Circumcision controversy

Circumcision controversy rages on after NYC warns against procedure

By Debra Nussbaum Cohen and Larry Cohler-Esses

NEW YORK, Dec. 28 (JTA) — In the face of a religious court’s failure to conclude its investigation of a mohel who transmitted herpes to three babies, New York City’s health commissioner has issued an unprecedented public warning Tuesday that a controversial circumcision procedure is endangering the lives of Jewish infants. “There exists no reasonable doubt that metzitzah b’peh can and has caused neonatal herpes infection,” Dr. Thomas Frieden wrote earlier this month in “An Open Letter to the Jewish Community” about a procedure routinely practiced by mohels in some sectors of the Orthodox community. “The Health Department recommends that infants being circumcised not undergo metzitzah b’peh.”

Herpes Treatments

Microbicide PEO 2000 prevents HIV and herpes

Study shows microbicide prevents HIV and herpes

The first small-scale human study of the experimental microbicide PRO 2000, developed by Indevus Pharmaceuticals, shows that the compound is highly effective in preventing both HIV and herpes infections, researchers report in the January 1 edition of the Journal of Infectious Diseases. The researchers tested the compound in 20 HIV-negative women, half of whom were given a gel containing a 0.5% concentration of PRO 2000 and the other half a placebo. Vaginal cell samples taken from the women and then exposed to HIV showed that PRO 2000 inhibited HIV infection at least 1,000-fold. The compound also significantly reduced herpes infection risk, the researchers report.

The study was the first to gauge the effectiveness of PRO 2000 after application in humans, reports AIDSmap.com. Lab and animal tests have shown that the compound is highly effective in preventing HIV infections. PRO 2000 works by binding to the surface of HIV and preventing it from being able to latch on to immune system cells and infect them.

Although PRO 2000—and other microbicide products currently in development at other companies—has been tested primarily among heterosexual women, many researchers believe the compounds also may be effective in helping to reduce HIV infections among sexually active gay men.

Additional studies of PRO 2000 are planned.

Reduce Herpes Outbreaks

Sexually transmitted diseases

Rates of sexually transmitted diseases There are more than 20 sexually transmitted diseases. The most common include syphilis, gonorrhea, HIV, chlamydia, herpes and hepatitis B. In North Carolina, the HIV rate among American Indians is about twice that of the white population. Among blacks, the rate is 10 times the rate of the white population. It is the only communicable disease listed to decrease among whites and the general population, yet increase among blacks. In North Carolina, the STD rate among American Indians is four times that of the white population. Among blacks, the rate is 10 times the rate of the white population. HIV/AIDS was the leading cause of death among black North Carolinians between the ages of 15 and 44 during the late 1990s. Black females were more than 16 times as likely to die of AIDS as white females. In the late 1990s, the incidence rate of gonorrhea and syphilis was 25 times higher among blacks than whites in North Carolina. Increased education and treatment had reduced that to 10 times greater in 2003. In Cumberland County, the incidence rate for HIV/AIDS and gonorrhea was 10 times as high among blacks as among whites in 2003. The rate was 1.6 times as high for syphilis. The number of cases of gonorrhea reported in Cumberland County have remained fairly constant since 1997: from 1,036 cases to 1,055. The number of chlamydia cases have more than doubled, from 1,138 to 2,657. Two-thirds of those infected with chlamydia in Cumberland County were between the ages of 20 and 29. Sixty-three percent were black, and 28 percent were white. Statistically, the most likely person to have gonorrhea in Cumberland County is a black male in his early 20s. The most likely person to have syphilis is a black male in his mid- to late 30s. STDs on the rise Large population, increased testing might contribute to higher numbers in Boone County * Chlamydia is the most frequently reported infectious disease in the U.S. It is a sexually transmitted bacterial infection caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis, which can damage a woman’s reproductive organs. * Symptoms of chlamydia are usually mild or absent but can cause irreversible damage, such as pelvic inflammatory disease, which can cause permanent damage to the fallopian tubes, uterus and surrounding tissues, or infertility in women. GONORRHEA * Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted disease caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae, a bacterium that can grow and multiply easily in the warm, moist areas of the reproductive tract and in the urethra of men and women. In women, gonorrhea is a common cause of pelvic inflammatory disease. In men, it can cause epididymitis, a painful condition of the testicles that can lead to infertility if left untreated. Gonorrhea can spread to the blood or joints, a condition that is life-threatening. SYPHILIS * Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum. Many of the signs and symptoms of syphilis are indistinguishable from those of other diseases. It is passed from one person to another through direct contact with a syphilis sore. * Many people infected with syphilis do not have any symptoms for years, but they are still at risk for complications. There are several stages of syphilis, including primary, secondary, latent and late. The primary stage of syphilis is usually marked by the appearance of a single sore, but there may be more than one. It appears at the spot where syphilis entered the body and goes away without treatment. The second stage starts with the development of a rash on one or more areas of the body. The rash is sometimes so faint is goes unnoticed or resembles rashes caused by other diseases. The signs and symptoms of secondary syphilis will resolve with or without treatment, but without treatment, the infection will progress to the latent and late stages of disease. The latent stage is where there are no symptoms, but the infection is still present in the body. Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention WHAT DO I DO IF I THINK I HAVE AN STD? * Contact the Columbia/Boone County Health Department Clinic at 874-7355 and make an appointment. All services and treatments are free. The clinic is located at 1005 W. Worley St. and is open from 8 a.m to 5 p.m. * There is an STD clinic on Tuesdays from 5 to 7 p.m., but the clinic will perform tests for STDs during regular hours as well. Gonorrhea and chlamydia rates in Boone County are higher than rates for Missouri and the nation as a whole. The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services’ 2004 profile of HIV and STDs in Missouri shows that one in 185 Boone County residents reported a case of chlamydia and one in 599 reported a case of gonorrhea. For both diseases, 95.4 percent of Boone County cases were reported in Columbia. “The numbers are higher in Columbia because of the population and because the city/county health department and testing center is here,” said Bill Monroe, the regional HIV consulting and testing coordinator. Monroe said the testing center sees patients from all over the county. Missouri ranked 10th in the nation for gonorrhea and chlamydia rates, according to numbers released in November by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The rates were taken from cases reported in 2004. Boone County’s chlamydia rate has been steadily increasing since 2000 along with the state and national rate. The national rise is attributed to the expansion of testing efforts and the fact that tests for chlamydia have become better at detecting the disease, said Jennifer Ruth of the CDC. Although the national gonorrhea rate has decreased since 2000, Boone County’s rate has increased. “The (national) decline could be due to shifts in testing patterns, less gonorrhea testing, or a real decrease in the number of new cases,” Ruth said. The CDC ranked Missouri 25th in syphilis cases last year. The state’s rate for the disease has fluctuated since 2000. There were fewer than five cases of syphilis reported in Boone County in 2004, according to the state health department. The Columbia/Boone County Health Department’s data for January through October 2005 shows there have been 205 cases of gonorrhea, 622 of chlamydia and fewer than five of syphilis reported in the county. The statistics provided from various sources may not provide figures for all STDs because some are not considered reportable diseases, said Lynn Fair, a women’s nurse practitioner at the health department clinic. For example, herpes and genital warts are no longer considered reportable diseases, which means testing centers do not report cases to the CDC or health departments. “Reportable diseases, in general, cause more damage and there is more of a risk of passing it to the fetus,” Fair said. Fair, who has been at the health department for 14 years, said the clinic sees about 40 people during its STD clinic, which is held Tuesday evenings from 5 to 7 p.m. Fair stressed that the STD clinic is for high-risk cases only. A high-risk case involves someone who has multiple sex partners and does not use protection or has experienced symptoms. The clinic’s services are free, and patients can make an appointment for STD testing at any time. Advocating condom usage to teens can be dangerous Question: If you were a parent and knew your son or daughter was thinking about engaging in sexual intercourse, wouldn't you talk to them about condom usage? If our kids are going to have sex anyway, shouldn't we make sure they are properly protected? Dr. Dobson: I would not, because that approach has unintended consequences. By recommending condom usage to teenagers we inevitably convey five dangerous ideas: (1) that "safe sex" is achievable; (2) that everybody is doing it; (3) that responsible adults expect them to do it; (4) that it's a good thing; and (5) that their peers know they know these things, breeding promiscuity. Those are very destructive messages to give our kids. Furthermore, Planned Parenthood's own data show the No. 1 reason teenagers engage in intercourse is peer pressure! Therefore, anything we do to imply that "everybody is doing it" results in more -- not fewer -- teens who give the game a try. What I'm saying is our condom distribution programs do not reduce the number of kids exposed to the disease -- they radically increase it! And consider this: Research indicates where disease prevention is concerned, the failure rate of condoms is incredibly high, perhaps 50 percent or greater. Condoms also fail to protect against some STDs that are transmitted from areas not covered (the base of the male genitalia, for example). After 25 years of teaching safe-sex ideology, and more than 2 billion federal dollars invested in selling this notion, we have a medical disaster on our hands. More than 500,000 cases of herpes occur annually, and the number of reported cases of chlamydia has risen 281 percent since 1987. Forty-six percent of chlamydia cases occur in teenage girls ages 15 to 19. In addition, there are now more than 24 million cases of HPV (human papilloma virus) in the United States, with a higher prevalence among teens. Having acknowledged these problems, why in the world would I recommend this so-called "solution" to my son or daughter? Look at it this way. Suppose my kids were skydivers whose parachutes had been demonstrated to fail 50 percent of the time. Would I suggest they simply buckle the chutes tighter? Certainly not. I would say, "Please don't jump. Your life is at stake!" How could I, as a loving father, do less? I should add that, despite the popular myth to the contrary, teens can understand, accept and implement the abstinence message. It's not true young people are sexual robots, hopelessly incapable of controlling their own behavior. As a matter of fact, almost 50 percent of all high school students are virgins today, even though hardly anybody has told them it is a good thing. These kids desperately need to be affirmed in their decision and held up as positive examples for others. None of this will be accomplished by pushing condoms. Question: I read in the paper that a 14-year-old boy shot a woman in the face for no reason at all. Things like that are happening all around us. When I was a kid I wouldn't even have sassed a teacher, much less assaulted one. Today the level of violence among the young is like nothing I've ever seen! Please comment on this. Dr. Dobson: You are right, an epidemic of violence is occurring among the young that is expected to actually worsen in the next few years. During a meeting of Prison Fellowship workers in our city, a group of hardened former criminals said the kids growing up today scare them because they have no consciences. They can kill without a hint of remorse. It is true. In Seattle a few years ago, two boys, 12 and 13, beat to death a person coming out of a convenience store. There was no motive except a desire to brutalize someone - anyone - with a baseball bat. In Virginia, a 14-year-old shot the driver of a nearby car six times in the face. Why? "Because he looked at me," the boy said. In Los Angeles, a family made a wrong turn down a street and was subjected to a hail of gunfire that killed their little girl. Gang members poured bullets into the car for the sheer fun of it. And finally, who can forget the 5-year-old Chicago boy who was pushed from an upper-story window and fell to his death. His killers were 10 and 11 years old. This kind of random violence is more common among children and adolescents today than ever before in our history. Electronic Card: You've Got An STD True love thrives on the Internet, many lonely hearts have met their matches in chat rooms. "We met in a chat room" is as common a phrase as "we met in a bar." At my place of employment I know of three married couples that met online, there is no longer a stigma to admitting you met your partner in the world of cyber space. But the Net is not just for pure hearts in search of romance, it's also for horn dogs in search of a one-night stand. The Internet is becoming an increasingly common place to arrange a sexual liaison, and often the only thing partners know about each other is an e-mail address. If after a night of wild passion a Casanova discovers that he has come down with an STD, often the only way he can deliver this bad news to his partner is via an e-mail. The Los Angeles County Health Department has set up a Web site, www.inSpotLA.org/, which allows Don Juans to inform their lovers that they have been exposed to an STD. Featured on the site is a selection of electronic greeting cards with many cute ways of saying: You may have been exposed to a venereal disease. I'd rather a lady simply blurt out that she may have exposed me to a disease, than receive a cheery electronic card saying: Roses are red, Violets are blue, You may have syphilis and herpes too. But hey, whatever works. There are electronic greeting cards for every occasion, why not one to inform your one-night stand that he/she should be tested for an STD? Folks tend to be very blunt when expressing themselves via e-mail, critics have responded to my essays by sending me e-mails calling me everything but a child of God. Some passionate Romeos turn into shrinking violets when it comes to disclosing embarrassing information in person, e-mail is a good means of relaying unpleasant news. If you receive an electronic card announcing that you may have an STD, after you get over the embarrassment -- get tested immediately.

