HIV and circumcision

[Guest fountainhall]

Spurred by the comments that the site is getting boring, maybe this will ginger it up a little. Recent reports seem to have confirmed results of long term studies in Africa that circumcised men are much less likely to become infected by the HIV virus than those who have not suffered the 'unkindest cut'. From what I read, there is something on the surface of the inner foreskin that seems to attract the virus. I add, though, that I saw nothing in the reports to indicate whether the study groups were gay, straight or a random mix. Purely guessing, I reckon most were straight.

 

After hearing almost daily reports from the mid 1980's through the mid 1990's of the dramatic rise in HIV infections in Thailand, the media here now seem to carry nothing whatever about HIV statistics - for perhaps obvious reasons. It is, I believe, generally acknowledged that thanks to condom use (and the efforts of condom king, Khun Meechai), the rate of infection slowed dramatically and then peaked. Yet occasionally reports appear elsewhere of a new strain developing here, and also of an increasing infection rate, partly due to barebacking becoming much more common again. especially amongst younger Thais. It's a couple of years or more since I visited a sauna, but in several countries - here and Japan especially - I noticed barebacking was much more common than ten years earlier.

 

I guess this has to be a result of the "it's now not so dangerous" syndrome prompted by the drugs which render HIV AIDS more a chronic long-term treatable illness than the arrival of the grim reaper. Yet, even this prognosis is no longer a sure thing. A report in the New York Times about a week ago provided evidence that those who have been on drug therapy for more than about 15 years are now becoming prone to the early onset of illnesses associated with old age, even though they may only be in their 40's and 50's.

 

Unlike certain peoples and certain religions, circumcision is not part of Thai or Buddhist culture. Perhaps only a handful of the boys I have encountered in Thailand over more than 25 years of visiting and then living here have been 'cut'. The question, therefore, inevitably arises - and it is one I ask of anyone in the medical profession who happens to visit this site: would circumcision of Thais (gay and straight) be one way of reducing exposure to the HIV virus and thus better controlling its spread?

 

Personally, I cannot imagine Thais without foreskins. I even find that is part of their manyfold attractions (pun intended!). I also doubt if Thai parents, like the Chinese, would adopt the practice, no matter how much pressure was put on them. (Indeed, and again speaking personally, I find the practice barbaric). Yet, the longer this ghastly illness continues and the longer it takes to find a vaccine, the less effective the "safe-sex" message seems to be and the more reason for more effective ways to be adopted to control its spread.

 

All that said, I hope there is enough in this post to spark some strong comment - irreverent or, hopefully, otherwise.

[Guest fountainhall]

A report in the New York Times about a week ago provided evidence that those who have been on drug therapy for more than about 15 years are now becoming prone to the early onset of illnesses associated with old age, even though they may only be in their 40's and 50's.

 

As it may be of interest, below is part of the article from The New York Times (dated 6 January 2008) - "AIDS Patients Face Downside of Living Longer"

 

"XXX XXXXX received a diagnosis of AIDS nearly two decades ago, when the disease was a speedy death sentence and treatment a distant dream.

 

"Yet at 59 he is alive, thanks to a cocktail of drugs that changed the course of an epidemic. But with longevity has come a host of unexpected medical conditions, which challenge the prevailing view of AIDS as a manageable, chronic disease.

 

"Mr. XXXXX, who lives in a housing complex designed for the frail elderly, suffers from complex health problems usually associated with advanced age: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, kidney failure, a bleeding ulcer, severe depression, rectal cancer and the lingering effects of a broken hip.

 

"Those illnesses, more severe than his 84-year-old father’s, are not what Mr. XXXXX expected when lifesaving antiretroviral drugs became the standard of care in the mid-1990s.

 

"The drugs gave Mr. XXXXX back his future.

 

"But at what cost?

 

"That is the question, heretical to some, that is now being voiced by scientists, doctors and patients encountering a constellation of ailments showing up prematurely or in disproportionate numbers among the first wave of AIDS survivors to reach late middle age.

