 Mar 88] 26

Sfax Situation Better [Rafik Ben Zina; 31 Mar 88] 26

Swarms Moving North [K.B.; Tunis LA PRESSE, 2 Apr 88] 26

Invasion Continues, Reaches Ariana [Tunis LE TEMPS, 5 Apr 88] 27
JPRS-TEP-88-012

8 June 1988 3

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Major Increase in Cases of Small-Pox and Meningitis [Dubayy GULF NEWS, 24 Apr 88] 28

SOVIET UNION

Treatment of AIDS Patients in USSR

[I. Krasnopolskaya; Moscow MOSKOVSKAYA PRAVDA, 21 Feb 88] 29

AIDS Situation in Latvia //. Geyman; Riga SOVETSKAYA LATVIYA, 6 Mar 88] 30

AIDS Testing Center in Odessa [I. S. Fuchizhi; Kiev PRA VDA UKRAINY, 6 Mar 88] 32

New Production Line for Disposable Needles

[R. Arifdzhanov; Moscow KOMSOMOLSKA YA PRA VDA, 15 Mar 88] 32

WEST EUROPE

BELGIUM

AIDS Statistics, Risk Groups Pointed Out

[Eric de Bellefroid; Brussels LA LIBRE BELGIQUE, 18 Mar 88] 33

DENMARK

Aids Victims Infecting Others May Be Charged With Murder

[Carl Otto Brix; Copenhagen BERLINGSKE TIDENDE, 8 Apr 88] 33

Condom Sales Actually Decline Despite AIDS Campaign

[Kaj Skaaning; Copenhagen BERLINGSKE TIDENDE, 3 Apr 88] 34

Tuberculosis Spreading in Christiania 'Free City'

[Copenhagen BERLINGSKE TIDENDE, 9 Apr 88] 34

Fence Erected on Border With FRG To Halt Cattle Disease

[Poul Bogh; Copenhagen BERLINGSKE TIDENDE, 31 Mar 88] 35

FINLAND

Funding Cut To Force Reduction in Number of AIDS Tests

Rabies Expert Views Situation in Country, Across USSR Border

FRANCE

Fewer Samples of Donated Blood AIDS Positive in 1987 [Paris LE FIGARO, 2 May 88] 36

GREECE

Epidemic Proportions AIDS Spread Seen Unlikely [Athens IKATHIMERINI, 27-28 Mar 88] 37

TURKEY

9-Year-Old AIDS Victim Diagnosed [Selma Tukel; Istanbul HURRIYET, 18 Mar 88] 38
JPRS-TEP-88-012

8 June 1988 AFRICA (SUB-SAHARA)

CAPE VERDE

AIDS Kills Eight in Cabo Delgado

54000118c Maputo NOTICIAS in Portuguese

19 Mar 88 p 5

[Text] AIDS has already victimized 8 persons in Cape

Verde and an additional 16 are presently in the hospital

with the disease, according to a statement made Thursday by Health Minister Irineu Gomes as quoted by

LUSA.

Ofthe patients interned, 11 are men and 5 are women, the

minister reported.

Irineu Gomes also stated that currently 66 otherwise

healthy persons are carriers ofthe virus, 4 being infected

with the HIV-1, more common in the West, and 62 with

the HIV-2, characteristic of western Africa.

Of the 66 individuals infected with AIDS but not yet

revealing symptoms of the disease, 52 are men and 18

women, all between the ages of 28 and 48. "It has not

been possible to survey younger people," he said.

Since the end of last year, Cape Verde has had its own

laboratory for the detection of the viruses HIV-1 and

HIV-2 and analyses have been made ofthe condition of

about 1.0 percent of the population, estimated at

300,000 people.

08568

MOZAMBIQUE

AIDS Prevention Program Launched by Health

Ministry

5400013Id Maputo NOTICIAS in Portuguese

17 Mar 88 p 2

[Text] The Mozambican government yesterday formally

announced the onset, in the first half of this year, of a

series of health actions aimed at resisting and preventing

the propagation ofAIDS. The prevalence ofAIDS in this

country is estimated at 3 percent of the population; that

is, 12,000 to 52,000 Mozambicans infected by HIV, the

scientific designation for the disease. Of this approximate figure for the number of citizens suspected of being

carriers (serum positives), the Mozambican authorities

by 31 January ofthis year had diagnosed six cases ofthe

disease, one ofthem a foreigner. Ofthe six, two died, and

the other four are at differing stages ofthe development

of the illness.

This announcement was made yesterday in Maputo by

the minister of health, Dr Fernando Vaz, at a press

conference for the national press. He said that Mozambique has adopted a National Prevention and Control

Program for AIDS, to be executed over a period of 3

years, with the involvement of all sectors in making our

efforts to reduce the propagation of the worst epidemic

of the century fruitful.

Fernando Vaz made it known that recently our country

carried out a preliminary investigation to determine the

extent ofthe illness, and concluded that the existence of

individuals in the Mozambican population that are

infected with the virus that causes the illness has already

been proven, requiring that, as elsewhere in the world,

the government begin to do something to reduce the dire

consequences that would result from the propagation of

the disease.

The minister of health also revealed that the preliminary

results of a national investigation that is about to begin

show that the prevalence of infected citizens, that is,

those already affected by the virus, among different

population groups (donors of blood and refugee populations) in the country's main cities varies between 1 and 3

percent.

This percentage figure amounts to an estimated 12

million to 52 million Mozambicans who may be

infected, and, according to official statistics, this means

that, in the next 5 years, between 1,200 and 16,000

infected citizens could develop the disorder.

According to Fernando Vaz, these calculations demonstrate that AIDS is already a health problem in Mozambique which will aggravate other problems the country

faces as a result of the war of aggression that has

victimized the country, and ofthe natural calamities and

banditry that continue to cause immeasurable suffering

for our people.

During the press conference, the minister of health

announced that Mozambique has adopted the London

Declaration regarding the prevention of AIDS, which

recommends that the governments and peoples of the

entire world take urgent measures to implement WHO

strategy against the illness, and to do everything possible

to see to it that such measures are taken.

The London Declaration, adopted by 148 countries,

contains 14 points, the sixth of which clarifies the need

for AIDS prevention programs to protect human rights

and the dignity of individuals, and to fight discrimination and stigmatization of individuals infected by HIV

and of those having AIDS.

In this context, the minister of health reiterated that

Mozambique rejects the requirement of registration of

foreigners entering the country, saying: "Our position

with regard to serum positive individuals is to adopt the

measures that are universally accepted; we have respect

for human dignity."
JPRS-TEP-88-012

8 June 1988 AFRICA (SUB-SAHARA)

According to the explanations given, the basic objectives

ofthe National Program for the Prevention and Control

of AIDS are to prevent the transmission of HIV, to

reduce morbidity and mortality associated with infection by the virus, and to educate the individual "to adopt

safe sexual behavior, which includes conjugal fidelity or

the use of condoms during casual sexual contacts."

The health authorities of our country stress that if every

Mozambican citizen realizes that he has a role to play in

the fight against AIDS, and that he should adopt such

measures (safe sexual behavior and the use of condoms

in casual contacts), much suffering can be avoided and

great success can be achieved.

With regard to the efforts aimed at controlling the spread

ofthe illness, the minister of health said that by the end

ofAugust all blood banks at the provincial hospitals will

be able to carry out the ELISA exam, the first test to

determine whether the individual is a carrier ofthe virus.

12857

AIDS Awareness Campaign Launched in Gaza

54000131a Maputo NOTICIAS in Portuguese

29 March 88 p 3

[Text] The AIDS education campaigns for all of the

districts of Gaza Province, and particularly for the city

of Xai-Xai, were launched during the second week of

March.

At the same time, a team of Swiss physicians in Gaza

promoted a seminar dedicated to the study of, and

preventive measures for, the illness. Later, the Directorate of Preventive Medicine Services appointed 14 monitors who organize explanatory meetings regarding precautions to be observed in the prevention of the

epidemic for workers and residents of the various sections of the provincial capital of Gaza.

The head of Preventive Medicine for Gaza, Eduardo

Naiene, said in an interview with NOTICIAS that in

Gaza Province no case of the illness has yet been

detected. However, this does not mean that there are no

citizens there who are carriers of the virus.

In the various districts of this region of the country,

educational campaigns about AIDS are being prepared

by the local health centers, based upon the information

provided during the seminars on the subject administered by the Swiss physicians.

Eduardo Naiene added that some preventive measures

against AIDS have already been taken in Xai-Xai. "We

are freely selling condoms in the local pharmacies, and

we have advised the local population to use them during

occasional sexual contacts."

Our source explained that one of the ways to avoid the

disease is to have greater fidelity among married people.

He also pointed out that the local medicine man, in

administering certain kinds of cures, uses the same blade

for everyone. According to Naiene, "This could be a

vehicle for the transmission ofAIDS." He applauded the

local interest that has been shown in meetings that are

currently being held at work sites and in homes, as well

as in schools.

12857

Donors Conference in Maputo Discusses

Financing of AIDS Program

54000131b Maputo NOTICIAS in Portuguese

20 Apr 88 pi

[Text] Representatives from 31 countries, from special

agencies ofthe UN, and from governmental and nongovernmental organizations have been meeting since yesterday in Maputo, all of them participants in a 2-day

conference held for purposes of reaching an agreement

on support in the amount of $7 million for the triennial

Program for Prevention and Control ofAIDS which runs

from the end of last year to 1991.

Our country's minister of health, Dr Fernando Vaz, who

is head of the conference, said in his opening remarks

that the Mozambican government does not have the

economic, financial or technical wherewithal to contain

the spread ofthe illness, and explained that the Maputo

conference is aimed at the mobilization ofthe necessary

international support needed to help the country to take

preventive action against the disease.

He added that this most feared disease of our century,

AIDS, has overtaken the various economic and social

problems that Mozambique faces as a result ofthe war of

aggression, and puts us at a crossroads where the alternative courses of action are very few. Fernando Vaz

characterized the AIDS situation, along with other problems the country suffers, saying, "The human and financial resources, and especially the human resources, that

we need in order to fight the illness and avoid it are

enormous, and could certainly put our normal hygiene

programs at risk."

He warned that the available data on the propagation of

AIDS show that, in the next 5-10 years, Mozambique

will find itself in a difficult situation, since there is

presently a growing percentage of carriers of the HIV

virus: "The progression is geometric, and effective preventive measures must be taken."

With this in mind, the chief health officer said that the

Party and the Mozambican government are aware ofthe

tragedy that this illness can cause, and that for this

reason they decided to give AIDS combat the highest

priority through the establishment of a national program. Fernando Vaz said that the prevalence of AIDS

varies between 1 and 3 percent. He also said that that
JPRS-TEP-88-012

8 June 1988 AFRICA (SUB-SAHARA)

number is on the increase, and that 9 new cases had been

diagnosed by 31 March, with 6 deaths. One of the

victims was a 7-month-old child.

Also, according to Dr Oscar Monteiro, there were no

cases of diphtheria, whooping cough or polio, and few

cases of diarrhea.

12857

Results of Vaccination Program

54000131c Maputo NOTICIAS in Portuguese

31 Mar 88 p 2

The report indicates that, during the period, care was

provided for 54,881 pregnant women, and 138,057 children under 4 years of age; and prenatal consultations

totalled 28,658. The infant mortality rate was reduced

from 108 per thousand to 58 per thousand during the

1982-1987 period.

[Text] The existence in Maputo of citizens who are

influential and willing to devote more effort to the health

of their counterparts, understanding the great humanitarian, political and economic significance of health

activities, and giving of their time to fraternal service

will be a factor that could give a push to preventive

health action as part of "Good Health for All by the Year

2000." This optimism was expressed by Dr Oscar Monteiro, director ofthe Center for Prophylaxis and Medical

Examinations, when he recently presented the results

achieved last year by the At-Large Vaccination Program.

The Program reached its target of 90 percent for vaccination against the epidemics that annually victimized a

high proportion of the population.

A greater mobilization effort among the population than

last year's was needed to achieve results that were about

the same. This was due to the fact that fewer people came

to the health units because of the country's new health

policy which, as a part of the Program of Economic

Rehabilitation, led to an increase in the price of medications and doctors' visits.

According to the report, it was in that respect that the

mobilizing force and influence of these citizens made

itself felt and had allowed the program to achieve what

success it had.

"The new prices introduced last year in health care had

a considerable and immediate impact on the vaccination

program, and on maternity and child health care programs, because the populace stayed away; they had

difficulty contacting the health agents because of confusion and lack of clarification."

Nevertheless, in general there were excellent results

achieved in the tuberculosis, measles, and polio innoculation programs, especially for children under 11 months

old, 90 percent ofwhom were innoculated. In the case of

measles, which was the primary cause of infant deaths,

the figure was 99 percent.

Vaccination against tetanus was aimed chiefly at the

school population and had equally good results, in spite

ofthe weak collaboration ofschool authorities. Workers

and pregnant women were also vaccinated. To dramatize

the results of the effort: Tetanus was the major cause of

death in Mozambique during the 1970's; last year only 7

cases were registered in Maputo.

The document does not refer in statistical terms to

malaria, but does describe the creation ofteams that are

about to carry out extermination activities in several

boroughs of the city.

With regard to tuberculosis, there were 2,959 new cases

and 44 deaths. As for leprosy, the report mentions 26

new cases and 3 deaths.

It adds that, in a campaign for healthy vision carried out

with 25,466 school age children, 357 were found to have

problems of reduced visual acuity, strabismus or trachoma. The study also included 1,400 preschool children, where 225 cases of ocular pathology were registered, predominantly conjunctivitis, trachoma, chalaria

and strabismus.

In her appraisal of the results achieved with the infant

population, Mrs Marta Mauras, a representative of

UNICEF, said, "It's not enough that they are born and

don't die. The study should also clarify the quality ofthe

children's survival, and the healthiness with which they

are born."

She also pointed to the fact that the study shows that

measles is presently more frequent in the child population above 5 years of age, and added that investigations

already completed show that people are collaborating in

health programs because of mobilization efforts and not

because of educational assimilation, which provides no

guarantee that the results achieved will be lasting.

With respect to this, Jorge Rebelo, secretary of the

Central Committee for Ideological Effort, said that, if

true, it is due to the fact that there has not yet been

created a structural mechanism because of the conditions of war we have, and that the party and the

government must concentrate their efforts.

Commenting on the results achieved by the vaccination

campaign, Jorge Rebelo said that the fruits of the government health policy must be seen as remarkable by

those who follow the country's evolution from the outside, since they reflect a level of organization and social

assistance that are in contrast with the war conditions

under which we live.
JPRS-TEP-88-012

8 June 1988 AFRICA (SUB-SAHARA)

He added that the results should be viewed against the

backdrop of the entire country, with its approximately

14 million inhabitants and an infant mortality rate of

375 per thousand, which means that the health situation

in the country is stable.

He was appreciative of the work of the UNICEF representative in our country, and said that the concerns of

that body are the same as those of the Mozambican

government with regard to children who have been

subjected to terrorism, the results ofwhich will be oflong

duration.

"To stop is to die," he said, exhorting the population to

contribute to the promotion of community health for

everyone's benefit.

12857

SOUTH AFRICA

Government's AIDS Campaign Said To Be

Succeeding

Public Awareness Increase

54000132a Johannesburg THE CITIZEN in English

2 May 88 p 8

[Text] The government-funded Aids awareness campaign in the mass media had resulted in a "substantial"

increase in public awareness of the disease, but further

education was needed, an international Aids conference

being held in Sandton heard yesterday.

The campaign had resulted in many people realising

their knowledge ofAids was incomplete, Mr Tim Bester,

vice chairman of an advertising company that worked on

the government media campaign, told the conference.

Quoting research done before and after the first phase of

the campaign, Mr Bester said awareness of Aids had

increased by 21 percent among Black people. He added

Aids was now perceived as the most serious disease

facing the Black community, overtaking tuberculosis.

Research also confirmed Aids was perceived to be the

most serious disease among Whites.

The research was done by Market Research Africa

(MRA) on behalf of the McCann group. Mr Bester said

the findings were still being studied.

But preliminary analysis indicated "further education is

needed to shift deeply entrenched beliefs and attitudes."

"There also appears to be real need among the communities for more information about the disease."

The research quoted by Mr Bester indicated 75 percent

of Black people polled were aware of Aids as opposed to

96 percent after the first phase of the campaign.

Forty three percent of Blacks considered Aids the most

serious disease before the start ofthe campaign, and this

figure jumped to 65 percent after the first phase. The

figures for Whites were 73 percent and 77 percent.

In the category "considered threat to nation," 92 percent

of Whites thought this so before the campaign and 94

percent after the first phase. The figures for Black people

showed an increase from 66 percent to 84 percent.

The campaign, utilising television, radio and newspaper,

was launched on 25 January by the Department of

National Health and Population Development. It was

aimed at creating an awareness of Aids, detailing its

causes and outlining means of prevention.

The strategy was designed to address "high risk behaviour rather than high risk groups," according to Mr

Bester.—Sapa.

Chamber Considers New AIDS Law

54000132a Johannesburg THE CITIZEN in English

2 May 88 p 8

[Text] The Chamber of Mines is considering recent

legislation that foreign miners carrying the Aids virus

must be repatriated.

MrJohan Liebenberg, industrial relations spokesman for

the chamber, addressing yesterday's national Aids congress in Sandton on Aids in the Workplace, said it was

previous chamber policy to continue employing HIVpositive migrant labourers, but to subject them to intensive education programmes to ease fear and hysteria.

"However, public opinion has shifted and there have

been amendments to legislation demanding the immediate repatriation of HIV-positive migrant labourers.

"This has caused the chamber to review its policy

regarding the Aids issue, which will be made public in

the next month," Mr Liebenberg said.

Education Department Proposes AIDS as

Compulsory School Subject

54000132a Johannesburg THE CITIZEN in English

2 May 88 p 8

[Text] Representations have been made to the Department ofHealth and Population Development to institute

Aids as part Of a compulsory school examination subject.

Speaking at the last day of a 3-day National Aids

Congress in Sandton yesterday, Mr C D Cilliers, the head

of Stellenbosch University's Education department, said

that the teaching fraternity had proposed that Aids be

addressed in the schoolroom.
JPRS-TEP-88-012

8 June 1988 AFRICA (SUB-SAHARA)

Mr Cilliers said that Aids education could form part of a

general course in "life skills" during which the child's

rationale and decision making skills would be enhanced.

The child could then decide for himself or herself

whether "an hour of pleasure was worth the risk of

Aids."

"We have made representations to the government

about Aids education in schools and will hear from the

authorities next week," he said.

Mr Cilliers said that education at an early age was very

important in the light of the absence of a cure for Aids.

To this end, there was a need for teacher training in this

area.

"Telling or scaring the child will not help. The child must

be taught how to think about Aids and decide what to do

about it. Education departments in South Africa do not

as yet have suitably trained people to coordinate such

projects," Mr Cilliers said.