Gel can help stop HIV, herpes spread

Gel can help stop HIV, herpes spread CHICAGO — In the first study to show the activity of a microbicide after application in humans, researchers found that microbicide gel can prevent HIV and herpes infection of human cells, AIDSMap.com reported. A gel that contains the microbicide PRO 2000 can stop infections after being inserted into the vagina, according to a study printed in the Jan. 1 issue of the Journal of Infectious Diseases. Microbicides are being researched as a way for women to gain more control over their risk of contracting HIV or other infections, and they also may reduce HIV transmission during sex between men, researchers said. Developed by Indevus Pharmaceuticals, PRO 2000 is a microbicide that binds to the surface of HIV and stops it from entering human cells. Human trials have not yet been widely conducted to test its effectiveness.

Abstinence - The new 4 letter word

Abstinence program gets $2.4M Federal grant adds staff, programs By Peggy Kreimer Post staff reporter A program to teach teens how and why to refrain from sexual activity until marriage just got a $2.4 million federal grant to continue the work in Northern Kentucky schools for the next three years. The grant will allow the New Hope Center Abstinence Program, which serves 42 schools in Boone, Campbell, Grant, Kenton and Pendleton counties, to expand into Gallatin County and to add staff and new programs for young and older teens, said grant director Karen Andrea. The program started three years ago with a $1.2 million federal grant and has reached nearly 30,000 teens through school programs, health fairs and programs for community groups, Andrea said. Of the 42 schools, 38 are public junior and senior high schools and four are parochial schools. "This is not a religious or political program, the curriculum is medically based," said Andrea. "We're trying to equip kids to make good decisions." The education program is a project of the New Hope pregnancy center, which provides pro-life counseling and support for women dealing with unplanned pregnancies. The center will not refer for abortions, but will offer help for people who want to deal with adoption or keeping the baby. The center offers free pregnancy tests, ultrasound, pre-natal classes, parenting classes, and referrals and help with housing and other needs. The pregnancy center is financially separate from the school abstinence program, and none of the grant money goes to the center, Andrea said. The program curriculum meets the Kentucky core curriculum requirements. The funding doubles the budget and will allow the program to expand to new schools and to add at least three new staff positions, including two educators, one to be Spanish-speaking, and a youth programmer. The program has 10 paid educators now. "We want to add a youth development component where kids would plan their own reinforcement activities for any kind of risky behavior - drugs, drinking, smoking, sexual behavior," Andrea said. Actiivities could include pre-prom programs, leadership retreats and training. The school programs are eight-day education sessions that include films, workbook activities and student participation exercises. Students learn about sexually transmitted diseases, Andrea said. "People talk about safe sex, but they're just talking about protection from pregnancy." She said one in four teens has a sexually transmitted disease. One of the most common is HPV, which is a leading cause of cervical cancer in women. Bacterial diseases can be cured, but viral diseases can be treated only, she said. "Herpes is the most prevalent because there is no cure. You keep passing it on."

Abstinence

Abstinence from sexual activity - it's the smart choice. That's the message being brought to young people by Heritage of Rhode Island, a non-profit founded by West Kingston resident Carol Knight in 2002. A federal grant for $1.2-million dollars in 2004 gave a huge boost to the effort, and Heritage is now spreading its message statewide. The organization is an outgrowth of Knight's work at Care Net RI, a crisis pregnancy center in Cranston. There, she says, she discovered that before becoming pregnant, most girls saw sex as a game, never contemplating the possibility that they might become pregnant or be infected by a sexually transmitted disease. Heritage Executive Director Christopher Plante notes that 10,000 people are infected with sexually transmitted diseases every day in the United States. That's 3.75 million people a year afflicted with STDs that include genital herpes, human papilloma virus, syphilis, AIDS, gonorrhea, and chlamydia. Twenty percent of Americans over the age of 11 are infected with genital herpes. Viral STDs such as herpes and papilloma viruses can't be cured, only treated. Since they are often asymptomatic, they are passed on unknowingly. For girls, infertility can be the permanent result. STDs are costly to treat; in 2003, $24-million was spent in Rhode Island on treatment, according to Plante. But most kids think they're immortal and they don't contemplate consequences. Knight learned as she worked at the crisis pregnancy center that no one had ever suggested to the teens that abstinence could be a viable alternative.Heritage is trying to change that. Knight recognizes that scare techniques don't work, and Heritage focuses on persuading teens that abstinence is a healthy choice. Their workshops focus on such issues as self-worth and making responsible choices, on helping young people develop a vision of what they want for their lives in the future.Heritage also has a Parents Make the Difference program that they present in schools, churches and various other locales around the state. Can those raging teenage hormones be harnessed? Heritage of Rhode Island thinks so. They are frank in saying that what they envision is another sexual revolution - with abstinence as the goal. It's a worthy one - and in today's "anything goes" permissive society, positively countercultural. For more details on programs and workshops, go to www.HeritageRI.org or call 921-2993 for details.

Abstinence: Is it the new sexual revolution

Carol Knight of West Kingston founded Heritage as a result of her work at Care Net RI, a crisis pregnancy center in Cranston. "She worked in the crisis end and wanted to work on the prevention end," explained Christopher Plante, Executive Director. " She went out looking for curricula and funding." Knight started out in 1989 working as a volunteer at Care Net in Wakefield. She joined the staff and the new office in Cranson four and a half years ago. In her work as a counselor she saw common themes. " The girls didn't see that they had any choices," Knight said regarding their sexual activity. "They saw sex as a game, never thinking, 'I could get pregnant or get a sexually transmitted disease.'" She also saw many young couples "freaking out" due to an unplanned pregnancy. That led Knight on a bigger quest - to convince teens they did have a choice - to abstain. "People never talked to them about abstinence. Abstinence was foreign to the kids." She thought, "There's got to be a way to change the culture." That change started with a committee of others devoted to the cause and a search for an existing program. At the time she thought, "I am sure someone's out there and doing it well. I'm not going to try to reinvent the wheel." Knight found Heritage of South Carolina, with the curriculum she wanted and also looking to expand. " They had already been doing it and were successful." Kids who had gone through the school programs were waiting longer to have sex and "not just jumping in." A federal grant for $1.2-million dollars seeded Heritage of Rhode Island, the first and only organization working on the abstinence issue in the state. Educating teenagers in a positive way about healthy choices, especially sexual abstinence, has become the main message and focus of Heritage. Of the positive message, Knight said, "That is what I love about the curriculum. Scaring them doesn't work... The scare thing doesn't work." Another key part of Heritage's message is about protecting public health.Plante says there are 10,000 people infected with sexually transmitted diseases every day in the United States.

• That's 3.75 million people a year.

"It's a hidden epidemic." The diseases include genital herpes, human papilloma virus, syphilis, AIDS, gonorrhea, and chlamydia. For viral diseases, such as herpes and papilloma viruses, "you can only treat the symptoms," said Plante. Twenty percent of Americans over the age of 11 are infected with genital herpes. Chlamydia is asymptomatic and "kids don't know they have it and pass it on. Three to four cases in a female can result in infertility." Sexually transmitted diseases are also costly. In 2003, $24-million was spent in Rhode Island on treatment, said Plante. "

• The healthiest choice any teenager can make is abstinence," said Plante.

