Thai Study Finds High HIV Infection Rate Among The Married

[webfact]

Study finds high HIV infection rate among the married

By PONGPHON SARNSAMAK

THE NATION

A recent study into HIV/Aids transmission has uncovered a case where a couple transmitted the virus to each other after each had been infected by their secret lovers.

The study was conducted last year by Phitsanulok province's Disease Prevention and Control division area 9 to learn how HIV infection is being spread among people in the northern region.

The study showed that 53 per cent of new HIV infection cases in the northern provinces, who answered the survey, said they had got the HIV virus from their husbands or wives, Dr Somyos Kittimankhong of the Department of Disease Controls (DDC) anti-Aids division said.

He was speaking at a three-day National Aids Conference, which began on March 29 at Impact Arena Muang Thong Thani. About 3,500 people from civic groups, health activists and experts joined the conference to discuss progress of HIV treatment and prevention.

Somyos said that his agency found 20,000 civil servants had been given anti-retroviral medicine to treat HIV/Aids, and 50,000 employees under the Social Security Fund had received medicine from hospitals. Over 140,000 people received the Aids drug under the universal healthcare scheme.

Somyos said most people did not know that the National Health Security Office conducted free HIV testing twice a year. He found that only 300,000 to 400,000 people went to hospital to take the HIV test. About 7 per cent were found to be HIV positive.

"If we want to reduce new HIV cases, we need at least 10 million people to undergo the HIV test," he said.

Dr Chawetsan Namwat of the department's Epidemiology Division said the Public Health Ministry estimated 10,100 people would become new HIV/Aids cases by the end of this year.

Gay men remain the group most affected by HIV in Thailand, followed by housewives, men who have sex with sex workers, men infected by their wives, and injecting drug users.

To curb the rise in HIV infection, the Disease Control Department's Anti-Aids Bureau will install condom boxes to provide free condoms in three different sizes. They will be placed at saunas, sex and entertainment venues and among the gay community.

Public Health Minister Jurin Laksanavisit said about 27 provinces have a large number of HIV/Aids cases, comprising more than 70 per cent. The ministry will give priority to controlling the spread of HIV/Aids in these areas.

To curb the increasing number of HIV cases, the Disease Control Department's Anti-Aids Bureau will install condom boxes to provide free condoms of three different sizes - 49 millimetres, 52mm and 54mm.

Aids Access Foundation's director Nimitr Tienudom said the government should implement a 100 per cent condom-use project to provide free condoms to all Thais, not only the risk group. Government spending should be boosted for projects fighting HIV as budgets have been cut over the past few years.

Mit Samphan Harm Reduction Centre's manager Jirasak Sripramong said government should cease compulsory therapy for injected drug users, as they were often abused during the 45-day programme. The government should provide voluntary therapy and a counselling centre for the users who are not criminals.

-- The Nation 2011-03-30

[pointoffew]

"Somyos said most people did not know that the National Health Security Office conducted free HIV testing twice a year."

So why was I charged 420 baht for a test? I am under the Social Security scheme!

[Nisa]

Had to stop reading after the first sentence...

A recent study into HIV/Aids transmission has uncovered a case where a couple transmitted the virus to each other after each had been infected by their secret lovers.

[junkofdavid2]

A recent study into HIV/Aids transmission has uncovered a case where a couple transmitted the virus to each other after each had been infected by their secret lovers.

Great journalism from The Nation.

Was even able to find out that each couple member got infected (and then each miraculously cured?), and then re-infected by each other (by each of whom were already cured?).

[jsflynn603]

"Gay men remain the group most affected by HIV in Thailand, followed by housewives, men who have sex with sex workers, men infected by their wives, and injecting drug users."

Gay men, I can see as being the number 1 group. But if you read the sentence it turns into housewives second, and then third men who have sex with sex workers, and fourth, men infected by their wives. Thus add #2 and $4 together and it appears that the "wives" are the villains.

I suspect that the reality is Gay men as #1; Men who have sex with sex workers as #2, and housewives infected by husbands who have sex with sex workers as #3.

