AIDS - What they don't teach us at school.

Generally speaking it is pretty much accepted that oral sex is much lower risk for HIV infection than unprotected anal sex.

Nevertheless, it is still possible for HIV transmission to occur this way. The most likely cause would be open wounds in the mouth or bleeding gums - thus allowing bodily fluids (semen/precum) to enter anothers bloodstream.

As mentioned by Dave - STD's/STI's (whichever you call them) can also be transmitted through oral sex.

 

thanks

 

I know this is an old thread (I mean, Micah was 16 when it started) but it contains a lot of useful so....

BUMP!!!

 

I read this ages ago and i though Micah sounded so cute asking the questions lol. ^^

 

I have posted a thread called HIV/AIDS FAQ Thread which should also be informative for the younger and even older ones of us.

 

Wow this thread is excellent, especially for people who aren't really sure about the facts of HIV. I cannot believe that there are places in the US that still teach abstinence as the best policy. People are putting themselves at risk because of lack of education, and that is so sad. There should be a site like this for straight kids, because it is just as important for heterosexuals to practice safe sex.

To answer you question Ericku, you can still contract HIV via oral sex. But the probability of this is actually quite low compared to anal sex. Actually contrary to what some believe there is no evidence that swallowing has any greater risk than spitting. The greatest risk of contracting the virus is when it's in the mouth, but it's always best to wear a condom even for oral sex when not in a monogomous relationship.

That said, AIDS is actually very much a disease of the past in the western world...(I mean AIDS, because HIV is still prevalent). The reason for this is because of the newer anti-retro virals, which have given serum positive HIV individuals an almost normal life expectancy. Unfortunately poorer countries cannot afford to pay the ridiculous prices for the drugs and so people die very young from AIDS.

Another thing to say is that although HIV is being almost "cured" in the West, many people forget about the other two big viruses which can also me contracted sexually and have no cure and which in some cases can lead to death...Hepatitis B and C.

 

Uber confused. Just noticed the dates on this thread. I was also wondering why he said he was 16 but it said 19. Ah well, preaching to the converted!

 

The use of the term 'almost cured' really scares the crap out of me. I have worked as a nurse and with HIV/AIDS patients since the 80's. There is no cure, just control. Even if a serum positive person dies of old age, the virus will have taken its toll on his life. Multiple meds every day without fail, countless blood tests and doctor visits, having to be overly careful you don't accidentally pass the virus onto someone you love. It is a life altering disease and the young people here need to have a healthy respect for it.

I'm not afraid of the disease and I think by now most people know you can't get it through casual contact, but really, please don't act like its no big deal, because it is a HUGE frick'n deal!

 

AIDS used to be GRID (gay related Immunity defficency)
:l
And the main spread of AIDS was by a plane attendent who had Lots of unprotected gay sex all over the place.
There is a really informative and boring movie called "And the band played on" or something like that.
Honestly it was really deppressing, and if scientists didn't spend so much time fighting over who discovered aids and such they probs would have been able to prevent the spread from being as bad.
PS Blood Transfussion patients used to be one of the highest communities with AIDS until the aids blood tests were made.

 

I didn't mean to offend you in any way. I also work occationally in HIV clinics and it is obviously still an important STD, which has life consequences. Perhaps I didnt make that clear enough in my statement. However I think that it is nothing like the disease of the
80s and the public still has a very big stigma towards HIV positive individuals. I think it is important to realise that as long as people stick to their meds, then actually they will probably live as long as anyone else. One of the biggest issues is not AIDS but cardiovascular disease in these individuals.
(Just to make it clear to anyone who doesnt understand that....AIDS is not HIV. HIV is a virus which infects CD4 cells in the blood, those white cells make up the immune system in the body. AIDS is just a term to describe when the CD4 count has dropped below a certain level due to HIV. People with AIDS die because their immune system cannot fight off diseases which an otherwise healthy person wouldnt even get sick with. So someone who is HIV positive has antibodies in their blood for the virus, they do not have AIDS. They also are not "dirty" or lepers. The life partners of HIV postive individuals are safe, but it is crucial for them to always wear a condom and practice safe sex. The medication is better than it has ever been in the past and we should not be talking about HIV like it is a curse. Yes, it affects your life, and yes life is better without the virus and yes you should do everything to prevent yourself from contracting it. But is it the worst thing that can happen to someone in this day and age. I would have to argue no.)

However it was not my intention to educate complacency, HIV is a huge deal in terms of lifestyle. But unlike in the 80s when people use to have to take a million pills and even then they would have succumbed to AIDS, now its very different.

I think that the media plays a large role in causing stigma and also defining what money is spent on. You might ask what I mean. Well....AIDS is huge problem in Africa, and it is killing hundreds every day because people cannot afford the drugs. So there is a considerable amount of donated international funding going into this, which is brilliant. But I dont think people in the west realise that its not the biggest killer. In fact malaria is, but no-one in America or Europe cares about that. One because they arent made aware of it, and two because malaria is not an issue in the west. Anyway I've gone completely off topic (I tend to rant.... its in the family). Sorry again if I offended anyone, that was not my intention.

 

Yeah, I've always found it funny that the gay community are the ones that are most aware of AIDS but it is heterosexual couples that have the highest percentage of AIDS but I'm not sure why this is.

 

You didn't offend me, you made me afraid that some less informed young person will approach the issue of safe sex and the risk of HIV/AIDS lightly, as if its no worse than a cold now that we have meds to control the progression of the disease.

The big issue for me is that the SPREAD OF HIV IS LARGELY PREVENTABLE.

Unless you are in a commited, monagamous relationship and you both get tested over time to know you're negative, you should be using condoms for all your oral and anal sex.

Even if I could live with the fact that I was positive, I would never be able to forgive myself if I infected someone else during a time before I knew I was positive.

Guys, protect yourself. If you're the bottom, insist the top use a condom, if he doesn't want to, then tell him goodbye. Your life is not worth him getting his jollies.