In the meantime, however, pamphlets on the deadly

disease are to be distributed widely throughout South

African schools.

"This is only a short term effort to educate children and

it is up to teachers to take cognisance of this vital task

and to take up the challenge together," Mr Cilliers said.

/9604

Sanlam Medical Officer Figures Cost of AIDS

Treatment

54000132b Johannesburg BUSINESS DAY in English

2 May 88 p 7

[Article by Dianna Games]

[Text] If the pattern of AIDS in SA continued at its

present rate, it could cost SA R13m to R94m by 1991,

says Sanlam medical officer Dr J van der Merwe.

Speaking at the 3-day AIDS congress in Johannesburg,

which ended yesterday, he said AIDS was the most

expensive disease, on a par with coronary bypass surgery

for coronary heart disease. It could eventually put an

increased burden of up to R2,8bn on the current total

health expenditure.

Costs included an average 168 days in hospital, which

could amount to R20,000 per patient, plus a further

R16,000 if the patient was treated with the only drug

available, AZT, a very expensive and toxic drug, he said.

And D McKay of the Mercantile and General Reinsurance Company in Cape Town said the cost ofAIDS also

had serious implications for the life assurance industry.

Unless the industry introduced controls, AIDS could

make a "mockery of mortality assumptions." The industry faced the problem of reducing the future impact of

AIDS on insurance portfolios by effective selection and

by revising pricing policies, McKay told the congress,

which had more than 70 speakers from SA and abroad

and several hundred delegates.

He said life assurance industries were not only entitled to

underwrite or screen for AIDS but had an overriding

obligation to do so to protect existing policy-holders and

ensure their continued viability.

Insurers had to expect a worsening mortality and morbidity experience and the possiblity of increasing premium rates for certain classes of policies had to be

seriously considered.

Tim Bester of McCann advertising agency, awarded

government's AIDS awareness campaign, said a survey

conducted 2 months after the campaign's launch showed

public awareness among blacks and whites had

increased.

Bester said 88 percent of white respondents were aware

of the campaign and 87 percent of blacks, with 100

percent of whites aware of AIDS and the number of

blacks aware of it rising from 75 percent in a pre-launch

survey to 96 percent.

The number of blacks who saw AIDS as the single

greatest threat to the nation rose from 50 percent to 73

percent, but 35 percent of blacks did not know how to

reduce the risk of being infected. The number of blacks

who thought AIDS could be cured dropped from 41

percent to 21 percent.

SA Institute ofMedical Research directorJack Metz said

it was not a question of whether SA would see an AIDS

epidemic in the local black population, but how extensive it would be.

It was suggested by several speakers that the migrant

labour system should be examined by, for example, the

Human Sciences Research Council, as it produced conditions conducive to the spread of AIDS.

Dr Olaf Martini of the Rand Mutual Hospital said no

prostitutes who served the miners had yet been found

positive for AIDS, but this would probably change. He

called for prostitutes to be legalised and registered to

enable the authorities to control the problem.

The Chamber of Mines' J Liebenberg said the chamber

employed more than 500,000 workers, of whom more

than 97 percent were migrants and more than 40 percent

from high-risk neighbouring countries.

He said the chamber, after tests found hundreds of

AIDS-infected workers, decided to allow the infected

workers to remain at work and receive counseling, but

not to employ any infected person in future.
JPRS-TEP-88-012

8 June 1988 AFRICA (SUB-SAHARA)

Soon afterwards government introduced legislation

which provided for repatriation, which reflected a shift

in public opinion and forced the chamber executive to

undergo a comprehensive policy review, he said.

C D Cilliers of Stellenbosch University said seven education departments, when asked, supported the idea of

schools playing a role in AIDS awareness programmes,

but only one said it was meeting this challenge. None of

the departments felt their teachers were well enough

trained at this stage.

/9604

11 AIDS Carriers in Bophuthatswana; 2 Dead

MBI41936 Johannesburg SAPA in English

1924 GMT 14 Apr 88

[Text] Mmabatho April 14 SAPA—The Bophuthatswana Department ofHealth and Social Welfare in Mmabatho today revealed that 11 people have so far been

confirmed as AIDS carriers in Bophuthatswana. At a

national conference of health advisors, Dr N.N.D. Tshibangu said two of the 11 had already died. Nine of the

reported cases are said to be in Ga-Rankuwa, while

others are in the Mmabatho and Taung districts. The

aim oftoday's conference was to share ideas on fighting

the deadly disease.

UGANDA

NRA Officers Receive AIDS Education

54000136a Kampala NEW VISION in English

19 Apr 88 p 12

[Text] NRA medical officers have been urged to spread

"the gospel according to AIDS" in all barracks, as the

only way of preventing its spread. The advice was

sounded by the Minister of State for Health, Lt Col Dr

Ronald Batta, when closing a seminar for the officers on

Friday.

He told the officers that since there was no cure for the

disease as yet, it could only be controlled by telling

people about its facts.

Reminding them that their preaching would not provide

a cure, the minster noted that the preventive efforts

would nevertheless replace fear with facts and hopelessness with hope. "Such efforts will prevent the active

spread of AIDS," he said.

The minister also reminded the officers of the patients

confidentiality, noting that tendencies to prejudice AIDS

victims had to be discarded. He said such patients were

also entitled to basic human rights and privacy and

warned that their integrity should not be discriminated

against. "They should be entitled to equal opportunities

in housing, employment and other social activities," he

said.

Observing that the army fell in the youthful category, the

minister said the special age distribution and exceptionally demanding circumstances to which they were subjected, required that an active programme be implemented to control transmission.

The seminar was organised by the AIDS Control Programme in conjunction with the Ministry of Defence.

/12232

AIDS Research Fund Launched

54000136b Kampala NEW VISION in English

19 Apr 88 p 12

[Article by Robinah Basalirwa]

[Text] The AIDS Treatment Research Fund (ATRF) has

been launched. It will support, stimulate and enhance

research in the treatment of AIDS in the country especially using herbs.

Launching the fund yesterday in Kampala Prime Minister Dr Samson Kisekka regretted that although the

complete control ofthe disease required discipline ofone

man to one woman, people had not kept to this ideal. He

donated 50,000/- to the fund.

He said the NRM government believes that the challenge

posed by the disease must be handled and discussed

openly. He appealed to Ugandan Scientists to join scientists the world over in looking for a cure.

But a cure for AIDS discovered elsewhere will be very

expensive, he observed. It will therefore add to the

country's already heavy dollar burden. "A drug discovered here would save us this problem," he added.

Kisekka said that although applied research may take a

long time to treat AIDS it should not discourage anybody.

He urged that the herbal extracts already discovered by

Ugandan doctors to bring about 4 months improvement

in AIDS patients, must be pursued to the scientific and

logical conclusion.

ATRF requires about 89.8/-million for their 5-year budget. The treasurer, Dr Yusuf Mpairwe said a vehicle will

be required for the collection of herbs from Masaka. A

piece of land would also be acquired for the growing

herbs.

The chairman Rabbi Ezekiel Mulondo said that very few

research programmes have been carried out in the country due to lack of funds.

/12232
JPRS-TEP-88-012

8 June 1988 EAST ASIA

HONG KONG

New AIDS Victim; Blood Contamination Figures

Given

54400097b Hong Kong SOUTH CHINA MORNING

POSTin English 27 Apr 88 pp 1, 2

[Article by Mary Ann Benitez]

[Excerpts] Another case of AIDS has been revealed in

Hongkong—the latest being a Chinese male—bringing

the total number of officially known cases to 13.

Health authorities said 10 patients had already died of

the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS),

which destroys the body's ability to resist disease.

The three surviving patients are all men and two are

non-Chinese.

AIDS continues to be a "male disease" in Hongkong, as

in most Western countries.

Except for a woman who died of AIDS last July, all the

victims have been male, many of whom were homosexuals.

And out of 105 carriers ofthe AIDS virus, who have not

developed symptoms ofthe disease, only two are women

who became infected after receiving contaminated

blood.

The latest patient, a Chinese male, had developed a

full-blown case of the disease after being found to be an

AIDS carrier in August, a medical spokesman said.

He is now undergoing treatment as an outpatient, after a

brief hospital stay.

The two other AIDS patients are under Government

care, with one of them in hospital. Both were earlier

diagnosed to have developed AIDS.

Not one ofthe three patients are being treated with AZT

or azidothymidine, the anti-AIDS drug that helps prolong survival.

The only AIDS patient to have received the drug in

Hongkong developed severe side effects last month, and

the treatment had to stop. His condition is now being

monitored to see if he can resume the AZT treatment,

which costs the Government from $60,000 to $80,000 a

year per patient.

Last month's AIDS surveillance program also detected

another male carrier of the virus, bringing to 105 the

total number of people infected by the virus.

A total of 3,378 people were tested for AIDS last month.

The head ofthe AIDS counselling and education service,

Dr Patrick Li Chung-ki, said even if many of the AIDS

patients and carriers were homosexuals, AIDS remained

a threat to the heterosexual population.

Ofthe 105 carriers, 52 are haemophiliacs, 44 are doctors'

referrals and nine were patients of venereal disease

clinics.

No bad blood was detected last month at the Hongkong

Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service among a batch of

14,183 units.

Since August 1985, the Red Cross has tested 387,381

blood donors for the AIDS antibody, out of which six

blood units have been found to be positive.

/9604

Authorities Fear Measles Outbreak, Push

Immunization

'Emergency'Campaign

54400097a Hong Kong SOUTH CHINA MORNING

POST in English 23 Apr 88 p 1

[Article by Mary Ann Benitez]

[Text] The Government has launched an emergency

campaign to have babies and children vaccinated against

measles as the territory faces its most serious outbreak

since 1982.

By the middle ofthe month three children had died and

1,093 had been infected, with more than 200 being

treated in the infectious ward of Princess Margaret

Hospital.

In 1982, five deaths were recorded and 1,863 people

were infected.

The Medical and Health Department yesterday urged

parents to bring their young children forward for vaccination, which will be free for children from 6 months to

5 years old. Previously babies had to be a year old before

they could receive free vaccinations.

None ofthe three children who had died—aged one, four

and 13—had been vaccinated.

The department said the outbreak could have started

from non-vaccinated individuals because about 20 percent of babies—or 20,000 babies each year—are not

vaccinated despite the mass immunisation program

begun in 1967.

This large pool of non-immunised children, whose numbers had grown over the years, could have been responsible for the outbreak, the Deputy Director of the Medical and Health Services, Dr Lee Shiu-hung, said.
JPRS-TEP-88-012

8 June 1988 EAST ASIA

The department first became concerned after recording

787 measles cases between January and March, more

than four times the 1987 figures.

The special arrangements are being made in order to

inoculate as many children as possible to prevent further

spread of the disease, recognisable by red rashes on the

body and face immediately after a bout of high fever.

Measles is a common childhood communicable disease,

and normally occurs in early spring.

Free vaccines will be available today at Tang Shiu Kin

Hospital, Yau Ma Tei Jockey Club Clinic, Kwun Tong

Jockey Club Clinic, Lady Trench Polyclinic and Lek

Yuen Health Centre for children aged between 6 months

and 14 years.

Children who were vaccinated before they were one year

old are advised to receive a booster.

The measles outbreak, which has been largely contained

by the immunisation programs, comes on the heels of a

hepatitis A outbreak which health authorities said were

due mostly to people eating contaminated shellfish.

By 16 April, out of 1,680 viral hepatitis cases, 745 were

confirmed hepatitis A.

Although the inoculation is not 100 percent effective,

children who catch measles will only suffer a mild dose.

Macau health authorities have also urged parents to have

their children vaccinated.

Dispute Over Vaccination Levels

54400097a Hong Kong SOUTH CHINA MORNING

POST in English 28 Apr 88 p 3

[Article by Mary Ann Benitez]

[Text] Doctors have disputed Government claims that

only about 80 percent of babies are being vaccinated

each year against measles.

The doctors said the vaccination program was more

widely accepted than what Government figures showed,

although some parents still refused to have their children

vaccinated because of the belief that measles was a

normal part of childhood.

A lecturer in community medicine at the University of

Hongkong, Dr Linda Koo, said Government figures only

included babies immunised at family health service

clinics, and left out those babies immunised by private

doctors who were not required to report the vaccinations.

She estimated that only from 5 to 7 percent of one-yearolds were not immunised each year. Another 8 to 10

percent of babies were likely to have been immunised at

private clinics.

Dr Koo also said this year's outbreak was in line with the

measles cycle in which an upsurge in cases occurred

every 5 to 6 years.

Deputy Director of medical and Health Services, Dr Lee

Shiu-hung, had said last week that about 80 percent of

babies were immunised each year.

He said the large pool of children not vaccinated formed

over the years could have been responsible for this year's

outbreak, the first since 1982.

Up to yesterday, the number of affected children stood at

1,308. A total of 6,558 babies and children have been

inoculated since Saturday, in response to a Government

call for parents to bring their babies for free measles

vaccine.

Dr Koo said the total number of babies vaccinated

against measles had been declining since a high of 76,000

in 1983, following an outbreak in 1982.

But this was not significant, she said, as there was also a

corresponding decrease in the number of newborns.

Figures released to the SOUTH CHINA MORNING

POST showed that from a low of 83 percent of babies

vaccinated in 1982, the figure shot up to about 93

percent over the next few years, only dipping slightly last

year at 88 percent.

This means that during the past 5 years, an average of

71,000 babies were being immunised at Government

clinics each year out of an average of 76,000 infants.

/9604

VIETNAM

Spring Rice Crop Infestations

54004316 Hanoi KHOA HOC VA DOI SONG in

Vietnamese 1 Apr 88 p 1

[Article by Duy Nghi, Vegetation Conservation Department, Ministry ofAgriculture and Food Industry: "Need

To Be Attentive to Harmful Insects and Diseases At the

End of the 5th-Month and Spring Crop"]

[Text] For several 5th-month and spring crops recently,

a number of damaging end-of-season insects and diseases has reached epidemic proportions, causing serious

damage in the northern provinces, especially Nghe Tinh,

Thanh Hoa, and the Bac Bo delta and midlands. The

culprits are brown planthoppers (Nilaparvata lugens),

rice stem borers, rice blast (Piricularia oryzae), and

Nigrospora oryzae.

From the time the 5th-month and spring rice is heading

until it is ripe there usually is a spate of brown planthoppers at the end of the season which causes serious

damage. In some places the density at this time can be
JPRS-TEP-88-012

8 June 1988 EAST ASIA

from several thousands to tens of thousands of insects

per square meter, burnt areas having the largest. In the

recent winter-spring crop, the infested area at the high

point was 300,000 to 400,000 hectares, 30 percent seriously infested. This year, despite extensive and prolonged cold, many places still have had a fairly high

density of planthoppers since the very beginning of the

season. Meanwhile, the proportion of the rice area having varieties seriously infested with brown planthoppers

(No 2 spring rice, Nong Nghiep 8, VI4, etc.) is also fairly

widespread in many provinces and, as a result, the

potential for brown planthoppers to develop into an

epidemic continues to be unavoidable.

Rice blast has appeared in very many provinces in the

Bac Bo delta and midlands and in Region 4 on 5thmonth and spring rice transplanted before Tet, and is

acute in some places. From before mid-March, prolonged murky, drizzly weather provided favorable conditions for the growth of the disease. We should be

particularly mindful that infested varieties readily suffer

serious damage if nitrogenous fertilizer is applied too

late. The disease can cause serious damage at the time of

heading on infested varieties in areas where the disease

frequently encounters murky weather under 20 degrees

Centigrade with light rain.

In years spring rice is transplanted late, second generation stem borers usually cause silver-head disease, up to

20 to 30 percent in some areas. This year late spring rice

may head around the end of May. We therefore should

pay attention to stem borers at the end of the season

when hatching with rice that is heading.

Spring rice varieties are presently unable to resist Nigrospora oryzae. This disease has become and is becoming

serious on rice and even corn and a number of other

crops. Nigrospora oryzae will cause damage from the

time rice is in boot and is most serious from the time of

heading until ripe. The disease will grow vigorously in

good fields and where nitrogenous fertilizer is applied

too late.

In addition to the four harmful insects and diseases

above, in each area we should pay particular attention to

rice bugs (Leptocorisa acuta) and green rice bugs (Nezara

viridula) which will concentrate on destruction when the

rice is heading and pollinating, making the percentage of

inferior grains increase to the highest extent, the rice

plantings heading too late.

To actively prevent and control the above dangerous

types of harmful insects and diseases from causing

damage at the end of the 5th-month and spring crop,

places should devote attention to a number of things:

1. Strengthen the network forces protecting vegetation at

the primary level, inspect and detect promptly, and

estimate and forecast the culprits, period, density and

damaged areas accurately.

2. Actively use simple, effective measures to limit harmful insects and diseases such as: bamboo weirs to catch

stem borers, nets for rice mealy bugs before the rice

heads, strip leaves suffering from Nigrospora oryzae

before spraying insecticide. Use oil to eradicate brown

planthoppers, and so on.

3. Spray all types of chemicals on pockets of harmful

insects and diseases such as: Hinosan, Fujione, Fudazol,

etc., to eradicate rice blast; Validacin to eradicate Nigrospora oryzae; Padan and Basudin to eradicate stem

borers; Bassa, metaphos, Methyc Parathion, Dipterex

Sumithion, Diazinon, Chlorofor, etc., to eradicate rice

mealy bugs; Bassa and Mipcin to eradicate brown planthoppers.

Devote attention to eradicating brown planthoppers and

rice mealy bugs when still young and in places with high

density, eradicating stem borers when they are hatching

and the rice is heading, etc.

4. Have rational and appropriate procedures and policies

for stepping up the movement to prevent and control

harmful insects and diseases, especially when it is necessary to mobilize large numbers of the masses to participate. Guide and use supplies economically and effectively. When insects and diseases are capable of

becoming epidemics, levels and localities should form

guidance committees to effectively develop and mobilize

full participation.

Protecting production and preventing and controlling

harmful insects and diseases at the end ofthis 5th-month

and spring crop are the very urgent requirement aimed at

ensuring success for the production crop and creating

favorable conditions for subsequent crops.

6915
JPRS-TEP-88-012

8 June 1988 LATIN AMERICA 10

ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA

10 Cases of AIDS Found, Half in Last 6 Months

Bridgetown BARBADOS ADVOCATE in English

27 Apr 88 p 2

[Excerpt] St John's, Antigua, Tuesday, (CANA)—Ten

AIDS cases have so far been identified in Antigua and

Barbuda—five of them between January and April this

year—according to medical doctor, Prince Ramsay.

Ramsay made the disclosure to a group ofstudents at the

Antigua State College, where he called for less sexual

promiscuity in order to prevent the spread ofthe deadly

AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) virus in

Antigua.

07310

In many ways, AIDS can have an impact on the Bahamian economy. Dr Gay said everyone owes it to the

country and themselves to be educated about the dangers

of the disease.