Now let's look at the number of cases of female cervical cancer, including fatalities caused by cervical cancer. The virulent strains of HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) are endemic amongst sex workers. Men who have sex with sex workers and then return home to have sex with their wives infect their wives. This leads to a greatly increased risk factor to wives with men who have sex with sex workers. There is an increased risk to males but it is tiny compared to the risk to females.

The problem here is that condoms reduce, but do not stop transmission of HPV because virus can be shed without a visible outbreak, and on skin areas not covered by a condom. Therefore men who use condoms and use sex trade workers eventually become infected with one or more of the Cervical Cancer causing strains of HPV.

Bottom line is that epidemiologically speaking there are two killers related to the paid sex trade, HIV and Cervical Cancer caused by infection from HPV..

C'mon Public Health--epidemiology is a science, let's have some bottom line facts and not double talk about housewives being the villains here because they aren't.

[Payboy]

"If we want to reduce new HIV cases, we need at least 10 million people to undergo the HIV test,"

Then what? Euthanize the positives?

[featography]

"If we want to reduce new HIV cases, we need at least 10 million people to undergo the HIV test,"

Then what? Euthanize the positives?

Now that would scare people enough into keeping their zippers up and their legs closed.

[Ijustwannateach]

A recent study into HIV/Aids transmission has uncovered a case where a couple transmitted the virus to each other after each had been infected by their secret lovers.

Great journalism from The Nation.

Was even able to find out that each couple member got infected (and then each miraculously cured?), and then re-infected by each other (by each of whom were already cured?).

Actually, it is possible while having already been infected with a disease- especially one which can be slow to develop, initially localised, or have dormant periods- to be re-infected with the same disease and/or other strains of the same disease by contact with another carrier. This is why it is considered unhealthy and dangerous for those who are ALREADY infected to continue to follow unsafe sex practices.

It is an immense relief to see public discourse swinging away from where it has unfortunately been swiped by the blue-rinse set in the Ministry of Culture the past few years. The myth of Thai-y-ness as some kind of prim Victorian Wonderland of Prudishness, including the "No Sex, Please, We're Thai" attitude has undoubtedly resulted in half-generation of young people more unfamiliar with good health practices and will be responsible for many infections and eventual deaths. Those condoms were ALREADY there in the entertainment areas before that era set in, and were removed by the police in the name of its advocates.

[Ijustwannateach]

"If we want to reduce new HIV cases, we need at least 10 million people to undergo the HIV test,"

Then what? Euthanize the positives?

No, educate them as to their responsibilities and their health concerns. I do wonder if this testing they are promoting is anonymous or not- the Red Cross offers that in Bangkok, at least, and it is also free twice a year.

Anonymous testing is the only way to offer a public a safe means of self-knowledge, and therefore awareness of responsibility.

[Buchholz]

Some surprising revelations :

The study showed that 53 per cent of new HIV infection cases in the northern provinces, who answered the survey, said they had got the HIV virus from their husbands or wives, Dr Somyos Kittimankhong of the Department of Disease Controls (DDC) anti-Aids division said.

Over half of all new HIV infections were by couples.

Always knew there was a fair amount of hanky panky going on in marriages, but didn't think it was at a level where they accounted for over half the cases.

I guess a major contributing factor to that would, of course, be the lower use of protection used by partners as opposed to singles, but still the infection rate is a revealing statistic to the social dynamics involved.

Gay men remain the group most affected by HIV in Thailand, followed by housewives, men who have sex with sex workers, men infected by their wives, and injecting drug users.

The surprise here is the lower incidence of IV drug users compared to the rest of the categories. Particularly in light of reports of increased drug usage in the population and the non-use of needle exchange programs. Contributing factors could be they are not injecting the drugs as a method of ingestion at the same rate as before or are they just getting more diligent about keeping their "works" clean or not re-using needles.

The other aspect that's surprising is that housewives are the second highest affected group. It's a sad indictment on the earlier suprise about couples being the majority of new cases. It shows that the husbands are infecting their wives at a higher rate than vice versa (although that aspect does NOT come as a surprise). It really enforces the need for education targeting these housewives although that's not going to be an easy subject to instruct as it raises the issues of trust in a marriage.