He, like Knight, doesn't think teaching fear is useful. "Fear doesn't work as a deterrent, particularly for teens. They think they are immortal. We are not trying to scare them but give them a positive message to abstain." Heritage focuses on teens' self worth and making responsible choices that give them the brightest future. In their school programs and after school programs, they ask students "What do you want to do with your life? And where do you want to be in ten years?" Heritage also has programs for parents called Parents Make The Difference that are held in schools, churches, and various locales around the state. In response to last year's sexual incident in the back of a bus on a Narragansett school trip, Heritage offered a Parents Make A Difference Workshop at the Holiday Inn. "Parents are the number one influence on kids," said Plante. Knight said that kids "want to be able to bring up questions and concerns with their parents. Parents have given up on issues but research shows that kids want to know what parents think." Besides encouraging parents to talk to their teens, Heritage works to motivate parents in other ways, like pushing to get the Heritage curricula into the schools. "I know there are parents interested in getting this in the schools down here [South County]. A lot of administrators know it's a problem but they don't want to stick their neck out." "We are a little bit surprised we've seen such resistance from the people that make decisions. They are hesitant to jump on board" even when their school staff may be telling them it's a great thing, explained Knight. Even with teenagers' raging hormones, "it's not out of the realm of possibility to control those urges through tools, encouragement, and support," said Plante. He wants abstaining teens to feel they are strong and have the ability to choose, rather than feel that something is wrong with them. "We want to start a new sexual revolution called abstinence," said Plante. Heritage has found that a large percentage of eighth and ninth grade students haven't had sexual intercourse and if they have, they don't want to or they want to stop. What started out as an ad hoc committee that Carol Knight pulled together is now a bustling office with an executive director, an office manager, and four educators. More herpes information

Study finds 15-year-olds with STDs like Herpes Simplex

DOCTORS and education groups are calling for schools to screen students for sexually transmitted diseases after a study found teenagers as young as 15 had contracted STDs. The study of 795 students over the age of 15 found almost 30 per cent had had unwanted sex as a result of being affected by alcohol or drugs and fewer than half regularly used condoms. More than 10 per cent tested positive for the human papilloma virus, which can cause genital warts or cervical cancer. Almost 4 per cent said they had previously been diagnosed with an STD like herpes. About 2 per cent tested positive for herpes simplex 2, which causes genital herpes, and 1 per cent had chlamydia. Frank Bowden, professor of medicine at the Australian National University and co-ordinator of the trial, said teenagers needed more information about contraception and sexually transmitted diseases. "They know heaps about HIV, they are starting to know more about chlamydia, but they are remarkably ignorant of contraception," he said. The team from the ANU and Canberra Hospital's sexual health centre set up temporary clinics at two high schools and conducted voluntary screening for several STDs. "We found that when teenagers first have sex with a new partner they usually use a condom, but as it turns into a relationship, they stop using condoms," Professor Bowden said. "And that's a concern because the message that 'when it's love, sex is safe' is a very dangerous one." The study also revealed that 67 per cent of teenagers had sexual intercourse and 12per cent had been with three or more partners in the previous six months. Two per cent had same-sex partners and only 47per cent reported that they always used condoms. Terry Aulich, executive officer of the Council of State School Organisations, said sex education was usually taught in the context of relationships. "We support, at the appropriate time, young people having full knowledge about sexual health and about relationships. The two should be taught together," he said. "But we have to question if we've done enough if the findings of the study are correct and there is a large number of teenagers who are not practising safe sex and have inaccurate and quite frankly ignorant views about contraception and sexual health." Seventeen-year-old Josh Alfrey, from Brisbane, said his school held four weeks of sex education in Year 10, which included information about sexually transmitted diseases. "It makes you afraid and it makes you take precautions like using condoms," he said. "There should be more screening of sexually transmitted diseases." Josh said it was not surprising that many teenagers were drunk when they engaged in sexual activity. "Alcohol eases the inhibitions," he said. Shona McKenzie, also 17, said most of her friends were sexually active. "But there isn't a lot of sex education," she said. "Year 8 was the only time we discussed sex. "I think it's a good idea that there should be screening for STDs."

Lets talk about sex

Let's talk about sex As government experts recommend that all schoolchildren should receive sex education from the age of five, three people with a personal interest give their opinions. The teenager Vicky Glynn stopped going to college as a 17-year-old student in order to look after her newborn daughter Maisie. She is now a peer educator with the Brook Advisory Centre in Oldham Neither me nor my boyfriend Lee got any proper sex education at school in Oldham. We learnt about how the parts of the body worked, but weren't taught about the sex aspects, like pregnancy. I learnt more about sex from my mum, friends and older sisters. I got pregnant when I was still at school, as did other girls in my year. That could have been avoided if we'd had decent sex education. I was fairly ignorant about the risks sex involves - many of the girls at school were the same. I was having sex and not thinking about contraception or the consequences. I knew I could get pregnant but did nothing to stop it. I thought it wouldn't happen to me. I had Maisie two years ago, just after I left school. I was 17. But I didn't last long at college because it's tough being responsible for someone else, like getting them fed and dressed in the morning, as well as yourself. I came to the local Brook Advisory Centre as a young parent, but soon began advising young people about how not to get pregnant. I'm now a peer educator. I go into secondary schools and colleges and talk to kids aged 13 and upwards about contraception, sexually transmitted infections, the dangers of sex and how they would cope if they had a child. We talk about the emotional impact of sex, like how they might have sex at 13 or 14 but regret it, and about why the age of consent is 16. My advice is always for young people to wait until they are ready, and protect themselves. In my view, this is exactly the sort of stuff that schools should be doing themselves. The reality is quite a few young people experiment with sex before they get to 16. I knew people who were having sex at 12 or 13. The trouble is 12-, 13- and 14-year-olds hear about sexual things, but don't know the facts. They see it as a bit of fun but don't know about the risks. I remind girls having a baby young means you have little money, hardly any time for yourself and don't get as much sleep as you'd like. At the moment most sex education is optional in schools. I think every pupil should have good-quality teaching about sex. Making people aware of all these things won't encourage them to have sex; knowing about the risks will do the opposite. It might prevent unwanted pregnancies, or STIs, or emotional distress.Young people need proper sex education to help them with their health and wellbeing. It puts them in control of their lives. The campaigner Norman Wells, is the director of the Family Education Trust, a research charity in London that is concerned with family and young people's issues . Successive governments, including the last Conservative one and the current Labour one, have adopted the same approach: more sex education, earlier sex education, and easier and confidential access to contraception for young people. But this approach hasn't achieved the Government's objectives. The rate of teenage conception has remained static for 30 years, and we are in the grip of a sexual health crisis, with spiralling rates of sexually transmitted infections. STIs are particularly located among young people from their mid-teens to about the age of 24, with alarming rates of infections like chlamydia. One gets the impression that the average school is adopting the contraceptive-based approach, and almost taking the view that it's inevitable that young people will have sex. Our view is that to have that fatalistic approach is counter-productive and likely to lead to some young people becoming sexually active. Working on the basis that someone might do something can become a self-fulfiling prophesy. If you have teachers in schools giving out the message that sex is almost a normal part of growing up, and advising that you should take this or that form of contraception, then young people might see that as a licence to become sexually active. A young man could then pressurise a girl to have sex by saying 'the teacher said it was OK if we used a condom', which might make it difficult for the girl. You can't lay all the blame at the door of sex education. There are other factors, such as the media's influence, peer pressure and parental supervision, or the lack of it. But some young people can access contraception from the school nurse without their parents knowing, much less approving. The existing approach to sex education is increasing the number of young people who are having sex. Young people are being told that if they use condoms, that's the mark of sexual responsibility. They aren't warned that any sexual relationship outside a marriage will always carry the risk of an STI, and that condoms don't always stop infections like herpes and genital warts. We need to be more honest with young people and tell them sex belongs within marriage. We need to restore sex to its proper place, and not cheapen it and treat it in a casual way. Sex education in this country should pay much greater respect to marriage and sexual activity's proper place within marriage. That's the only way to stop a teenager getting an STI or a young girl getting pregnant.' The parent Julie Brown, 36, is a keen supporter of sex education being made compulsory at all schools When I was at Aveley comprehensive in Essex the only sex education I got was very limited, very clinical and quite frightening. I got more information about periods from my sanitary towel packet than teachers at school. I remember we had a 'special assembly' on sex education one day, when a nurse came in to talk to us, with the boys in one hall, and girls in another. In 2003 I was working as a volunteer parent mentor when a few parents who were worried about their kids experimenting with sex asked me how they could talk to them about contraceptives, STIs and 'when the time is right'. I realised that I didn't know, so I went on an eight-week 'Speakeasy' course run by the Family Planning Association designed to help parents tackle those issues. That made me far more knowledgeable, and much more confident about talking to my four children about sex and sexual health. One day Ryan, my youngest, said to me 'you're bisexual, you are' when I wouldn't let him have something. He was 13 at the time. When I asked him if he knew what a bisexual was, he admitted he didn't. So we got the dictionary out, looked up words like 'bisexual', 'lesbian' and 'homosexual', and discussed what they all meant. That was educational! My four children all go to, or have been to, Thomas Tallis secondary school in Kidbrooke, south London. Luckily the sex education there is pretty good because pupils get lessons in what's called Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE), which includes elements called Sex and Relationships Education (SRE). So they all know what things like chlamydia and gonorrhoea are. All four are now pretty clued-up about sex, and I'm glad about that. In the real world some young people will experiment with sex, even if you don't want them to. Therefore all we can do is advise and guide them. That's what SRE does, yet only a minority of schools offer it. I think that's appalling because the kids need to be educated in SRE. They need to be told, for example, that sex hormones kick in at puberty and can be really nasty and quite powerful things that can affect your moods and the way you feel physically and leave you feeling very emotional, and they need to be advised how to cope with that. If more pupils got SRE, fewer 12- and 13-year-old girls would get pregnant, and children would be better able to handle the peer pressure to have sex just because their friends say they are. In my view SRE should be compulsory for all pupils, and be spread across their school life. It should start when they are five, although obviously the teaching needs to be very sensitive to the age and maturity of the kids concerned. I understand why some parents might find the idea of their kids getting SRE at school scary, for example for religious reasons, or because the children may then ask awkward questions at home that the parents can't answer or don't feel comfortable talking about. I'd allow parents to retain the right to choose whether or not their kid goes to SRE, but encourage them to see that it's to their advantage as well as the young person's. Learning what I and my kids have learnt about sex has definitely made us much more open with each other. Sex education: What pupils learn Now 5-7-year-olds learn that animals including humans, move, feed, grow, use their senses and reproduce; to recognise and compare external parts of the human body; that humans and animals can produce offspring and these grow into adults; to recognise similarities and differences between people and to treat others with sensitivity. 7-11-year-olds learn about the life processes common to humans and other animals - nutrition, growth and reproduction - and about the main stages of the human life cycle. 11-14-year-olds learn that fertilisation in humans is the fusion of a male and female cell; about the physical and emotional changes that take place during adolescence; about the human reproductive system, including the menstrual cycle and fertilisation; how the foetus develops in the uterus; how the growth and reproduction of bacteria and the replication of viruses can affect health, including HIV and sexually transmitted infections. 14-16-year-olds learn about the effects of sex hormones and some of their medical uses, including the control and promotion of fertility; about the defence mechanisms of the body and how sex is determined in humans. In the future Under the new plans, children from primary school age would be given more 'rounded' lessons on sex and relationships and a broader education on drugs, alcohol and handling money. For older children it would include more in-depth information about the methods of contraception, protection against sexually transmitted infections, the emotional side of sex and relationships and negotiating skills to help guide children through them.