 

"There have been only small, inconclusive studies on the causes of aging-related health problems among AIDS patients.

 

"Without definitive research, which has just begun, that second wave of suffering could be a coincidence, although it is hard to find anyone who thinks so."

[Guest stef]

Spurred by the comments that the site is getting boring, maybe this will ginger it up a little.

 

How thoughtful of you

Never thought the site was boring, there are up and downs like everywhere.

Now that's a nice topic you've started and hopefully some idiot will not turn this into " A thread promoting Whatever it is some people will blame other to promote ", when it is a real problem we're all dealing with.

 

I personally am not a big fan of the " Extra Skin " part of that body , per bad experiences in the past, I much prefer people being circumcised. Back in France most of its people are uncircumcised. Unless you get the surgery based on health reasons and not because of some believes.

 

If it's clean, I really don't care but when it comes to it , I have to say per my experience, that uncircumcised is less cleaner that the others. But never had a problems here in Thailand. First thing they do anyway , is to jump in the shower and use half of my shampoo and body soap So they better be clean

 

Anyway , Can't wait to hear more comments....

[Guest YardenUK]

yeah i also read about the african study on HIV transmission among straight men - circumcision actually reduced the risk of infection by an amazing 60%.

 

However, a really startling recent research report showed that men who washed their penis immediately after intercourse were at a HIGHER risk of HIV infection - I know it sounds hard to believe but here is the link to the abstract of the research. This paper also suggests that circumcision has no clear benefits for gay men in avoiding transmission of an HIV virus:

 

http://www.i-base.info/htb/v8/htb8-8-9/Penile.html

 

 

Personally, cut or uncut doesnt bother me - but I think without wanting to lower the tone of the board I have to say i cannot agree with Stef

........while not wishing for a cream cheese effect, I really get turned off by artificial smells like shower gel, soap, anti-perspirant/deodorant sprays or worse still, after shave/eau de toilette.......AU NATUREL is the way i like it - a shower at least 12 hours before a date would suit nicely

[Guest fountainhall]

a really startling recent research report showed that men who washed their penis immediately after intercourse were at a HIGHER risk of HIV infection

 

This is hard to believe, and yet I recall reading years ago that the virus can remain 'alive' in semen for about 3 minutes after ejaculation. If that's true, then I guess careless washing could force it in to any slight abrasion or break in the skin.

 

Further to my first post, I forgot to mention the increasing popularity of 'bukkake' - group sex with several guys shooting into another's face and mouth. It is then usually swallowed. There are now websites devoted to this and many videos, especially Japanese, feature it. Surely this has to be as risky as barebacking?

[Guest stef]

Personally, cut or uncut doesnt bother me - but I think without wanting to lower the tone of the board I have to say i cannot agree with Stef

........while not wishing for a cream cheese effect, I really get turned off by artificial smells like shower gel, soap, anti-perspirant/deodorant sprays or worse still, after shave/eau de toilette.......AU NATUREL is the way i like it - a shower at least 12 hours before a date would suit nicely

 

Hey I really think the natural smell is great , don't get me wrong, but I only save this when I am in relation. Pretty much loved every part of the body and its natural smell , real turn on , again with my lover.

 

When I don't know the guy , or just having fun for a " Short Time " I prefer to keep things simple, with no smell surprises

 

Unfortunately the cream cheese effect is out there , been there and I've seen it... and Yuck, I still prefer my " Brie & Camember " lol

 

 

 

[Guest buaseng]

........while not wishing for a cream cheese effect, I really get turned off by artificial smells like shower gel, soap, anti-perspirant/deodorant sprays or worse still, after shave/eau de toilette.......AU NATUREL is the way i like it - a shower at least 12 hours before a date would suit nicely

Not into anti-perspirants/deodorants/after shave etc but the clean smell after a shower with soap is what I want, not the stink of someone who hasn't washed for 12 hours.