Somyos said most people did not know that the National Health Security Office conducted free HIV testing twice a year. He found that only 300,000 to 400,000 people went to hospital to take the HIV test. About 7 per cent were found to be HIV positive.

"If we want to reduce new HIV cases, we need at least 10 million people to undergo the HIV test," he said.

Lastly, a bit surprised, but less so, that the infection rate is holding at 7 per cent of the general population. It emphasizes the need for more people to avail themselves of the free testing available.

In those that were tested (400,000) that translates to 28,000 previously unaware cases.

If the 10 million that Dr. Somyos wants, that would translate to mean 700,000 people with HIV that don't know it. A shocking figure.

I wish him and his workers the best of luck while they continue to battle this killer.

.

Edited March 30, 2011 by Buchholz

[ginjag]

Had to stop reading after the first sentence...

A recent study into HIV/Aids transmission has uncovered a case where a couple transmitted the virus to each other after each had been infected by their secret lovers.

This day and age who do you trust, when in a married or otherwise situ, unless you are 150% certain about your partner, use condoms. Your partner/wife/husband is NOT going to tell you( are they) that they have been PLAYING AWAY.

So naturally your going to be infected by the baddie. ITS your life-not theirs, Play safe even when in a married situation. OR TRUST THEM. ??

[Buchholz]

"Somyos said most people did not know that the National Health Security Office conducted free HIV testing twice a year."

So why was I charged 420 baht for a test? I am under the Social Security scheme!

What type of facility was it where you were tested? At government hospital here, it's free.

.

Edited March 30, 2011 by Buchholz

[Buchholz]

"Gay men remain the group most affected by HIV in Thailand, followed by housewives, men who have sex with sex workers, men infected by their wives, and injecting drug users."

Gay men, I can see as being the number 1 group. But if you read the sentence it turns into housewives second, and then third men who have sex with sex workers, and fourth, men infected by their wives. Thus add #2 and $4 together and it appears that the "wives" are the villains.

I read that completely opposite. To me, it says the wives are victims. I see their number 2 position as reflecting those that are mainly being infected by their husbands.

I suspect that the reality is Gay men as #1; Men who have sex with sex workers as #2, and housewives infected by husbands who have sex with sex workers as #3.

I think your #3 is the same as their #2 (although they don't explicitly state it in its entirety like you have).

.

Edited March 30, 2011 by Buchholz

[ginjag]

Had to stop reading after the first sentence...

A recent study into HIV/Aids transmission has uncovered a case where a couple transmitted the virus to each other after each had been infected by their secret lovers.

"If we want to reduce new HIV cases, we need at least 10 million people to undergo the HIV test," he said. WHAT !!

How do you reduce the numbers by undergoing the test ??.....All partners should be handcuffed together.

[Bagwan]

"Gay men remain the group most affected by HIV in Thailand, followed by housewives, men who have sex with sex workers, men infected by their wives, and injecting drug users."

Gay men, I can see as being the number 1 group. But if you read the sentence it turns into housewives second, and then third men who have sex with sex workers, and fourth, men infected by their wives. Thus add #2 and $4 together and it appears that the "wives" are the villains.

I suspect that the reality is Gay men as #1; Men who have sex with sex workers as #2, and housewives infected by husbands who have sex with sex workers as #3.

Now let's look at the number of cases of female cervical cancer, including fatalities caused by cervical cancer. The virulent strains of HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) are endemic amongst sex workers. Men who have sex with sex workers and then return home to have sex with their wives infect their wives. This leads to a greatly increased risk factor to wives with men who have sex with sex workers. There is an increased risk to males but it is tiny compared to the risk to females.

The problem here is that condoms reduce, but do not stop transmission of HPV because virus can be shed without a visible outbreak, and on skin areas not covered by a condom. Therefore men who use condoms and use sex trade workers eventually become infected with one or more of the Cervical Cancer causing strains of HPV.

Bottom line is that epidemiologically speaking there are two killers related to the paid sex trade, HIV and Cervical Cancer caused by infection from HPV..

C'mon Public Health--epidemiology is a science, let's have some bottom line facts and not double talk about housewives being the villains here because they aren't.

