why do gay people contract HIV easier?
442265
Actually it is easier to contract HIV, and any other STD for that matter, through an-al sex, however that has nothing to do with a person's sexual preference. Straight people who engage in an-al sex are more likely to transmit diseases than through vag-inal sex. No matter how you choose to enter, don't take your soldier to war without his helmet :)
742462
Why would you be more cautious if you were gay? HIV is a virus that does not know your sexual preference. You live under a common misconception that it does! If anything the majority of gay people that I have come across are more aware of the dangers of HIV than heterosexuals because like you they believe that HIV is a gay only illness, and it isn't! As for having random sex with strangers who are you to judge somebody Else's sex life, you can catch HIV even if you are in a long term relationship. Yes your friend may have taken stupid risks but now he is paying the price and has to live with that every day. Maybe you should spend less time in ignorance and more time in compassion. Your friend needs you don't let him down! Good Luck.
581888
This question is ridiculous. AIDS is not only an epidemic, it is a pandemic, and it is most certainly something to be scared of.\n\nThe HIV/AIDS virus is only transmissable through bodily fluids; blood and semen. For this reason, it is most commonly found in gay men and drug abusers. Gay men have anal sex, which usually results in some anal bleeding. When one man ejaculates, the semen can infect the open wounds from which the blood is emitting. This however, it not only seen in gay men, it is also a risk to women who have anal sex with an infected male. Transmission is no different.\n\nIn terms of transmission among drug abusers, this refers to drugs such as heroine which is taken with a needle. Drug abusers arent known for their cleanliness in this matter and  usually use needles which have already been used before. When the needle is used to inject someone with AIDS, it picks up the virus from their blood, when this needle is reused, the person who injects themself will most probably recieve the disease by introducing the infected blood of the first person into their own body.\n\nNo self respecting scientist...or educated person for that matter...would deny that AIDS is caused by a virus. It is a retrovirus and has been extensively studied. It cannot target any specific group of people. Those people are just more susceptible to it through unprotected anal sex and drug abuse with needles.\n\nIt is also very common for people who had blood transfusions in the late 70's and early 80's to have contracted the virus. This is because at that time there were far less restrictions on who could or could not give blood; also, not enough was known about the virus to test blood donors for the disease.\n\nI'm sorry to tell you that the AIDS in africa is the same AIDS we have here, in fact, 50% of the South African army is infected with the HIV virus. There have been more deaths in Africa due to AIDS than there have been deaths by malaria. It is more common in africa due to their lack of contraception, and their significantly less sanitary and deprived medical centers.
492423
without protection for 100% sure the virous will be transmited.but being a hiv possite person doesnt mean that u will get AIDS for sure,there r some ppl who only carry the virus and transmit it to others!
33184
HIV replication is very complicated.  It attaches to a receptor CD4 on lymphocytes uses enzymes to enter the cell then converting itself into the DNA. This process is sensitive to temperature and ideal conditions, because the enzymes the virus requires only work at normal body temperature. Essentially the worst viruses are the most fragile.  It will die under less than ideal temperature and conditions.
680117
the reason they say you are more likely to get HIV if you are herpes positive is that you are more likely to have open herpes sores where the HIV virus can enter more easily.  This is the same for any sore or abrasion on your genitals whether it's from syphilis or herpes or just a cut.\n\nIf you are treated and do not have active herpes disease, your risks for HIV infection are about the same as the normal population, just continue to use protection.
1089335
If you mean do people who are gay cause AIDS then the answer is no. \n\nAIDS affects all races, all sexes (female and male), and all sexual preferences (gay, straight, bi). \n\nThe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) originally classified AIDS as GRID which stood for Gay Related Immune Disease. However, after determining that AIDS is not isolated to homosexual people the name was changed to the neutral AIDS.
742012
Why is it so hard to believe that people get HIV from unsafe sex?\n\nIt doesn't matter if he was black, gay, straight, jewish or republican.... you can only contract HIV so many ways....\n\nand why would the government care about him?
229556
I have two friends who are both HIV positive both are gay males. One had full blown aids when I first met him and the other had just found out.This was about 4 years ago. I myself just found out 2 years ago that I am HIV. I always thought I was very careful sexually. I almost always used condoms. I suspect I got it from sharing needles(very stupid, I know)while shooting up cocaine which I'm happy to say I have not touched in a year.
624525
Definitely, I know of someone right now that contracted HIV from oral sex. Condom is the only safer way to go.
14467
I don't have AIDS or HIV, so I really couldn't tell you. The friends that I have had with the disease did act differently, they acted sad, mad, confused, and sick. Then they died.\n\nPeople live longer now with HIV/AIDS, so I would guess they have longer to adjust to it and maybe even come to terms and act "normal" again. Hopefully they don't share blood with others anymore. I can hope.
