Herpes drugs help control AIDS in women

[Dr Mordrid]

AP story....

Herpes drug helps control HIV in women, study finds

Treating genital herpes can also help keep the AIDS virus under control in women with both infections, and might reduce the spread of HIV, too, the first major study to test this strategy suggests.

Many people with HIV are also infected with herpes type 2, and scientists have long known that herpes sores on the genitals can make it easier to become infected with the AIDS virus and could increase the risk of transmitting HIV to others.

In the latest study, conducted in Africa and published in today's New England Journal of Medicine, women who took the herpes drug valacyclovir had less HIV in their blood and in their genital secretions.

The study did not look at whether the drug, sold as Valtrex by GlaxoSmithKline PLC, actually reduces transmission of the AIDS virus. However, scientists generally have found that the more virus someone has, the greater the risk of transmission.

Doctors have been looking for novel ways to treat and prevent HIV infection, particularly in poor countries where few can afford modern AIDS drugs and the stigma keeps many from taking them.

Researchers recently found that circumcision lowers the risk of spreading HIV, and they hope the same will prove true of treating herpes.

``It does open some potential avenues to slowing down the HIV epidemic,'' said Dr. Lawrence Corey, a leading herpes researcher at the University of Washington who had no role in the study but has received research grants from Glaxo.

The study involved researchers from France, England and Burkina Faso and was funded by the French national AIDS research agency, ANRS.

There are 4.3 million new HIV infections worldwide each year. Past studies have shown that herpes infections can triple a person's chance of acquiring HIV and can make HIV-positive individuals more infectious.

[Gurm]

Y'know what would help stop the spread of AIDS? Burning Catholic Priests, and handing out free condoms.

(Yeah, I know technically we don't have to BURN them, just BAN them. But burning is more fun, besides it's what they deserve!)

[Dr Mordrid]

Would you like it if people started suggesting that rabbi's be subjucted to torture/mutilation.execution? If not then STFU.

[az]

Do Rabbis indirectly kill people by lying to them about things that could save their lives?

[schmosef]

Really, Gurm, your gleeful belligerence is not compelling.

I agree that what priests are doing in Africa is wrong. But you can convey the point without lowering yourself to their level.

[Helevitia]

I found his humor quite funny But then again, most people don't like blunt, shocking humor.

[schmosef]

I like irreverent humour very much. But not simple belligerence.

Here, look at this: http://hotair.com/archives/2007/02/2...eful-rhetoric/

Now I'm not saying that Gurm's issue with Catholicism has anything to do with what "may" be Bill Maher’s issue with Bush, but I am saying that there is a line, which once crossed makes you no better than those whom you would criticize.

Gurm is a really smart and articulate guy. And, as someone who once lived in Africa, I agree with him in principle that religious institutions are not working in the best interests of the African people. There are better ways to convey that message though.

[Helevitia]

Personally I think religion is mostly a joke and Gurm's joke(as I see it) was just poking fun at that. I guess the way I see it is that we have all known Gurm and the way he is for years now. So how come he continues to "shock" people? Plus, your definition of "overboard" may be different than someone else's. I'm not trying to start an argument with you, just pointing out the fact that your idea of right and wrong can be totally different than someone else's. I really don't believe in right and wrong anymore, just different levels of acceptance.

[schmosef]

how do you reconcile that with your sig? i guess you know "goodness" and "nobility" when you see it? and what's good and noble to you might not be good and noble to someone else and that's "ok"?

P.S. I didn't say that Gurm shocked me. I said his words were not compelling.

[Helevitia]

I never said it is OK, but I've learned that I can accept or not accept somebodies right or wrong. In Gurm's case, I know he will always say the things he says jsut to get a rise out of people, so I accept it for what it is, a joke. I may not agree with it or like it, but that's OK.

[Gurm]

Oh fine. Pishposh. I would expect that by now, as Helevitia pointed out, people would just "get it" without being somehow shocked and offended by my "extreme shorthand". I don't REALLY think we should BURN all Catholic priests. Well, maybe most of them. The ones that touch little kids. That's a pretty low number, but then you consider the ones that HIDE and PROTECT the ones that touch little kids. And the ones that knew about it but didn't say anything. And the ones that elect Cardinals that protect and hide and shield the ones that touch little kids. And the Pope that has as an official policy the shielding of pedo-priests from law enforcement agencies by moving them... sometimes as far as EUROPE.

Yeah, the entire f*cking system is flawed, and they're ALL guilty to one degree or another. I don't believe for a second that there's a single priest beyond the "local parish" level that isn't guilty of complicity.

BUT that's not the point. The point TODAY is that priests preach that condoms are evil. Even the ones in "enlightened" countries. In the western world, they don't try to spin the bullsh!t yarn that "condoms CAUSE aids" like they do in Africa, but they say that if you wear one, God will hate you forever and you'll go to hell. That's pretty much like pulling the trigger. ANY anti-condom rhetoric is the same as taking a needle with AIDS blood and sticking it in someone yourself. Don't kid yourself - sins of omission are just as bad as the real thing. That's what the priests always tell us, anyway!

Last time I checked, Rabbis weren't preaching abstinence at all. At least not past the ultra-orthodox level (and those guys are nuts, really they are, they won't TOUCH a woman, even to shake hands or keep her from falling down or something). And they CERTAINLy aren't preaching that wearing a condom makes you BURN BABY BURN!