He urged every member of the public to put health

concerns at the top of their list of priorities.

Fifty-percent of the more than 400 persons who have

tested positive with the disease in the Bahamas since

testing began in August of 1985, may actually become

victims within the next 7 years. The other 50 percent

may never come down with AIDS, he said.

There is a strong possibility that up to 2,000 persons in

the population will test positive for the AIDS virus by

the end of the year, he said.

BAHAMAS

Minister of Health Discusses Anti-AIDS

lYIcHsurcs

54400095 Nassau THE TRIBUNE in English

25 Apr 88 p 1

[Text] Health Minister Dr Norman Gay urged all members ofthe public to give blood at the Blook bank to be

tested for the AIDS virus.

He said they should be prepared to accept the results,

whatever they might be.

Some persons who test positive for the virus may never

fall victim to the disease, but others will—possibly

within a 7-year period.

Dr Gay told a press conference Friday that 12 persons

had died from AIDS in the first quarter ofthis year and

100 persons had tested positive for the virus. Over 400

persons in the Bahamas are known to have the virus,

since testing began some 3 years ago, he said.

He said that in order to have the support of all Bahamians in the fight to avoid AIDS, "we must be able to

decide where individual liberty stops and public health

begins."

"A lot of our efforts must be in the direction of encouraging persons to develop healthy lifestyles," said Dr Gay

when asked about the most effective way to fight AIDS,

without the needed technological facilities.

He said a cure for AIDS is at least a decade away, "unless

a miracle occurs," and because ofthe changing nature of

the HIV virus, a cure might never be found. In the

absence of modern technology, "prevention" through

education is the most effective weapon, he said.

A $100,000 grant to the Ministry of Health, originating

from the World Health Organisation will be used to fuel

the fight against AIDS in the Bahamas.

One possible use of the funds will be to better train

persons to deal with those who have the virus. Dr Perry

Gomez, chairman ofthe National Committee on AIDS,

has been appointed to coordinate the project. Also

present at Friday's conference were Dr O A Duah,

immunologist at the Princess Margaret Hospital and

head of haematology and the Blood Bank; Dr Kenneth

Ofusa-Barko, and Acting Chief Medical Officer, Dr

Carlos Mulraine.

Supervisor of the Blood Bank at PMH, Mrs Norma

Allen, said that the question of confidentiality is always

observed, whenever a person comes to be tested for the

AIDS virus.

"We have always been very successful in our efforts in

this regard. We are duty bound to be strictly confidential," she said.

Confidentiality is of such importance, "that the doctor

who is running the test is unaware of who he is doing it

for," she said.

"This question is given every consideration and every

care."

Dr Barko reported that of the new 12 AIDS cases

reported this year, five were women, the remainder men.

The group was predominantly heterosexual.

/9604
JPRS-TEP-88-012

8 June 1988 11

BARBADOS

Latest Figures Released on AIDS Mortality Rate

54400096 Bridgetown BARBADOS AD VOCA TE in

English 22 Apr 88 p 1

[Text] Five people have died from the dreaded Acquired

Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) disease during

the first 3 months ofthis year, local health officials have

indicated.

As a result ofthe latest deaths during the first quarter of

the year, AIDS deaths in Barbados now stand at 39.

The health officials said that of the five reported cases,

one was a heterosexual female, one bisexual male, two

homosexual male and a male who was classified as

unknown since investigation ofthe case was not done or

incomplete. Three ofthe AIDS deaths were people in the

25-29 age group, one between 30-34 and the other

between 50-54.

It was also disclosed that five new cases of the disease

were reported during the period under review.

During the 3 month period 878 blood samples were

tested for HIV antibodies, 693 samples were collected

from blood donors and three of these were positive. Of

the other 185 samples which were collected for diagnostic purposes 18 were positive.

/9604

GRENADA

AIDS Concerns Voiced; 11 Deaths Reported

54400099 Port-of-Spain DAILY EXPRESS in English

28 Apr 88 p 19

[Text] St George's, Wednesday (CANA)—Following

official disclosure that 11 persons had so far died from

AIDS here and another five were carriers of the virus,

Grenada's leading expert on the deadly disease says the

figures are cause for concern.

Dr Bert Brathwaite, commenting on a radio programme

on Tuesday night, said Grenada's AIDS figures per

population were high when compared with those ofother

countries.

"What is also quite concerning is that we have very clear

evidence that the virus is into the heterosexual population. The more we see of the disease, the more this

becomes apparent..." he said.

He added: "... What is happening is that this virus is still

spreading in the community but it is taking a long time

before it manifests.

07310

LATIN AMERICA

TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

Caribbean Health Center Reports on AIDS

Situation

54400094 Kingston THE SUNDAY GLEANER in

English 27 Mar 88 p 1

[Text] Trinidad, 26 Mar (CANA)—Latest figures on

regional trends show that the fatal Acquired Immune

Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is growing in the under30's age group, the Caribbean Epidemiology Centre

(CAREC) here reported.

The latest trends on the killer disease's growth path in

the region were reviewed by the 14th annual council

session of CAREC which ended here on Friday.

"There are several trends...the virus seems to be affecting younger people...in the age group of 15 to 29,"

CAREC epidemiologist, Dr James Hospedales, told

reporters at the end of the session.

"(There are) more women, of course, with increasing

heterosexual transmission and more children as a result

oftransmission from mother to child," Hospedales said.

652 Cases

Answering questions on AIDS figures, Hospedales added

that the upward trend continued. Some 652 cases were

reported in the region to 31 December 1987.

At the last CAREC session on AIDS at the end of 1987,

officials noted the growing trend of heterosexual transmission of the disease. The new trend emerging at the

review of figures this week, showed that younger people

were the new target group for rapid growth of cases.

"Whether or not that is attributable to promiscuity, I

don't know," Hosepdales said.

Most in Trinidad

CAREC officials, speaking at a news conference to end

the one-week council session, were, however, unable to

give exact figures on the growth rate among young people

explaining that information on age, sex and risk factor

groups was not as fully updated as basic figures.

Figures to December were largest in Trinidad and

Tobago (231)—258 to the end oflast month—the Bahamas (176), Bermuda (71), Barbados (52), Jamaica (50),

and St Lucia (10).

Acting CAREC director, Dr David Bassett, also

explained that the new trend of AIDS being passed on

through heterosexual activity took the English, French

and Spanish speaking Caribbean further away from

American trends—where AIDS is mostly passed on
JPRS-TEP-88-012

8 June 1988 12 LATIN AMERICA

through homosexual and drug use activity—to the pattern in African states where heterosexual transmission

was emerging as the main cause.

Funding a Problem

He said that the United States and Europe were only now

beginning to show trends of heterosexual transmission.

CAREC is awaiting approval from the Trinidad and

Tobago government, which owns the land CAREC is

based on, to begin work on its U.S.$30,000 (J$ 165,000)

educational and information unit.

The unit, to be named after the late CAREC director, Dr

Peter Diggory, is to collate regional anti-AIDS education

programmes for public dissemination.

Bassett, acting since Diggory died suddenly from a heart

attack last month, said that funding—a topic again

reviewed by the CAREC council—remained a problem.

He said, however, that the AIDS epidemic had appeared

to help member countries better appreciate the role of

CAREC.

The Trinidad and Tobago Cabinet on Thursday

approved TT3.6 million dollars (one TT dollar 27.7 U.S.

cents) to bring the twin-island republic up to date on its

quota payment to CAREC, Health Minister, Dr Emmanuel Hosein told Cana Friday.

"We havc.no sort of sanction we can impose. This

would be unreasonable in a health field to deny services

to the countries which are in most need," Bassett said.

CAREC council members this week also discussed moving into research in other areas such as substance abuse,

as suggested by member governments.

Officials said that the council had considered the proposals, which are still before member governments, and

had warned that CAREC should not "overstretch" its

facilities leaving it unable to deal with its first duty of

communicable diseases.

/9604
JPRS-TEP-88-012

8 June 1988 NEAR EAST & SOUTH ASIA 13

EGYPT

Policies Changed, Concerns Voiced Over AIDS in

Alexandria

54004614 Cairo AL-SHA'B in Arabic 3 May 88 p 3

[Article by 'Amir 'Id]

[Excerpts] The Alexandria Health Affairs Directorate

has acknowledged that four cases of AIDS have been

found in the city, including a child in Bakus Quarter, a

mother and her two children in Sidi Bishr Quarter, a

young woman of 25 from Cleopatra Quarter, and a

woman of 40 in al-Wardayan Quarter.

The strange and amazing surprise is that these cases are

isolated in a safe place to protect the citizens and that

these patients move freely, thus exposing whoever comes

close to them to danger [as published]. The Alexandria

Health Directorate has kept track ofthem only to check

on the health of its own physicians.

Dr Mumtaz al-Sawi, a clinical pathology professor at

Alexandria University's School of Medicine, has said

that it has been discovered that AIDS can be transmitted

in three ways: First, by way of blood transfusions or the

transfusion of blood derivatives containing the AIDS

virus; second, the use of hypodermics or other skinpenetrating instruments contaminated with the AIDS

virus and, third, transmission from a pregnant woman to

her baby during pregnancy or in the period immediately

following delivery, as happened in the case ofthe mother

and her newborn infant from Sidi Bishr Quarter. The

fact is that the specialists in this area, especially bloodtransfusion specialists, assert that more than the four

abovementioned cases exist, and that we must keep track

of these persons and quarantine them so that we may

make sure that this new plague does not spread among

the citizens.

French Injections Contaminated With AIDS

Regarding the AIDS-contaminated hypodermics discovered in Alexandria, Dr Mustafa 'Abbas, the deputy head

ofthe Alexandria Preventive Health Affairs Directorate,

has raised the issue of the vaccines and injections

imported from France prior to 1985 and discussed the

failure to subject these imports to careful examination.

The reports have confirmed that patient (M.Dh.T) used

one ofthe imported injections, namely histaglobin injections. Based on lengthy discussions held by the local

people's council and the recommendations made by this

council, the directorate decided on 18 January 1988,

according to Dr Mustafa 'Abbas, to withdraw all histaglobin injections from all the governorate's pharmacies

and to return them to the importing company. On 21

January 1988, the Ministry of Health's Public Directorate of Pharmacies in Cairo notified us that it was

possible to permit the use of batches 545 and 521 ofthe

histaglobin injections because they had been proven to

be fit for use and free of any contamination. The

appropriate authorities were notified. Meanwhile,

NAMRO, an American naval organization [the Naval

Medical Reserch Unit of the United States in Egypt],

confirmed the presence of AIDS antibodies in the

imported vials! On the same day, the Ministry of Health

notified all health directorates in the republic of the

utmost need to withdraw all the vials from the markets.

Accordingly, Basyuni Ibrahim, a deputy from Alexandria, submitted on 16 February 1988 an urgent request

for clarification to the minister of health. In his request,

the deputy wondered about the confused decisions and

the conflicting test results and asked: How could the

results be negative in one place and positive in another?

In whose interest is this confusion? How can the state

import and distribute vials and vaccines containing

human blood from countries where AIDS exists without

carefully examining such imports to make sure that they

are free of the virus?

Drugs and AIDS

Dr Muhammad Bakir, head of the communicable diseases prevention section of the Alexandria Health

Affairs Directorate, has asserted that the disease can be

transmitted through the use of drug hypodermics. Dr

Bakir also discussed the possibility of preventing the

spread ofAIDS, even though no vaccine is available yet,

by educating people to be abstinent and to observe the

teachings ofIslam, saying that this is capable of preventing infection. He also said that an important means of

prevention is to restrict blood transfusion to essential

cases. In such cases, the blood must be tested to make

sure that it is free of the virus or of the antibodies. He

further said that women infected with AIDS must avoid

pregnancy because this poses danger to their lives and

because infants born to infected mothers have a 50

percent chance of being infected with the disease.

Mosquitoes Transmit AIDS

Dr Mumtaz al-Sawi, a professor of clinical pathology at

Alexandria University's School of Medicine, has

asserted that the disease can be spread among the

citizens by mosquitoes because they transmit blood from

one individual to another. What is dangerous is that the

virus undergoes mutations from time to time. Therefore,

all these cases must be confined to one place so that the

disease may not be spread.

Beware of Tourists

So what? So people can be protected with education

disseminated by the media about how to avoid infection

with the virus and how to avoid transmitting it to others.

The appropriate authorities must establish safe bloodtransfusion and injection processes and must not import

blood or its derivatives from any country where AIDS

exists. Sailors must be thoroughly examined and the

necessary precautions must be taken to insure that
JPRS-TEP-88-012

8 June 1988 14 NEAR EAST & SOUTH ASIA

tourists are free of AIDS. Finally, the government must

realize that Egypt is targeted by its enemies, especially

Israel. So beware and avoid suspicious people.

08494

Attempts To Stop Spread of Meningitis

54004612c Cairo AL-AHRAM AL-DUWALI in Arabic

4 May 88 p 3

[Article by Ahmad Nasr al-Din, Ahdaf al-Bandari, and

Muwaffaq Abu-al-Nil]

[Text] Egypt is now subject to fierce attacks from the

south and the west, threatening to destroy the health of

Egyptians and everything green on the map.

In this case, the border guards are of a different kind.

They do not deal with these three dangers by means of

guns and gunpowder; they deal with all ofthem by means

of prevention and treatment, before the dangers reach

Egypt and threaten the health and food of Egyptians.

The three dangers are: 1) meningitis, which has already

killed more than 1,000 citizens in the Sudan; 2) the

gambiae mosquito, which carries the most dangerous

kind of pernicious malaria, one previously unknown in

Egypt; and 3) locusts coming from the south and west,

threatening everything green on the map of Egypt.

What are the border guards now doing to save Egypt?

How are they performing their national duty on Egypt's

southern and western borders?

Border guards in Aswan are now dealing with a minute

virus that travels from sick or carrier individuals by

means of aerosol droplets from the mouth and causes the

most dangerous of fevers, meningitis, which spreads

epidemically in population concentrations.

In its first stages, the virus causes spinal meningitis. If

the virus succeeds in reaching the membrane ofthe brain

or the body's nervous system, it causes death. Latest

statistics on the Sudanese meningitis epidemic indicate

1,059 deaths through the end of this March, after the

epidemic spread in the capital, Khartoum, and in the

surrounding cities.

Medical reports indicate that Aswan Governorate is

completely clean and devoid of infection with the disease. Not a single case is to be found there, despite the

fact that Aswan receives 1,000 Sudanese citizens each

week, arriving on the steamers that operate between the

High Dam and Haifa.

Major General Qadri 'Uthman, governor of Aswan,

states that rigorous measures have been implemented to

prevent the meningitis epidemic from spreading to

Aswan. A strict system has been established atthe port of

the High Dam to subject all passengers coming from the

Sudan to full medical examination. Any Sudanese citizen not carrying a certificate of immunization against

meningitis is forbidden to enter. A medical team from

Aswan meets the Aswan-bound steamer before it crosses

the Egyptian border and examines all passengers and

crew on the steamer to make sure that all passengers

have taken doses against the disease. Cases ofthe illness

or suspicious cases appear within 48 hours. During the

last 2 months, only three suspicious cases were found;

they were quarantined and, following an observation

period, were allowed to enter the country after they were

found to be healthy.

6 Monkeys Put To Death

Major General Qadri 'Uthman adds: "I have issued an

order prohibiting under any circumstances the entry of

animals coming from the Sudan in the company of

passengers. In fact, six monkeys that arrived in Aswan

with passengers have been put to death." Dr Mahmud

Yasin Shalabi, director of health in Aswan Governorate,

says that a high-level medical mission will leave Aswan

in May to set up a medical camp in Haifa with the

agreement ofthe Sudanese Ministry ofHealth in order to

assist Haifa medical authorities in the detection, treatment, and follow-up of cases until they are cured. The

mission will include four fever specialists and a team of

laboratory technicians. They will be accompanied by a

steamer equipped as a preventative medical laboratory.

It will contain the most modern medical equipment,

serums, and drugs. The mission will continue work for

30 days. Furthermore, all workers at the port ofthe High

Dam have been inoculated. A medical checkpoint has

been established at the town of Daraw. All bedouins

arriving with camel caravans from the desert are being

subjected to medical examination.

In Cairo, the Ministry of Health has intensified its

measures.

Dr Salih al-Haqq, deputy minister for endemic diseases,

says that the number of cases in Egypt this year has not

exceeded several hundred for the entire country. None of

the schools in which a few cases appeared has been

closed.

Concerning the ministry's measures to protect against

the disease in Egyptian ports, Dr al-Haqq said that

special medicines are being given to people arriving from

infected areas or from areas in which the disease has a

high rate of occurrence.

Inoculation of AH Pilgrims

Dr Salah Madkur says that 1,750,000 doses have been

provided to inoculate all the groups the ministry aims at

inoculating yearly insofar as the contagion is prevalent

among them. Priority is given to inoculating first-grade

students in primary schools, all individuals who live in

closed communities—university dormitories, asylums,

prisons—central security soldiers, boarding schools, and
JPRS-TEP-88-012

8 June 1988 15 NEAR EAST & SOUTH ASIA

kindergartens. Whenever a case appears, ministry officials isolate it at the nearest fever hospital, where the

diagnosis is confirmed and the patient given appropriate

treatment.

People who have been in contact with the case, either at

home or at the work place, are quarantined. They are

given chemical prophylaxis and, if necessary, are inoculated.

The exposed individuals are then observed for 10 days to

ascertain that the disease has not spread to them. This

year, in view of the occurrence of many cases of this

disease in the Sudan, the ministry has taken certain

preventative measures involving people arriving from

the Sudan, with the aim of preventing the spread of the

contagion among them and its transmission to Egyptians

who come in contact with them.

The ministry has decided to inoculate all pilgrims this

year to protect them from this disease that spreads in

gatherings of people. There are up to 20 million pilgrims,

and most of them sleep in crowded places.

Cure Depends on Early Detection

Dr Ibrahim Farraj, director of fever hospitals, said that

whenever the disease is detected early, a cure without

complications is assured in over 90 percent of cases.

Symptoms begin with severe headache and a sharp

persistent rise in temperature, accompanied by vomiting

and faintness. This is followed by rearward contraction

ofthe neck. The body assumes a characteristic position,

accompanied by the occurrence of convulsions, particularly in children.

The disease attacks a}l ages, especially children from 5 to

10 years old. It also affects adults who live in a poorly

ventilated environment. Cases increase from November

to March, then gradually decrease.

The disease increases in a 6-year cycle. Egypt is now in

the early part ofthis cycle. As for the preparations being

made by fever hospitals to treat cases, these hospitals

(there are 90 of them in the country, with 8,000 beds,

800 resident physicians, and 500 specialists) have set

aside special rooms to receive cases. Specialists have

been instructed to be present at hospital reception rooms

throughout the day.

