"Male Semen Makes HIV More Potent"

[JoyfulC 132299]

Article in this week's Scientific American newsletter:

 

"Component peptide ferries virus into mucosal cells, ratcheting up infectivity as much as 100,000 times"

 

http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=male-semen-makes-hiv-more-potent&sc=WR_20071225

 

Interesting! Perhaps this is why female-to-male transmission rates have always been so low.

 

..c..

[HotAC 100]

I read the link and those are scary numbers.

I've always known that men are the main carriers and cause the new infections. The rates that were posted in Africa were Staggering to say the least. In a third world country, there is very little means of medical, testing, or prevention.

The future there is not looking very bright.:(

[Alger 1898]

Yes, very interesting. Thanks for the post JS! Makes me wonder if they might be able to come up with a means to inhibit the production of the fibers, they can drastically limit the infection rate.

[Mika Luv 105]

One more reason again to be more careful and selective about who i see.Thanks!

[JoyfulC 132299]

Yes, very interesting. Thanks for the post JS! Makes me wonder if they might be able to come up with a means to inhibit the production of the fibers, they can drastically limit the infection rate.

 

They've tried this in the past, with vaginal gels. The problem is, how do you allow fertilization without permitting infection?

 

..c..

[Alger 1898]

If I read the article right, it is only related to insemination. Apparently there are some agents in the seminal fluid which weaken the cell walls, easing insemination, and also facilitating HIV infection.