New AIDS nightmare looms for gay men: study

AFP ^ | 8/18/06

[presidio9]

The gay community in the western world, mauled by the first wave of the AIDS pandemic, now faces a second storm, according to a forecast released at the International AIDS conference.

Since 2001, new cases of HIV in the homosexual population in the United States, Europe, Canada and Australasia have been rising by about 1.9 percent per year, the research by the University of Pittsburgh said.

Without action to correct this trend -- a return to safe sex or an unexpected medical breakthrough -- the infection rate is set to soar as the population ages.

In 2001, HIV affected on average roughly one in 12 gay 20-year-olds in these countries. By the time they are 30, researchers projected, the rate could rise to one in four. And by the time this group reaches 60, 58 percent could be infected.

Ensuing generations are also at threat, said the study, which was a review of papers in published journals.

"Ongoing incidence rates at this level will yield very high HIV prevalence rates within each generation of gay men," University of Pittsburgh researcher Ron Stall said.

Stall was especially alarmed by the explosion in HIV infections among African-American gays.

In this group, the rate of new infections today is four percent among those between 15 and 22 years of age -- but 15 percent among those aged 23-29.

Assuming an average rate of increase of four percent of new infections per year, three-quarters of individuals in the 23-29 group will be HIV-positive when they reach the age of 50.

"It's not a new story, it has been repeated time and again in the literature in the past... an almost unbelievable incidence rate," Stall said.

"African-American men who have sex with men suffer among the highest HIV prevalence rates of any risk group in the world."

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC) also warned of a daunting rise in the rate of gays contracting HIV in 35 US states.

Ronald Valdiserri, deputy director of the CDC's National Center for HIV, said the surge in infections among gay men could partly be explained by the growing use of methamphetamines, a drug that enhances sexual appetites and can drive users into risky sex.

He also pointed to what he called "AIDS burnout" -- complacency about the risks from AIDS in the era of antiretroviral drugs, which keep HIV to a manageable level but are not a cure and carry major side-effects.

"We have a new generation of gay men who didn't go through the early years, who didn't see neighbourhoods dying," said Valdiserri.

"HIV is still an incurable disease. In the United States five percent (of the budget for HIV) is spent on prevention," he added.

"America is more interested on treating this disease than preventing it. We can't treat our way out of this epidemic, even as a rich country."

[ElPatriota]

:) "Decease Equality Law," Good name! And who knows at the rate we are going maybe there is battle waiting up ahead and the name could come handy.

I am getting tired of getting the bill for these perverts. Fine if they want to engage in their "fife style," as long as they also pay the consequences. Yes the Numbers (amounts) speak for themselves. I heard today on the Radio some doctor somewhere... saying a lot of stuff, but the point that got my attention was the fact "they NEEDED to make Aids "main stream!"....Boy what a world do these people live in...

[ArmstedFragg]

America is more interested on treating this disease than preventing it

And how would he suggest that the government prevent the disease? I can't think of any way to accomplish that the left wouldn't oppose.