2-Year Immunity Per Dose

Dr Ibrahim Farraj says that an annual study of all cases

is made and the data are analyzed in order to determine

the causes for the appearance ofthe disease and to warn

citizens. Analyses are made to determine the antibiotics

most effective against the disease. These vary from year

to year, depending on the sensitivity of the prevalent

microbe. These antibiotics are produced locally. The

vaccine against the disease is imported. A single dose,

costing 3 pounds, confers immunity for 2 years.

Cases this year have increased by between 5 and 10

percent over last year.

In general, as of early April the disease began to retreat at

a rate of 5 per million.

Dr Raja' Hasan, head of the Egyptian Organization for

Antibiotics and Vaccines, explained that doses of meningitis vaccine are provided every year for school children and policemen. 150,000 doses have been provided

for pilgrims, in addition to the quantities imported each

year for private use in doctor's clinics. Any citizen can

come forward to receive an inoculation from the organization.

In a related development, the U.S. Food and Drug

Administration approved locally-produced samples for

inoculation. We are now in the process of equipping

laboratories that will begin production within 2 years.

Production will then satisfy our needs. We plan to export

vaccine to the Arab countries, especially since Egypt is

one oftwo African countries on which WHO depends to

provide the rest of the African states with vaccines and

serums.

Dr Salah Madkur, director of quarantine, said there are

several kinds of epidemic meningitis throughout the

world. They are especially prevalent in the countries of

central Africa—the "African belt." The disease is seasonal. It is prevalent in these countries from late autumn

until the coming of the summer rains. Most cases occur

in this period. This does not prevent the disease from

being found in other countries of the world, even

advanced countries such as the United States. Usually,

cases of the disease are numerous among children and

school students, and in crowded, poorly ventilated places

such as schoolrooms, military barracks, asylums, and

closed-off places.

In Egypt, sporadic individual cases usually occur during

the season of the disease's prevalence, which in Egypt

begins in late November and lasts until the end of April.

12937

Border Authorities Take Steps Against Malaria

54004612b Cairo AL-AHRAM AL-DUWAL1 in Arabic

4 May 88 p 3

[Excerpts] On the border, a blockade is now underway

against a dangerous disease that comes to us from North

Africa by way of a small insect we know well and that is

rarely absent from our houses—the mosquito. The mosquito meant here is the gambiae mosquito that causes

the pernicious disease of malaria that threatens 200

million people living in 100 countries—nearly half the

world's population.
JPRS-TEP-88-012

8 June 1988 16 NEAR EAST & SOUTH ASIA

International scientific reports confirm that there are

350 million cases of infection with the malaria parasite,

including 150 million cases ofinfection with new strains

of this dangerous parasite.

Eng Muhammad Ya'qub 'Ali, director of the Gambiae

Control Administration in Aswan says, "After the building ofthe High Dam and the formation of Lake Nasir in

Egypt and Lake Nubah in the Sudan, the huge surface of

water became a suitable environment for the mosquito

to breed. It therefore became necessary for the two

governments to monitor water courses to ensure that

mosquitos were not breeding, especially the gambiae

mosquito that causes pernicious malaria.

"We began in 1971 by forming a joint monitoring team

to conduct an epidemiological inspection and a survey of

the malaria parasite within the common borders of

Egypt and the Sudan. During its 1985 tour, the monitoring team succeeded in discovering the presence of specimens of Anopheles gambiae in all its stages within the

borders of the Sudan in the area between 'Akasha and

'Abri, about 300 km—not a great distance—from Abu

Sunbul. Also in 1985, nine specimens infected with

pernicious malaria were discovered among the passengers on the steamer coming from the Sudan. The early

discovery ofthe specimens led to their rapid control and

elimination, and to disinfection of the border area

between the two countries. The Egyptian government is

funding a project to control gambiae with insecticides

and control equipment, at an estimated yearly cost of

about 165,000 pounds. At the beginning ofJanuary each

year, monitoring trips begin in both countries to safeguard them against gambiae."

Dr Mustafa Husayn Harb, director of the Health Ministry's General Malaria Administration, says, "To

strengthen the joint effort, the first central gambiae

control unit has been opened in the tourist city of Abu

Sunbul. It has been decided to establish a center for

training in gambiae control at the eastern harbor of the

High Dam. Egypt participates by supplying the Sudan

with (Alabayt) insecticide, which kills mosquito larvae.

It is added to water at a rate of 10 cubic cm ofinsecticide

to 10 liters of water. It is nontoxic and is employed

extensively in the Sudan's Northern Province, which

uses Nile water for drinking. The drought and the

decrease in water level in Lakes Nubah and Nasir from

185 to 150 meters have led to the appearance of new

islands that are considered a suitable environment for

the parasite to breed. Monitoring expeditions are concentrating on these islands, despite the difficulty of

reaching them. In the context oflong-term control operations under study, 22 February 1988 witnessed the

opening of a modern international center in Abu Sunbul

for the control ofthe gambiae mosquito. Also, a research

ship has been built at a cost of 1 million pounds to insure

eradication of the mosquito in Lake Nasir and the

branches of the Nile extending into the Sudan."

Dr Salih al-Haqq, first deputy in the Health Ministry's

Central Administration for Endemic Diseases, began by

saying, "This center is considered the first brick in a

forward defense line on the Sudanese border. From it,

expeditions will be launched for preventative spraying

with appropriate insecticides of everyone who crosses

into Egypt from the Sudan. Inbound automobiles and

Nile steamers, along with those who arrive by these

means, will be sprayed four times per trip, to insure that

infected cases do not slip into Egypt. This will take place

at Aswan Airport, a post with buildings on Highway 40,

the High Dam port, and the land road at Abu Sunbul."

Engineer Samihah Muhammad Muhanna, head of the

entomology laboratory at the center's gambiae research

unit, says that the gambiae mosquito is the primary

vector of pernicious malaria and sleeping sickness. Without definitive treatment, an attack of the latter disease

leads to death in 48 hours. Recently, however, this kind

of treatment has become available at various fever

hospitals in Egypt. Foremost among these hospitals are

the ones in Aswan and Lower Egypt.

According to Dr Mahmud Yasin, director of public

health in Aswan, the reason why the gambiae mosquito is

so dangerous is that it stays close to homes and does not

leave them. Furthermore, it is variable in habit and can

adapt to living in any place, among various kinds of

merchandise, and in steamer cabins.

Engineer Muhammad Ya'qub 'Ali, director of the Medical-Entomological Gambiae Research Administration,

explained that effective measures to insure that the

insect never enters Egypt are required. He said, "The

most recent step to insure this became a reality only with

the implementation of the protocol for cooperation

between Egypt and the Sudan. This protocol can be

considered one of the most successful practical agreements in this area at the international level. The Egyptian side supplies advanced scientific equipment, petroleum, and insecticides. The Sudanese side provides

workers to be trained in the Egyptian center at Abu

Sunbul and conducts control operations inside the

Sudan."

Dr Salih al-Haqq continued, saying that other provisions

of the protocol set forth the most critical geographical

areas. The work area of the Egyptian-Sudanese project

begins at Wadi Haifa in the Sudan and extends south to

the Abu Fatimah area in the Northern Province of the

Sudan, for a length of 500 km. The work area is divided

into three zones of defense. The first, the red zone, is the

one most at risk. It begins from the area of 'Akasha and

extends 150 km to Wadi Haifa. The yellow zone extends

from the 'Akasha area south to the Wawa area. The green

zone extends from Wawa to the end ofthe project in the

Abu Fatimah area. Control operations take place

throughout these zones. The operations are at maximum

in the yellow zone, which is now suffering from the

epidemic. Dr Mustafa Husayn Harb, director of the

Health Ministry's Malaria and Filaria Administration,
JPRS-TEP-88-012

8 June 1988 17 NEAR EAST & SOUTH ASIA

stresses the fact that there are only three or four cases of

the disease in all of Egypt now. They have been discovered and have been treated with complete success.

If we look at implementation of the preventative program in Lake Nasir (width 10 km, length square 500 km),

the new weapon to combat possible danger is the Egyptian research ship. It cost more than 1 million pounds to

build and has been named "Uns al-Wujud" [the pleasure

of existence]. It will cover a more than 750 km expanse

of water and has been equipped with radio communication devices and a central operations room to coordinate

the two research teams—Sudanese and Egyptian. It has a

meeting room and a laboratory equipped with the most

modern scientific apparatus for prevention and treatment. It also contains what resembles a floating hotel,

with dining rooms, living quarters, and recreation rooms

suitable for a crew of 26, including doctors, agricultural

engineers, and technicians for the laboratories and monitoring operations between the High Dam port and Wadi

Haifa. Small boats have been assigned to mosquito

control operations in rough-water areas where the big

boat cannot navigate. In this way the so-called red zone,

the most endangered area, will be protected from any

unexpected attack by swarms of destructive mosquitos.

Dr Salih al-Haqq said, "The joint Egyptian-Sudanese

High Committee on Gambiae Control now meets yearly,

alternating between Khartoum, Aswan, and Cairo. At

the meeting, there is discussion of the most important

gains and losses in relation to the monitoring trips. The

two sides conduct take turns conducting these trips once

every three months, with October and November of each

year set aside for a joint monitoring trip. In addition,

requirements for the next trip are discussed and its time

is set. The length ofthe trip is about 750 km, 350 ofthem

in the Sudan, in order to protect the green zone. The

absence of any traces of the deadly mosquito from the

latter area is considered a sure material guarantee that

Egyptian territory is safe."

12937

Locust Invasion Begins

54004612a Cairo AL-AHRAM AL-DUWALI in Arabic

4 May 88 p 3

[Text] Three months ago—on 8 February, to be exact—

the Agriculture Ministry's Central Pest-Control Administration declared an emergency after the discovery of

the first of the African locust swarms advancing in the

al-Shalatayn area on the Egypt-Sudan border.

Reports confirmed that it was a small swarm, no more

than 40 square km in area, with the total weight of its

individuals amounting to only 500 tons.

If this small swarm were able to cross the desert and

reach the approximately 750,000 feddans of green agricultural land in Aswan Governorate, it would devour

them within a single week; for the red locust is notorious

for its voraciousness, and a single locust can eat its own

weight in vegetation in a day.

The border patrol therefore set out from a locust-control

base located on the border of Aswan Governorate. They

discovered that a wadi called Wadi Di'ib was the source

of the swarm. The wadi lies within Sudanese territory,

has an area of 300,000 feddans, and is planted every year

with a crop of sorghum, relying on rain water. Locusts

coming from the interior of the continent, from Eritrea

and Somalia, found this wadi a fertile pasture. They

settled there, turning the green stalks into straw in

moments. The Egyptians combatting the locusts had to

engage them on Sudanese territory to prevent them from

continuing their journey across our borders. However,

since there was no protocol with the Sudanese to regulate

eradication activities, nothing could take place. The

locust-control men stationed themselves on the border,

trapping any individual locusts that came. Locusts, however, move in the form of dense swarms, and 14 ofthese

swarms reached Egyptian territory.

Eng 'Abd-al-Mun'im al-Rawi, administrative director of

the Aswan Locust-Control Base, asks that a protocol for

locust-control cooperation with the fraternal Sudan be

signed in order to assure freedom ofmovement in locust

control and to help our Sudanese brothers through the 10

locust-control bases located in the Eastern Desert along

the Red Sea coast and up to the tourist city of Abu

Sunbul. These bases successfully eliminated 14 swarms

of the locusts by dusting with a car-mounted motor and

by hand scattering insecticide-saturated food (bran). We

used 14 tons of insecticide powder and 70 tons of the

bran.

Eng Samir Nasim, general director of locust control,

states that while control operations have in fact ended,

surveillance operations continue. There are patrols of

control personnel, along with a unified communication

network linking locust-control bases located all across

the map of the republic: Aswan, the Suez Canal, Asyut,

al-Isma'iliyah, al-'Arish, the New Valley, and Marsa

Matruh.

Dr Yasin 'Uthman, Agriculture Ministry deputy for pest

control, says that the government is showing great interest in locust control because of the catastrophic damage

locusts cause to major crops, leading to economic losses

that impact the national income and economy. A few

days ago, Dr Yusuf Wali, the minister of agriculture,

opened the remote sensing unit at the Center for Agricultural Research. The unit was constructed in cooperation with the development program of the United

Nations and FAO. Among the activities of this new

center, which is equipped with the most modern scientific instruments, is the prediction of locust swarms

before they reach the Egyptian border.
JPRS-TEP-88-012

8 June 1988 18 NEAR EAST & SOUTH ASIA

Dr Yasin 'Uthman says that FAO reports confirm that

the locust swarms that attacked Saudi Arabia are on their

way to Egypt and are expected to arrive this May.

The same reports confirm the possibility that some

locust swarms may arrive from North Africa, after

having destroyed large agricultural areas in Tunisia.

Preparations are now being made to confront the various

contingencies. The locusts coming from North Africa

may reach the New Valley or Abu Sunbul, depending on

the nature and direction ofthe winds. There is a state of

readiness to combat them.

12937

ISRAEL

Israeli Firm Debuts AIDS Rapid Detection Kit

54004506 Tel Aviv in Hebrew 19 May 88

[Article by Amnon Atad]

[TextJThe Organics Company of Yavneh intends to

export a kit for the rapid diagnosis of AIDS this year, at

a price of about 2 million dollars.

The AIDS kits are one item ofhundreds on display at the

Medics 88 exposition of medical equipment, now taking

place for the sixth time, in Jerusalem.

One hundred and sixty companies are participating in

the exposition this time, 58 of them are Israeli companies, and according to the organizers, no cancellations

were registered on account of the events in the territories.

Five hundred foreign visitors are expected to attend the

exposition; 200 of them are buyers, the remainder are

doctors in different areas ofspecialization. The number

of buyers, coming from 23 countries this year, is double

the number at the previous exposition which took place

a year and a half ago.

Data presented by the heads of the export institute

indicate that in the past year, medical equipment

exported from Israel amounted to $260 million, $50

million more than the previous year. The exports are

mainly intended for the Common Market countries and

some for the United States.

MOROCCO

Rice Growing Threatened by Disease, Pests

54004611a Rabat L'OPINION in French

20 Apr 88 pp 5,6

[By Mustapha Soulaymani: "Agronomic Research Must

Take Action"]

[Text] Moroccan rice growing is going through difficult

times. The entire sector is tormented simultaneously by

insects, disease and weeds. The research in this area has

not yet made any significant progress.

Rice is not very well established in Moroccan kitchens.

According to studies on the international level, Morocco

is the "lowest rice consumer" in the world (1 kilogram

per year), while the Chinese consume 95 kilograms per

year.

On the production level, insects, disease and weeds, the

lag in agronomic research in this area, as well as the low

rice consumption in Morocco; these three problems,

among others, prompted the Sciences Department of

Kenitra to organize the "study day on the constraints

involved in Moroccan rice growing, and current methods

of genetic improvement of rice." Participating in this

symposium were researchers, engineers and representatives of the rice-growing sector. Discussion centered on

the following topics:

—Rice growing in the the Gharb; the rice growing

industry in Morocco.

—The incidence of weeds in the ricefields.

—The problem of panicum in the Gharb ricefields.

—Rice loss due to sparrows.

—Application of the recent methods for rice improvement.

—Improvement of rice varieties in Morocco.

—Use of "in vitro" cellule cultures for rice selection, etc.

Rice growing in Morocco is dangerously subject to

insects and diseases. The agronomic research does not

seem to be sufficiently advanced to combat these problems, which affect the entire production effort.

According to the specialists in this sector and the president of the Ghar Producers Union, rice growing in the

kingdom is very fragile and receives very little training.

The main insects ravaging the ricefields are the following: Sesamia, Shille Supresalise, Oulema Orizae, Periculariose Gibberila, Helminphos Prium and Pucerous.

The damage caused by these insects is considerable and

can, if there is not a short-term solution, cause a severe

blow to the Moroccan ricefields.

For example, according to the president of the United

Union of Gharb Rice Growers, the damage caused by

Sesamia is estimated at between 3 and 5 quintals per

hectare, or almost 10 percent of the rice harvest. The

producers are unanimous in face ofthis pest, and recognize their weakness in regard to an effective means to

exterminate the ravaging insects.

Prevention and control of the harmful diseases and

insects are virtually nonexistent in the production program of rice growers. It is urgent to include the problem
JPRS-TEP-88-012

8 June 1988 19 NEAR EAST & SOUTH ASIA

ofinsects and weeds in all the research programs in order

to find out as soon as possible the risks of appearance of

Sesamiä and other insects. In order to achieve healthy

ricefields, the producers have suggested the idea of

establishing bodies for prevention and warning, and

assignment to them of competent personnel. These prevention bodies could operate in close coordination with

the agronomic research, and the latter should redouble

efforts to rapidly achieve results. The producers also

complain of the abundance of weeds in their ricefields.

The most widespread is Panicum.

Another technique for clearing the ricefields is to grow a

weeded crop such as corn or sugarbeet every 3 or 4 years.

It also advised to expand the method of chemical spraying to destroy weeds.

The combat of insects and diseases can and should be

carried out by selection of seeds every 3 or 4 years to

avoid crossing, assure quality, and lower cost price of

production. To do this, it is recommended that production of selected seed be developed. According to the

professionals in this sector, their area should be 5 percent of the total ricefields area. It is also important to

increase the number of varieties on the basis ofselection

of those that are the earliest and most resistant to

diseases and insects, and the most productive in regard

to quality.

During the last 8 years, the rice growing sector has

experienced many difficulties. The drought of 1987 dealt

a severe blow to this crop, particularly from 1982 to

1985, when the growing area was reduced to one-fifth,

from 6,000 hectares in 1980, to 5,240 in 1981, 1,000 in

1982, 2,300 in 1983, and 1,700 in 1984 and 1985.

Currently, the rice growing area has reached 8,000 hectares, with production approaching 336,000 quintals. The

average yield per hectare is around 40 quintals.

The most commonly used variety is Triumph, on 80

percent ofthe area, with Rabii 446 and Bellar on the rest.

9920

Progress in Anti-Locust Campaign Reviewed

Cool Weather Stems Locust Movement

54004611b Rabat L'OPINION in French 5 Apr 88 p 1

[By Mustapha Söulayman: "Cold and Wind Calm the

Locusts"]

[Excerpt] The wind blowing Northwest-Southeast during

the past 24 hours has tended to stem the advance of the

locusts.

Also, with the cold wave the insects stay on the ground,

a propitious time to do large-scale treatment, as long as

the visibility is good.

The weather during the past few days, marked by a

sudden drop in temperatures, enabled treatment on 3

April alone of 23,092 hectares out of 36,055 infested. On

2 April 35,005 hectares were treated out of 63,950

infested.