Herpes Support Group Meeting Monday

Herpes Support Group, north central Indiana help group, 7 p.m. at Planned Parenthood, 201 S. Chapin St., South Bend. For information call Nancy or Kim at 289-7062.

Students, Sex STD's and STI's

Written by Lyba Spring - Contributor Wednesday, 30 November 2005 By the time students arrive at university, the majority are having sex. Nevertheless, several students approached me at the end of my recent talk to 300 students to say that they were celibate. The women were interested in finding out if they needed to have an internal (pelvic) exam and a pap smear. What you need to know depends on what you are doing. There has been a dramatic increase in the incidence of chlamydia for people between the ages of 15 and 24, with the greatest increase for 20 to 24 year olds. There is also an increase in the percentage of heterosexual transmissions of HIV. When heterosexual couples start having intercourse, most do use condoms - at first. When the female goes on the pill and the couple feels they can trust each other, they stop using condoms. A common scenario is: One day, she goes for her check-up and finds out that she has chlamydia. She thinks her boyfriend has cheated on her. It's possible, but what's more likely is that he was already infected. Up to 50 per cent of men with chlamydia have no symptoms. Up to 80 per cent of women have no symptoms. Luckily, taking antibiotics can cure both. Suppose, however, she was having unprotected sex with a man who had HIV. He wouldn't know unless he had been tested. If she had untreated chlamydia, the HIV virus would attack the white blood cells at the site of her infection. The HIV virus would use these antibodies to gain entry to her bloodstream. A lot of couples who feel stable don't want to continue using condoms. They can both get tested for chlamydia, gonorrhea and HIV after having protected sex for three months, the "window period" for HIV infection. If neither has any of the infections they tested for, then they can decide if they want to stop using condoms to protect against infection. Of course, there is still the problem of herpes and warts. Most new cases of herpes on the genitals is caused by oral sex with a person, who has a history of cold sores on the mouth (HSV-1). It's not the end of the world, because HSV-1 on the genitals tends to break out once or twice a year. And it is difficult to pass genitally. However, genital herpes, caused by HSV-2, is most commonly spread when a person has no symptoms. Condoms really help with this asymptomatic shedding. There is treatment for herpes, which can also reduce the amount of the virus you shed.It is difficult to spread HSV-2 to the mouth with oral sex. A word of caution when dealing with genital warts: A virus called HPV causes these benign warts. After treatment, often a person's immune system clears the virus within a year. High-risk HPV types can cause changes on the cervix, which can lead to cervical cancer. There are no signs of it on a man's penis. This means that for a woman having sex with a man, it is crucial that she have her pap smear once a year. At the same time, she needs to ask her doctor to do swabs to check for things like sexually transmitted infections (STI). So, to those young women who wanted to know if they need to have a pap smear? I told them to negotiate with their family doctor. Cervical cancer is grows slowly. They are at very low risk. Nevertheless, even women who have sex with women need to have their annual pap smear. - Lyba Spring is a Sexual Health Educator for Toronto Public Health -For more information go to: www.toronto.ca/health

New Gene Identified

MONTREAL, Nov. 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Scientists at the MUHC and McGill University have identified a gene responsible for a disease that impairs the body's ability to handle vitamin B12 and that may contribute to heart disease, stroke and dementia. The details of the CIHR and March of Dimes funded research are published in this week's issue of Nature Genetics. The research, which began more than 20 years ago, will allow doctors to perform earlier diagnosis, assess 'carriers' of the disease-Combined Methylmalonic aciduria (MMA) and Homocystinuria-and open the door to new and improved treatments for this debilitating disease. "Although this disease sometimes starts in adolescence or adulthood, we usually diagnose this rare inability to process vitamin B12 in the first few months of life," says Dr. David Rosenblatt, Chairman of Human Genetics at McGill, Director of Medical Genetics in Medicine at the MUHC, Chief of Medical Genetics at the Jewish General Hospital and lead researcher of the new study. "Babies may have breathing, feeding, visual and developmental difficulties, older patients may develop sudden neurological disease." Vitamin B12, which is found in all animal products -- including dairy, eggs, meat, poultry, and fish -- but not in plants, is vital for synthesis of red blood cells and maintenance of the nervous system. Vitamin B12 also helps control homocysteine levels in the human body. Homocysteine control is important because in excess this compound can increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and dementia. 17 year-old Michael -- a typical MMA and Homocystinuria patient -- was diagnosed at 6-months of age, and has battled numerous medical challenges as a result of his condition. Michael is developmentally delayed, visually impaired and does not talk; he has suffered seizures since he was three years old, had a stroke by the age of seven and has since developed rheumatoid arthritis and scoliosis. Michael's diagnosis, which led the way to treatment involving injections of vitamin B12, was conducted at Dr. Rosenblatt's laboratory at the MUHC-one of only two centres in the world that perform these tests. After more than 20-years of data collection, Dr. Rosenblatt, his student Jordan Lerner-Ellis and their team have now unlocked some of the secrets of this rare but debilitating condition. "Using over 200 patient samples, representing the majority of the world's 350 known cases, we have identified the responsible gene, called MMACHC," says Dr. Rosenblatt. "In collaboration with the laboratory of Dr. James Coulton, Department of Microbiology and Immunology at McGill, we used computer modelling to demonstrate the similarity between the protein encoded by the MMACHC gene and a protein involved in bacterial vitamin B12 metabolism." This new link between bacterial and mammalian species may help us better understand how humans use vitamin B12. Ultimately these discoveries have enabled us to develop early diagnosis and carrier assessment tests for the disease-something that was not previously possible. "This discovery offers earlier diagnosis and treatment options for genetic diseases such as Methylmalonic aciduria and Homocystinuria. This represents a step toward improving the lives of those afflicted with such rare and devastating genetic diseases," says Dr. Roderick McInnes, Scientific Director of CIHR's Institute of Genetics. This breakthrough represents hope for Michael and his family, and many others that have been touched by this disease. "Michael is a very loving and caring child, who has had to overcome many challenges," says his mother Karen. "We are overjoyed that this research may one day give courageous children like Michael a fighting chance at a better quality of life." About medical genetics: Alterations in our genes are responsible for thousands of hereditary diseases and influence the development of thousands more. Once the genes involved in a particular disease are discovered, scientists become better able to precisely diagnose disease, predict its course, and create more effective treatments with fewer side effects. Medical genetics can even be used to assess patients' risk of developing certain diseases, allowing them to take preventive medicines and make lifestyle changes, like diet and environment, which may help prevent or delay their development. Medical genetics research is advancing at an incredible rate. This year alone, MUHC scientists have identified genes contributing to breast cancer, colon cancer, lung cancer, tuberculosis, migraines, cytomegalovirus (associated with herpes, chicken pox and mononucleosis) and rare but devastating diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa. The current work on Methylmalonic aciduria and Homocystinuria was a product of the CIHR group in Medical Genetics, comprised of scientists at the MUHC, McGill University, the University of Calgary and collaborators at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. The McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) is a comprehensive academic health institution with an international reputation for excellence in clinical programs, research and teaching. The MUHC is a merger of five teaching hospitals affiliated with the Faculty of Medicine at McGill University -- the Montreal Children's, Montreal General, Royal Victoria, and Montreal Neurological Hospitals, as well as the Montreal Chest Institute. Building on the tradition of medical leadership of the founding hospitals, the goal of the MUHC is to provide patient care based on the most advanced knowledge in the health care field, and to contribute to the development of new knowledge. http://www.muhc.ca McGill University is Canada's leading research-intensive university and has earned an international reputation for scholarly achievement and scientific discovery. Founded in 1821, McGill has 21 faculties and professional schools, which offer more than 300 programs from the undergraduate to the doctoral level. McGill attracts renowned professors and researchers from around the world and top students from more than 150 countries, creating one of the most dynamic and diverse education environments in North America. There are approximately 23,000 undergraduate students and 7,000 graduate students. It is one of two Canadian members of the American Association of Universities. McGill's two campuses are located in Montreal, Canada. http://www.mcgill.ca The March of Dimes is a national voluntary health agency whose mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. Founded in 1938, the March of Dimes funds programs of research, community services, education, and advocacy to save babies and in 2003 launched a campaign to reduce the rate of premature birth. For more information, visit the March of Dimes Web site at http://www.marchofdimes.com. The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) is the Government of Canada's agency for health research. CIHR's mission is to create new scientific knowledge and to catalyze its translation into improved health, more effective health services and products, and a strengthened Canadian health care system. Composed of 13 Institutes, CIHR provides leadership and support to close to 10,000 health researchers and trainees across Canada. http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca

Most people in the US have NO idea about std's like herpes!