1068884
Well while those are the most common way to contract AIDS, you can also get it anytime your blood or bodily fluids come into contact with someone else's blood who has AIDS. So if you were to help clean up a cut of someone who had AIDS and by chance also had a cut on your hand and their blood got into your cut there is a very good chance you would contract it as well. Any other possible way is very rare and almost certainly unlikely, because you're not gonna wear someone else's dirty underwear or anything like that, lol
52583
The key is for certain bodily fluids to be exchanged between two people -- one of whom has HIV.\n\nMajor ways include:\na) Unprotected sex (certain types are riskier than others).  This includes M/M (probably highest risk), F/F and F/M (probably the greatest current source of spread).\nb) Blood transfusions in the early 80s (not now);\nc) IV drug abuse with shared needles;\nd) Accidental exposure of health care workers (needle stick, surgery nick)\ne) HIV positive moms to newborns.\n\nOther ways that are, at least in theory, possible (if very rare or undocumented): \na) contaminated medical instruments (there is thought to be one case in Florida with dental intruments that had not been properly sterilized)\nb) Any other fluid exchange.  For example kissing is thought to be very low risk.  OTOH, if both persons had open wounds inside the mouth...\nc) Blood to blood contact (i.e., boxing).
861481
On any single encounter with an infected partner, the risk is high, but not 100%. Multiple encounters increase the risk of transmission substantially.\n\nContrary to popular belief, HIV is actually quite difficult to catch. It is about 5000 times more difficult to contract than Hepatitis C for example (another sexually transmitted disease).\n\nYou should always use a condom if you want to avoid risk; you cannot rely on a person knowing their status. You don't know your status right now do you? And it takes several years for AIDs to develop, so often people feel and appear completely healthy while being infectious.\n\nThe chance of transmission varies with the time that the person has been infected. In the early stages they can be very infectious (before there are any signs). They wil become less infectious after a while and if they are on a therapy, they may reduce their viral load so as to be imperceptable. This doesn't mean you cannot catch it from them but the chances are reduced.\n\nThere is nothing you can do at this time except wait, and do not have unprotected sex with anyone else. Get your first test in three months time, and a further test after six months. If both are clear, you should be OK.
866625
HIV/AIDS is spread through body fluids (ie blood, semen, vaginal fluids) as well as from used infected needles.  If someone who is HIV positive is giving a facial massage, you cannot contract it simply by them touching you.  However, if they have a cut on their hand and you have an open sore on your body, it is possible to contract it that way.  But even in that case there still has to be enough active HIV components in the blood in order to affect you.  If this is a personal experience for you, sounds like you are worrying over nothing.  If your mind still isn't at ease, wait about two months and get tested!
839958
because gays have anal sex and to be blunt, that area tears easily, giving infected fluids an entrance into your body .\n\n  How is HIV Transmitted?    \n\nHIV can be transmitted from an infected person to another through:\n\nBlood (including menstrual blood) \nSemen \nVaginal secretions \nBreast milk \nBlood contains the highest concentration of the virus, followed by semen, followed by vaginal fluids, followed by breast milk.\n\n* Activities That Allow HIV Transmission\n\nUnprotected sexual contact \nDirect blood contact, including injection drug needles, blood transfusions, accidents in health care settings or certain blood products \nMother to baby (before or during birth, or through breast milk) \nSexual intercourse (vaginal and anal): In the genitals and the rectum, HIV may infect the mucous membranes directly or enter through cuts and sores caused during intercourse (many of which would be unnoticed). Vaginal and anal intercourse is a high-risk practice.\n\nOral sex (mouth-penis, mouth-vagina): The mouth is an inhospitable environment for HIV (in semen, vaginal fluid or blood), meaning the risk of HIV transmission through the throat, gums, and oral membranes is lower than through vaginal or anal membranes. There are however, documented cases where HIV was transmitted orally, so we can't say that getting HIV-infected semen, vaginal fluid or blood in the mouth is without risk. However, oral sex is considered a low risk practice.\n\nSharing injection needles: An injection needle can pass blood directly from one person's bloodstream to another. It is a very efficient way to transmit a blood-borne virus. Sharing needles is considered a high-risk practice.\n\nMother to Child: It is possible for an HIV-infected mother to pass the virus directly before or during birth, or through breast milk. Breast milk contains HIV, and while small amounts of breast milk do not pose significant threat of infection to adults, it is a viable means of transmission to infants.\n\nThe following "bodily fluids" are NOT infectious:\n\nSaliva \nTears \nSweat \nFeces \nUrine
643255
For the most part there is fear, because people hate being reminded of their mortality.  On the other hand, there is compassion if you go to the right people.  Most times, people think of HIV as a death sentence and forget that people who have it are LIVING with it NOT dying from it.