The antilocust combat areas are still the same, Bouarta,

Zagoura, Errachidia, Tata, Guelmine, Laayoune and

Dakhla. The insect has lost some ground in these areas in

face of continuing treatment and the combatting strategy

developed, a strategy that has earned the admiration of

the FAO specialists, who have urged the other countries

threatened by the insect to follow Morocco's example of

mobilization. In this connection, let us recall that since

the beginning ofthe anti-locust combat campaign, which

started in mid-October, and up to 3 April 1,056,105

hectares have been treated, ofthis total 851,052 hectares

since 1 January 1988.

A rumor has been circulating, sometimes assuming exaggerated dimensions, giving the impression that there are

attacks in the regions of Oujda and Agadir. After checking, it is learned that these provinces are far from the

pest. However, all danger is not removed.

Except for the passage of some insignificant swarms at

Oued Messa, no other attack has been reported in the

other regions of Agadir Province.

Long-term Eradication Effort Required

54004611b Rabat L'OPINION inFrenchS Apr 88 p 1]

[By Djamila Chekrouni: "The Combat Will Have To

Continue for 4 or 5 Years"]

[Text] More than 2,000 persons mobilized, 350 vehicles

equipped for the combat, 35 planes, and almost 5 million

centimes spent daily for pesticides. That, in short, is the

upshot of a situation that has put the entire country On a

war footing to wipe out this plague of locust invasion.

According to official statistics that the interior minister

gave us during a meeting with newsmen, the daily cost of

each hectare treated is $28, or about 200 dirhams, which

brings the expenditure for the 993,000 hectares treated

since the beginning of March to what seems an extraordinary cost: 12 billion centimes spent (9 billion coming

from national funds and 3 billion from abroad).

Expenditure this year is estimated at more than 100

billion (with a planned spending of 30 billion already by

the end of April), unfortunately requiring further huge

efforts as well as aid assistance.

Indeed, the danger is far from eliminated and the situation has not yet been mastered, since, helped by the

winds, large swarms continue to arrive.
JPRS-TEP-88-012

8 June 1988 20 NEAR EAST & SOUTH ASIA

However, one observation: the situation we are experiencing is the result of several factors, some of them

independent of human will (high rainfall which promoted egg hatching, wind), but others that one could

foresee and thus tackle.

In fact, the lack of information, in particular lack of

coordination among the various Maghreb countries, lack

offunds (the 1987 budget did not provide a "catastrophe

fund" to cover unforeseen expenses in such cases), and

absence of a strategy from the outset to combat the

phenomenon, opened the door to a rapid growth in the

"locust colony," which, according to the latest figures, is

arriving in swarms 50 kilometers long and 3 to 5 kilometers wide, constituting a terrible menace to the entire

citrus and grain region of Souss.

In addition, there is the dilemma posed by the use of

certain pesticides, for example Dieldrin, and the difficulty of access to some regions.

According to locust campaign officials, the task of combatting this enemy of agriculture could continue for

another 4 to 5 years if we want to be rid ofthem for the

next 20 or 30 years.

Locust Eradication Statistics

54004611b Rabat L'OPINION in French 26 Mar 88 p 3

[Text] Situation This Week

Between the first 2 weeks in October 1987 and 24 March

1988, Morocco has treated an area of 726,427 hectares,

and 524,774 ofthis since the beginning ofJanuary 1988.

For the day of 24 March, there were 53,136 hectares

infested and 26,920 hectares were treated. These figures

break down as follows (hectares):

Regions Total Infested Treated

Bouarfa 22,157 15,367 6,790

Errachidia 2,665 929 1,736

Zagora 13,650 8,500 5,150

Täte 17,770 16,350 1,420

Guelmin 21,774 11,990 9,784

Laayoune 1,720 — 1,720

Dakhia 320 — 320

TOTAL 80,056 53,136 26,920

Locust Eradication Statistics as of 16 April

54004611b Casablanca MAROC SOIR in French

19 Apr 88 p 2

[Text] Since the beginning ofthe antilocust campaign

until 16 April 1988, 1,325,117 hectares have beentreated, 1,123,164 hectares of these since 1 January

1988.

For the day of 16 April 1988, out of 27,373 hectares

infested, 2,876 were treated, breaking down as follows

(hectares):

Regions Flying Larvae Total Area

Bouarfa 200 — 200

Errachidia 1,120 — 1,120

Zagora 4,610 6,493 11,103

Guelmim 50 2,703 2,753

Tata — 5,650 5,650

Laayoune — 50 50

TOTAL 5,980 14,896 20,876

9920

TUNISIA

Eighty-six Test Positive for HIV Virus

54004610b Tunis LA PRESSE DE TUNISIE in French

29 Mar 88 p 8

[Text] On Saturday, at the information day organized by

the Tunisian Union of Private Practice Doctors, theminister of health announced the official figures on persons

infected with AIDS.

Nineteen persons were declared sick and 86 others

seropositive. Most of the infected individuals had contacted the virus abroad.

In particular, two individuals aged 25 caught the disease

during a visit abroad. In the opinion ofsome doctors, the

identified cases are HB positive.

We should note that seropositivity is a forewarning of

the disease. It does not show any clinical symptom. Only

serodiagnostics enables the identification.

The doctors have focused their work on means of prevention capable of halting the spread ofthe disease. The

ministry has reportedly decided to establish an information program, particularly in the youth milieu.

9920

National Vaccination Day Shows Promising

54004610a Tunis LA PRESSE DE TUNISIE in French

31 Mar 88 p 3

[Text] National Vaccination Day, organized on 27 May

in all regions of the country, lived up to expectations.

On that day, 392,094 people presented themselves to the

health organizations to request vaccination.

This number was 76 percent ofthe total turnout in 1987.
JPRS-TEP-88-012

8 June 1988 21 NEAR EAST & SOUTH ASIA

These results, in addition to being significant, prove that

the consciousness-raising conducted on a large scale

(particularly in the media) bore fruit. To be noted

furthermore is the mobilization of more than 20,000

Public Health workers and the opening of 1,300 health

centers throughout the country. Out of the 400,000

people who showed up, it is reported that 217,063 had

one or several vaccinations.

National Vaccination Day 1988 was above all marked by

a clear improvement in the proportion of antitetanus

vaccination of women. These reached 49 percent of

vaccinations this year, compared to 33 percent in 1987.

In some governorates, such as Kebili, vaccination of

women represented 81 percent of vaccinations given, or

4,997 people compared to 527 in 1987.

In Kairouan, the number ofpeople vaccinated during the

day reached 22,975, or an increase of 103 percent. At

Kasserine, the increase was even more marked, reaching

137 percent ofthat in 1987, with 20,632 people vaccinated.

Finally, one should mention the high motivation demonstrated by the health workers in all regions. They had

to stay up very late to report the results the same day.

9920

Battle Under Way Against Nationwide Locust

Infestation

Control Mechanisms Set Up

54004608 Tunis LE RENOUVEA U in French

22 Mar 88 p 7

[By Moncef Belkadi]

[Text] It was on Tuesday afternoon, 15 March, that the

first locust swarms appeared in the Tamerza-RedeyefMoulares frontier region. They came from the southern

part of Algeria, or more precisely, from the El Oued and

Tebessa districts.

As soon as they were alerted, the authorities immediately

established an imposing mechanism for defense and

treatment.

An emergency committee was established under the

direction of Mr Amor Ben Romdhane, a secretary of

state who is responsible to the minister of agricultural

foodstuff production.

This committee, with its base in the theater ofoperations

itself, in the seat ofthe governorate ofGafsa, includes, in

addition to the regional and local authorities headed by

Governor Mohamed Ben Rejeb, high-ranking Army and

National Guard officers, the regional head of the forces

oflaw and order, the regional agricultural commissioner

and representatives of the SONAPROV and Tunisavia.

This veritable clarion call to combat is supported by vast

human and technical resources, so that the battle against

the Acrididae can be pursued simultaneously on the

ground and in the air.

Gafsa and Tozeur Unharmed

It was at the 120-km marker en route to Gafsa that the

first gusts of the sandy whirlwind appeared, and in El

Fej, farther to the south, the landscape was tinted ocher,

the symbol of drought and desolation.

Until then, no trace of the scourge had been noted, at

least along the edges of the road. And even when one

entered the city and visited its oasis and the neighboring

fields, no notable damage was to be seen.

We were soon to learn the explanation, during the

briefing session held Friday by the officials ofthe emergency committee, which is meeting almost continuously.

The frightening insects had simply passed through and

gone on eastward, towards Sened, Kebili and Rejim

Maatoug.

Mezzouna Operation Successful

The happy result of Operation Mezzouna was 100 percent success, according to the colonel reporting to Secretary of State Ben Romdhane and all the others present

on the operations his unit carried out. He added that

Sened remains to be dealt with, while a helicopter was

sent on a reconnaissance mission to Rejim Maatoug.

The representative of Tunisavia explained that his

planes dispersed a number of hectoliters of insecticides

over Khabna, near Mezzouna. Other campaigns along

the mountain slopes near Sened are planned for tomorrow, Saturday.

Mr Ben Romdhane noted that no campaign can be

effective unless it is preceded by accurate information

continuously gathered. Also, all ofthe parties concerned

must immediately transmit their observations to the

operational headquarters for coordination.

The goal is to follow the slightest movement of the

locusts in order to eliminate the scourge thanks to the use

of major logistic resources and rigorous preventive measures.

The slogan is a demanding one—general mobilization

around the clock, so as to carry this unrelenting struggle

through to success, since other swarms have been

reported in the direction of Menzel Bouzayane and

Meknassy. While teams on the ground comb the areas

affected to complete the work done by the aerial units,

marker beams are put in place in the zones where the

planes are operating to facilitate their work, for efficiency depends on speed and the coordination of the

whole complex of actions being pursued.
JPRS-TEP-88-012

8 June 1988 22 NEAR EAST & SOUTH ASIA

Planes are being dispatched to Borj-El-Amri as well as

Remada to step up this campaign against the locusts. The

National Vegetable Protection Company (SONAPROV), for its part, has treated 7,100 hectares in the

Gafsa region, toward Sfax, in 3 days, and in the Skhira

strip, some 200 hectares have been treated. Also, two

planes took off from Gafsa for a lightning operation.

In Kebili, 10,000 hectares were infested, and 2,000 have

been treated, while dusters will treat the remaining 8,000

in Rejim-Maatoug Friday night. On a parallel basis,

there will be an aerial operation, and troops in Land

Rovers will undertake treatment in the areas characterized by rough terrain.

Mr Ben Romdhane explained that "According to the

information obtained from Algeria, it was from a point

30 km from the frontier, in Negrine, to be precise, that

the locusts swarmed toward Tamerza and Moulares. A

team commanded by a captain is permanently stationed

there to cut off the invasion route."

Mr Ben Romdhane went on to say that "For today,

Friday, the situation is under control, and what remains

is for us to pursue this campaign with full force and

unrelentingly.

"We must continue our thrust, and throughout this

period ofmobilization, we will hold continuous meetings

to keep abreast ofthe actions undertaken and planned in

all the places where the locusts are reported. We will

meet again tomorrow at dawn," he said at the conclusion

of his address to the officials present.

For the secretary of state is personally participating in

the operations. Mr Ben Romdhane, accompanied by

Governor Ben Rejeb, pays daily visits to the field areas

by plane and helicopter, in combat uniform, shoulder to

shoulder with all the other participants. The two officials

comb the region tirelessly, taking briefrespites, as do the

troops mobilized.

In this connection, the members of the emergency committee praised the bravery and the dedication of Lieutenant Guizani of the National Guard, who has done

particularly outstanding work in the course of this vast

campaign.

New Swarms in Metlaoui, Telepte and Ouled Mansour

According to the last report received yesterday afternoon

from the first Gafsa representative, the situation deteriorated Sunday night, particularly in Oued S'Hili, in the

Metlaoui region. Extremely dense swarms of insects

arrived in the El Oued district at 2:10 pm, and at 4 pm

they reached Nefta and Tozeur. In the middle of the

night, in an absolutely new phenomenon, since these

migrations are basically daytime occurrences, the locusts

invaded the Metlaoui region. The planes and mobile

groups on the ground immediately began a campaign

against the scourge which continued day and night.

Other campaigns have been reported in the Belkhir

district, in Ouled Mansour and in Telepte, in the governorate of Kasserine, where the swarms moved along the

Sidi Boubaker corridor.

Herders Warned About Insecticides

Tunis LA PRESSE in French 19 Mar 88 p 4

[Text] In a communique made public yesterday, the

Ministry of Agricultural Foodstuff Production informed

the livestock breeders in the southern region about the

insecticides being used in connection with the campaign

against locusts. They are urgently advised to avoid taking

their herds into the pastureland being treated until

further orders are issued.

The herdsmen can contact the veterinarians in their

localities for any supplementary information needed.

Maghreb Officials Meet

Tunis LA PRESSE in French 23 Mar 88 p 4

[Excerpts] Prime Minister Hedi Baccouche held a working session at the government palace in La Kasbah

yesterday afternoon together with ministers and other

officials from the Maghreb who are overseeing the campaigns to control locusts in their respective countries.

These officials included Minister of Agriculture Lassad

Ben Osman; Minister of Agricultural Foodstuff Production Mohamed Ghedira; Amor Ben Romdhane, secretary of state under the minister of agricultural foodstuff

production; Moussa Ahmed Aboufrioua, secretary ofthe

People's Committee for Farm Production in the Socialist

People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya; Dr Mohamed Sidna

Ould Ba, the Mauritanian minister in charge of food

safety; Noureddine Khedhra, secretary general of the

Algerian Ministry of Agriculture; and Mohamed Hajjaj,

secretary general of the Moroccan Ministry of Interior.

The representative of the FAO, as well as the Moroccan

and Mauritanian ambassadors in Tunis, also attended

this meeting. As the session began, the prime minister

noted that President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali had

ordered the convocation of this meeting of all of the

officials in the countries in the Maghreb in charge ofthe

campaign against locusts.

Prime Minister Hedi Baccouche noted that although the

effects of the locust plague have not been as serious

elsewhere as in Tunisia, all ofthe countries in the region

nonetheless need to coordinate their efforts to deal with

its future effects. He pointed out that Tunisia began

coping with the threat of this plague with its own

resources and within its own frontiers. Since it is known

that this kind of plague recognizes no boundary, and that

it is impossible to control it with a limited national

campaign/Tunisia has undertaken to develop a joint

campaign to combat the locust invasion.
JPRS-TEP-88-012

8 June 1988 23 NEAR EAST & SOUTH ASIA

The prime minister also expressed satisfaction at the fact

that as of the first day, the countries in the region were

able to draft a campaign ofstruggle. He emphasized that

it is the duty of all ofthese countries to coordinate their

efforts further, without regard to frontiers, so that this

plan will have the desired efficiency.

Mr Baccouche praised the FÄO, which is known in

Tunisia for its multiple actions. He explained that international assistance is needed, because it is in the interests of the European countries to limit the area invaded

by the locusts.

He commented that the recommendations made at the

meeting are important and should be implemented, and

the problem is not the responsibility of the technicians

alone. It will also require a general mobilization in

support of the plans for the individual nations and the

Maghreb.

Mr Moussa Ahmed Abou Frioua praised Tunisia for

organizing this meeting, and he expressed the hope that

all ofthe parties involved will put an end to this scourge,

which represents a threat to the countries of the region.

In conclusion, he voiced the hope that these meetings

can be continued to cover other sectors in which coordinated action is needed.

Mr Lassad Ben Osman had provided the prime minister

earlier with a report ofthe efforts made by the countries

of the Maghreb in the campaign against the locusts,

detailing the resources which will be utilized by each

country to halt the locust invasion and to decimate the

insects, with a view to prompt prevention of their

advance and propagation.

Finally, the minister of agriculture presented the proposals and recommendations made by the participants in

this meeting. In the course of his statement, he noted in

particular the intensive exchange of information among

the countries in the Maghreb region, their cooperation in

the meteorological sector, and the adoption of the principle of bilateral cooperation for combating this plague

in the frontier zones.

In addition, the participants recommended that all the

countries in the Maghreb region strengthen their aerial

resources and encourage direct cooperation among the

airplane enterprises themselves.

The participants in the meeting also issued a special

recommendation, urging priority international aid for

the zones where the swarms of locusts are to be found,

since they constitute a source of danger.

The participants agreed on the need to perfect a practical

plan for the Maghreb. It will be drafted by the representatives of the countries involved, and it should be

adopted during the next meeting, which is to be held in

Algiers this coming June.

New Swarms Detected

Tunis LA PRESSE in French 23 Mar 88 p 4

[By Fatma Zaghouani: "Battle Against Locusts

Launched in Kairouan"]

[Text] Numerous swarms of locusts were reported Monday evening, 21 March, in the Kairouan area, especially

in Boussari, Jhima Nord (Bouhajla district), as well as in

El Karma, Sidi Ali Ben Salem Abida, and Oued Marguellil (Ch'bika district).

Smaller swarms were also reported in the districts of

Nasrallah, Haffouz, Chrarda, El Ala and Oueslatia,

where they have damaged fruit trees in full leaf, and

more particularly, almond and olive trees.

It has been learned, moreover, that new swarms coming

from the low steppes in the Center-West invaded the

area from Serja between El Hajeb on Tuesday, 22 March.

All of the departments involved have been put on

permanent alert. An emergency committee headed by

the governor has been established, and human and

material resources have been made available for the

campaign against the locusts. A number of mobile brigades have been assigned throughout the governorate to

locate possible pockets of the insects.

In addition, since the very beginning, spraying with

HCH, the only insecticide which will eliminate these

ravaging insects, has been done, using mechanical and

manual dusting apparatus.

Finally, the arrival of reinforcements, with major

resources for controlling the damage and eliminating the

swarms, is expected momentarily.

FAO Official Speaks

Tunis LA PRESSE in French 23 Mar 88 p 4

[Article by K.B.]

[Text]The locust phenomenon is spreading, and not in

Tunisia alone. The threat is now to the entire Maghreb

region, to the point that the Tunisian, Algerian and

Mauritanian Departments of Agriculture and a top official in the Moroccan Ministry of Interior held a meeting

to discuss the problem in Tunis yesterday. Mr Brader,

the director of the FAO Emergency Center for the

Campaign Against Acrididae, was present.

In the opinion of this noted expert, the situation in the

region has become critical. "From October to March, the

insects have multiplied on a major scale in the northern

part of Mauritania and the southwestern part of Algeria.

A humid climate which is particularly favorable to the

migratory grasshopper contributed to this development,

and the existence of exceptionally lush vegetation

favored the emergence of adult locusts from the larval

state. The invasion has now affected nearly 3 million
JPRS-TEP-88-012

8 June 1988 24 NEAR EAST & SOUTH ASIA

hectares in the Mauritania-Western Sahara-Algeria triangle alone." And it is from Algeria that the swarms of

locusts invaded Morocco, and then Tunisia.

In our country, Mr Brader said, "Swarms have come in

from the east (10 ofthem, we were told at the Ministry of

Agricultural Foodstuff Production, with the explanation

that a swarm can include more than 40 million locusts).

