European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - May 23, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Sunday May 24. 1987 the stars and stripes Page 3 Many aids cases unreported official says Santa be . A the  Ber of aids cases in he United Stales has been systematically underestimated and an expanded medical definition could significantly boost the number or listed cases according to an official of the Federal centers for disease control. Or. Timothy j. Dondero chief of the surveillance and evaluation Branch of the cacs aids program said sunday that 10 to 15 percent of aids cases go  because they Are not definitively diagnosed. Diagnosis might not be made because the patient is in a Smalt Hospital without the sophisticated medical tools required Tor a Clear Cut diagnosis meeting the pre sent definition of the disease he said. Sometimes a patient has died without a diagnosis or the patient did not have a current blood test indicating he pres ence of the aids virus he said we systematically underestimate the number of cases just of the Type of Dis ease we be been calling aids All along simply As a result of the method of diag Nosis which was used Dondero said. The Council of stale and territorial epidemiologists began a four Day meet ing sunday in Santa be. Among the is sues being considered is Ait expanded definition of acquired immune deficiency syndrome which would be used to measure the spread of the deadly disease. The Atlanta based cd is seeking the health officials approval of a new definition because the existing definition adopted in 1985, is out of Date. There s been a considerable body of knowledge developed about patterns of disease which can occur following infection with the aids virus Dondero said at present to be officially diagnosed As having aids a patient must show evidence of a damaged immune system and the presence of at least one of sever aids virus at work i. The dam huh it Arvd nto n Hocti go we cow. Thi dam toll not fed both my of to. Re fid 1m a. Fewer a Manri Conr hmm Al officially recognized cancers such As Kaposi s Sarcoma or opportunistic in fee Lions such As  Corinis pneumonia. Aids is caused by a virus that can cripple the body s immune system. Leav ing victims prey to a variety of deadly infections that a Normal immune system could easily defeat. There is no known cure. The epidemiologists will discuss the new definition and will make a decision wednesday said the Council president or. Richard l. Vogt of the Vermont department of health. Vogt said state epidemiologists Are being asked for a recommendation be cause reporting the disease is a slate responsibility. He said Stales would almost certainly adopt the new definition f the Council approved it Dondro said the new definition has a four fold purpose to better track he disabling Dis eases associated with the ail s virus infection to reduce the number of cases that currently arc not definitively diagnosed As aids about 10 to 15 percent of All cases primarily through greater Reliance on blood tests to improve the testing procedure so it can More precisely detect aids a called diseases earlier to simplify the formal reporting process for doctors and states. The changes would add iwo categories of disease not now included in the definition emaciation and dementia. Emaciation also is known As a chronic wast ing syndrome when the body Withers from illness. Dementia is a deterioration of the mind. Both of these Are disabling progressive disorders which typically Lead Lairry rapidly to classical aids said Dondero. What it will mean is being Able to count these patients  Dondero said experienced doctors in areas of the country with a High Inci Dence of aids can now be sure of their diagnoses without subjecting their patients to Reco Iri mended diagnostic proce Dure simply to meet the aids Case Defi  Dondro said the sheer number of aids eases now More than 35,000 nationwide and growing rapidly will require a simplified reporting procedure. Social service officials have said the expanded definition would enable thou Sands of patients with ads a called ill Nesses to qualify for Public benefits. Vogt said epidemiologists arc concerned that he expanded definition could change the numbers so much that it will be impossible to see if there has been any Progress in fighting the epidemic. As of May 14, aids has been diag nosed in 35,518 people in the United Stales and has claimed 20,557 Livit according to the cd. The cd estimates thai the disease will strike 270,000 peo ple and will kill 179,000 by the end of 1991. Fine arts authorities have questioned the appropriateness of tile design for be holocaust memorial museum. Arts commission votes to reconsider holocaust memorial museum design Washington