An interesting and relevant post from 'The Mighty Quinn'.

Everybody who has had penetrative sex has HPV's. The body deals with the vast majority quite successfully. There are however about half a dozen strains from the hundred or so that exist which can indicate the onset of cervical cancer. All too few ladies aged 40 years or more bother to undergo a pap smear test every six months. Of those that do, few are aware that the DNA of the HPV's should identified and doctors from this part of the world are not renowned for their investigative qualities so that they will not specify what is really needed. They appear to think that a visual examination is all that is required. It isn't.

If you really care for your lady insist that she is tested regularly. The same goes for testing for breast cancers. If you feel any lumps while playing with her funbags consult a doctor ASAP.

[Nisa]

Had to stop reading after the first sentence...

A recent study into HIV/Aids transmission has uncovered a case where a couple transmitted the virus to each other after each had been infected by their secret lovers.

This day and age who do you trust, when in a married or otherwise situ, unless you are 150% certain about your partner, use condoms. Your partner/wife/husband is NOT going to tell you( are they) that they have been PLAYING AWAY.

So naturally your going to be infected by the baddie. ITS your life-not theirs, Play safe even when in a married situation. OR TRUST THEM. ??

Not disagreeing but it should be noted it is extremely rare for a man to get HIV from a women having normal intercourse (non anal).

[hansnl]

"Gay men remain the group most affected by HIV in Thailand, followed by housewives, men who have sex with sex workers, men infected by their wives, and injecting drug users."

Gay men, I can see as being the number 1 group. But if you read the sentence it turns into housewives second, and then third men who have sex with sex workers, and fourth, men infected by their wives. Thus add #2 and $4 together and it appears that the "wives" are the villains.

I suspect that the reality is Gay men as #1; Men who have sex with sex workers as #2, and housewives infected by husbands who have sex with sex workers as #3.

Now let's look at the number of cases of female cervical cancer, including fatalities caused by cervical cancer. The virulent strains of HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) are endemic amongst sex workers. Men who have sex with sex workers and then return home to have sex with their wives infect their wives. This leads to a greatly increased risk factor to wives with men who have sex with sex workers. There is an increased risk to males but it is tiny compared to the risk to females.

The problem here is that condoms reduce, but do not stop transmission of HPV because virus can be shed without a visible outbreak, and on skin areas not covered by a condom. Therefore men who use condoms and use sex trade workers eventually become infected with one or more of the Cervical Cancer causing strains of HPV.

Bottom line is that epidemiologically speaking there are two killers related to the paid sex trade, HIV and Cervical Cancer caused by infection from HPV..

C'mon Public Health--epidemiology is a science, let's have some bottom line facts and not double talk about housewives being the villains here because they aren't.

All poppycock.

Of course all Thai know that it is the farang who are to blame.......

[exbelg]

married people : keep it in your pants... much safer

[lucjoker]

"Somyos said most people did not know that the National Health Security Office conducted free HIV testing twice a year."

If you wish thai people to read and know something............print

it on the labels of thai-wiskey bottles !They will read it every day !

[TAWP]

Not disagreeing but it should be noted it is extremely rare for a man to get HIV from a women having normal intercourse (non anal).

I would not call several million cases in the world as 'extremely rare'.

You might say 'less common to get infected from one time intercourse for men as compared to women due to the less amount of exposed recepticle areas' etc. But your statement makes it sound as if there is a higher chance at winning the lottery. Which I have yet to do too.

[ginjag]

Not disagreeing but it should be noted it is extremely rare for a man to get HIV from a women having normal intercourse (non anal).

I would not call several million cases in the world as 'extremely rare'.

You might say 'less common to get infected from one time intercourse for men as compared to women due to the less amount of exposed recepticle areas' etc. But your statement makes it sound as if there is a higher chance at winning the lottery. Which I have yet to do too.

Is this defence of women Nisa or a known fact from the specialist ?? So we have to believe it's a lot easier for a woman to catch HIV from the man ?? Where do hetro men get the HIV from ??? only needles--sorry rubbish, they must catch it from air particles. ???? so non anal with a female is pretty safe ---oh please

[Jingthing]

Gay men remain the group most affected by HIV in Thailand, followed by housewives, men who have sex with sex workers, men infected by their wives, and injecting drug users.

