Times Live Blog: Promising results in blocking HIV during first days of infection: M2010
Female to Male AIDS Transmission Higher in Pregnancy
By Rachel Stockton (Food Consumer) 24 May 2010: Female to Male AIDS Transmission Higher in Pregnancy. The University of Nairobi and the Kenyatta National Hospital have worked in tandem on a study that confirms that men who sleep with pregnant, AIDS infected women double their risk of contracting the disease.
The researchers studied over 3,300 couples, each with one infected partner; in 1085 couples, the male had HIV, while in 2,236, the female was infected.
Although the study showed that pregnancy in general increases risk of both males and females, female infection is affected by other factors beyond pregnancy, including sexual behavior. The link between pregnancy and female-to-male transmission is more direct, the researchers contend.
As for the possible reason for this, researchers say further study is required to determine whether or not there is an epidemiological reason for the male-female discrepancy.
More Aids Related News
On May 9, the New York Times reported that the infection rate in Uganda is increasing exponentially; for every 100 being treated with AIDS, another 200 are being infected. 7,400 people become infected on a daily basis.
Reasons for this are myriad; mainly, the education level of the population plays a significant role in the infection rate. In the 2006 Demographic and Health Survey found that although 99% of Ugandans have heard of AIDS, only 1/3 had “comprehensive knowledge” on exactly how a person becomes infected.
As is typical among those who have less than adequate educational opportunities, rumors abound about the disease. Some citizens believe that having sex will cure the disease, while others believe that condoms can be lost inside a woman’s body, causing serious illness.
But likely the reason for the increase is more mundane; the annual number of condoms per adult male is only 4 (NYT).