The threat of a global Aids epidemic is over, say experts

[elder999]

pretty much the entire WORLD's blood supply is tested now, multiple times, so there should be no more Authur Ashe's.

Or haemophiliacs......

 

[FearlessFreep]

Missed in all this discussion I believe is the focus that if you oversell the risk of casual infection to the population at large (which Is what I believe was done, based on other articles as well), then you can more easily get funding for assistance. Right or wrong, I believe that's the case.

 

[thardey]

Missed in all this discussion I believe is the focus that if you oversell the risk of casual infection to the population at large (which Is what I believe was done, based on other articles as well), then you can more easily get funding for assistance. Right or wrong, I believe that's the case.

Indeed, the more extreme the story, the more you can get people's attention, and in the media, attention is $$$$!

Has anybody else noticed how few "middle of the road" authors there are out there? Or how often the "boring" studies get posted?

It's an old tactic: scare the people who actually care, and they will give you money, that scares the people who disagree with the finding, and they give money to people who will disagree. Media gets the $$$, and meanwhile, the poor scientists who are trying to actually figure out what to do get nothing.

 

[donna]

I suspect that there will be more rises in the AIDS problem, in the future.

HIV-1 can, and does, undergo mutation at a frightening high rate, thanks to a very error-prone reverse transcriptase that contains its DNA polymerase activity. With so many errors being generated, the DNA is constantly changing.

Due to this ever-changing threat, a cure isn't likely to be found, at least in our lifetimes, using conventional drug treatment. If I am proven wrong on this, then I will happily be eating those words.

It's not surprising, that various drug-resistant strains of HIV-1 are forming, and as they get more resistant, it falls upon the responsibility of the researchers of this world to come up with better drugs, and for people to educate themselves again.

In the meantime, though, numbers of AIDS-related deaths will continue to ebb and flow.

Out of curiousity, though, I do sometimes wonder, whether those falling numbers are due to an actual decrease in the number of infected individuals, or whether better detection methods have gotten rid of many a false positive?

I agree, It is dangerous, and irresponsible, for "Experts" to come out with statements like this, when a lot of young people are ignoring the original warnings and, in combination with binge drinking, are taking more risks with unprotected sex. Now that some "Expert" has said this they will worry even less about protecting themselves. There may even be a surge in the number of detected cases as result

 

[Archangel M]

I dont know if I buy the "lets terrorize the population so maybey they will be responsible" approach. All too often we see these media hyped "epidemic" stories. Now when some other scientist says the epidemic is over we have the "now people are going to go out and behaive irresponsibly" crowd. Only in America will a disease be able to grant a segment of society political clout.

Sometimes we all have to answer for our decisions.

 

[shesulsa]

Experts Schmexperts. Experts told me my son would never talk. If only they had been right.

 

[Big Don]

A short time ago there was a story about how the studies showing 1 in4 teens have an STF was false and manipulated. Today on the Drudge Report homepage, is a story claiming 1 in 4 adults in NYC have herpes. I'm gonna be miles ahead of the curve and call shenanigans on that one now.

 

[elder999]

A short time ago there was a story about how the studies showing 1 in4 teens have an STF was false and manipulated. Today on the Drudge Report homepage, is a story claiming 1 in 4 adults in NYC have herpes. I'm gonna be miles ahead of the curve and call shenanigans on that one now.

Might not be that far of a stretch:

More than one in five Americans-45 million people-are infected with genital herpes (Fleming, 1997).

From The CDC webpage

and, from WCBSTV in New York:

Now might be the time for New Yorkers to take advantage of the free condom campaign the city promotes. A new study by the city's Health Department found more than a quarter of adult residents are infected with the herpes virus.

According to the study, 26 percent of city residents have the virus that causes genital herpes, an incurable sexually-transmitted infection that can cause painful genital sores and can double a person's risk for HIV

 

[Twin Fist]

uh, my DOCTOR told me that over 75% of his STD patients were teenagers, and that is NOT counting HPV. he was just counting the clap, syph, herpes, and HIV

 

[jks9199]

Not very well, although it is interesting that you call gay people names.

The fact is, AIDS is not the pandemic calamity we were told it was for a quarter century. In Africa, it is, but, in the civilized world, it is pretty easy to avoid, and those who do catch it, generally have their behaviors to blame.

Did I mistakenly take the bus back to the late 19th/early 20th century? While Africa is largely 3rd World, it doesn't make them "uncivilized."

