African HIV transmission linked to medical care, not lack of circumcision

African HIV is spread more by contaminated implements than by sexual intercourse say three new medical articles. Circumcision as a preventative is now relegated to the trash bin.

African HIV is spread more by contaminated implements than by sexual intercourse say three new medical articles. Transmission includes doctors and nurses in clinics and hospitals as well as traditional healers and circumcisers using unsterile instruments.

Experts have incorrectly assumed that heterosexual sex transmitted 90% of HIV in Africa. The truth is, HIV in Africa is associated with urban living, having a good education, and having a higher income; people who visit their doctor more often.

These articles point out that all 13 of the previous studies, which purported to prove HIV can be prevented by circumcision, failed to consider this stunning 2/3 versus 1/3 fact. The end result is this, whether a man is circumcised or not is inconsequential. Ironically, circumcisions -- whether done in a village ceremony or in a city hospital - may be aiding the spread of HIV because of unclean instruments.

This new research, based on hundreds of studies, suggests only about a third of HIV infections in Africa are sexually transmitted. Specifically, HIV is not transmitted by 'sex, but only by specific risky practices.

In the US, contaminated implements would include shared drug needles.

We might even wonder aloud if Bill Gates is embarrassed and angered that the people who are spending four million of his money via the Bill Gates Foundation didn't know this,and may even be contributing to the problem by increasing the spread of HIV, not reducing it.

We are happy to hear the greatest source of HIV infections has been identified. We hope that The Bush AIDS in Africa Plan will only fund those clinics that have passed rigid standards of hygiene and sterile procedures. And, The Bush Plan will not fund clinics that vaccinate children with dirty or reused needles and perform unnecessary non-therapeutic male or female circumcisions in unsterile procedures with contaminated tools.
---end---
Royal Society of Medicine, the articles, http://www.rsm.ac.uk/new/pr126.htm