Keep Us Strong WikiLeaks logo

Currently released so far... 51122 / 251,287

Articles

Browse latest releases

Browse by creation date

Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Browse by classification

Community resources

courage is contagious

Viewing cable 04TELAVIV6049, AIDS STILL AT LOW LEVELS, BUT HEPATITIS C VIRUS

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
  • The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
  • The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
  • The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.

Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #04TELAVIV6049.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
04TELAVIV6049 2004-12-01 14:43 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED Embassy Tel Aviv
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS TEL AVIV 006049 
 
SIPDIS 
 
HHS FOR NIH/NIDA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KHIV TBIO SNAR SOCI ECON EAID IS ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ISRAELI SOCIETY
SUBJECT:  AIDS STILL AT LOW LEVELS, BUT HEPATITIS C VIRUS 
PREVALENT AMONG INTRAVENOUS DRUG USERS IN ISRAEL 
 
 
1. Summary:  The incidence of HIV/AIDS remains low in 
Israel, with about half of new cases from sexual 
transmission.  Most cases of infection from intravenous drug 
use are among immigrants from the former Soviet Union.  At 
the same time, the incidence of Hepatitis C is high among 
drug users, and the health care community is mobilizing to 
educate drug users and the public about that disease.  End 
Summary. 
 
AIDS Cases in Israel 
------------------------- 
2. News reports on the morning of World AIDS Day stated that 
4200 cases of AIDS have been detected in Israel, though 
there are likely twice as many additional HIV carriers. 
There have been about 300 new cases of HIV infection each 
year for the past five years.  Thirty to forty percent of 
those have been detected among the close-knit Ethiopian 
immigrant community, with infection from sexual contact. 
About half of those infected contracted the disease 
following their arrival in Israel.  The number of cases of 
infection from sexual contact between homosexual males 
jumped from 30 to 60 per year over the past three years. 
 
Related Patterns of Drug Use 
----------------------------------- 
3. There are an estimated 28,000 heroin users between the 
ages of 18 and 40.  Intravenous drug use increased in the 
1990's, and about one-fourth of heroin users are from the 
former Soviet Union (FSU).  Women comprise one-fifth of 
heroin users. The most significant predictors of HIV among 
drug users are previous foreign residence or travel abroad. 
Most drugs users with HIV are from the FSU.  The absence of 
shooting-up galleries in Israel may help explain a general 
low incidence of HIV among IV drug users.  Nonetheless, 
substance abuse specialists and AIDS researchers expect 
HIV/AIDS to increase. 
 
High Incidence of HCV Among Drug Users 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
4.  There is a high incidence of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) 
among IV drug users.  Rehabilitation treatment is offered to 
drug addicts.  There are seven methadone treatment centers 
across Israel.  Blood testing is performed for new entrants 
to treatment.  Seventy percent of new clients test positive 
for HCV. 
 
Public Less Aware of HCV Risk 
--------------------------------------- 
5.  Academics, health care providers, and government 
officials are concerned about a lack of knowledge about the 
transmission of HCV.  A workshop in Tel Aviv in October 
focused on syringe exchange and information outreach to 
decrease high-risk behaviors such as sharing of needles or 
inhalation paraphernalia, along with public education about 
modes of transmission of HCV.  Dr. Sheila Strauss of the 
National Development Research Institutes in New York 
addressed the workshop, noting that U.S. experience showed 
the importance of education, testing, and medical monitoring 
to arrest the spread of HCV. 
 
Health Care Community Mobilizing on HCV 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
6. Comment:  The Israeli public knows more about the means 
of contracting HIV than how HCV is spread.  As with 
HIV/AIDS, treatment of HCV can be considerably more 
expensive than prevention.  Israel's health care community 
is focused on mobilizing drug counselors to work with 
patients to prevent HCV and catch it early on if it has been 
contracted. 
 
CRETZ