Realizing Reality Tuesday, November 29, 2005 Most people in America think they know the facts about sexually transmitted diseases and the importance of practicing safe sex, but many have no idea. A new survey shows many Americans are involved in risky sexual behavior, and seemingly simple things such as proper use of condoms and the avoidance of alcohol and drugs in potentially dangerous situations are to blame. The survey, conducted by MSNBC and market-research firm Zogby International, says millions of Americans are living with STDs - and some don't even know it. Nineteen million new cases of STDs are reported every year, and one in five Americans has genital herpes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which was cited in the study. At least one million Americans are living with AIDS. The scarier part, according to the study, is that many Americans don't know they are infected with the diseases, so the actual numbers likely are significantly higher. More than 56,000 adults ranging in age from 18 to 70 responded to the anonymous survey, which was developed with the help of sex therapist Dr. Ruth Westheimer. Released last month, the survey included questions about participants' sexual histories and practices, how knowledgeable they thought they were about STDs and demographic information such as gender, age and ethnic background. The results include: - 39 percent of respondents said they always ask whether a new partner is infected with HIV or other STDs. About one-third said they never ask about the status of prospective partners' sexual health. - 44 percent of African Americans said they talk to their partners about STDs, compared to 38 percent of whites and 40 percent of Hispanics. - At least half of respondents said they worry about contracting herpes from oral sex, but not all are exactly sure how the disease is spread. Lack of communication between partners plus improper use of condoms is a dangerous combination that is partly responsible for the spread of STDs, said a physician's assistant with Planned Parenthood in Gilroy. "It's actually frightening how many of my patients either aren't using condoms correctly or aren't using them at all," she said. "If you aren't comfortable talking about STDs or you aren't comfortable putting a condom on a penis, you aren't ready to have sex." Some women the assistant talked to said they don't look when putting a condom on their partner, or they don't look when their partner is putting on a condom, so neither partner is sure if they are properly protected. "It's not a moral question of right or wrong; it's pure science. Using a condom is the best way to protect yourself from STDs other than not having sex at all," the assistant said. "Using condoms should be standard practice for anyone having sex." Improper protection has led to a "huge resurgence" in gonorrhea and chlamydia, STDs that generally don't cause any outward signs of infection such as discharge or lesions, she said. A 2002 Planned Parenthood study found that about 40 percent of college-aged men don't put condoms on correctly. To put on a condom correctly, first check the expiration date, then tear open the wrapping either at the notch provided or in the middle of the packet. Squeeze the tip of the condom between your thumb and first two fingers to get rid of any air and to allow room for semen and any further enlargement of the penis. Place the rolled-up condom on the tip of the penis with the hand pinching the end, and roll the condom down with the other hand. If the man is uncircumcised, pull back the foreskin first. If the condom doesn't roll down easily, it's probably on inside out. Discard this condom and begin again with a new one. The condom needs to be unrolled all the way to the base of the penis. After intercourse, the man should hold the base of the condom around his penis as he pulls out to prevent the condom from slipping off inside the woman and to avoid spillage. Use each condom only once. Don't store condoms in a hot area and never in a wallet. The condom should be in place before any physical contact between genitalia. Use only water-based lubricants with condoms. Though condoms will greatly reduce transmission of STDs between partners, they don't provide 100 percent protection against certain diseases such as herpes and vaginal warts, the assistant said. For example, herpes can be transmitted when flakes of skin from the pubic area - an area not covered by a condom - shed onto another person's pubic area, even when the person with herpes is not having an outbreak of sores. Alcohol and drugs were another factor to blame for the spread of STDs, according to the MSNBC and Zogby survey. Nearly two-thirds of survey respondents said they've had unsafe sex while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. "Getting drunk and making bad choices go hand in hand," the physician's assistant said. "You need to have a plan. I think everyone should have a designated driver and a designated moral advisor who can step in and say, 'No, you're drunk, you're not going to go home with this person.'" Here are some other tips to maintain good sexual health: - Urinate after sex. It can help reduce the risk of urinary tract infections. - If you're a woman, don't douche, which is applying a water solution intended to clean the vagina, can wash - Regularly get tested for STDs, and also have regular checkups. Sounds like good advice to me! JJ Currie www.xherpes.com

Pizza Hut To Blame For Her Herpes Simplex Attacks?

When will fast-food joints stop putting people in peril? How could anybody be expected to know that a joint's deep-fried food might be hot? We need someone to protect us from such shameful irresponsibility, so thank heavens for Joshua Goldberg, Esq. A lawsuit filed by Goldberg, said a story in Monday's paper, alleges that Sorana Georgescu-Hassanin of Lehighton is the victim of a pernicious Pizza Hut in her town. I looked at Goldberg's complaint, filed in Carbon County Court, and (gasp) it's true. Georgescu-Hassanin, the lawsuit says, ordered cheese-stuffed ''Jalapeno Poppers'' on Nov. 5, 2003, and their ''excessive heat'' caused the cheese to burn her chin when it squirted out as she bit the deep-fried popper pepper. Pizza Hut failed to ''adequately warn her of any dangers,'' the lawsuit says, and the side of her chin was blistered. Not all of her medical bills, the suit says, were paid by the Department of Public Welfare; she paid part of them herself.

• The trauma, the suit says, resulted in ''a wage loss and a loss or impairment of her future earning capacity'' and it ''traumatically induced/reactivated chronic herpes simplex.''

Her husband is a co-plaintiff who ''suffered the loss of companionship, comfort, services and support of his wife.''

All this, the lawsuit says, entitles the couple to at least $75,000 from Pizza Hut et al. I was wondering what sort of wage loss Georgescu-Hassanin suffered if she is a welfare beneficiary. If Goldberg returns my calls, I'll ask him. I'll also ask how a chin blister two years ago cost her husband a loss of companionship, and how Pizza Hut is to blame for her herpes condition. Finally, I want to know why Goldberg is seeking only a crummy $75,000. When a New Mexico woman spilled hot McDonald's coffee in her lap, she was awarded $2.9 million. I know I have written unkind things about lawyers, accusing them of getting rich by filing blizzards of contingency-fee lawsuits intended to harass people into making settlements (rather than going broke over legal costs) even when claims have little merit. I have been so cruel as to say such lawyers need a big dose of tort reform in Harrisburg. But Monday's heartbreaking story made me realize we need them to protect us from the forces of evil who refuse to adequately warn us of dangers and let us hurt ourselves. Accordingly, I see an urgent need for establishments to be more responsible about adequately warning us. Every St. Patrick's Day, for example, Ye Olde Limeport Inn has a big Irish celebration. That establishment, I am distressed to report, has failed to put up a sign saying, ''Making harshly derogatory comments about Notre Dame's football team could result in unscheduled visits to your dentist.'' Yosemite National Park is lovely, but the last time I was at the Glacier Point lookout, I was horrified to find a lack of adequate warnings. I demand the following signs: ''Stepping off this precipice could cause you serious harm, although not until you reach the bottom of the 3,200-foot drop.'' The Lehigh Valley Ice Arena must warn hockey players not to provoke and confront former Flyer Dave ''The Hammer'' Schultz during charity games. (I have personal knowledge that such actions result in getting knocked on one's fanny. I was not physically injured in that game, but the humiliation was traumatic.) Companies that make light fixtures have been endangering us for too long. They need a sign on each light that says, ''If you remove the light bulb, stick a finger into the socket, and turn on the switch, you may experience discomfort.''

• Yes, we need more knights in shining litigious armor to protect us from such harm, and I expect that Joshua Goldberg will help lead the charge.

Female condom supply would save lives now

Female condom supply would prevent spread of herpes and other std's Basic maths shows that the department of health's distribution programme falls pitifully short of a meaningful contribution to safe sex November 27, 2005 If women want to live in South Africa, then they shouldn't have sex. Or - if the department of health has its way - they would have safe sex only once every five years. Although women are 66 percent more likely to be infected than men, according to UNAids, it is almost impossible for them to access female condoms or dental dams to ensure they can practise safe sex. This week, UNAids released its annual epidemic update in which it referred to the "astonishing speed" of the evolution of the Aids epidemic in South Africa - "a national adult HIV prevalence of less than 1 percent in 1990 rocketed to almost 25 percent in 10 years"

'Our condom distribution cannot be compared to any in the world'