We have already treated more than 30,000 hectares, and

it appears that the swarms have been eliminated." We

were told at this ministry, however, that the threat is not

entirely past, and the campaign is continuing.

We were informed that the damage done has been quite

limited, because the locusts have only invaded relatively

arid regions without too much vegetation. However, we

learned, the wind is carrying the swarms toward the

regions with heavy vegetation, and the regions of Zaghouan, Mateur, Beja and Cap Bon are now threatened.

A Swarm 70 Kilometers Long

Moreover, since October, some swarms have been

reported in Spain. One which was 70 km long was

reported last Friday between Malta and Libya on the

Mediterranean coast, giving the lie to the myth that

locusts die when they reach the sea. "There may also be

scattered swarms in southern Italy and Greece," Mr

Brader explained. What can the FAO do about this

plague? This international body merely serves as a link to

ensure coordination between the countries suffering

infestations and the donor nations. As a result, it was

possible for Mauritania, which had run out of supplies,

to obtain aid recently, in the form of 80,000 liters of

pesticide, from Denmark and Sweden. Thus the aid of

these countries is important if this scourge is to be

eliminated before it seriously threatens Europe.

Situation in Gafsa Reported

Tunis LA PRESSE in French 31 Mar 88 p 9

[Article by F.M.]

[Text]Gafsa—The migratory locusts have arrived.

Throughout the country, rumors are spreading, multiplying and reflecting fear.

But what do these voracious herbivores want of us, with

the prevailing drought? Speculation runs rampant, as the

popular imagination grows.

Often such an invasion is feared by those who are

ignorant of the nature and the true dimensions of the

danger it poses.

This agitated atmosphere thus reflects a fear of the

unknown and of the scourge in general.

In the central and southern parts of Tunisia, the slightly

anxious apprehension is taking on the dimensions oftrue

alarm.

Historically, it is through this zone that the migratory

locusts have threatened to invade the North.

The town of Gafsa, in particular, represents a veritable

corridor where the valleys provide a warm refuge. The

locusts deposit their eggs in its sandy lap, and then, in

enormous swarms, continue their advance to the North,

but with the certainty that they will return.

Even the least educated residents of the Center and the

South are familiar with and fear this nostalgic trek.

The two scourges which have plagued this region for a

long time now—the drought and the sirocco—have now

been joined by the locust plague, thus forming a kind of

bugbear known as "the triple S."

During the last locust invasion in 1958, it was necessary

to turn to friendly countries for aid in equipment and

personnel.

An American expert who was one ofthose who witnessed

this operation and who has now returned to participate

again in the same task made no secret of his pleased

surprise on finding that "This time, the Tunisians are

managing perfectly well in the fierce campaign against

the locusts."

At the headquarters of the regional farm development

office in Gafsa, which has become a kind of general

headquarters for the treatment operations, representative Ibrahim Amri brought us up to date on the situation.

He had before him a multitude ofmaps ofthe region and

North Africa.

"The damage is really insignificant," he said. "However,

it cannot be definitively assessed because ofthe fact that

we will have spring reproduction here." It is believed

that it will be necessary to deal with this scourge, in a

first phase, until the month of June. Then a respite is

expected, when the swarms return to the Sahara, before

coming back to Tunisia in the month of October in

search of green vegetation, during the first rains.

Originally, the locusts developed on the shores of the

Red Sea. They then chose one oftwo directions—toward

Afghanistan or Chad, proceeding then toward Mauritania and on to Algeria. This invasion Tunisia is now

experiencing followed this second route. The locusts

were drawn toward Mauritania by a tropical front.

10 March 1988

It was in Tataouine that the swarms attacked on 10

March. Earlier, they had infested a million hectares in

Mauritania, and about the same area in Algeria. They

followed two corridors—Redeyef and Oum LaarayesMetlaoui. This was on 15 March.
JPRS-TEP-88-012

8 June 1988 25 NEAR EAST & SOUTH ASIA

On the morning of 16 March, the regional authorities,

who had prepared for the attack, started out at 2 am to

undertake ground treatment, using dusters and a suitable

insecticide, HCH. At dawn, aerial equipment went to

work.

Gafsa-Nord and Gafsa-Sud were invaded.

The few pockets, which were missed in this campaign

and managed to survive for 2 days, were treated on 18

March.

On the following day, the swarms which escaped a

treatment campaign in Kebili returned to the attack. On

19 March at 6:30 pm, an oasis near El Guettar was

invaded. Work was then undertaken in the same way,

with treatment on land beginning at 2 am the following

day, while aerial equipment was launched toward dawn.

In general, we learned in the district office, it is at night

that the swarms land and settle quietly to ravage the

leaves of trees and the various crops. As soon as the sun

appears the next day, the crickets rouse themselves for

further flight. Thus the teams involved in the campaign

must act in timely fashion to prevent this destructive

flight.

The same procedure has been used, with amazing care

and vigilance, almost every day since 15 March.

Enormous Swarms

But it was on the night of 20 March that the most

grandiose campaign seen to date was launched.

It was spectacular!

At 2:30 pm, a huge swarm was reported coming from the

direction of Hezoua, Tozeur and Nefta and bound for

Oued Sehili in the environs of Gafsa.

This forecast was systematically confirmed by the

departments ofthe Army, the meteorological service and

the teams established under the direction ofthe regional

farm development office. A general mobilization began.

The specially equipped vehicles set off for the zone

targeted by the swarms. As night fell, the stridulation of

the locusts announced an attack ofthe kind most feared.

Then a deep silence settled over the valley, to be followed

by a forceful land attack. The feasting swarms were

surrounded and attacked at about 2 in the morning, first

on the periphery of the area affected and then in its

center. At 6:30 am, a further attack by air completed the

operation.

Some small pockets were left in the environs. Small

planes were used to clear them out.

Thanks to these maneuvers, the countless swarms which

would have invaded Sfax and then filtered toward the

North were eliminated. One of the members of the

American aid committee ventured a calculation of the

density ofthe locusts on the spot—he counted 1,500 per

square meter. The representative said that the official

figure given subsequently, which was 370 per square

meter, was inaccurate because of a sandy wind which

had already buried a number ofdead insects. This makes

the first figure more likely.

The attacks then became less frequent, and could easily

be dealt with, until 27 March. A new attack had been

expected, and it took place along the Kasserine road.

Treatment ensued the next day, both on the ground and

in the air.

This time there was no respite for the teams working

tirelessly to complete the various strategic phases of

prevention and to deal with the attacks with the precision and rigor required in this kind of operation.

The same day, another swarm moved toward the trap

which had already been set by the teams of men and

vehicles assigned to the area. The same procedure was

launched, with the difference that in this instance, a

single ground treatment sufficed to eliminate the swarm.

On 29 March, while we were preparing to pay a visit to

the "battlefield," the weather forecast warned of winds

favorable to a vast new attack. It was estimated that as of

that date, about 25,000 hectares infested by locusts had

been treated by aerial means and 8,000 hectares had

been treated by ground forces in the Gafsa region alone.

In these areas, the locusts were to be seen lying on the

arid and desolate ground, typical of the Sidi Boubaker

plain, on the Gafsa-Feriana road.

Our guide pointed to a yellow insect, telling us that this

was an adult locust of the Dimoumi species, ready for

breeding. The others, which were brown or reddish, were

of the Srihi species and just barely emerged from the

larval state.

In addition, Tunisia has been aided in these operations

by France, Spain, Germany and the United States.

The products used are powdered HCH, with a residual

effect which may last 3 months, as well as the liquid

products generally used in aerial treatments, in particular malathion, phinotrothion and D6.

Where the crops and pasturage are concerned, they may

have certain dangerous effects.

Only two head of livestock have been reported lost in

Gafsa. On the other hand, the consumption oflocusts by

the inhabitants of Tozeur, it is believed, has poisoned

some individuals, who were hospitalized and treated.
JPRS-TEP-88-012

8 June 1988 26 NEAR EAST & SOUTH ASIA

Generally speaking, the damage, although it has not as

yet been fully assessed, is believed to have been less than

that which Tozeur has suffered thus far, which has not

exceeded 5 percent.

Swarms Moving North

Tunis LA PRESSE in French 2 Apr 88 pp 1, 6

[Article by K.B.]

Locusts Return to Kairouan

Tunis LA PRESSE in French 31 Mar 88 p 1

[Article by F.Z.]

[Text] Last week, favorable winds chased the locusts

toward the South.

But then, beginning Tuesday, large numbers of ravaging

Acrididae again invaded the district ofNasrallah, as well

as the El Batan region, affecting an area of 1,500 hectares.

The citizens, regional officials and various farm services

mobilized by 3 am to surround the scourge (using

helicopters, sprayers, burning tires, vehicles, etc.), and it

was possible to eliminate 60 percent ofthese insects. But

some pockets still remain, and the danger has not been

permanently eliminated, particularly since the southwest

wind blowing at present is likely to bring in other

swarms.

In any case, everyone is on the alert for any recurrence.

With regard to damage, it was the almond, apricot and

olive trees which were most seriously affected.

Sfax Situation Better

Tunis LA PRESSE in French 31 Mar 88 p 9

[Article by Rafik Ben Zina]

[Text] The commission established to combat the locust

invasion in the governorate of Sfax is following the

situation on a daily basis. It seems to have improved

very definitely, thanks to speedy and energetic action by

all the parties involved. The endangered area of 20,000

hectares in the governorates of Sfax and Mahdia has now

been reduced to no more than about 2,150 hectares,

which six planes (two Italian, one French and three

Tunisian) and land vehicles are working to clear.

However, a new swarm of locusts coming directly from

Tebessa was reported in Menzel Chaker yesterday.

Moreover, FAO experts and a representative ofthe EEC

visited the governorate ofSfax on the weekend to inspect

operations in the field.

We have said that the danger has been eliminated "for

the time being" because the experts tell us that it is not

impossible that the region will be attacked again in the

coming days.

[Text] The locust invasion is continuing, and may even

last some weeks yet.

The insects were reported yesterday in Sousse, Kairouan,

Nabeul and even Ben Arous, in the southern suburbs of

Tunis. In view of the scope of the phenomenon, which

hasjustified a state of alert, the FAO is even planning to

authorize the use of more effective insecticides which

have previously been illegal.

In any case, the mobilization is general. The Ministry of

Agricultural Foodstuff Production and the meteorological service are working ceaselessly to combat this development effectively.

The invasion of Acrididae is far from over. The locusts

which have come from the direction of Tebessa in

Algerian territory and from Chott El Jerid, again through

Algeria, are now, helped by the wind, moving into the

governorates on the coast.

According to the most recent reports received from the

meteorological service, the locusts have reached Kairouan, coming from the direction of Bargou and Ain

Destou and Kesra. They were reported at 2 pm yesterday

on the boundary between the governorates of Siliana and

Kairouan.

They were also reported in Tunis, or, more precisely, in

Ben Arous, but later the wind pushed them toward

Nabeul, which they attacked, coming from Soliman.

Yesterday they continued their advance toward the coast

near Cap Bon and toward Menzel Temime.

Also yesterday, a serious locust invasion was reported in

Sousse, with the swarms coming from the direction of

Sebkhet Sidi El Heni. Large swarms are also reported in

Bouficha, Enfidha and Sidi Bou Ali.

The locusts have not, moreover, left the South. They

were reported yesterday in Medenine, where they were

seen moving up toward Ben Gherdane via Sidi Makhlouf

Ghribet.

What is the reason for such an invasion? The Ministry of

Agricultural Foodstuff Production explained that the

invasion of Acrididae, which began in March, coincided

with the reproductive season of these insects, which

extends from March to June. "We will perhaps be faced

with this problem for months yet," it was said at the

ministry. The temperature in our country during these

months (varying between 15 and 25 degrees) and the

humidity are such that the time needed for the incubated

egg to develop into an adult locust may be reduced from

65 to 10, or perhaps even fewer, days.
JPRS-TEP-88-012

8 June 1988 27 NEAR EAST & SOUTH ASIA

The FAO (the World Food Organization), in a report,

has even contemplated authorizing the use of an insecticide which is indeed more effective, but has been illegal

for a long time, in view of the extent of the danger

threatening the entire Maghreb region.

Being aware of the danger, the government has established a committee to follow the problem daily.

In addition to the headquarters established in El Aouina

to coordinate the operations in the campaign against this

phenomenon, the meteorological service, which has

offices in all the regions of the republic, has been put in

charge ofthe task oflocating and following the course of

the swarms.

Beginning this Sunday, this headquarters and the meteorological service will work closely together to increase

their efficiency.

The meteorological service, like the Ministry of Agricultural Foodstuff Production, nonetheless insists on the

need for all ofthe people to cooperate in combating this

scourge, either by reporting the passage or the presence

of locusts to the meteorological service, or by spraying

the insects with insecticides in the evening. Vigilance

must be the general rule.

Greece Contributes Insecticides

Greece has just sent Tunisia a shipment of 13.5 tons of

insecticides, 100 uniforms and 100 sprayers.

This aid comes as the Greek contribution to the campaign against migratory locusts being waged in Tunisia.

Invasion Continues, Reaches Ariana

Tunis LE TEMPS in French 5 Apr 88 p 3

[Text] (TAP)—According to information provided by

the national commission supervising the campaign

against locusts, the centers ofinfestation reported during

the course of the day on 4 April 1988 are located in the

governorates of Nabeul (400 hectares), Bizerte (200

hectares), Siliana (800 hectares), Jendouba (100 hectares), Ariana (4,000 hectares), and in particular, the

district ofMornaguia. All ofthe zones affected have been

treated to the extent ofbetween 60 and 100 percent. This

was achieved despite bad weather conditions (violent

winds) and the rough nature of the terrain.

Apart from the land resources used in the campaign

against this scourge, nine aircraft, including seven helicopters, were used in treating the affected zones.

It was learned from the commission that there have been

no new locust infiltrations, and that the swarms which

were reported in certain zones in the interior of the

country were blown away by the violent winds.

It is also reported that 3 to 4 percent of the locusts are

immature, and the breeding risk is thus minimized. The

authorities point out that treatment ofthe affected zones

should be carried out at first light, between 6 and 8:30 in

the morning.

It is recommended, moreover, that citizens wash fruits

and vegetables which have been sprayed, remove livestock from pasturage which has been treated, and mark

affected zones by signals (including smoke) which will

aid the aerial apparatus in treating the areas.

The products used in treatment, it is noted, are those

used internationally, and they have the same effect as the

products used for treating crops.

It was also learned that the chief ofstate is following the

development of these operations very closely, staying in

comstant contact with the operations room or headquarters of the national commission for the campaign in

order to ensure efficient operations in this campaign

against locusts.

The last region to fall victim to the locust invasion is

Ariana.

A large swarm coming from the Zaghouan region

invaded an area of 4,000 hectares in the governorate of

Ariana last Saturday afternoon.

The locust invasion affected an area of 2,000 hectares in

the hills and 2,000 others on the plains.

The main regions invaded by the locusts were Mornaguia, Forna, Borj Amri, Menzel Habib, Ennefidha and

Ain Essid, where there are extensive areas oftrees, truck

garden and other crops under cultivation.

The local officials were able to destroy almost all of the

locusts (90 percent), thanks to the aid provided by the

citizens and cooperatives and the coordination of all the

effort put forth.

The regional authorities, who are expecting another

major invasion in this region, have taken all the steps

necessary to enable them to deal with the possible

invasion by the migratory insects which, 3 weeks after

their appearance in certain zones in the southwestern

part ofthe country, have moved very rapidly toward the

North.

A number of measures have been adopted to deal with

the invasion.

In this connection, a National Vigilance Committee has

been appointed and entrusted with the organization and

daily direction of the combat operations in the affected

zones. A supervisory committee headed by the prime

minister was also appointed. It has been assigned the

task of checking on the situation and deciding on the

steps to be taken.
JPRS-TEP-88-012

8 June 1988 28 NEAR EAST & SOUTH ASIA

Ground equipment for combating the locusts has been

reinforced with 11 airplanes and four helicopters.

These resources, which did not suffice for the struggle,

were further strengthened with the arrival in recent days

of four airplanes, five helicopters and quantities of

insecticides provided by Greece, the United States,

France, Spain, the GDR, Saudi Arabia, Japan and Belgium. Other spraying equipment and communications

apparatus was supplied by some of these countries.

In their campaign against the locusts, the national

authorities have had the assistance ofthree foreign teams

dispatched by the United States, France and Italy.

5157

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Major Increase in Cases of Small-Pox and

Meningitis

54004505 Dubayy GULF NEWS in English

24 Apr 88 p 3

[Excerpts] The incidence ofsmall pox has been high in Al

Ain where 1,060 cases were recorded last year, a report

from the Preventive Medicine Department has said.

Compared to 1986, the number of small-pox cases

recorded last year represented a 58 percent increase, it

said.

The biggest rise was in the meningitis cases which were

only four in 1986 but increased by 41 in 1987, the report

pointed out.

After an outbreak of the disease, the medical authorities

enforced widespread immunisation programmes and

covered thousands of people.

/9604
JPRS-TEP-88-012

8 June 1988 SOVIET UNION 29

Treatment of AIDS Patients in USSR

54001019Moscow MOSKOVSKAYA PRAVDA in

Russian 21 Feb 88 p 4

[Article by I. Krasnopolskaya: "The Forecast Is Not Yet

Happy"]

[Text] I went up to the second floor and found myself in

an ordinary hospital department not notable for anything. I asked the two women in hospital gowns, whom I

met at the entrance, how to get to the office of Vadim

Valentinovich Pokrovskiy. They led me to the head of a

sector of the Central Scientific Research Laboratory of

AIDS Epidemiology and Prevention at the Central Scientific Research Institute of Epidemiology of the USSR

Ministry of Health.

Vadim Valentinovich is young. AIDS is a very complex,

new problem. Young people full of energy, not dominated by the burden of well-trodden approaches, were

selected for the sector. At the sector I saw Oleg Geraldovich Yurin, assistant at the Department of Infectious

Diseases of the Medical Stomatological Institute. He

performed an allergy test on his hands. Now he sits and

scratches them. This means that his immunity is not

lowered. Those whose immunity is lowered have no

reaction to the test. In every city and every republic, not

to mention continents, the test works differently depending on the time of the year. Therefore, it is necessary to

constantly compare patients' indicators with those of

healthy people. Consequently, laboratory workers constantly perform such tests on themselves—they, workers,

are the so-called control group. You will agree that not

everyone will go for this.

Everyone now knows about AIDS. Here, at the sector,

information on this plague of the 20th century can be

obtained firsthand. Together with Vadim Valentinovich

we go to the laboratory of enzyme immunoassay analysis. The striking black and red emblem of the World

Health Organization—"AIDS: A Worldwide Effort Will

Stop It"—is on the door. The laboratory itself does not

externally differ in anything from an ordinary laboratory. Laboratory worker Yuriy Radionov willingly shows

the results of regular research. A special instrument

"transcribes" the results and then it is possible to determine where there is a suspicion of a virus and where

there is none. In the sample, which Yuriy showed me,

there were no apparent carriers of the AIDS virus, but

there were three suspicious ones. The latter will "go" for

additional examinations.

