[ndt]

"But ... but ... how can this be? Supposedly we are all equally at risk for the virus"

In case you were not are aware, worldwide the largest HIV positive group is heterosexual Africans with the fastest spread among heterosexual women. cdc

[JustaDumbBlonde]

I am aware ... and I am also aware that I am at zero risk of HIV/AIDS due to my behavior. Does the CDC report that, in this country, we are all equally at risk for HIV/AIDS? No.

[Lancey Howard]

In case you were not are aware, worldwide the largest HIV positive group is heterosexual Africans with the fastest spread among heterosexual women.

I've been reading about this alleged African problem for a decade. For reasons completely unknown, the problem apparently remains confined to Africa. Anyways, I also read that they cure themselves by having sex with infants.

[FairOpinion]

The problem in Africa is completely different.

But a lot of illnesses and deaths in the US are preventable. Aren't you in favor of preventing people dying of AIDS?

http://www.whitehouse.gov/onap/facts.html

Number of people living with HIV/AIDS Approx. 900,000

Number of people who may not know they are HIV pos. Approx. 300,000

Number of new HIV infections per year Approx. 40,000

Cumulative AIDS cases (as of June 2000) 753,907


Mode of transmission among men Percent
Men who have sex with men (MSM) 47%
Injection drug use (IDU) 25%
Heterosexual sex 10%
Other 18%

[maryz]

From what I read, the indicia for diagnosing AIDS in Africa are pretty, well, lax. Symptoms such as fever, weight loss, persistent cough, etc. are counted as AIDS without any blood test. Blood tests aren't readily available in large swathes of Africa, but every AIDS diagnosis is worth $$.