LONDON-British health officials are warning that HIV risks from oral sex are higher than previously thought. A new study shows as many as 8% of men who have sex with men who are infected with HIV contracted the disease through oral sex.
Although oral sex carries a much lower HIV risk than vaginal or anal intercourse, it can still be a method of transmission of AIDS, syphilis and gonorrhea. A recent outbreak of syphilis in Brighton, Bristol, London, and Manchester was rooted in unprotected oral sex.
The Department of Health in the UK will now being an educational campaign to inform the public of this risk. An AIDS booklet is being circulated stating "the risk of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections can be reduced by using a condom for all forms of penetrative sex, including oral sex. If a condom is not used, avoiding ejaculation into the mouth probably lessens (but does not eliminate) the risk of HIV transmission."
The Terrence Higgins Trust is also starting an advertising campaign in the gay press to educate about the health risks surrounding oral sex.
Source: Reuters Health
CDC Strategies Preventing Hospital-Onset C difficile Effectiveness Inconclusive in Testing
April 15th 2024Hospitals using CDC prevention strategies had different incidences of hospital-associated Clostridioides difficile infection compared to those that didn't, but the reasons are not necessarily the strategies themselves.
Unlocking the Power of AI in Hospital Infection Prevention: A Sustainable Approach to HAIs
April 11th 2024Read on about how, as hospitals grapple with the costly burden of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), artificial intelligence (AI) emerges as a game-changer in revolutionizing infection prevention strategies.
Deeds to Reality: A Journey of Immigration and Obstacles With Carole W. Kamangu, MPH, RN, CIC
April 9th 2024Carole W. Kamangu, MPH, RN, CIC, shares her inspiring journey from the Democratic Republic of Congo to health care leadership in the US today. (This is the French translation of the interview with Carole W. Kamangu.)