"Here is our future brain center," Vadim Valentinovich

opens the door to the computer room, where all the

information obtained not only in the sector, but also

from the entire country, accumulates. A data bank is

being stored. It gradually becomes the most important

support in the fight against the disease.

I also wanted to get to where patients were lying. Having

heard a great deal about some kind of superisolation of

these people and nearly plague-resistant suits, in which

personnel interacted with patients, I waited to see the

"glass caps" at last.

"These people walking in the corridor in hospital clothes

are infected with AIDS," Vadim Valentinovich says.

Pokrovskiy, noting my bewilderment, began to explain

that no special isolation for carriers ofthe virus and even

for patients was needed. The virus is transmitted neither

through the air, nor through objects, nor through a

handshake.

"In our country the initial cause ofinfection is somewhat

distinctive. It differs from the foreign one—in all cases

the disease is brought from abroad. As we say, in our

country AIDS is of foreign origin."

"And how many such patients are there in our country

now?"

"There are 42 Soviet and about 300 foreign carriers of

the AIDS virus. Four patients are registered: one Soviet

and three foreigners. They are undergoing an examination at our department."

"Will all virus carriers become sick?"

"This as yet is unknown. Another thing is known: Not all

virus carriers are sick. The first signs of the disease

appear 5 or 6 and sometimes even 20 years after infection. Therefore, it is impossible to be guided by some

signs, especially as they in no way differ from the signs of

other diseases; for example, pneumonia. Only a special

examination can show whether an infection occurred or

not and whether a disease is developing or not."

Vadim Valentinovich showed photographs of the first

AIDS patient, who, as it was clarified, infected 14

people. He is 36 years old. He is now at home, receives

the necessary treatment, and is disabled. He worked as a

translator in Africa in 1982.

"How do you determine the time of discharge from the

clinic?"

"When the complete examination ends. Treatment, both

preventive and nonpreventive, can be given at home.

Pills have to be taken."

"For how long must they be taken?"

"There are no radical drugs. Therefore, so long as there

are deviations in laboratory indicators."

"But the translator is at home. Those who are not sick,

but are virus carriers, are also at home. Is this not also

fraught with the danger of a further spread of the

disease?"
JPRS-TEP-88-012

8 June 1988 30 SOVIET UNION

"Undoubtedly. Therefore, a signed statement that they

are aware of the decree dated 25 August of last year of

the USSR Supreme Soviet concerning criminal responsibility for infection with the AIDS virus is taken from

them."

AIDS is a problem greatly exceeding the limits of pure

medicine. Remember the WHO slogan—"AIDS: A

Worldwide Effort Will Stop It." A worldwide effort!

When everyone realizes the full danger of the illness.

However, there are also other problems here.

A spacious ward for six people. I talked with its four

inhabitants for a long time. One ofthem is from Moscow

and the rest are new arrivals. It is not customary to

inquire about family names and other questionnaire data

here. The people are young. Quite young. One of them,

not from Moscow, complains: it was discovered that he

was a virus carrier and he had to leave his job. Another,

also not from Moscow, shows a medical certificate

indicating the diagnosis openly.

Later Vadim Valentinovich told me that two out of the

four were not virus carriers at all—a mistake was made

in the localities. Such mistakes are more than enough.

As yet there is no true standard of communication with

these people. In the ward they told me that at their

hospitals they saw only physicians' and nurses' eyes—

everything else was"carefully covered." Therefore, Pokrovskiy usually shows a photograph taken together with

AIDS patients to everyone.

Yes, the psychological weight is considerable. Those that

work at the sector also have to be psychologists and

educators able to relieve the "stress of AIDS."

"Is it necessary to examine everyone to the last man?"

"A general examination is not needed: A total of 30 to 40

percent of the population is absolutely not threatened.

These are people who lead a respectable way of life.

Nothing threatens them. If someone decides to test

himself, he should go to a polyclinic and undergo a blood

analysis. He will then come to us and we will give him an

answer. If a person does not want to give his family

name, he can come to us to the anonymous examination

room."

Before leaving the laboratory, I ask another question:

"What is the forecast?"

"It is not yet happy. The number of virus carriers and,

consequently, of possible patients is growing. As I

already said, radical drugs are not yet available. Therefore, there is no basis for calm."

11439

AIDS Situation in Latvia

554001025 Riga SOVETSKAYA LATVIYA in Russian

6 Mar 88 p 3

[Interview with Chief Immunologist of the Latvian SSR

Ministry of Health by correspondent I. Geyman: "AIDS:

The Battle Continues"; date of interview not given;

Passage in boldface as published]

[Text] Three scientists from our republic recently made an

official visit to France: Deputy Director of the Microbiology Institute imeni Kirkhenshteyn V. Gribanov, academic

secretary R. Svirsk, and Chief Immunologist of the Ministry of Health A. Sochnev. Their visit was to the Louis

Pasteur Institute which is widely known as the headquarters for the struggle against the plague of our century—

AIDS. The manner in which French scientists are carrying out their offensive against acquired immune deficiency

syndrome and what new developments there have been in

this area in our own republic was the topic of an interview

given by doctor of medical sciences A. Sochnev to a

SOVETSKAYA LATVIYA correspondent.

[Question] In September oflast year, Artur Margerovich,

you and I had a detailed discussion about general problems of AIDS, its prevention, and what the AIDS situation was in Latvia at that time. But this disease has been

spreading so rapidly that considerable changes could

take place within a four to five month period. What new

developments have taken place in the interim?

[Answer] I shall begin by saying that no news is also good

news. That of course is a joke, but there is some truth

there in that as has been the case previously, we have not

found a single AIDS patient, and, just as was the case six

months ago, only two persons have been identified as

AIDS virus carriers. In order to get a better idea of how

small a figure that is, I would cite the following numbers:

in the USA there are 140 AIDS patients per one million

inhabitants. There are 39 patients per million in France

and Switzerland, and 24 per million in Denmark and the

Netherlands. There is not a single case, I repeat, in our

republic. Regarding virus carriers, there are from five to

ten million in the world.

As we can see, an epidemic is in progress and is raging

around us and, as realistic people, we understand that

sooner or later we will be dealing headlong with AIDS

and engaged in a struggle to save our people from that

disease. That is why there has been no letup or interruption in our efforts to carry out measures for the prevention of this disease in our republic. AIDS is putting our

preventive forces to the utmost test.

Today, we scientists of the whole world who are struggling against acquired immune deficiency syndrome, are

placing great hopes on medical education and the dissemination of information regarding preventive measures. And there is good reason for this. For example, I

noticed that after the publication of our discussion last
JPRS-TEP-88-012

8 June 1988 31 SOVIET UNION

year more people starting coming to our anonymous

laboratories seeking to have their blood checked. Once

again as a reminder, that telephone number is 61-36-06.

Educational efforts in our republic are far from being

developed at the level reached in many other countries,

but we have recently started to become more active.

Recommended methods for preventing AIDS have been

submitted for publication and will be made in a sufficiently large circulation so that they will reach every

practicing physician. The Medical Education Home has

put out a reminder-pamphlet aimed at the population. In

addition, there have been several television programs

and one topical broadcast on the subject.

With respect to practical measures, at the end oflast year

we obtained additional instruments to compute positive

AIDS responses. Earlier, all analyses were carried out at

the Republic Center for Immunological Research where

people were working many shifts. The laboratories have

now been divided into republic regions and have provided with all the necessary equipment and diagnostic

instrumentation. At present every batch of blood is

checked out in two laboratories. Not a single transfusion

is performed without that kind of analysis. All persons

included in the so-called risk group undergo an obligatory blood examination in two other laboratories. I shall

not enumerate those risk groups—they are well known. I

shall only say that all pregnant women (in the last year

alone there were about 40,000 such persons) must

undergo obligatory blood examinations.

[Question] And now it would be interesting to know how

this matter is being handled in France, particularly at the

Pasteur Institute which is engaged in the very forefront

of the battle against AIDS...

[Answer] The Institute is located in Paris not far from

the Latin Quarter. The Institute comprises a complex of

"aged" buildings. They are not tall buildings, but their

fame goes well beyond France's borders. Surprisingly,

the people work there in extremely cramped quarters.

The laboratories are crowded and the corridors are

clogged up.

We were able to get a rather detailed look at the work

going on in the laboratory ofLuc Montagnier. This is the

scientist who first discovered the virus that causes

acquired immune deficiency syndrome. His laboratory

recently obtained a packet of new diagnostic aids which

can be used for more effective determinations of AIDS-1

and AIDS-2. Scientists are striving to shorten the period

between the time a person becomes infected by this

disease and the time he is examined by specialists. Not

so long ago one could not determine whether a person

was ill or not even several weeks after contact. Now,

thanks to the discoveries made in this laboratory, early

diagnosis can now allow the differentiated treatment of

various stages of the disease.

The French professor looks at the problem rather optimistically. He believes it is a long way before the battle

again st AIDS can be won, although this disease is less of

a problem than cancer. "The etiological agent is known

and it has been isolated so that know who the enemy is,"

maintained Montagnier, "and this will allow us to aim

our sights at the enemy and find the weapon to conquer

him."

Our visit with Dr. Sinsonetti was instructive. He is head

ofthe prestigious frequently visited out-patient research

laboratory. One can appreciate the feelings of his

patients. The fame of the Pasteur Institute has laid the

foundation for maintaining a high level of diagnostic

procedures.

The number of patient visits here is greater than in our

republic. The people here are not afraid of physicians

and are not hindered by a psychological barrier. As is the

case in our country, all donor blood is checked and all

persons engaged in prostitution are subject to examination. French scientists believe that the uncontrolled risk

group of drug addicts constitutes the greatest danger.

Professor Luc Montagnier believes that Europe, and

particularly France, is three to five years behind the USA

in the development of AIDS. The number of AIDS

victims in the USA has not been diminishing, but in fact

the epidemic is growing. Consequently, one should

expect the biggest outbreak of AIDS to take place in

Europe during the years 1990-91. We too should keep

that date in mind and get ready for it.

As I already have said, in view of the absence of an

effective drug against this disease, scientists attribute

considerable significance to dissemination of information. In that connection a thorough study is being made

of human psychology and social behavior. A special

information dissemination group has been organized

which will be able to have subtle effects on human reason

and emotions. Professor Montagnier is publishing a

special colorful and richly illustrated magazine which

deals with AIDS prevention which discusses and

explains all problems that are associated with this disease. A video film has been produced so that discussions

about AIDS can be seen on the television screen by small

audiences or in the family circle, and by children.

The Pasteur Institute has its own clinics which are

financed both by the state and by private persons. The

clinics have several AIDS departments which contain

single bed wards. Those wards permanently house

patients with pronounced immune deficiency. Other

patients are kept here for supportive therapy or examination. The scientists of the Institute and clinics make

biannual reports to the public about anything that is new

regarding AIDS.

[Question] Let's now come back home from France,

Artur Margerovich. How are we handling the education

of medical personnel themselves?
JPRS-TEP-88-012

8 June 1988 32 SOVIET UNION

[Answer] Of course, our efforts are on a much smaller

scale. We are hindered by the excessive bureaucracy

which has been created over the years. But, nevertheless,

a permanent lecture course on AIDS has been introduced

at the Advanced Physicians Training Division of the

Riga Medical Institute, and we are starting to train

physicians from the periphery. That is being done within

the framework of propaganda directed toward strengthening our base in the republic's port cities and other

cities. That which we have seen in France will be a great

help to us in our efforts to activate the dissemination of

information about AIDS among the medical profession.

6289

AIDS Testing Center in Odessa

54001024 Kiev PRA VDA UKRAINY in Russian

6 Mar 88 p 6

[Article by I. S. Fuchizhi: "Barrier to AIDS." First

paragraph is PRAVDA UKRAINY introduction]

[Text] A "clinic of trust" has opened at No 38 Komsomolskiy Street in Odessa, where inhabitants of the city

and the oblast and also those passing through may be

tested for AIDS.

"One of the first laboratories for AIDS control in our

country is operating successfully in Odessa," says I. S.

Fuchizhi, chief epidemiologist of the Public Health

Department of the Oblast Executive Committee. "Here

compulsory testing is carried out on foreigners arriving

in the USSR for extended periods oftime, Soviet citizens

who have been abroad for longer than a month or have

contact with foreigners due to the nature of their work,

and also individuals having amoral lifestyles. The seventeen infected individuals [virus carriers] detected among

foreign students who were studying at higher educational

institutions [VUZes] in the city have been deported, and

a female Soviet citizen who was infected by one of the

students departed for the oblast of her residence following examination and treatment in Moscow."

"The danger of the spread of the disease exists. The

'clinic of trust' will help in detecting the disease in good

time. In contrast to similar clinics in other cities, here

examinations are conducted only on presentation of an

identity card. This makes it possible, in the case of

disease detection, to provide medical help in time and,

what is no less important, to guarantee the safety ofother

people."

New Production Line for Disposable Needles

54001026 MoscowKOMSOMOLSKAYA PRAVDA in

Russian 15 Mar 88 p 1

[Article by R. Arifdzhanov, correspondent:

against AIDS"]

'Needle

[Text] The Tyumen branch TsKPTB [not further identified] "Medoborudovaniye" has begun to manufacture

a rotary line which will make it possible to obtain up to

a thousand disposable needles per minute.

These needles are a reliable guarantee against secondary

infections, first and foremost AIDS. There is still a

catastrophic shortage of these needles. According to the

most modest estimates, no less than 4 billion per year are

required. The existing lines produce only 120 needles per

minute.

The work on the first line will be completed by the end of

the year and it will be installed at the Tyumen plant for

medical equipment.
JPRS-TEP-88-012

8 June 1988 WEST EUROPE 33

BELGIUM

AIDS Statistics, Risk Groups Pointed Out

54002470 Brussels LA LIBRE BELGIQUE in French

18 Mar 88 pi

[Article by Eric de Bellefroid]

[Text] In terms of figures, the disease is progressing

without surprises. And, it is more clearly affecting heterosexual "foreign nationals."

After last winter's enormous media offensive, marked by

the official information campaign conducted by the

Public Health Service Department, AIDS seemed to be

on the decline in recent months. As far as the public was

concerned, the press had probably reached a certain

threshold ofsaturation. If one is to measure the dangers

oftoo much information, in the sense that it would tend

both to induce futile confusion and make the phenomenon commonplace while at the same time sow panic, it is

obvious that the absence of information is not more

effective.

The half-year results of December 1987, gathered by the

Institute for Hygiene and Epidemiology, were issued

Thursday by the Department of Public Health. At first

sight, one would be tempted not to be too alarmed by

them. In absolute figures, both for those who have the

disease and those who have simply tested positive for the

virus, no noticeable evolution in terms ofthe foreseeable

course of the epidemic can be detected.

Four Infections a Day

On 31 December 1987, the number of individuals who

had the disease—that is to say individuals who had

reached the critical stage of the acquired immune deficiency syndrom—reported to the National Commission

on AIDS was 311, of whom 172 had died. During the

year 1987 80 new cases were reported.

On the other hand, the number of those who tested

positive for the virus—that is to say people who had been

infected by the virus but who did not have any symptoms—recorded by the referral centers was 2,846, or 343

new cases in 3 months and, thus, an infection rate offour

people per day. But do the reported cases, as we have

heard said, really represent only one-tenth of the virus

carriers?

Young People Also

It would seem then that the figure of 12,000 healthy

carriers would represent a good average among the

various estimates quoted for Belgium. However, it

should be noted that the first cases have been found of

young people between 15 and 19 years old who tested

positive for the virus.

The shattering revelations published early this month by

the famous American sex specialists Masters and Johnson, who, based on a sample of 800 people, estimated

that 3 million individuals in the United States had been

contaminated, were challenged enough by the most

respectable epidemiologists in the world to cause us to be

extremely cautious.

Two Lessons

Two lessons can be drawn immediately from a single

look at the epidemiological curves. The first one teaches

us that a measurable increase in the number of new cases

affects the "foreign nationals," while on the other hand

the number among foreign nationals—primarily Africans—is clearly on the decline. The second one teaches

us that the transmission of the virus solely through

heterosexual relations represents 25 percent of the foreign nationals who have the disease, whereas this figure

is only 5 percent for the surrounding countries. It is also

among heterosexuals that the annual rate of increase is

currently the highest.

Among infected foreign nationals who exposed themselves to no other risks than heterosexuality with multiple partners, two out of five reported contacts with

Africa in their case history. In fact, this factor is even

more widespread among those who have tested positive

for the virus: according to the referral centers, 50 to 80

percent ofthe carriers reported a stay in Africa or sexual

contact with people from there. It is not a question here

ofincriminating Africa, but of noting that our country is

in close contact with the most infected countries on that

continent, Zaire, Rwanda, and Burundi.

Let us leave it up to the Institute for Hygiene and

Epidemiology to conclude that "the disease tends to

propagate itself outside the groups identified as at risk at

the beginning of the epidemic, primarily homosexuals

and intra-venous drug users, to reach the heterosexuals."

8463

DENMARK

Aids Victims Infecting Others May Be Charged

With Murder

54002473a Copenhagen BERLINGSKE TIDENDE in

Danish 8 Apr 88 p 4

[Article by Carl Otto Brix]

[Text] If an AIDS carrier has sexual intercourse with a

person who himself is not infected and is unaware that

the other is infected, it can in principle be punishable as

murder according to the penal code, Justice Minister

Erik Ninn-Hansen (Conservative) said in a report to the

Folketing's Justice Committee.
JPRS-TEP-88-012

8 June 1988 34 WEST EUROPE

If it is not attempted murder but can be proved instead

that the perpetrator intended to harm the other by

infecting him or her with AIDS, the act can be covered

by the sections of the penal code that deal with severe

bodily harm or the attempt at such.

What in legal language is called criminal negligence may

also apply. This can happen if a person who is presumed

to be infected transmits the infection to a person who is

not infected. Then the paragraph on inadvertent homicide can be applied.

Finally, it may be possible to apply the paragraph in the

penal code that covers the reckless cause of immediate

danger to life and limb of others.

The justice minister said in his report that the information campaign on AIDS has given everyone such an

insight that they know that there is danger to the life and

health of others if they are infected and have sexual

intercourse.

"It is—to put it mildly—reckless if a person infected

with AIDS who knows that he or she is infected has

unprotected sexual intercourse," Ninn-Hansen said.

Such a case has not yet reached the courts, but the justice

minister said in his report that the government can

instigate proceedings.

09124

Condom Sales Actually Decline Despite AIDS

Campaign

54002473b Copenhagen BERLINGSKE TIDENDE in

Danish 3 Apr 88 p 13

[Article by Kaj Skaaning]

[Text] "We use condoms just as we use instant coffee—

now and then in unusual situations," the director of

Denmark's largest condom business said.