This text is very ambiguous, and here is why.

Let's say they said Thai pro tennis players were most affected, and for the sake of this example let's say there are TEN such people, FIVE of them got infected. So at a 50 percent infection rate, you could say

Pro tennis players remain the group most affected by HIV in Thailand

I think when people read Gay men remain the group most affected by HIV in Thailand they generally conclude that gay men represent the HIGHEST NUMBER of Hiv infections in Thailand, rather than they are most affected as within that MINORITY GROUP they have the highest infection rate of any other group.

See the difference?

In any case, perhaps how people are reading this (my assumption, am I wrong?) is actually the truth. However for that we'd need to see statistics, not a very very imprecise sentence that leads to possibly false conclusions.

Edited March 30, 2011 by Jingthing

[Nisa]

Not disagreeing but it should be noted it is extremely rare for a man to get HIV from a women having normal intercourse (non anal).

I would not call several million cases in the world as 'extremely rare'.

You might say 'less common to get infected from one time intercourse for men as compared to women due to the less amount of exposed recepticle areas' etc. But your statement makes it sound as if there is a higher chance at winning the lottery. Which I have yet to do too.

Here is an break down from the US CDC. Note that there isn't even a category for NON-High Risk hetrosexual rates.

One also needs to keep in mind that people lie especially when it comes to a claimed straight man having to admit they have experimented with gay sex.

Assuming the above US stats are similar throughout the world .... Consider that there are approximately 30 million living with HIV in the world. Even if all 100% of the 1% in the "other" group were male and contracted aids through normal hetro sex this would still not equate to a million people or "several million" as you state.

Here is an interesting article to on the subject which contains a number of stats...

http://www.aliveandw...r_happened.html

Edited March 30, 2011 by Nisa

[BKK03]

Another JOKE of THE DAY!

[rubin]

that's because thais are not faithful to their ''loved'' ones. We have a thai guy working in our office, he got married and the next day started dating other girls from the office. Sexually crazed nation. And then they wonder, where has the HIV come from?

[TAWP]

Not disagreeing but it should be noted it is extremely rare for a man to get HIV from a women having normal intercourse (non anal).

I would not call several million cases in the world as 'extremely rare'.

You might say 'less common to get infected from one time intercourse for men as compared to women due to the less amount of exposed recepticle areas' etc. But your statement makes it sound as if there is a higher chance at winning the lottery. Which I have yet to do too.

Here is an break down from the US CDC. Note that there isn't even a category for NON-High Risk hetrosexual rates.

One also needs to keep in mind that people lie especially when it comes to a claimed straight man having to admit they have experimented with gay sex.

Assuming the above US stats are similar throughout the world .... Consider that there are approximately 30 million living with HIV in the world. Even if all 100% of the 1% in the "other" group were male and contracted aids through normal hetro sex this would still not equate to a million people or "several million" as you state.

Here is an interesting article to on the subject which contains a number of stats...

http://www.aliveandw...r_happened.html

You don't read your own source. The image is from the website of Avert.

Their site claims, for the US, that 1/3rd of all new cases are MSM cases, 15% is injection-based (sharing needles) -- which leaves a big section that is other cases.

Now, to quote the study summery as quoted on wikipedia too:

The majority of HIV infections are acquired through unprotected sexual relations. Complacency about HIV plays a key role in HIV risk. Sexual transmission can occur when infected sexual secretions of one partner come into contact with the genital, oral, or rectal mucous membranes of another. In high-income countries, the risk of female-to-male transmission is 0.04% per act and male-to-female transmission is 0.08% per act. For various reasons, these rates are 4 to 10 times higher in low-income countries. The rate for receptive anal intercourse is much higher, 1.7% per act.

Are you going to revise your statement?

[Nisa]

You don't read your own source. The image is from the website of Avert.

Their site claims, for the US, that 1/3rd of all new cases are MSM cases, 15% is injection-based (sharing needles) -- which leaves a big section that is other cases.

