Syphilis increase sparks AIDS concerns
Syphilis rates rose dramatically for the second straight year in the United States, particularly among gay and bisexual men, a finding that has health officials worried about an increase in HIV/AIDS cases in the coming years.
Overall, the U.S. syphilis rate rose by 9 percent between 2001 and 2002, the second consecutive increase from an all-time low in 2000, according to figures released Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.
The bulk of the increase occurred among men, rising by about 27 percent overall, including a staggering increase of more than 85 percent among white men and a nearly 36 percent increase among Latino men. Information on sexual orientation is often not collected by health departments but the CDC estimates 40 percent of the increase was in gay and bisexual men.
The total number of syphilis cases increased from 6,100 to more than 6,800, but CDC officials think this probably is only the tip of the iceberg because many cases go undiagnosed.
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Paul Feldman of the National Association of People with AIDS in Washington, said his organization would be willing to work with the CDC. But he noted a larger problem is a lack of funding for HIV and sexually transmitted disease prevention efforts.
For the fiscal year 2004 budget, the Bush administration requested a reduction of $9 million in the funds for CDC's HIV prevention and surveillance efforts, Feldman said. "Decreasing it in a time when an epidemic rages is insulting and frightening," he said.
Get the rest of this article from United Press International.
Matt's Chat
Rather than deal with the BEHAVIOR that is causing this problem, let's just throw some more MONEY at it...that'll do the trick. Look, folks, I feel for people who have become afflicted with disease, but throwing money at this problem is not going to reduce anything. If these people are serious about reducing the number of cases, they would address the behavior of the gay, lesbian, and bisexual community.Now, before the liberals get all ticked off...I am not one of those who believes that we need to legislate what happens in the bedroom. If same sex relationships are your thing, have at it...but don't expect me to support your lack of responsibility in dealing with the consequences of your actions. And that includes the heterosexuals who engage in unsafe behavior too. We are human beings, not animals for crying out loud...let's control our urges and think about what we're doing!
Mark's Remarks
Well said, Matt, but I am sure liberals are going to attack you as they have me for evening opening the gay debate. Money does nothing to solve behavioral problems. What is needed is taking responsibility for yourselves, whether you are straight or gay or whatever. Hold off on sex, for goodness sake......Sex is more than just the carnal act for humans, or it damned well should be. That is what separates us from the lower animals. Sex for humans should be about more than the biology and the act. That is why promiscuity is up, why most marriages end in divorce, and the whole like....We have demystified sex, we have made it just another thing to do, instead of holding it up as something intimate and meaningful.
Look, the risk factors are there....start looking at the behavior, before you just say it is time to throw money at the problem. Maybe what is needed is for people to take a look at their own behavior, whether it is gay, lesbian, bi, or even wildly straight. Maybe it is time for a little abstinence, for a little less promiscuity? Ya think?
