World AIDS Day 2006

Yesterday was World AIDS Day. Though I doubt any of us did anything about it or even know it was on that day. Well, I've done my very little bit. I've placed the red ribbon on my blog. However it means nothing if you see and dismiss it.

Here are a series of questions. Have you ever taken an HIV test? If so, when? Have you put yourself at risk since then? When is your next test? How much at risk does your lifestyle put you in?

By now I'm very willing to bet you know of someone who is HIV positive or has died from AIDS. The HIV virus is perfect. It's a sexually transmitted, a blood contaminator and is in our bodily fluids as well. Semen, pre-coital fluid, vaginal secretion, saliva, blood. It's very very unlikely but you can even be infected through oral sex. Which is bad news for dedicated muff divers (me) and cock smokers (not me).

Let me explain why I think HIV is an almost perfect virus. It takes years to fully develop into AIDS and kill its host. By then the host might have infected other people as well keeping in the mantra of life which is to multiply. If it killed its host within days or weeks (like Ebola and Marburg) its host may not have had the time and opportunity for the copies of the virus to be transmitted to other hosts. If it were highly infectious it would be possible to be infected by airborne droplet transmission. It would then infect people very easily. All you have to do is breathe it in. If it were a perfect virus it would kill its hosts slowly and be highly infectious.

HIV kills slowly but is not highly infectious. 100% mortality rate.

Ebola kills very quickly and is highly infectious. 90% mortality rate.

Pray they don't decide to compare notes. We'd be fucked. A sickness which is (i)100% fatal, (ii)incurable, (iii)is carried by a host for years who will (iv)infect other people as easily as passing on a cold; would wipe out the human race in no more than a few decades.

The 'normal risk' of infection for me as a system of measure is unprotected vaginal sex. Anal sex is considered high risk as the off road was not designed for penetration and was in the blueprints as a one way street. The difference? Anal sex can cause tears in the anus and also the penile shaft skin. If you don't know the significance of that, wounds admit things like bacteria and viruses way easier. Which is why it is not a good idea to give oral sex when you have an ulcer in your mouth. I'm not sure about the risk of receiving though.

Me? I took an HIV (and big 4 STD) test 2 years ago with negative results across for everything tested for. Since then I've had unprotected sex with two women. They, their sexual histories and HIV test results are known to me. Any other women I have bedded was with the use of a condom (occasionally two, haha!) but no dental dam. That seems to be the norm for casual sex these days. Open mouth kissing, unprotected oral sex and the only protection being a condom during intercourse. My lifestyle at present does, I think, put me at moderately low risk. But still at risk no doubt. My next HIV test should be done and like really soon.

Do not even think it will not happen to you and that it happens to other people. HIV has no prejudice. HIV doesn't care about your financial state, your religion, your race or your character. You can be an absolute angel but you can still get it. Even abstinence may not save you. If you receive a blood transfusion for whatever reason and one of the bags has HIV infected blood, you will be infected yourself.

HIV will develop into AIDS. It will kill anyone it infects. It is up to you to choose your sexual lifestyle and be responsible for it. I have been stupid before. Fortunately, it didn't kill me. The sex wasn't even really that good. Wouldn't have mattered if it was the best sex I ever had. Dying is dying. Dead is dead.

All I have written is just my own opinion and my own understanding. I urge you to get the facts for yourself. This is a good start: Wikipedia - Category: HIV/AIDS