 

[Bester]

The cluelessness here amazes me.
Don, I get your message. "Aids is a choice". That's right there with your ignorant claims that being gay is a choice.

If I have unprotected sex, while choosing to not use reliable protection, and something bad happens, it is my fault.

I will give you that much.

If I am raped by an infected person who did not wear protection, that's not my choice.
If I'm a health professional who is treating someone, and I am stuck by a needle, that wasn't a choice.
If I am a pro athlete or non-pro for that matter, and blood is spilled as it is on occation, and I contact it, did I choose to become infected?

It doesn't matter if its aid. Hep is just as much out there.

A statistic I found at http://www.blurtit.com/q600291.html

The percentage of US population infected with HIV/AIDS is 0.7 per cent. There are approximately more than a million people in the United States suffering from the disease. Studies and research has shown that the reasons behind infection in the United States are primarily same sex male couples, heterosexual sex and the intravenous use of drugs by sharing between users. Of these three a major chunk of infections originates from sex between gay men. It is believed that nearly thirty five to forty thousand people get infected in America every year. Another discrepancy seen is that the major chunks of infected people are of African Americans descent. There is an advantage that people in western countries enjoy over those in the third world in relation to AIDS and that is access to medicine and medical facilities.

Now I'll move on to another ignorance riddled thread here while the African aspect is played with some more by the closet bigots here.

 

[Twin Fist]

If I am raped by an infected person who did not wear protection, that's not my choice.
If I'm a health professional who is treating someone, and I am stuck by a needle, that wasn't a choice.
If I am a pro athlete or non-pro for that matter, and blood is spilled as it is on occation, and I contact it, did I choose to become infected?

I think the point Bester, is the the scenarios you just outlined? they are the vast overwhelming MINORITY of HIV infections

the majority of HIV infections, at least in America are from people doing dumb things that they ought to know better than to do.

JKS,
I would say that now, with the colonial powers gone, africa is the exact same as it was 200 years ago, but with guns instead of spears. Tribal warfare, ethnic cleansing, all the old evils are back, with a vengence.

 

[Bester]

My point is, they still happen, and still count. If I get infected through accidental contact, then later infect someone else, again accidentally, it's still 3 infected people.

 

[Twin Fist]

everyone that engages in internet debate needs to remember the "great unspoken rule":

"There is no ALL, it is a given, therefore I will NOT feel obligated to add "some", "many", or "most" since no matter what i say, you ought to know I dont mean ALL"

 

[Bester]

Did I mistakenly take the bus back to the late 19th/early 20th century? While Africa is largely 3rd World, it doesn't make them "uncivilized."

To the bigots here, it does.

 

[jks9199]

JKS,
I would say that now, with the colonial powers gone, africa is the exact same as it was 200 years ago, but with guns instead of spears. Tribal warfare, ethnic cleansing, all the old evils are back, with a vengence.

If that's your measure... Civilization is a mighty rare thing, I suppose, since those same evils happen pretty much everywhere except Antarctica. And, yes, I am including the USA in that. We're a little nicer about it -- but there's plenty of tribal warfare, and folks who'd advocate or turn a blind eye to ethnic cleansing here, too. Fortunately, the majority of us and our government do a reasonably good job of protecting us from that sort of thing.

 

[Twin Fist]

To the bigots here, it does.

hold the phone

i call africa uncivilized. ALL THE TIME

it aint cuz of color either

look at thier BEHAVIOR

SORRY
off tangeant, back on track, dang, that BuSh sure is evil isnt he?

:wink2:

 

[Bester]

hold the phone

i call africa uncivilized. ALL THE TIME

it aint cuz of color either

look at thier BEHAVIOR

SORRY
off tangeant, back on track, dang, that BuSh sure is evil isnt he?

:wink2:

Ever been to Africa?
Last I looked, they had phones, and trains, and tv, and internet. Sounds civilised to me.
Of course, they also have poverty, gang warfare, civil warfare, piracy corruption, a ****ed up infastructure, and those wonderful Nigerian Lotteries.

Wait, which side of this argument am I on again? I'm so confused.
:lol:

 

[Archangel M]

African atrocities and the "Rest of the World".

 

[Twin Fist]

Actually Bester, i HAVE been to Africa

have YOU?

Ever been to Africa?
Last I looked, they had phones, and trains, and tv, and internet. Sounds civilised to me.
Of course, they also have poverty, gang warfare, civil warfare, piracy corruption, a ****ed up infastructure, and those wonderful Nigerian Lotteries.

Wait, which side of this argument am I on again? I'm so confused.
:lol: