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HIV and Oral Sex Safety

August 31st, 2010 6:53 am

Although oral sex has the lowest HIV risk activity, particularly in comparison to vaginal and anal intercourse, it still has a significant possibility of transmitting the disease. The use of protective aids such as a latex, polyurethane condoms, vaginal condoms and dental dams are effective measures to significantly reduce the risk factor involved in virus transmission when performing oral sex. If you opt to engage in oral sex without the use of protection, you should understand that the risk of transmitting HIV increases for the person performing the act if there is presence of an open wound or sores in the oral cavity. If ejaculation occurs in the mouth, the person performing the oral act is at greatest risk of contracting any kind of sexually transmitted disease that the individual receiving felatio has and is of a high risk for infection. When it comes to oral sex, the biggest risk taker for HIV transference is for the person performing the act. Clinically speaking, unless the candidate has generous amounts of blood and excretion in her/his mouth the receptive partner is unlikely to contract the disease.

The prevalence of infection during oral sex is at similar risk for another sexually transmitted disease, genital Herpes. Despite the fact that HSV-1 and HSV-2 are caused by separate strains of herpes, it is possible for either virus to infect both the oral and genital cavity. This makes oral sex a potential carrier module for genital herpes and allows the transmission of genital herpes on to the mouth of the person performing it. The difficult thing about Genital herpes is that it is primarily asymptomatic. This however doesn’t excuse for its virulence as it has a continuing shelf life and infects even if the carrier does not exhibit any herpetic symptoms. Taking prophylactic measures such as ingestion of medication for Herpes management such as Acyclovir does reduce the transmission of herpes significantly it does not eliminate the risk of transmitting the virus to another person. Condoms will reduce the risk of infection but are not completely effective in preventing it since the virus spreads from skin to skin contact.

In retrospect, unprotected oral sex puts you at a generally high risk of contracting several sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV. Reliable STD testing mechanisms can be used to detect and diagnose disease at an early age but practicing safe sex measures is the key solution to lowering your risk of STD infection dramatically. However, if this is an improbable solution for you, then getting regular STD check-ups at various STD clinics and testing centers would have to be your utmost solution.

Genital Warts Linked to HIV

July 19th, 2010 3:27 am

The study of Kenyan men has raised the possibility that vaccinating against genital warts could drive down the rates of infection of HIV, which is causing devastation in Asia and Africa. Scientists from the University of North Carolina tested 2,168 Kenyan men at the start of the study and discovered that half tested positive for Human Papilloma Virus, which is the cause of genital warts and cervical cancer in women.

Over the course of 3.5 years, 6% of the men with HPV developed HIV, compered to just under 4% of those who at the start of the study tested negative for HPV. The researchers made controls for the risk factors for HIV and eventually showed that men with HPV were 80% more likely than those without to become infected with HIV. In the latest study, even when researchers factored in the impact of circumcision on HIV infection, sexual history and whether the men had genital herpes, which is also associated with HIV, there was a strong link between HPV and AIDS.

The results suggest that the HPV virus itself may make someone more succeptible to HIV. The results are part of a wider study into HIV, which showed that circumcision reduces a man’s likelihood of developing HIV. Genital warts is a very common sexually transmitted infection. Sufferers develop small warts around the genitals and anus. The warts can be controlled with topical creams like Warticon and Aldara. However though Warticon and Aldara can treat visible warts, the virus itself is incurable. A vaccine for the strain of HPV that causes genital warts has however been developed, named Gardasil. Though vaccination programs have focused on young women, in order to reduce incidences of cervical cancer, Gardasil was recently approved to vaccinate young men.

While many Western governments have launched vaccination programs for women, the costs of a vaccination program in the third world, worst hit by HIV, would likely prove probative. However it is likely that the team, lead by Dr. Jennifer S. Smith, will conduct trials to see whether the vaccine could reduce rates of HIV transmission. In a written statement, Smith said “Finding a vaccine to prevent HIV is the greatest hope for curbing the world’s AIDS pandemic, but so far there is no such vaccine. However, there is a vaccine to prevent specific types of HPV infection, and vaccinating young men before they become sexually active could potentially help prevent the spread of HIV.”

Reasons to Take a Home HIV Test

June 10th, 2010 4:42 am

AIDS testing is largely a confidential, private and personal matter, however the test is also quite procedural as a matter of employment terms, for example, within the healthcare sector.The home HIV test is a tool that you can use to detect the presence of the HIV virus in your body. Caused by the HIV virus it is a condition that can stay dormant for many years before the symptoms of AIDS start to surface. In fact, it is estimated that there are some carriers of the HIV virus who never really experience the symptoms even as they pass on the virus to other people. An HIV blood test can help you in many ways and there are enough reasons for you to consider a home AIDS test.


