The natural protection which the vagina provides to the virus is broken; then women with lesions can become infected, as well as men.
STDs are much higher in Third world countries, as well as in Eastern Europe.
That is the reason for the spread of AIDs there, among non-drug-using heterosexuals.
Contrary to projections, although the HIV virus has been infecting people in this country for over 20, the expected breakout into the heterosexual community has not happened for the reasons above.
American heterosexuals are not as promiscuous as adults in many Third world nations, nor do they have the STD infections.
If discussions on HIV infections would include these facts, then I would not refer to "lies" being perpetuated.
There's nothing different about American heterosexuals except their sexual behavior when compared to other cultures.
The natural protection which the vagina provides to the virus is broken; then women with lesions can become infected, as well as men.
Damage to the vaginal mucosa can occur in other ways too. For example, a yeast infection or just aggressive intercourse would increase the risk of contracting HIV from a HIV+ man. Heterosexual intercourse may not spread HIV as efficiently as homosexual intercourse but it still spreads it.
Also a man is still at significant risk if he has unprotected sex with a HIV+ woman who does not have a damaged vaginal mucosa. This is because the vaginal fluid contains a high percentage of CD4 T cells, which are the hosts for the virus. HIV can also sometimes pass through the glans penis mucosal membrane.
STDs are much higher in Third world countries, as well as in Eastern Europe.
That is the reason for the spread of AIDs there, among non-drug-using heterosexuals.
An STD infection would certainly increase the transmission efficacy of HIV. But having unprotected sex with a HIV+ person who doesn't have any other STDs is still very dangerous.
...the expected breakout into the heterosexual community has not happened for the reasons above.
Don't you think people have also changed their behaviour? Condoms are used much more frequently in the USA and Western Europe than they are in Eastern Europe and the third world. The proper use of condoms is the only way to prevent the spread of AIDS, apart from abstaining from sex altogether.