. The department of health announced earlier this year that there were 6,57 million HIV-infected people in South Africa in 2004 compared with 5,6 million at the end of 2003. It said 29,5 percent of pregnant women surveyed in 2004 were HIV-positive, up from 27,9 percent in 2003. In KwaZulu-Natal, the HIV prevalence rate among pregnant women was more than 40 percent. Last month the department crowed that "our condom distribution programme cannot be compared to any in the world. Public health sector male condom distribution increased by 80 percent from 150 million in 1997 to 270 million in 2003". That is 270 million male condoms in a population of 44 million, of whom about 20 million are men. The figures seem good, until a little basic arithmetic reveals that this means 13,5 condoms per year for each man. In a country of 40,5 percent unemployment, few can afford to buy condoms. This either means that South African men need to cut back dramatically on their sex lives or that campaigns promoting safe sex are hypocritical. The situation is worse for women. The department of health revealed that "more than 1,4 million female condoms were distributed in 2003". There are about 24 million women; the average age of sexual induction, according to the Durex surveys, is 12. Basic maths shows that 1,4 million female condoms among 24 million women means they should have sex only once every four to five years, because the department is distributing 0,058 condoms for each woman. And while male condoms are obtainable in public toilets, supermarkets and chemists, it is almost impossible to find female condoms. Supermarkets whose primary clients are women stock none. Dis-chem is the most reliable outlet and sells them for about R27 for three, significantly more expensive than male condoms. Research in Uganda is broadly applicable across the continent: women in long-term relationships are at very high risk of HIV infection. The Ugandan study quoted by UNAids this week shows that "women's vulnerability to infection in marriage is underlined by the fact that most men with multiple partners are married (45 percent of married men had multiple sex partners compared with 5 percent of women)." If penetrative sex is dangerous for women, can they at least experience oral sex? No. Neither the department of health nor any other major organisation distributes dental dams in South Africa - essential for safe oral sex with a woman, whether lesbian or heterosexual. The only outlet for these safe sex tools is Out, an organisation for gay and lesbian people in Pretoria, which sells them for R15 each. Dental dams are small, thin, square pieces of latex used for oral sex. They reduce the transmission of sexually transmitted infections (such as herpes, genital warts and HIV) during oral sex by acting as a barrier to vaginal and anal secretions that contain bacteria and viruses. They come in a variety of sizes and flavours. Dr Elna McIntosh, a Johannesburg sexologist, says she is seeing a steep rise among sexually transmitted illnesses among her A-list clientele. "I recently had a teenager from a prestigious Johannesburg school who had the worst case of genital warts I have seen. It means she isn't practising safe sex." McIntosh suggests the use of water-based lubricants when using a dental dam or to stop the rustling noise of a female condom during sex. She says the best lubricants to use are KY Jelly or Astroglide, "which, though expensive, is similar to vaginal mucosa. People must not use Vaseline, baby oil or aqueous cream with condoms - they decrease their effectiveness and increase the woman's risk of thrush". These substances also heighten the risk of breakage. McIntosh suggests that if you cannot obtain a dental dam, "make one out of a male or female condom, latex glove or non-microwavable cling wrap. To make a dental dam out of a condom, simply cut off the tip and cut down one side". A Johannesburg HIV specialist says the lack of access to female prevention methods is a serious problem. "I have one couple, as an example, where the man is HIV-positive and the woman is HIV-negative. He doesn't like using condoms and she would prefer to use female condoms, but they are expensive and difficult to obtain." Although many women complain of the rustling noise of a female condom during sex - making it difficult for them to insert and use without their partner knowing - sex workers in some countries promote it as a sex toy. The Guardian newspaper reported recently that in Colombo, Sri Lanka, sex workers "marketed it as a toy, allowing the client to insert it - a real thrill, because seeing a vagina up close, or touching one, is a huge taboo in Sri Lanka". Clients enjoy the way the "plastic ring inside [the condom] rubs against the tip of the penis during intercourse, intensifying the man's orgasm... "In Senegal, the condoms are sold with noisy 'bine bine' beads, an erotic accessory that women wear around their hips. The rustle of the polyurethane during sex is now associated with the clicking of the beads - and so, a turn-on. "In Zimbabwe, where 930 000 of the 1 600 000 adults infected with HIV are women, a new word - kaytecyenza - has entered the vernacular to describe the 'tickle' created by the inner ring rubbing against the penis." McIntosh says it is important to "eroticise safer sex - people can use different colours, gels that have different tastes. I suggest to clients that they have a basket or drawer next to their bed with different coloured condoms, a variety of lubricants, gloves and toys".

Northern Ocean Support Groups

ART THERAPY: Children in this group deal with emotions and feelings through art after losing a loved one. The group meets at Ocean Medical Center, 425 Jack Martin Blvd. Call (732) 206-8340.

AUTOIMMUNE INFORMATION NETWORK offers a support group for those with any type of autoimmune disease. Meetings are at 1 p.m. on the fourth Sunday of each month at Ocean Medical Center, Conference Room C. Call Barbara at (732) 262-0450.

BEREAVEMENT GROUP: A group for the newly bereaved or those still experiencing the pain from the loss of a loved one meets 7:30-9 p.m. the first and third Tuesday at Meridian Nursing and Rehabilitation, 415 Jack Martin Blvd. Call (732) 206-8340.

BEREAVEMENT GROUP: A senior bereavement group meets 1:30-3 p.m. the second and fourth Friday at St. Dominic's Church, Van Zile Road. Call (732) 840-1410.

BREAST CANCER: A support group for people with breast cancer and their families meets at 7:30 p.m. the first Monday of each month in the cafeteria at Ocean Medical Center, 425 Jack Martin Blvd. Call (732) 206-8340.

COPING WITH CANCER: Cancer patients and family members meet at 7 p.m. the second and fourth Monday of each month in the Oncology Conference Room at Ocean Medical Center, 425 Jack Martin Blvd. Call (732) 206-8340.

DIVORCE CARE: Christian support and group counseling for people going through divorce is available at St. Paul's United Methodist Church, 714 Herbertsville Road. Call (732) 775-9016 or (732) 451-1938.

FAMILY SUPPORT: Helping Hands of the Epilepsy Foundation of NJ is seeking families with children with special needs who would benefit from weekly visits from a Helping Hands volunteer. The program targets children from birth to 12 years old, providing fun and educational activities while giving parents a break. Volunteers may accompany the family to doctor visits, outings or school performances. Call the Helping Hands coordinator at (732) 262-8020.

GROW, a mutual-help support group for people suffering from depression or anxiety of dealing with other stressful situations, meets at 6:30 p.m. every Tuesday at Brick Presbyterian Church, Drum Point Road. Meetings are confidential and nondenominational. Call (732) 785-9502.

HEP-C SUPPORT: MOCHCCI-Hepatitis C support group meets 7-9 p.m. the first Tuesday of the month in the lower-level conference room at Ocean Medical Center, 425 Jack Martin Blvd. Visit mochcci.org or call (732) 974-5797.

LA LECHE LEAGUE: La Leche League support group for breastfeeding meets at 7 p.m. the second Thursday of each month at Ocean Medical Center, 425 Jack Martin Blvd. Call (732) 295-2536.

LUPUS SUPPORT: The Ocean County Support Group of the Lupus Foundation of America meets every other month at 7 p.m. Thursdays at Ocean Medical Center. Call the foundation office for details at (800) 322-5816.

MOMS CLUB: Moms Offering Moms Support meets during the day and allows mothers to bring their children with them. Call (732) 202-0689.

MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS, Mid-Jersey Chapter, meets 10:30 a.m.-noon the last Monday of each month at the Ocean Medical Center, 425 Jack Martin Blvd. Call (732) 701-1593 or (732) 270-3459.

MYASTHENIA GRAVIS: A support group meets at 1 p.m. the third Sunday of each month at Ocean Medical Center in the Community Classroom; food and refreshments. Call Barbara Yodice at (732) 262-1526.

RAINBOWS: St. Dominic's Church offers Rainbows, a peer support group for schoolchildren who have experienced significant loss in their lives through death, divorce or other painful transitions. Another group, Prism, is available for single parents, stepparents and parents whose children are in Rainbows. Call Karen Voorhees at (732) 840-1410.

STRESS SUPPORT: Stress Central, a support group to help control stress, meets at 6:30 p.m. every Tuesday at the Worthington assisted-living community, 458 Jack Martin Blvd. Call (732) 785-1081 or (732) 477-2859.

SURVIVORS TALK: The Center for Behavioral Health Services sponsors a recovery program for survivors of abuse and assault. Individual, confidential services are available, and women's and children's therapeutic support groups are being formed. Call (732) 920-7933.

TRANSPLANT GROUP: A support group for pre- and post-transplant patients, donors, family and friends meets once a month at Ocean Medical Center. Call Kathleen Strittmatter at (732) 262-0959.

VIETNAM VETS: Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter 200 of Ocean County, sponsors a support group for the spouses and companions of Vietnam veterans. The group meets at 7:30 p.m. every third Friday of each month at the Disabled American Veterans Chapter 20, 1810 Lanes Mill Road. Call (609) 693-7574 or (732) 269-0230.

WOMEN IN RELATIONSHIPS: This group focuses on establishing and maintaining healthy relationship boundaries with parents, family, a spouse, children and significant others. Group participants will examine beliefs that limit healthy boundaries and learn ways to develop healthy relationships in a safe, group environment at Catholic Charities, 35 Beaverson Blvd., Building 12. Cost is $15 per session, $10 fee for book purchase at first session.

HOWELL

HELP FOR PARENTS: The Holy Family Support Group for struggling parents meets 8-9:30 p.m. every Friday in St. Veronica's Rectory, Route 9 North. This is a 12-step recovery program. Call (732) 928-2476.

SINGLE, AGAIN: St. Veronica's Support Group for Separated, Divorced or Widowed meets at 7:30 p.m. every Tuesday night in St. Veronica's Church rectory basement, Route 9. A separate widowed group meets the first Tuesday of each month, same time and place. Call (732) 577-6964 days or (732) 431-0446 evenings or (732) 364-0729.

TOUGH LOVE: Tough Love, a parent support group for those troubled by their child's behavior, meets at 7:30 p.m. every Tuesday at Church of the Master, 110 Salem Hill Road. Call Susan at (732) 431-1740 or Ruth at (732) 536-9324.

JACKSON

ALZHEIMER'S: The Seasons, Bella Terra's memory care program, holds a monthly support group for families dealing with Alzheimer's disease and related disorders. The group meets 10-11:30 a.m. the last Tuesday of every month at 2 Kathleen Drive, off County Line Road. Call Paula Douglas at (732) 730-9500.

HERPES SIMPLEX: Central New Jersey Help, an affiliation of American Social Health Association Herpes Simplex Virus support group, meets 7:30-9 p.m. on the third Friday of the month at St. Aloysius Church, 935 Bennetts Mills Road. Contact Gina or Mike at (732) 270-4680.

