' Mr Condom' Spearheads Fight Against Thailand's New A I D S Crisis

[cup-O-coffee]

I would like to add to the above, though I am unaware of the persons position, in backing at least the claim that this viral infection isn't limited to humans.

There is evidence enough backing up the original HIV, known as SIV (Simian Immunodeficiency Virus) that originates in wild chimpanzees, and was thought, through a bite or other means of attack, to have transmitted to, and mutated to infect human beings.

Lest we forget that children born of HIV infected parentage would have a high rate of transmission between mother and child. For the infected children that is a lifetime of infection that could, can, would, or will be passed on to another, through premeditated or accidental means (such as rape or condom splitting etc).

Yes; well the jury is still out in my estimate as long as all scientists are not allowed their fair shake at laying out the facts regarding this invisible enemy. It's kind of like religion; with its invisible friends; everyone who buys in to it is (in my opinion) too ignorant and superstitious to stand on their own two spiritual feet. They need something tangible to explain their own lives and identities, whether it's true or not. They need someone to lead them like sheep. I guess if you want to use your unscientific opinion to support your altruistic beliefs towards only one side of the scientific community and ignore the other half that is censored then that is up to you. Invisible friends, invisible enemies and the world is going to cook us all. It sounds to me like we had better quarantine all these invisible enemies and do something with them soon. After all, the world is getting a bit too crowded now, isn't it? Who'd of thought that Chicken Little would ever make appearance and be an honored guest?

[Bagwan]

Condoms are part of the solution, but there's always going to be situations when a condom is not going to be used for whatever reasons (haven't got one, drunk, long-term relationship, etc.).

In recent years, cheap and simple do-it-yourself field test kits have become available, but have been held back by the medical fraternity in Western countries as they fuss over how people would deal with finding out they are positive.

This may be slowly changing but it is time these test kits get mass produced in developing countries (not imported expensively from the West), and get distributed everywhere. With a culture created that makes testing before a shag the normal thing to do that everyone does.

In the end, condoms are a compromise. Having cheap and ubiquitous test kits available everywhere where condoms are sold is the way to go in the long term, I say. Some links:

http://engineering.c...vative-lab-chip

http://www.nytimes.c...?pagewanted=all

All well and good but the infection can be carried for up to six months before it manifests itself. A fully equipped laboratory manned by professional staff carries out my wife's regular tests. Their reports state that her viral load is less than 30 copies per ml i.e. it is virtually undetectable. I have reservations that a cheap test widget purchased over the counter at 7/11 is anything like as sensitive and accurate.

[Plastic Brontosaurus]

Condoms are part of the solution, but there's always going to be situations when a condom is not going to be used for whatever reasons (haven't got one, drunk, long-term relationship, etc.).

In recent years, cheap and simple do-it-yourself field test kits have become available, but have been held back by the medical fraternity in Western countries as they fuss over how people would deal with finding out they are positive.

This may be slowly changing but it is time these test kits get mass produced in developing countries (not imported expensively from the West), and get distributed everywhere. With a culture created that makes testing before a shag the normal thing to do that everyone does.

In the end, condoms are a compromise. Having cheap and ubiquitous test kits available everywhere where condoms are sold is the way to go in the long term, I say. Some links:

http://engineering.c...vative-lab-chip

http://www.nytimes.c...?pagewanted=all

All well and good but the infection can be carried for up to six months before it manifests itself. A fully equipped laboratory manned by professional staff carries out my wife's regular tests. Their reports state that her viral load is less than 30 copies per ml i.e. it is virtually undetectable. I have reservations that a cheap test widget purchased over the counter at 7/11 is anything like as sensitive and accurate.

Yes you will not catch every single instance I'm sure. But I'm sure you would get most. And these "over the counter" tests are based on viral DNA and are highly sensitive. They are a different kind of test than the one used to detect viral load (they only give "yes" or "no"). Far as I know, they are more sensitive than most lab tests but simpler (they only detect the presence, cannot give further info such as viral load; due to their high sensitivity, they sometimes give false positives much more than false negatives from what I read). Sorry to hear your wife has the virus, but from what you're writing she must be on strong and effective antivirals to get low readings like that. In most real-life situations with people who don't know, the readings would probably be higher and thus easier to detect by whatever test.

What I'm saying is its better to have this test culture than not. It adds a layer of safety, which, whilst not 100% perhaps, will still make a significant difference in the long term, I reckon.