News
CDPH Releases Updated Universal Syphilis Screening Recommendations for Pregnant Individuals
On October 30, 2024, the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) issued updated guidance for universal syphilis screening for pregnant individuals. Consistent with a recent practice advisory from ACOG, the CDPH Syndemic Infectious Disease Bureau strongly supports syphilis screening during…
IDPH Announces New Data Collection Process to Control Rise in Congenital Syphilis
In a health alert released June 13, 2024, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) announced that it has launched a new data collection process to help gather more clinical information about a troubling increase in congenital syphilis cases. A new online form will make it easier to collect…
Perinatal Syphilis Warmline Highlighted in 2024 Edition of Federal Health & Medicine
The 2024 edition of Federal Health & Medicine features two articles highlighting efforts in Illinois to combat the rise in congenital syphilis. Dr. Maura Quinlan, Women's Health Medical Advisor for IDPH, describes efforts across Illinois to improve diagnosis and treatment of syphilis (…
Perinatal Syphilis Warmline Featured on NPR's Short Wave Podcast
Illinois's new Perinatal Syphilis Warmline was recently featured on National Public Radio's (NPR) Short Wave program. You can read and listen to the audio story here.
Updated Perinatal Guidelines Released
On January 31, 2024, the Panel on Treatment of HIV During Pregnancy and Prevention of Perinatal Transmission updated the Recommendations for the Use of Antiretroviral Drugs During Pregnancy and Interventions to Reduce Perinatal HIV Transmission in the United States. Updates include those to reflect…
Announcing the new Illinois Perinatal Syphilis Warmline
The Illinois Perinatal HIV Hotline has expanded its services and announces the launch of the Illinois Perinatal Syphilis Warmline. The Warmline aims to reverse the alarming increase in rates of congenital syphilis across the state of Illinois.
Illinois Perinatal Syphilis Warmline
1-800-…
Hotline's Updated Best Practice Guidelines Now Available
The 24/7 Illinois Perinatal HIV Hotline has updated its best practice guidelines for Illinois providers. The new guidelines Best Practices: Labor & Delivery Care for Pregnant People with HIV and Care of Infants with Perinatal Exposure to HIV combine guidance for pregnant people with HIV…
HIV and Infant Feeding Webinars - Register Today!
The 24/7 Illinois Perinatal HIV Hotline and Mother and Child Alliance (MACA) are excited to announce our upcoming collaboration with Midwest AIDS Training and Education Center (MATEC) on a 2-part webinar series on HIV and infant feeding in the U.S. Prompted by the recent release of updated…
Updated Breastfeeding Guidance Discussion from HIV.gov
HIV.gov’s latest FYI video features the White House's Harold Phillips discussing the new breastfeeding guidance for people with HIV. To view the video, click here.
Change in Reporting Requirements Announced by IDPH
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has announced a change in reporting requirements for Perinatal HIV Rapid Testing Monthly Reports. As of July 1, 2022, reports are to be sent to Mother and Child Alliance (MACA), previously known as Pediatric AIDS Chicago Prevention Initiative (…
Updated Guidance for COVID-19 and People Living with HIV
The Guidelines Working Groups of the NIH Office of AIDS Research Advisory Council have released a summary of updates made to their Guidance for COVID-19 and People with HIV since the last publication of this guidance in February 2021. It includes updated recommendations for pregnant people living…
IDPH Memo: Repeat Third Trimester HIV Screening
On October 2, 2017, the Illinois Department of Public Health issued a memo regarding HB 2800 which was signed into law and amends the Perinatal HIV Prevention Act. HB2800 now mandates a repeat opt-out HIV test during the third trimester, ideally by the 36th week of pregnancy. Implementation of…
IDPH Repeat Third Trimester Testing Letter Distributed
On April 30, 2014, Dr. LaMar Hasbrouck, Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, issued a Dear Colleague letter urging hospitals and medical providers to conduct repeat 3rd trimester testing for all pregnant women throughout the state. The Hotline supports this recommendation…
FDA Approves Antibody/Antigen Test
The FDA announced on August 8th that they had approved the first rapid HIV test to simultaneously detect antibodies for HIV-1 and HIV-2 as well as the HIV-1 p24 antigen. This will allow for additional HIV detection in community settings. The Alere Determine HIV-1/2 Ag/Ab Combo test permits earlier…
Emergency Pharmacy Support Now Available
The Illinois Perinatal HIV Hotline and the Pediatric AIDS Chicago Prevention Initiative (PACPI) have partnered with Walgreen's/C&M Specialty Pharmacy to offer emergency support for the provision of pediatric HIV prophylactic medication. This support aims to ensure that all HIV-exposed…
CDC Offers Guidance on ART and Its Effects on Sexual Transmission of HIV
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have released a fact sheet regarding the effect of antiretroviral therapy (ART) on risk of sexual transmission of HIV infection and superinfection. It summarizes recent data and discusses the implications of these data to individual couples and to the…
Toddler Functionally Cured of HIV Infection
A two year-old child born with HIV infection and treated with antiretroviral drugs beginning in the first days of life no longer has detectable levels of virus using conventional testing despite not taking HIV medications for 10 months. These findings, presented at the 2013 Conference on…
FDA Approves Truvada for PrEP
The FDA released a statement that they are changing the approved uses of emtricitabine/tenofovir (brand name Truvada) to include use in prevention of HIV transmission between partners where one partner is HIV-negative and the other partner is HIV-positive. This is only to be used in high risk…
New HIV Test Approved
The FDA approved a new blood test that detects both HIV antigen and HIV antibodies. This allows, for the first time in the U.S., for the diagnosis of acute as well as chronic HIV infection.
For more information, read the FDA press release.