What you NEED TO KNOW about HIV and Herpes !!!

Q:  What are the 5 common sexually transmitted viruses? The answer is at the bottom of this page.

I strongly encourage everyone to spend some time on Dr. Koop's page.  From the home page, read down the left column to "Health Resources" and below that, click on "Medical Encyclopedias".  On that page, scroll down to the "STD Encyclopedia" and click on "Sexually Transmitted Diseases".  That will give you a choice of letters of the alphabet -- I then checked on "H", selected "Herpes Genital" and got to the pictures.  Spend some time looking at all the STD pictures and I hope you will better realize why there is such an emphasis on SAFE SEX.  Affectionately, Sexdoc. (5/19/99)

The bottom line is that if you engage in sexual behavior that involves your internalization of bodily fluids from your sexual partner and if that partner is infected with one or more of these viruses, you can be infected with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) or the Herpes virus.

9/24/98 The sexdoc was pleased to receive the following contribution commenting on the route of HIV infection during anal sex:

Although the HIV transmission can occur because of small tears, it is mainly due to the Peyer's patches which are located in the intestines, which are part of the immune system (GALT - GI Associated Lymphatic Tissue). In the Peyer's patches are macrophages, which are phagocytic cells of the immune system. They engulf the virus, and transport it to the lymph nodes and cardiovascular system, where infection occurs. I just learned this in immunology, and I'm sure you learned it at one point or another, but this is the primary reason that HIV is transmitted during anal sex. I don't expect a reply - just wanted to comment on it :).

Mikki Thompson Doctor of Pharmacy Candidate, TTUHSC School of Pharmacy "Warning: Dates on calendar are closer than they appear"

Tuesday, October 28, 1997

The Sexdoc read today in the San Jose Mercury News an article about a drug dealer who is an alleged sexual predator, who had in the past two years infected at least NINE local young women (in a village with a population of 1,900). "The suspect continued having sex with young women even after he learned that he was HIV positive, officials said". The (now) 20-year old allegedly had sexual contact with at least 28 young people, the youngest of whom was a 13-year old girl. Health officials tested the 28 direct sexual partners and 53 people who the 28 had had sex with.

In a follow-up story, the 53 was changed to 70.

Sexual Intercourse
Female to male transmission 1 in 700 to 1 in 3000

Male to female transmission 1 in 200 to 1 in 2000

Wait a minute. Do the math. Two years equals 730 days. If he had sex ONLY with 9 people, instead of 28 (known), and IF we take the worst case -- that he was so potent with the virus that he could infect in 200 events of intercourse instead of "needing" 2,000 exposures before infection occurred -- then numerically he would have had AT LEAST 1,800 (9 people X 200 events of intercourse per person) events of intercourse in 730 days. That's about 2 1/2 per day. Let's say he was in the middle of the potency range, so he needed half-way between 200 and 2,000 sexual acts to infect someone. The mid-point between 200 and 2,000 is 1,100, times 9 women = 9,900 events of intercourse in 730 days, or about 14 times per day.

But wait: he was known to have sex with 28 young people. Even with the minimum number of events needed (200) times 28 people, equals 5,600 acts of intercourse in 730 days, or about 8 per day.

The point I wish to make, loud and clear, is that this is not a low probability game of russian roulette. This is real, and this is life and death. The chance of contracting HIV may be 1 in 200 to 2,000 but if your "number is up", one event could do it.

Please do not be lulled into a false sense of safety by having unprotected sex hoping that you have 199 (or 1,999) more chances before you get infected.

ONE MORE THING:  The (U. S. Government) Centers for Disease Control ("CDC") has announced that there has been a documented case of HIV infection from oral-oral contact alone. Both parties had bleeding gums. Sorry about that.

HOW WELL DOES "PROTECTION" WORK?

The next time you're in a drug store and have a few minutes, please check out the failure (pregnancy) rates of condoms. They pretty much range between 2 and 10 pregnancies per 100 woman in a year's time. Think about it: If between 2 and 10 women get pregnant in a year using condoms as their sole method of contraception, wouldn't we expect that if the sperm can cross the barrier, that a virus can also?

A FEW NOTES ABOUT HERPES:

The above pertains numerically to HIV. The Sexdoc has had a patient whose first and single act of intercourse resulted in an outbreak of genital herpes. The Sexdoc has also had a male patient, a semi-professional baseball player, who contracted herpes and whose inguinal (groin) lymph glands were so swollen (even with the best of medical attention) that he could not stand up straight without excruciating pain. There have been some "crossover" cases of herpes -- from oral to genital and from genital to oral. And, one particularly nasty possibility is intra-vaginal lesions (sores) that are oozing and can infect unsuspecting tissue inserted therein. So good visual inspection of external genitalia (looking for oozing sores, in case you didn't know) is not a guarantee that you're safe from infection.

ON A POSITIVE NOTE: The Sexdoc believes that sex is a wonderful experience. If you really like it, make sure that you can continue doing it by staying alive and in good health, and by being selective and cautious about your sexual contacts. "... When a virgin meets a virgin ... "

Why do I do this?  If I can save just one life ...

Q:  Is there any test to detect herpes if the sores are not present? Also: How does herpes affect childbirth? I have heard that they have to be delivered c-section because herpes can make the child blind. Is this true?

A: The tests for herpes are the Western Blot (screening for herpes antibodies) and the Erisa. If there is an outbreak, diagnosis is confirmed by observation of the sores and/or by culturing the fluid that is sampled from the sores. The newborn's body is poorly equipped to deal with infections and viruses, and observation of an active herpetic lesion vaginally during delivery mandates delivery by caesarian section. The virus attacks the infant's nervous system and wide variety of problems can be the result.

The 5 sexually transmitted viruses are:

1. Herpes

2. HIV

3. Mononucleosis

4. Condylomata Acuminata (moist or venereal or genital warts)

5. Hepatitis

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