 

After 12 hours all your likely to smell is the aroma of stale urine (mixed with a whiff of stale beer if the guy has been drinking in those 12 hours). Yuk, a definite turn-off for me and definately a good way to stop 'smoking'.

 

Incidentally, a great many Thai boys consider farangs to be unclean and perpetually stinking of sweat and other obnoxious smells. It figures if YardenuK/Stef are anything to go by .

 

[Guest YardenUK]

Vive la Différence!

[Guest stef]

Incidentally, a great many Thai boys consider farangs to be unclean and perpetually stinking of sweat and other obnoxious smells. It figures if YardenuK/Stef are anything to go by .

 

 

Yuck Yuck and more Yuck I hope I don't stink like that lol, anyway I haven't had any complaints YET. So I must be on the right path.

 

Thai boys are used to hot and humid weather, not as some of the farang that will start sweating after few steps. ( I do sometime ) but I have seen many farang sweat like a pig. So of course Lots of Thai boys won't see this as very clean.

 

Anyway nothing better than North America. They take showers like crazy. I like that It is always clean " CUT " and ready for action.

 

Vive la Différence

[Guest fountainhall]

a really startling recent research report showed that men who washed their penis immediately after intercourse were at a HIGHER risk of HIV infection

 

I don't wish to be the harbinger of doom and gloom, but another report (below) has just appeared, this time in the San Francisco Chronicle of January 14. It is eerily smilar to reports in the early 1980's about the then new gay plague which turned out to be HIV AIDS. This new report proposes immediate washing to avoid yet another rapidly rising infection. I have edited the length, but not the essence of the content.

 

A new variety of staph bacteria, highly resistant to antibiotics and possibly transmitted by sexual contact, is spreading among gay men in San Francisco, Boston, New York and Los Angeles, researchers reported Monday.

 

The study released online by the journal Annals of Internal Medicine found the highest concentrations of infection by the drug-resistant bug in and around San Francisco's Castro district and among patients who visit health clinics that treat HIV infections in gay men in San Francisco and Boston.

 

The culprit is a form of MRSA, or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, a bug that was once confined to hospitalized patients but, since the late 1990s, has been circulating outside medical settings, afflicting anyone from injection-drug users to elementary school students. A strain called USA300 has been a leading cause of MRSA infection in this decade, and an exceptionally drug-resistant variant of it is now on the loose, researchers say.

 

The study estimated that 1 in 588 residents living within the Castro neighborhood 94114 ZIP code area is infected with that variant, which is resistant to six types of commonly used antibiotics. The risk of contracting this difficult-to-treat bug is 13 times greater for gay men than for the rest of the city's population, researchers found . . . The germ typically causes boils and other skin and soft-tissue infections and, despite its resistance to some drugs, is still treatable by surgical drainage and several classes of antibiotics.

 

What is unusual in this case is the high percentage of infections - up to 40 percent - occurring in the buttocks and genitalia . . . Until last year, staph infections had never been linked to sexual activity . . . Just why the new, more drug-resistant variety is concentrated among gay men is not yet known. Patients infected with HIV appear to run a higher risk of infection, but the study suggests that gay men are being infected with the staph germ regardless of whether they are HIV-positive.

 

"Taking a shower after sexual contact may minimize contamination," said Dr. Chip Chambers, director of infectious diseases at San Francisco General, a co-author of the study. "Ordinary soap will do. It dilutes the concentration of bacteria. You don't need antibacterial soap."

[Guest laurence]

Unfortunately the cream cheese effect is out there , been there and I've seen it... and Yuck, I still prefer my " Brie & Camember " lol

 

Camember? How un -French! Camembert if you please.

[Guest stef]

Camember? How un -French! Camembert if you please.

 

 

Whatever your heart desires sweet heart.

Add a trip " T " where the sun don't shine as far as it concerns me, wouldn't make a bit of difference

 

How un -French!

 

Reason why I don't LIVE over there