STROKE SUPPORT: The CentraState Healthcare System-sponsored stroke support group offers educational programs and supportive interaction for those dealing with events and lifestyle changes associated with stroke. The group meets at 2 p.m. on the second Monday of each month at Westlake Community Clubhouse in Jackson. Call (732) 780-3013.

LAKEWOOD

BEREAVEMENT GROUP: Jewish Family and Children's Service of the Jewish Federation of Ocean County sponsors a bereavement group for those who have recently encountered a loss 9:30-11 a.m. on Wednesdays at 301 Madison Ave. Call (732) 363-8010.

CANCER SUPPORT: A cancer support group meets 12:30-2 p.m. the fourth Monday of each month at the Lighthouse, 198 Prospect St. Call (732) 370-9667.

CAREGIVERS: This support group, provided by Kimball Medical Center, is for anyone caring for a person living in Ocean County age 60 years and older (not necessarily living in the same house). The group meets 12:45-2:15 each Tuesday at the Center for Healthy Living, 198 Prospect St. The group is facilitated by two social workers. The group is free, but registration is required by calling (732) 730-9112.

DIABETES SUPPORT: Kimball Medical Center diabetes support group meets monthly at the Center for Healthy Living, 198 Prospect St. Call for meeting time and to register at (888) 724-7123.

HEMANGIOMA SUPPORT: Parents of children with hemangiomas, benign tumors formed by a cluster of blood vessels, are invited to join a support group to exchange information and associate with others who are concerned with this affliction. Beatrice Coulter of Howell and Clare Connolly of Jackson, both of whose daughters have problems caused by hemangiomas, founded the group, which meets at Early Intervention of Ocean County in Lakewood. Anyone who is interested in joining the group should send their name, address and telephone number to Hemangioma Help, P.O. Box 1401, Jackson, NJ 08527-9998.

JEWISH SENIORS: Jewish Federation of Ocean County holds a senior support group 1-2:30 p.m. Wednesdays at 301 Madison Ave. Call (732) 363-8010.

JEWISH FAMILY AND CHILDREN'S SERVICE'S Caregiver Group, providing support for those involved with caring for a loved one, meets 10-11:30 a.m. on the fourth Tuesday of the month at Wellsprings Adult Social Day Care, 525 Route 70. Call (732) 363-8010.

NEW BEGINNINGS offers support to those suffering from cancer as well as to their family and friends. Meetings are held 6:30-9:30 each Wednesday at Leisure Park, 1400 Route 70 East, Lakewood. Call (732) 255-5940.

NEW DAWN: This support group for parents who have lost a child meets at 8 p.m. the first Monday of the month at the Northern Ocean Professional Plaza, 525 Route 70, Suite A-3. Call (732) 928-2565.

PAAVE: Parents for Autism, Autoimmune and Vaccine Education holds its monthly meeting on first Wednesday of the month at The Arc of Ocean County. Call Ellen Sweeney (732) 451-1073.

TOUGH LOVE, a support group for parents coping with out-of-control behavior, meets at 7:15 p.m. Mondays at First Presbyterian Church, Third Street. Call (732) 928-4125 or (732) 280-7594.

WOMEN FOR SOBRIETY is a non-12-step based, nonreligious recovery program meeting the needs of women by striving to build self-esteem and empowerment to overcome addition. The group meets 7-8 p.m. each Wednesday at the Center at Kimball Medical Center, 198 Prospect St. Call (732) 370-5586.

MONMOUTH/ OCEAN COUNTY

9/11 SUPPORT: Anyone affected by the events of Sept. 11, 2001, can get help through Project Phoenix, a FEMA-funded outreach program. Project counselors meet individually or in groups, provide education and assist in referrals. People who lost family, relatives, friends, or co-workers or who witnessed the event in person, worked in lower Manhattan at the time, assisted in rescue or recovery operations and those who have had difficulty coping with the disaster are eligible for the program. Visit www.projectphoenixnj.com or call (877) 294-HELP.

BENIGN ESSENTIAL BLEPHAROSPASM: A support group for this rare eye disease has been formed. Contact Bonnie O'Rourke at (732) 922-4429 or at tombor@worldnet.att.net.

CHILD SUPPORT: The Monmouth-Ocean Chapter of ACES, the Association for Children for Enforcement of Support, assists custodial parents struggling to collect support for children. E-mail monmouthaces1@aol.com or visit www.childsupport-aces.org.

CONTACT OCEAN COUNTY is a 24-hour, seven-day hot line serving Monmouth and Ocean counties, providing help to people in crisis or having difficulty handling their everyday lives. Call (732) 240-6100 or (609) 693-5834.

FAMILIES OF ADDICTS, NAR-ANON: A support group for families and friends of drug addicts meets 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Sundays in CentraState Medical Center, Route 537 and West Main Street, Freehold Township; 7:30-9:30 p.m. Sundays at Kimball Medical Center, Route 9, Lakewood; and 7:30-9 p.m. Mondays at the Presbyterian Church, Hooper Avenue, Dover Township. Call (800) 322-5525 or (800) 255-0196.

HEARING-IMPAIRED TEENS: The mother of an oral deaf 15-year-old daughter is looking to form a social group for like teens. Call (732) 286-1711.

HOT LINES: Self-Help Clearinghouse maintains a database of more than 4,000 support groups in New Jersey, plus 200 help lines/hot lines. Call (800) 367-6274 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

MENDED HEARTS helps cardiac patients and their families. This group meets at Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Neptune; Riverview Medical Center, Red Bank; and Ocean Medical Center, Brick. Call (800) 560-9990, Prompt 3.

PARENTS OF ADDICTS: Help Mothers and Fathers is a support group for parents trying to cope with addictions in adolescent and adult children. Meetings are in Old Bridge, Fair Haven, Toms River and Long Branch. Call (973) 736-3344.

TOURETTE SYNDROME: A new Monmouth/Ocean County Tourette Syndrome family support group has been formed and meets 7-8:30 p.m. the fourth Tuesday of each month (except July and August) at the Wellness Center of Jersey Shore University Medical Center, second floor classroom, 2020 Route 33, Neptune. Visit www.tsanj.org or call (908) 575-7350.

WEIGHT HELP: Overeaters Anonymous has a hot line with information about meeting times and places. Call (609) 698-0244.

OCEAN COUNTY

ALZHEIMER'S CARE and related dementias support group, sponsored by the Ocean County Board of Social Services, meets 1-3 p.m. the third Friday of the month at The Gables at Brick on Jack Martin Boulevard and 1-3 p.m. the third Tuesday of the month at the Manchester Manor, Route 70, Manchester. Call Ellen Vidal at (732) 505-3754 or Anna Smith at (732) 286-5975. In Toms River, Princeton Biomedical Research is offering a free Alzheimer's disease caregivers support group 11 a.m.-noon every other Friday. Call (732) 240-5775.

ALZHEIMER'S RESPITE CARE: People with Alzheimer's disease may be helped by the Alzheimer's Respite Care Program started by Caregivers of Central Ocean County Inc. and Caregivers of Lakewood Inc. Call (732) 505-0031.

MOTHERS WITHOUT CUSTODY meets 2-4 p.m. the third Saturday in Lacey. Call Kathleen Pitman at (609) 971-1684.

PANIC RELIEF INC. offers panic, anxiety and phobia workshops and support groups in Point Pleasant and Toms River. Call (732) 940-9658.

SURVIVOR SUPPORT: The Sexual Abuse and Assault Program of St. Francis Counseling Service helps anyone who has been raped or sexually abused. Its 24-hour rape hot line has experienced counselors for crisis intervention and support. In northern Ocean County, call (732) 370-4010. In southern Ocean County, call (609) 494-1090. St. Francis also offers free counseling services at 10 sites in the county.

VETERANS' FAMILIES: A self-help group is organizing for veterans' families and friends who are trying to cope with their veteran's combat post-traumatic stress disorder. The group follows a 12-step format. A meeting date and location will be determined. Call Chris Woolnough at (732) 928-7027 or e-mail cwoolno1@aol.com.

POINT PLEASANT

EYE OPENERS, a support group for the visually impaired and blind, meets at 10 a.m. on the second and fourth Tuesday of the month in the Presbyterian Church education building. Call George Brown at (732) 892-5117 or Fran Grecco at (732) 458-7181.

POINT PLEASANT BEACH

CANCER CONCERN: Cancer Concern Center, 1101 Richmond Ave., offers support groups for people living with cancer. Meetings are 10 a.m.-noon Tuesdays and 6:30-8:30 p.m. Wednesdays. A men's support group meets 6:30-8:30 p.m. Tuesdays. Call (732) 701-0250 or (732) 701-0750.

Support group meetings are subject to change, please call before heading to a meeting. New support groups that meet in a public place may submit their information to Community Support Groups, c/o the Asbury Park Press, 3601 Route 66, Box 1550, Neptune, NJ 07754, fax to (732) 643-4015 or e-mail to community@app.com. Existing groups that would like to amend or update their information should call (732) 643-4206.

‘Playing around’ has a price tag

‘Playing around’ has a price tag Could the values in gay male relationships contribute to our STD and HIV infection rates?

By STEPHEN FALLON, Ph.D. Friday, November 25, 2005

A FEW MONTHS back, my friend Oscar was describing his new relationship over dinner. His boyfriend of two months had suggested that they commit to one another exclusively.

When Mitch heard this declaration of exclusivity, he snorted from across the table, “Please! I’ll have him by Christmas.” Though everyone was laughing, Mitch’s comment struck me sour.

Why don’t more gay guys encourage one another’s committed relationships? Our party line is that we’re just more realistic and honest with each other than straight lovers are.

But does our “honesty” extend as far as mocking and trying to trip up any relationships that are committed?

When my friend Chris took a weekend trip with a group of gay athletes, one of the other athletes hit on him. Chris said, “Thanks, but I have a boyfriend.” This didn’t slow the other guy’s advances.

When Chris removed the guy’s straying hand from his chest, the guy challenged, “What? Don’t you guys have rules for when you’re out of town?” It was inconceivable to this guy that any gay male relationship would even try to be truly exclusive.