Now, to quote the study summery as quoted on wikipedia too:

The majority of HIV infections are acquired through unprotected sexual relations. Complacency about HIV plays a key role in HIV risk. Sexual transmission can occur when infected sexual secretions of one partner come into contact with the genital, oral, or rectal mucous membranes of another. In high-income countries, the risk of female-to-male transmission is 0.04% per act and male-to-female transmission is 0.08% per act. For various reasons, these rates are 4 to 10 times higher in low-income countries. The rate for receptive anal intercourse is much higher, 1.7% per act.

Are you going to revise your statement?

Why would I? As I stated, it is rare for a male to get HIV from normal (non-high risk) sex with a women. It is not that far off from kissing. Saliva and vaginal secretions just don't have the levels of HIV that blood does. A man would also need to have some sort of sore or cut on his penis for the virus to be transmitted. HIV is mostly spread through blood contact.

** I will admit that the use of the word "extremely" may have left room interpretation

Edited March 30, 2011 by Nisa

[TAWP]

You don't read your own source. The image is from the website of Avert.

Their site claims, for the US, that 1/3rd of all new cases are MSM cases, 15% is injection-based (sharing needles) -- which leaves a big section that is other cases.

Now, to quote the study summery as quoted on wikipedia too:

The majority of HIV infections are acquired through unprotected sexual relations. Complacency about HIV plays a key role in HIV risk. Sexual transmission can occur when infected sexual secretions of one partner come into contact with the genital, oral, or rectal mucous membranes of another. In high-income countries, the risk of female-to-male transmission is 0.04% per act and male-to-female transmission is 0.08% per act. For various reasons, these rates are 4 to 10 times higher in low-income countries. The rate for receptive anal intercourse is much higher, 1.7% per act.

Are you going to revise your statement?

Why would I? As I stated, it is rare for a male to get HIV from normal (non-high risk) sex with a women. It is not that far off from kissing. Saliva and vaginal secretions just don't have the levels of HIV that blood does. A man would also need to have some sort of sore or cut on his penis for the virus to be transmitted. HIV is mostly spread through blood contact.

** I will admit that the use of the word "extremely" may have left room interpretation

The facts quoted don't support your assertion.

0.04% vs 1.7%, in male getting it from women during vaginal vs male getting it during receiving anal, is a difference, but by far doesn't mean that the former is so rare that it can be ignored.

Nor is it anywhere near close to 'kissing', as there are ZERO recorded infections with kissing as the infection-vector.

[blackthorn2005]

If they are serious about sorting this out, they need to stop ripping off farang for the cost of tests, consultations and medicines. Those concerned about potential infection may be put off by the dual pricing standards practiced at Patong Hospital, or the absolute rip off prices they are charged for the medicines. It seems the infected farang are subsidising the infected Thais.

Make treatment attractive and affordable, otherwise, some people will go untreated and may continue passing on the virus.

Director of Patong Hospital, hang your head in shame. YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

[ginjag]

Not disagreeing but it should be noted it is extremely rare for a man to get HIV from a women having normal intercourse (non anal).

I would not call several million cases in the world as 'extremely rare'.

You might say 'less common to get infected from one time intercourse for men as compared to women due to the less amount of exposed recepticle areas' etc. But your statement makes it sound as if there is a higher chance at winning the lottery. Which I have yet to do too.

Is this defence of women Nisa or a known fact from the specialist ?? So we have to believe it's a lot easier for a woman to catch HIV from the man ?? Where do hetro men get the HIV from ??? only needles--sorry rubbish, they must catch it from air particles. ???? so non anal with a female is pretty safe ---oh please

Putting aside all the other infections that could be got,

Nisa you are loosly saying this then.

Given a situation where all men knowing they have not got HIV, go ahead and have unprotected sex with a female who has HIV and it's hardly a risk. ?? are you joking ?? very rare you said. and yes I,ve seen your usual stats. Try asking the Terrence Higgins trust in England.....and the other side swipe at gays, like hetro men may lie if they have been with a gay person. Women your o.k. it's males that infect. is that what you mean.??

Edited March 30, 2011 by ginjag