‘Undetectable’ viral load not a safe-sex strategy

While having an undetectable viral load may reduce the risk of transmitting HIV, it should not be used as an alternative to using condoms and lube, GLBT health agencies warn.

The Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations (AFAO), responding to claims made by Swiss AIDS experts, said: “People need to be aware that relying on ‘undetectable’ viral load is not a ‘safe sex’ strategy – it’s one that reduces the risk of transmission and it isn’t foolproof. The best way to protect yourself and your partner from HIV is through regular and consistent condom use.”

Switzerland’s Federal AIDS Commission released a report last week claiming that people with HIV do not risk transmitting the virus sexually provided they have had an undetectable viral load for at least six months, are adhering to a strict antiretroviral treatment and do not have a sexually transmitted disease (STI).

Nick Corrigan, Director of Community Health at ACON, told SX that while a person with an undetectable viral load is unlikely to pass on HIV, “it is difficult to know your viral load at a particular point in time and to ensure it remains undetectable”.

Corrigan also point out that the Swiss research is based on heterosexual couples and are not directly comparable to gay men. “It is estimated that HIV is between 10 to 30 times easier to transmit during anal sex than vaginal sex. We therefore need to be more cautious than the Swiss experts have been,” he said.

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STROKE IDENTIFICATION

During a BBQ, a friend stumbled and took a little fall - she assured everyone that she was fine (they offered to call paramedics) .....she said she had just tripped over a brick because of her new shoes. They got her cleaned up and got her a new plate of food. While she appeared a bit shaken up, Ingrid went about enjoying herself the rest of the evening.

Ingrid's husband called later telling everyone that his wife had been taken to the hospital - (at 6:00 pm Ingrid passed away.) She had suffered a stroke at the BBQ.

Had they known how to identify the signs of a stroke, perhaps Ingrid would be with us today. Some don't die.... they end up in a helpless, hopeless condition instead.

A neurologist says that if he can get to a stroke victim within 3 hours he can totally reverse the effects of a stroke... totally . He said the trick was getting a stroke recognized, diagnosed, and then getting the patient medically cared for within 3 hours, which is t ough.

RECOGNIZING A STROKE

Remember the first three letters of the word STRoke. They are the '3' steps, STR .

Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. Unfortunately, the lack of awareness spells disaster. The stroke victim may suffer severe brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke . Now doctors say a bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions:

• S * Ask the individual to SMILE.
• T * Ask the person to TALK and SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE (Coherently) (i.e. It is sunny out today)
• R * Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS.

If he or she has trouble with ANY ONE of these tasks, call 999/911 immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.

New Sign of a Stroke

• Stick out Your Tongue NOTE: Another 'sign' of a stroke is this: Ask the person to 'stick' out his tongue.. If the tongue is 'crooked', if it goes to one side or the other , that is also an indication of a stroke.

A cardiologist says if everyone who gets this e-mail sends it to 10 people; you can bet that at least one life will be saved.

Health Tips for GLBT youth

AlDatingNews.com reports

Staying healthy isn't just about eating a balanced diet and getting eight hours
of sleep a night. Your health is made up of a variety of emotional and physical
components. Sometimes this is called a holistic view of health. Here are five
health tips for GLBT teens that are just as important as laying off the
trans-fats and ditching the cigarettes.

The article list contains the top 5 tips: Find a GLBT friendly doctor, Have a good support network, Practice safer sex, Keep substance use in check and Accept yourself

http://www.aldatingnews.com/gay79.htm