This expectation that “playing” is inevitable in any gay relationship has come to worry me. I’ve been working in public health for a decade, and witnessed the anxiety that gay men feel when they find out they’ve caught HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, herpes or Chlamydia.

COULD OUR VALUES contribute to our disproportionate STD and HIV infection rates?

Surveys conducted in seven U.S. cities among 5,600 young gay and bisexual men, ages 17-29, find that 10 percent are already HIV positive. Infection rates for just about every other STD tracked are also higher for gay men than for straight men or women.

The point isn’t that straight folks are pure, and we are hedonistic. But for straight couples, sexual exclusivity is at least the stated goal. Notwithstanding the sort of mutually undeserving, hetero imbeciles paraded on “Jerry Springer,” when a straight spouse cheats it’s supposed to be the exception that proves the rule of presumed fidelity.

In anonymous surveys, about a third of straight married people admit to having ever had an affair. But in a recent survey of gay men in sexually exclusive relationships, nearly one-third had cheated within three months of starting the relationship. More than half of them had unprotected sex when they strayed.

Did these men slip up sooner because their pledges were at odds with general gay male expectations?

Wedding or civil union vows spoken before friends and family send a message of planned fidelity. A spouse feeling the urge will have to work harder to manage an affair away from the eyes of neighbors or friends.

WE SEEM TO expect “open” relationships. Another long survey of 4,295 gay and bisexual guys in six U.S. cities found the average guy had seven sexual partners during the past six months, though about half of the men were in primary partner relationships.

To be sure, plenty of guys have caught HIV or STDs even staying true to their partner, either because they didn’t get tested together at the outset, or because one of them strayed and brought an infection home. But from a general safety perspective, even imperfect or serial monogamy is preferable to “honestly open” relationships.

A person newly infected with HIV is 12 to 20 times more contagious than after the immune system has started to fight back. If a guy becomes HIV infected during a rare one-night stand, or within a mostly monogamous relationship, he will likely pass through his “peak contagion period” without exposing anyone else.

Yet if he became infected while “playing” in an open relationship, or during a regular “trick,” then each of the guys he has unprotected sex with in the coming two months will face a much greater risk of catching his virus.

How about if relationships are sexually open only when partners use condoms? Many gay men use condoms improperly, putting them on only after already entering a partner a few times during foreplay.

Though guys who “play” tell me that they’re extra careful, gay guys with multiple partners are statistically no more likely to use condoms than those with just one partner.

I’d oppose anyone who tried to legislate against individual sexual choice. But maybe it is time for us to encourage exclusive relationships.

Safe-sex advocate addresses churches

'If God created it, we can talk about it,' she tells congregations

BY CHRISTINA MURPHY THE NEWS LEADER

Nov 25, 2005

WAYNESBORO -- Safe sex is a controversial topic to take to church. But when you're talking with people dedicated to stopping the spread of AIDS, the conversation will go there.!!!

Alisa Lundeen, who coordinates AIDS/HIV intervention programs for the Valley Community Services Board, believes church is a perfect forum for AIDS prevention. Why? Because churches are close-knit communities made up of individuals who care for one another and who want to keep each other safe. And her message is slowly taking root in area congregations.

"I sincerely believe if God created it, we can talk about it," Lundeen routinely says to church assemblies.

That opens an hour or so of discussion about sex, protection and consequences. Adults and teenagers are encouraged to attend.

On Sunday, Lundeen brought her presentation to Oak Grove Baptist Church in Waynesboro. About 50 people gathered in the basement after services to participate.

The Rev. T.E. Payne of Oak Grove Baptist said alarming statistics about the high numbers of blacks infected with AIDS prompted the church to get involved with prevention about a year ago.

"This church is certainly liable to become caught up in those [statistics] if we don't do something to prevent it," Payne said.

Offer of AIDS tests

The visit to Oak Grove was Lundeen's second. At the first session in September, she offered AIDS testing to all in attendance. The pastor volunteered first to help put people at ease.

At Sunday's session, the discussion focused on how to prevent new infection in young people.

Safe sex, Lundeen said, is a lot of work. Her prevention props include condoms, dental dams, lubricants and boxer shorts -- to help protect against another sexually-transmitted disease, herpes.

"Abstinence starts to look real good after a while, at least until you decide to get married," Lundeen said.

Abstinence is the preferred method of safe sex endorsed by Oak Grove Baptist, Payne said. But he wants the congregation to be informed and able to educate others. It's in that spirit of community networking that Lundeen founded one of her major AIDS prevention programs, Red Band.

Red Band volunteers help plant seeds to build informal information networks by agreeing to serve as resources in their communities.

A little-discussed topic

One of the first volunteers, Cassandra Scott, said she felt compelled to get involved after realizing how little people in the valley talked about AIDS. Scott's church, Beverly Manor Baptist, was the first to invite Lundeen and Red Band to speak on that subject.

"One thing I realized -- I'm from New York -- [is] information isn't out there," Scott said. "In New York, you see it on the subways; you see it everywhere.

"I speak with people anywhere; it can be in the Laundromat," Scott said.

The message resonated with Oak Grove youths.

"I'm all about people being educated," said Renee Hobson, 21. "I think it [Red Band] will work; we just have to reach people so that they can really get it." Hobson is a pre-med student at James Madison University.

"I think the more we talk about it, the more it'll work, because when you talk about it, it spreads," said Devaughn Payne, 16.

Whitney Silver, 15, also reacted positively.

"I think more people should hear it, because it's there," she said of AIDS.

HIV-Aids moves stealthily

HIV infection rates are decreasing in several countries but the number of people living with HIV continues to rise, according to a United Nations report released in advance of World Aids Day, marked worldwide on the first of December. "We are encouraged by the gains that have been made in some countries and by the fact that sustained HIV prevention programs have played a key part in bringing down infections," said Dr. Peter Piot, executive director of the Joint United Nations Program on HIV-Aids (UNAids). "But the reality is that the AIDS epidemic continues to outstrip global and national efforts to contain it." In Asia, infection levels are still low: 0.4 percent in adult population. "But with Asia accounting for 60 percent of the world's population, figures are more significant than a single low rate," says Dr Bernard Fabre-Teste, an advisor with the sexually transmitted infection unit of the regional office of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Manila. In the Philippines, the first AIDS case reported was in 1984. Since then, almost 2,500 have been recorded by the National Epidemiology Center of the Department of Health (DOH). The figure, however, is just the "tip of the iceberg." "We may have smaller incidence of HIV-Aids compared with Asian countries, but this does not mean we have to be complacent. We cannot completely eradicate it, but at least we must limit its spread," said DOH head Dr. Francisco T. Duque III in a recent forum. The term Aids--Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome--applies to the most advanced stages of HIV infection. It is, according to the US-based Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAid), caused by HIV (discovered by Dr. Luc Montagnier and his colleagues at the Pasteur Institute in France in 1983). Outside the human body, HIV -- human immunodeficiency virus -- is relatively fragile and can be easily killed by household disinfectants. Once inside the body, there is no way a person can eliminate the virus. HIV progressively weakens the body's immune defense system, until it is no longer able to fight off infections, many of which are normally harmless. When the immune system is severely damaged by HIV, several opportunistic infections are present at once. Opportunistic infections common in people with Aids cause symptoms such as: coughing and shortness of breath, seizures and lack of coordination, difficult or painful swallowing, mental symptoms such as confusion and forgetfulness, severe and persistent diarrhea, vision loss, nausea, abdominal cramps, vomiting, weight loss, extreme fatigue, severe headaches, and coma. Among the indicator diseases affecting people with HIV include tuberculosis, Kaposi's sarcoma (a tumor primarily affecting the skin), pneumonia, herpes, shingles and weight loss. "Death is not caused directly by HIV, but by one or more infections," says Dr. Dominic Garcia, an infectious disease specialist at the Gat Andres Medical Hospital. How does HIV work? The AIDS Information Unit of the health department explains: "When HIV enters your body, your body tries to kill the virus by creating chemicals called 'anti-bodies.' This process -- from the moment you are infected until the moment antibodies appear in your blood -- takes an average of six weeks but may take as long as one year." The DOH information sheet said HIV antibodies do not kill the Aids virus. The antibodies and HIV remain in the bloodstream of a person until the rest of his or her life. Only a special blood test can detect whether a person is HIV-infected or HIV-positive. Medical scientists consider HIV as a retrovirus, which means it is a slow virus. "Unlike flu, when you get it today, you might already present symptoms the following day. With HIV, you can be without symptoms for several years. Possibly as short as three years or as long as 12 years," explains the Health Action Information Network (Hain). Currently, there are three classes of drugs available to treat HIV infection: nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, and protease inhibitors. "HIV usually develops resistance to any of these drugs when they are used alone," warns the Merck manual. "Resistance can develop after a few days to several months of use, depending on the drug and the person." Prevention is still the best way to stop the spread of HIV/Aids. And preventing Aids, according to the Department of Health (DOH), is as easy as ABC. Actually, ABC stands for "abstinence," "be faithful," and "condom use." Abstinence or no sex is a difficult but possible option for many people, especially young people. "Abstain from having sex," the health department recommends. "Wait for the right partner that can make your heart beat fast and ready to put you in a comfortable and healthy life." For married people, the DOH urges couples to "be faithful." Edwina Currie, in an article which appeared in 'The Observer,' once told a group: "My message to the businessman of this country when they go abroad on business is that there is one thing above all they can take with them to stop them from catching Aids, and that is the wife." But for those who can abstain from having sex or being faithful to their partners, DOH suggests condom. "Protection is still the best defense against this disease," says Dr. Cyrus Trocio of the Department of Health in Davao City. "Use a latex condom for each act of intercourse with an infected partner or a partner whose HIV status is unknown," recommends The Merck Manual of Medical Information. But let me remind you, "Condoms aren't completely safe," says Bob Rubin. "A friend of mine was wearing one and got hit by a bus." Of course, he was joking!