Replies to '06/06 "I'm Gay, OK?"'

During the 1990s, the epidemic shifted steadily toward a growing proportion of AIDS cases among black people and Hispanics and in women, and toward a decreasing proportion in MSM, although this group remains the largest single exposure group. Black people and Hispanics have been disproportionately affected since the early years of the epidemic. In absolute numbers, blacks have outnumbered whites in new AIDS diagnoses and deaths since 1996, and in the number of people living with AIDS since 1998. 

From 1999 to 2003, the estimated number of AIDS cases decreased slightly among white people and increased slightly among black people. Meanwhile the number of Hispanics diagnosed with AIDS rose by an estimated 8%, and diagnoses in Asians/Pacific Islanders and American Indians/Alaska Natives also increased. 

In the period 1999-2003, the estimated number of females diagnosed with AIDS increased by 15%, while male diagnoses grew by just 1%. The estimated annual number of AIDS diagnoses in people infected through heterosexual sex has risen each year since 1999, and MSM cases have been increasing since 2001. Meanwhile, IDU cases have been declining in number. 

During 2003 there were an estimated 59 paediatric AIDS diagnoses; this is less than a third of the estimated number in 1999. The decline in paediatric AIDS incidence is associated with the implementation of Public Health Service guidelines. These guidelines include universal counselling and voluntary HIV testing of pregnant women and the use of zidovudine by HIV-infected pregnant women and their newborn infants. 

The age group 35-44 years represented 41% of all AIDS cases diagnosed in 2003. Nearly three-quarters of all people who have died with AIDS did not live to the age of 45. 

http://www.avert.org/statsum.htm 

There are many cultural misbeliefs within Africa, that haveing sex with babies, or virgins, will cure one from aids. THIS IS A MISCONCEPTION due to a lack of education. 

What rapunzel is saying, is that through education about where aids comes from, how aids is spread, and how one can prevent the spread of aids, this misconception will continue to thrive. This decade it is babies and virgins, Next decade it may be different. History repeats it's self through ignorance.  

Here are a few of the body fluids have been PROVEN to spread HIV: 

• blood  

• semen (including pre-seminal fluid)  

• vaginal fluid  

• breast milk  

• other body fluids or tissue containing blood  

Here are a few of the body fluids where HIV is present in negligible/small quantities but pose minimal or no risk. 

• Saliva (only found in minute amounts in a very small number of people) Although researchers have found HIV in the saliva of infected people, there is no evidence that the virus is spread by contact with saliva. Laboratory studies reveal that saliva has natural properties that limit the power of HIV to infect. Research studies of people infected with HIV have found no evidence that the virus is spread to others through saliva by kissing.  

• Tears (Scientists have found no evidence that HIV is spread through tears)  

• Blister fluid  

You CAN get the virus by: 

• Having unprotected sexual contact (anal, vaginal, or oral sex) with someone whose HIV status is unknown.  

• Coming in contact with blood, semen, and vaginal secretions through vaginal, oral, or anal intercourse with someone who has HIV, whether they’ve been diagnosed with it or not. During vaginal intercourse the risk of becoming infected is higher for women than men because HIV is more easily transmitted from man to woman. Having a sexually transmitted disease such as syphilis, genital herpes, chlamydial infection, gonorrhea, or bacterial vaginosis appears to make people more susceptible to getting HIV infection during sex with infected partners.  

• Sharing needles or syringes (or injection equipment) used for injecting drugs, medicine, tattooing, or ear piercing with someone who has HIV.  

• Being born to a mother who has the virus ( HIV can be passed to a fetus through the umbilical cord while it is still inside the mother, through contact with vaginal fluids and blood during birth or through breast milk after birth.) Approximately one-quarter to one-third of all untreated pregnant women infected with HIV will pass the infection to their babies. If an infected mother takes the drug AZT during pregnancy, she can significantly reduce the chances that her baby will get be infected with HIV. If health care providers treat mothers with AZT and deliver their babies by cesarean section, the chances of the baby being infected can be reduced to about 1 percent.  

You CANNOT get it from: 

• Touching, talking to, or sharing a home with a person who is HIV infected or has AIDS.  

• Sharing food utensils, (such as forks, knifes or spoons) towels or bedding used by someone with HIV infection or AIDS.  

• Using swimming pools, hot tubs, drinking fountains, toilet seats, doorknobs, gym equipment, or telephones used by people with HIV infection or AIDS.  

• Having someone with HIV or AIDS hug, kiss, spit, sneeze, cough, breathe, sweat, or cry on you.  

• Being bitten by mosquitoes or bedbugs.  

• Donating blood. A new needle is used for every donor. You do not come into contact with anyone else's blood. Donated blood is always screened for HIV so the risk of infection from a blood transfusion is very, very low.  

which statements needs support? you want me to give you a source that says AIDS is transmitted through ways other than 'sleeping around?'. go check out any random study done on AIDS transmission. If I make a controversial statemnet, I'll support it, if it's common sense, you can do yer own research. you can find that info quite easily. 

as far as stopping the rape of babies with birth control, I'll paint a little picture for you.  

man has condom. man is armed with AIDS education. man has sex, using his condom. man doesn't get AIDS. man has no reason to rape a baby. horray!!!  and as a by-product from this kind of radical thinking, AIDS doesn't spread to adults. babies aren't born HIV positive. entire generations of children aren't orphaned by AIDS. it's real sad that all that is antichristian. make ya a bit wary of christianity, huh?