[traditionalist]

The reality is that the major causes of AIDS were, and continue to be, men having sex with men and people injecting themselves with drugs.

That's only true in the first world. In the third world, various factors such as malnutrition, immune systems weakned by tropical diseases, female genital mutilation, and empidemics of other venerial diseases make HIV infection much easier through normal sexual intercourse.

[Jack of all Trades]

From what I have read, OTOH, third world deaths due to AIDS related diseases are often summarily judged to have been caused by HIV. The diseases encompassed in the AIDS Related Complex existed prior to HIV, but are now used as evidence of HIV infection. Under this assumption, it seems to me that the HIV infection rates in the third world are probably inflated. If I'm wrong on this I'd like to know.

IMHO the primary cause of HIV transmission (and many other nasty diseases) is and will remain, someone sticking their d*** somewhere where it doesn't belong, or someone sticking something into their body that doesn't belong there. Until that is generally understood, HIV infection rates will increase.

We can burn up an infinite amount of time and money facilitating the status quo while trying to abate the consequences. Taking a page from addiction recovery, this is known as "enabling" and its end result is disaster.

[Little Ray]

Actually, it is important to note that many third world "AIDS" cases have not been tested for HIV - it costs money which they don't have (or went into a kleptocrat's bank account). If the patient shows a combination of symptoms, they call it AIDS... Sort of like a school calling a kid ADHD to get additional federal money. It may not be nearly as prevalent in Africa folks think.

[Little Ray]

Actually, it is important to note that many third world "AIDS" cases have not been tested for HIV - it costs money which they don't have (or went into a kleptocrat's bank account). If the patient shows a combination of symptoms, they call it AIDS... Sort of like a school calling a kid ADHD to get additional federal money. It may not be nearly as prevalent in Africa as some folks think.