The massive educational campaign about the feared

disease, AIDS, has not led to an increased sale of

condoms. On the contrary. Sales show a slight falling

tendency in comparison to sales over the past 10 years.

This surprising report comes from Christian Hjorth, who

is the director of Denmark's largest condom business,

World's Best, which sells over 50 percent of all the

country's condoms.

Christian Hjorth told SAELGEREN, which is the professionaljournal for traveling salesmen, that the sales for

1987 barely reach the average for the past 10 years, and

in exact figures sales show a slight decline. Nor did the

first months of 1988, in which the AIDS campaign

culminated, show an increase in condom sales.

Christian Hjorth told SAELGEREN that there may be

several reasons why sales have not increased. One ofthe

main ones in his opinion is that using condoms is always

a strictly personal matter.

He thinks that the Danes use condoms just as they use

instant coffee—now and then in unusual situations, and

in Hjorth's opinion there have been fewer situations of

this kind since AIDS has become well known.

On the other hand, the director thinks that an increase in

the sales of condoms can be noted among very young

people, whom the educational campaign in schools and

the media have made more careful in their first sexual

experiences.

09124

Tuberculosis Spreading in Christiania 'Free City'

54002473c Copenhagen BERLINGSKE TIDENDE in

Danish 9 Apr 88 p 2

[Text] The frequency [of tuberculosis] is much greater

than in the rest of the country, but Hospital Director

Jörgen Frederiksen has confidence in the offer of treatment the community has made to the Christianians.

The frequency of tuberculosis in Christiania is much

greater than for the population as a whole. Thus between

10-20 cases of tuberculosis a year occur among the

approximately 800 inhabitants of the free city, while in

comparison, among the country's 5 million inhabitants

between 220-250 cases of tuberculosis of the lungs are

recorded.

The Socialist People's Party representative in Copenhagen's Town Council, Torben Andersen, calls this significant spreading of the disease in the free city a problem

in which Christianians have found it difficult to find

help, and he has asked the hospital director, Jörgen

Frederiksen, to give an account of how he is helping the

occupants to fight tuberculosis.

"In some cases contact with tuberculosis patients in

Christiania is difficult," Frederiksen said, "and it must

be recognized that the course oftreatment can therefore

be longer than usual."

The director said that the lung clinic at Bispebjerg

Hospital is taking control of tuberculosis in Christiania.

Twice a year an investigatory bus comes to the free city

after a preliminary announcement. It stops at the socalled Health House, and here they try to motivate as

many people as possible to be checked. In addition, all

the children in the kindergarten are checked twice a year

to see that they have all become tuberculin positive.

They also try to get former patients to encourage the

Christianians to come to be checked.
JPRS-TEP-88-012

8 June 1988 35 WEST EUROPE

The nurse from the lung clinic comes regularly to

Christiania to maintain contact with the known tuberculosis cases that are under treatment. During this time

she also tries to make contact with persons who may

have symptoms that indicate tuberculosis infection.

Jörgen Frederiksen regrets that the turnout for checkups

is not so good as one might wish, but it is only an offer.

There is no way to force people to be checked. Nevertheless, it is his impression that the great majority ofthe

cases are indeed being treated properly, but some do not

come for a checkup until the disease is at the breakingout stage.

09124

Fence Erected on Border With FRG To Halt

Cattle Disease

54002473d Copenhagen BERLINGSKE TIDENDE in

Danish 31 Mar 88 p 3

[Article by Poul Bogh: "Border Closed"]

[Text] Fear of contagious cattle disease has now forced

the minister of agriculture to fence Denmark in. Along

the border between Denmark and the FRG fences are

being erected in those areas where the border is not

naturally closed by waterways and such.

In the agricultural department rumors have been heard

from Schleswig that the department is about to establish

a Danish equivalent to the Berlin wall.

"But it is definitely no such thing. It is a very ordinary

danger fence at a height of 110 centimeters that is being

put up. It is, therefore, not reminiscent of a Berlin wall or

a Maginot Line," the head ofthe agriculture department,

Morten Blom Andersen, said.

"The fence is being erected to keep loose German cattle

out of Denmark and to assure the health of Danish

cattle. It is particularly the cattle diseases IBR and hoof

and mouth disease that we are protecting ourselves

against," Andersen said.

The agriculture department has no way to take action

against German farmers. Therefore the fence, which is

not in conflict with the rules for the internal market in

the EC.

FINLAND

Funding Cut To Force Reduction in Number of

AIDS Tests

54002485b Helsinki HELSINGIN SANOMAT in

Finnish 14 Apr 88 p 19

[Text] The AIDS Support Center may have to reduce the

administration ofAIDS tests. The National Health Institute, which up to now has borne the expenses for the

tests, stopped paying the salaries ofthe physicians doing

the testing at the beginning of March. The reason was

that the money ran out. Over a priod of one and a half

years about 2,800 tests have been administered at the

AIDS Support Center or about one-half percent of all

AIDS tests. In the tests 13 infected persons were found,

which is about six percent of all infected persons. In

comparison to tests administered elsewhere AIDS positive findings were ten times greater. The relatively large

number ofpositive findings may be explained by the fact

that tests at the support center are the only ones that can

be administered in absolute anonymity. For example, in

the health centers people are required to show their

identification cards.

According to Outi Lithen, the managing director of the

AIDS Support Center, the loss of about 200,000 markkas

in physicians' salaries will make the testing process,

which suffers from a shortage of money even at best,

more difficult.

The AIDS Support Center requested 2.5 million

markkas in support from the government for its four

million markka budget. It received one million through

the Finnish Slot Machine Association and half a million

from Parliament's Christmas gift fund. When it did not

receive the remaining million it stopped paying the

salaries of physicians administering the AIDS tests.

According to Lithen the money shortage hinders not only

the administration of the tests but also the support

center's support and research activities and the dissemination of up-to-date information to the public.

In Finland to date about 500,000 persons in all have

been tested of which 213 have been determined to be

infected with AIDS. About half of the tests were administered to blood donors. In addition tests were administered in health centers, the armed forces and for pregnant women.

On the basis oftest results the National Board of Health

estimates that the total number of infected persons in

Finland is about 500.

09124 12893
JPRS-TEP-88-012

8 June 1988 36 WEST EUROPE

Rabies Expert Views Situation in Country, Across

USSR Border

54002485a Helsinki HELSINGIN SANOMAT in

Finnish 6 May 88 p 13

[Text] "The most important thing is to know what

happens on the other side of the border," emphasized

Professor Lothar Schneider, who has studied rabies and

vaccination of wild animals.

In Europe information about the disease moves well

across borders, but nformation from the Soviet Union is,

in Schneider's opinion, insufficient. According to Schneider, it would be useful to know how close rabies

occurs to the eastern border of Finland.

"Nothing should be done in haste. It can be said with

confidence that the virus is a wild animal virus," Schneider explains. It is spread by raccoons, in addition to

foxes, once a year when the animals are young. The range

of the animals is only 30-40 kilometers per year, and

most of the animals are short-lived. An infected animal

remains in its area. Hence the disease spreads slowly

unless a dog, for example, is infected in an individual

instance.

The Finnish Situation Is Manageable

In Schneider's opinion the situation in Finland is manageable. It should be determined whether the virus

comes across the eastern border or whether individual

cases, that occur over the course of time and are scattered deep in the interior of the country, are involved.

He surmises that some animal might have travelled

farther than usual.

The rabies virus encountered in Finland is not the

European fox virus but the Arctic fox virus, Schneider

says. He thinks it is possible that the Arctic fox has

moved from the northern parts of the Soviet Union via

a long inland route to the Finnish border and across it.

Immunization Can Do More Than Shooting

Previously wild animals were shot, since there was no

other means to attempt to eradicate rabies, Schneider

says. "You cannot shoot as many animals as you can

vaccinate, however. Three-fourths can be immunized by

vaccination."

Schneider considers shooting as an alternative measure

only in small areas.

The rabies vaccine is given to the animals orally, concealed in a bait with a tempting odor. The animal thus

receives antibodies for the rest ofits life. According to a

two-year study by the College of Veterinary Medicine

raccoons require more antibodies than foxes to obtain

protection.

According to Schneider it is best to vaccinate wild

animals in the fall. It does not pay to vaccinate in April

and May, when the animal population is multiplying and

growing animals are moving around. The surviving

young animals can be reached in the fall. Severe cold

weather on the other hand may kill the odors by which

the animals are attracted to the vaccine bait.

Vaccination should be carried out both in the rabies area

and in a secondary zone. In West Germany vaccinations

have been carried out by hunters, among others. Baits

are spread thickly, Schneider says. Professor Schneider

works at the Tuebingen Virus Research Institute, which

also coordinates rabies vaccinations in Italy, Austria,

Luxembourg and France. The institute is one of WHO's

reference laboratories.

Schneider lectured at the State Veterinary Institute in

Helsinki on Thursday.

This week no new rabies cases were found in Finland.

The number ofsamples sent to the institute has declined

somewhat.

12893

FRANCE

"There is a gap in the information," Schneider says.

"The Central European fox virus and the Arctic fox virus

must have a boundary somewhere. In Leningrad? In the

Baltic countries?"

Fewer Samples of Donated Blood AIDS Positive

in 1987

54002483 Paris LE FIGARO in French 2 May 88 p 15

The State Veterinary Institute indicates that it is not

known which type of virus is involved in the rabies cases

encountered in the vicinity of Leningrad. Determining

the type of virus is difficult and can only be done by

reference laboratories affiliated with the WHO. Hence

samples should be obtained from the Soviet Union and

studied in one of those laboratories.

[Text] Regular blood donors found to be infected are

dropped from the lists, and "high-risk" new donors are

turned away.

Since August of 1985, blood transfusion centers publish

very regular reports of the thousands of AIDS tests they

run daily.
JPRS-TEP-88-012

8 June 1988 37 WEST EUROPE

The latest Weekly Epidemiological Bulletin has just

published the results for 1987. They are encouraging,

since the decline, which began in 1986, in the seropositivity rate of donated blood continued in 1987.

During the four quarters of 1987, 4,203,316 samples

were tested: 1,278 ofthem were positive. This works out

to a rate of0.30 per thousand, compared to 0.41 in 1986,

and 0.64 for the last 5 months of 1985, when AIDS

testing in blood transfusion centers began.

These are overall figures, however; a more detailed

analysis comparing regular and occasional donors

reveals notable differences. The rate observed for the

first group dropped from 0.23 per thousand during the

first quarter of 1986, to less than 0.1 per thousand at the

end of 1987.

"This drop can easily be explained," says Dr. AnneMarie Courrouce ofthe Paris Blood Transfusion Center.

"Once a regular blood donor is found to be seropositive,

he or she is obviously dropped from the list of regular

donors. We saw the same phenomenon—a reduction in

seropositive donors—with hepatitis, as soon as reliable

markers were available."

The rate among occasional donors—the many who came

to give blood once or twice at most, to benefit from free

testing—also shows a remarkable decline, dropping from

1.8 per thousand at the beginning of 1986, to 1.1 per

thousand at the end of 1987. Does this mean the prevalence of AIDS among the general population has diminished?

Free Testing

Not at all, but there are several explanations for these

changes. The first is the selection of donated blood. New

donors are first subjected to an in-depth medical interview, which seeks to uncover potential homosexuality,

IV drug addiction, time spent in Africa, a frenetic love

life . . .

When the physician has the slightest doubt, he explains

to the potential donor that, because of the donor's

membership in a "high-risk" group, he prefers not to

collect his blood.

Another, more hypothetical, explanation is that the

public is better informed on the notion ofinfection risks,

which would tend to reduce the number of potentially

exposed blood donors.

Moreover, the percentage of new seropositive donors

should drop again, now that several anonymous, free

testing centers have been opened, notably in greater

Paris, targeting the most exposed population groups.

The report of the first of these testing centers (1, rue de

Jura, in Paris' 13th district) six months after it was

opened on 23 September, 1987 by "World Physicians"

and Aides, showed an extremely high prevalence of

seropositivity: of 1,157 tests run, 100 were seropositive,

or an 8.6 percent rate. But the center recruits from a

rather special group: over half the people tested were

homosexual or bisexual (men), and a quarter were

former drug addicts.

Obviously, the greater Paris rfegion and the entire south

of France are the regions with the highest seropositivity

rates in blood samples studied by transfusion centers.

In the greater Paris region, the prevalence is 0.58, and in

Provence-Cote d-Azur 0.47, compared to 0.04 in Lower

Normandy.

Overall, however, the efforts of the centers have considerably reduced the risk of infection through blood transfusion.

09825

GREECE

Epidemic Proportions AIDS Spread Seen Unlikely

54002467 Athens IKATHIMERINI in Greek

27-28 Mar 88 p 14

[Editorial by University of Athens Professor of Hygiene

and Epidemiology Dimitris Trikhopoulos]

[Excerpts] Journalistic interest, and the public's consequent interest, in AIDS are usually activated when there

are new biologic data about the causative factor or the

disease.

Based on the present scientific coordinates of the problem, certain indications can be made concerning our

country and the existing, or desirable, focalizations of

our health policy.

1. Is an explosive spread of AIDS likely in the heterosexual population in Greece?

Probably not. Contrary to what was believed by most

special researchers in the international scientific area a

year ago, there are today converging indications that,

among heterosexuals in the developed countries of

Europe, America and Asia, the AIDS epidemic will be

relatively mild and will not take explosive dimensions.

Summing up the epidemiologic data, the distinguished

London ECONOMIST recently came to the conclusion

that "the worst fears about a (catastrophic) AIDS epidemic do not seem to be materializing."

2. Based on the above determination, is it acceptable to

relax the measures which have been taken or have been

proposed?

No. Even in our country, the danger for homosexuals

and intravenous drug users is significant, while for

heterosexuals the danger is existent, although very small.
JPRS-TEP-88-012

8 June 1988 38 WEST EUROPE

More specifically, for Greek heterosexuals, the likelihood of having intercourse with an AIDS carrier who is

not an intravenous drug user is less than 1 in 15,000 and

the probability of AIDS being transmitted after a sexual

contact with a carrier is less than 1 percent in females

and even less in men. Although the combination of the

above chances gives, as a rule, a very small probability, it

should not be overlooked that these data are by their

nature average values with significant circumstantial

deviations and that the consequences of infection may

be catastrophic from many viewpoints.

3. Have Greeks been inadequately informed about

AIDS?

Probably not. There is no doubt that there have been

mistakes (such as the focalization on the danger) but, as

a whole, both the state agencies and the press have

presented the medical and social dimensions ofthe issue

effectively and, as a rule, with soberness. The gaps which

have been ascertained in the Greek public's information

are reflective of more general problems in the organization of health education in our country which filter in

and hamper all the efforts for a many-sided and effective

health education in this sector.

4. How is the low frequency of AIDS in our country

compared to North American and Western European

epidemologic prototypes explained?

Apparently there are many reasons but they are not all

known. Although intravenous drug use is increasing

progressively in Greece, it is not so frequent as in certain

other countries and the accessibility of syringes and

needles for drug use may contribute to slowing down the

spread ofAIDS. Furthermore, it is possible that both the

distribution and behavior ofhomosexuals in our country

is different from those which have been verified in the

United States and certain other countries (for example,

an extensive overlapping of homosexuality and intravenous drug use does not appear to exist in our country). It

is, moreover, possible that the way, and rate at which,

the AIDS virus is being brought into Greece are different

from that in other countries.

5. How many AIDS carriers are there today in Greece?

Estimates fluctuate between 3,000 to 8,000. Since the

number of AIDS cases thus far in Greece has been

approximately 100 and the carriers may number from

100 times more than the cases (at the start of the

epidemic) to 10 times more (when the epidemic has

made much headway), the most probable number today,

ifthe phase ofthe epidemic and certain other factors are

taken into consideration, is about 4,000 carriers.

6. What is the priority in the preventive strategy for

confronting AIDS in our country?

Reorienting the educational campaigns so they will be

focused on high-risk groups. Today, those who are completely enlightened about the epidemologic parameters

of AIDS are the population groups which have the least

chance of contributing to spreading the virus (for example, men and women of a relatively advanced age who

are able to constantly follow the oral, television or

journalistic presentations of the issue), while, on the

other hand, there are significant gaps in the education of

population groups which may contribute in a crucial way

to spreading the epidemic. These data emerge from

research which was done by the University of Athens'

Hygiene and Epidemiology Laboratory (with coordinating responsibility of the collaborating E. Petridou Laboratory) and from the fact that, despite the systematic

educational effort on multiple levels by many agencies,

the consumption of condoms in our country has

increased minimally in the last two years (as emerges

from data collected by an assistant at the Hygiene and

Epidemiology Laboratory, Kh. Koutis).

9247

TURKEY

9-Year-Old AIDS Victim Diagnosed

54002477 Istanbul HURRIYET in Turkish

18 Mar 88 p 16

[Article by Selma Tukel: "Little Belma Has AIDS"]

[Excerpts] Nine-year-old Belma Dangul has fallen into

the clutches ofthe horrible disease ofthe century, AIDS,

and must spend her numbered days in a special dimly-lit

room at the Social Insurance Organization Okmeydani

Hospital.

A fourth-grade student, Belma is Turkey's youngest

AIDS patient. She neither knows what disease she has

nor understands its terrible consequences.

She is 13 kilograms below weight for her age and growing

thinner every day. She has not been out of bed for 3

months. Dr Munire Cam, chief ofthe Pediatric Clinic at

the hospital, explained as follows the development that

brings little Belma quickly closer to the sad, painful end:

"Little Belma suffers from Mediterranean anemia, called

thalassemia, and it was thought that she had contracted

tuberculosis also. The Istanbul Medical Faculty Pediatrics Clinic decided on bed treatment for the patient

whose illness they diagnosed as tuberculosis, because she

was having diarrhea. They sent Belma, who is covered by

insurance, to us on 2 March 1988 because repair work

was being done there. We immediately put her to bed.

She was suffering from diarrhea and also had a fungus

infection in her mouth. All ofthese symptoms reminded

us clinically ofAIDS. We ran all the tests, using the Eliza

test for AIDS in our own laboratory. We had our test

confirmed at the AIDS Center of the Microbiology
JPRS-TEP-88-012

8 June 1988 39 WEST EUROPE

Institute ofthe Istanbul Medical Faculty. A Western Blot

test was also conducted there. It was definitely AIDS. We

then informed the Istanbul Provincial Health Directorate."

Dr Munire Cam drew attention to "the patient's having

been infected by the blood she was given" and said:

"Belma has been receiving blood transfusions since she

was 2 years old. She acquired the AIDS virus from this

blood. All of the blood at the Capa Red Crescent Blood

Center, where the blood was obtained, has been subjected to the Eliza test before being given in transfusions

for more than a year. So it seems that Belma acquired the

AIDS virus before implementation of this test was

begun."

08349/09599