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HIV, STI, AIDS-related stuff.
Section 6.0 (Introduction)
Many people mistakenly believe that vaginal sex is the major culprit behind the sub-Saharan AIDS epidemic. HIV infections in sub-Saharan Africa -- not resulting from unhygienic health care practices -- are largely a result of sodomy, both homosexual and heterosexual. In this regard, read the note by Wayne Dynes on homosexuality in sub-Saharan Africa (right thumbnail).
Section 6.7 (Homosexuality and Infectious Diseases)
Here are some interesting STD data from random, population-based surveys from Britain; see tables at left.(1) As seen in Tables 1 and 2, STD clinic attendance in the past 5 years on the part of those that had engaged in homosexual activity within the past 5 years was either higher or comparable to that of those that were promiscuous (with partners of either or both sexes) and those that engaged in intravenous drug use (including all sexual orientations).
33% of men and 40% of women who attended an STD clinic during the past 5 years were diagnosed with an STI [sexually transmitted infection] during this period, compared with 0.7% of men and 1.7% of women who had not attended an STD clinic.
Tables 3 and 4 show the data concerning STI diagnosis. STI diagnosis was comparable between the promiscuous (including homosexuals and bisexuals) and the nonheterosexuals (irrespective of promiscuity).
Compared to exclusively heterosexually behaving women, the higher prevalence of STIs among women who have sex with women is not due to the lesbian sex but due to the greater heterosexual promiscuity of these women compared to exclusively heterosexual women.
Tables 5 and 6 show that homosexually behaving individuals and the promiscuous shared a disproportionate burden of the reported STIs infecting the public. Men with a homosexual partner during the past 5 years reported a mean (SD) of 26.7 (109.9) sex partners during that time, compared with 4.1 (8.3) among those men who reported having no homosexual partnerships. Since the data are from a random, population-based sample, several of the MSM would be heterosexual-identified and mostly leaning toward heterosexual interests.
Table 7 shows the proportion of STIs infecting MSM compared to men and women in general. MSM are not overrepresented among those with chlamydial infections because of the relative commonality of this STI.
References:
- K. A. Fenton et al., J Infect Dis 191 Suppl 1, S127 (Feb 1, 2005).
Section 6.9 (Comment)
Dr. Pierre Tremblay has brought to my attention that Larry Kramer was alive as of April, 2005. Kramer is surely a blessed man since when I heard about him a few years ago, he had end-stage liver disease with a belly bloated with toxins. Kramer got a liver transplant.