Control the spread – There are more than 56,000 Americans who are infected with the HIV virus every year. This is mainly due to the large proportion of people who are not aware of the fact that they may be carrying the virus and passing it on to their partners. These cases tend to be discovered only when an unexpected HIV blood test is performed during blood donation camps or the like. A home HIV test can help you confirm whether you are HIV positive or not so that you can take the precautionary steps to avoid further spread.

Private and confidential – It may not be very comforting to know that everyone seems to know that you are getting HIV testing done. This becomes extremely obvious if you go to a laboratory or a center to get this test done. A home HIV test on the other hand can be done in the privacy of your home where no one really needs to know. Make sure, however, that you dispose the used test kit in the garbage appropriately, especially if you have nosy neighbors.

Easy and convenient – The home HIV test is very simple too. All you have to do is buy the AIDS test on the Internet and call in to find out the results in a few days after you have sent the blood sample to the laboratory with the unique blood sample id number.

Reassure yourself – A home HIV test is also a convenient way in which you can assure yourself that you are safe if you have a feeling that you have participated in unsafe sex. Rather than fret about whether something went wrong, you can choose to take the convenient home AIDS test to know that you are safe.

The Proper Knowledge of HIV Prevention

June 10th, 2010 4:39 am

HIV has inflicted millions and millions of individuals worldwide. It is for this reason that different government and the World Health Organization are continually creating programs to prevent HIV from spreading further. This disease is very serious and lethal. As such, it is important to equip yourself with the proper knowledge of HIV prevention.


First of all, remember that HIV can be transferred or transmitted in three ways. Through sexual intercourse, transfer of blood and mother to child, HIV can be passed on. Also keep in mind that for each method of transmission, an individual has the capacity to significantly reduce the probability or likelihood of acquiring the disease. There are interventions that the national and local government are offering to help people at risk. These interventions all should be taken to ensure that the programs are indeed effective.

Most programs are centered on three main things. These things could prevent HIV transmission if correctly followed. One is through media campaign and information dissemination. Information gives us power to choose, to protect ourselves. There are still a lot of people today who do not know the repercussions of having unprotected sex. They do not know that they are putting themselves at risk for sexually transmitted disease, and possible, HIV. The media can significantly reduce HIV widespread if they have the proper tools to make the facts about HIV known.

This leads us to the next part of HIV prevention which is HIV counseling and testing. If you already know that your population is at risk, go to health centers and find out how they can help protect you. People who have the disease and are afraid they might pass it on to others, like to an unborn child, can be given proper counseling. This mother, for example, may be tested and her child may also be tested for possible HIV infections. Immediate treatment may also be given for the mother to help her unborn child. There is still a big possibility that the child would not get the disease if the mother is diagnosed early and receives proper treatment and care.

The third method for HIV prevention is through the provision of antiretroviral treatment for those who are exposed to HIV. This is basically given to those who have been diagnosed with HIV. People who are tested and returns positive with HIV are instantly given such a treatment to help them live a better, healthier life despite their disease. As an HIV prevention method, provision of the antiretroviral treatment acts an incentive for people to come out and actually be tested. This also allows the government to keep track of those with the disease and which areas are most affected.

Common HIV Symptoms in Women

June 10th, 2010 4:37 am

HIV or human immunodeficiency virus is a kind of virus that attacks human immune system. HIV virus can cause death because this virus weakens the immune system against infection. Mostly new infected person of HIV virus are women that estimated will surpass men in number. The younger women also can be infected by the virus along with free lifestyle. Around the world, the virus has been made people lost their lives about 7 million, it is why we need to know the symptoms, especially in women as the most new infected.


Commonly, every person has experience specific symptoms that can be different; if you have recently unprotected sex then you need to care for any sign seriously. Firstly you may feel tat your weight lost rapidly without any try. It can happen because the diarrhea and lack of appetite that may be a common thing.

The second symptoms are the swollen glands, it can be found usually in the neck, armpits and groin are. The swollen glands occur as the sign of body trying to fight the infection. When your body accept stranger matter that invade your body system, it would try to get rid the matter, but if the trial didn’t succeed the foreign matter cannot be destroy.

Another common symptom that you can find is flulike that will appear after weeks since you are getting infected. Usually, you will also get fatigue even you didn’t do hard activity, body aches, sore throat and fever. Many women ignore these symptoms but it can happen because the body trying to fight the virus.

Women with HIV will get their menstrual cycle become abnormal compared with the past. It can start off as missed periods then you may didn’t have the periods at all as the HIV seroconversion proceeding. If you recently have unprotected sex and find the cycles become irregular, it could be the sign that you are infected by the virus.