[ ARC forum 2 ]
Written by Ivan at 16 Jun 2003 19:48:40: DISCOVER about AIDS
Since the high rate of HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa has been used as an argument for foreskins contributing to disease transmission, I was very interested in an article in the most recent DISCOVER magazine. It was concerning that same high rate, and noted that the rate had seemed impervious to all reported efforts and compliance with safe sex advice. It also cited a fairly large number of cases of HIV positive infants where the mother was not infected - this is virtually never seen in First World countries. Theblame was laid on the African health care system, essentially in their use of needles over and over for different patients, without so much as kilning or chemical sterilization. It did not deny that unsafe sex was one of the means of transmission, as it is everywhere, but that shared needles for medical care appeared to be the factor which explained the difference in infection patterns between the US/Europe/Australia, etc. and Africa.