Slog - Comments on Sexually Transmitted Infections and the City

Comment by Bellevue Ave

Bellevue Ave — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 11:52:41 -0800

people make a big deal about herpes, but as someone that has only had 1 outbreak of HSV-I on my dick, I can honestly say it isn't that big of a deal. it could be worse. it could be aids.

Comment by brandon

brandon — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 11:56:39 -0800

"has disappeared"? that should be "never materialized."

Comment by shub-negrorath

shub-negrorath — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 11:59:06 -0800

"So the rate in NYC is significantly higher, and that�s worrisome, but it�s not like folks in NYC are that much likelier to have herpes than folks in, say, Seattle."

The two main clauses of this sentence contradict each other.

Comment by Jubilation T. Cornball

Jubilation T. Cornball — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 12:00:22 -0800

@1 -- I commend you on your honesty, and at the same time, hope never to suck your dick.

I think the worst thing about Herpes is that open sores (of which one may not be aware) are a marvelous portal for HIV.

Comment by Mr. Poe

Mr. Poe — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 12:01:47 -0800

/broken record

Comment by shitbrain

shitbrain — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 12:32:16 -0800

And most people who have the virus that causes genital herpes have no symptoms

You know why? Because viruses don't cause disease. You've really not read The Great AIDS Hoax, Dan?

In other STI news, the World Health Organization has �admitted,� according to a report in the Independent, that an HIV/AIDS pandemic among heterosexuals outside of Africa �has disappeared�.

You know why? Because viruses don't cause disease. You've really not read The Great AIDS Hoax, Dan?

Comment by Will in Seattle

Will in Seattle — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 12:41:35 -0800

Let's not forget that AIDS/HIV in Russia, India, and China is still there - just underreported.

That said, malaria or TB kills WAY MORE PEOPLE any day of the week.

Comment by osudude

osudude — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 12:48:10 -0800

@6 - Yeah, virion lysis of targeted cell types has nothing to do with pathophysiologic derangement. Get bit by a rabid animal and trust that your book is right over the fact that virions hitching a ride up the axons of your peripheral nerves are going to cause acute fatal encephalitis after several days. After the pathologist cuts out your brain, they'll find negri bodies (inclusions of rabies virus) just hanging out and just having a good time with no foul in your neuron cell bodies...good thing your book was right!

Comment by chicagogaydude

chicagogaydude — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 12:51:18 -0800

From the Independent article:

2006 1% of Russians HIV+
1991 1% of South Africans HIV+
today 25 % of South Africans HIV+

Low rates of circumcision, which is protective, and high rates of genital herpes, which causes ulcers on the genitals through which the virus can enter the body, also contributed to Africa's heterosexual epidemic.

Comment by mark

mark — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 12:59:05 -0800

The claim that the heterosexual pandemic of HIV has disappeared is needlessly confusing. The epidemiologists assumes that everyone knows the difference between pandemics (worldwide) and epidemics (localized, but still damaging). Heterosexual epidemics of HIV do and will exist until there is a cure. HIV is now the number 1 killer of African American men 21-49 in this country. Eastern Europe is rife with infections due to injection drug use that can easily jump into the heterosexual population. Data and monitoring from China and South East Asia remains weak. Also, saying the pandemic of heterosexual HIV has disappeared outside of Africa reinforces the notion that our lives as westerners are more important than those of the "global south". Just me 2 cents.

Comment by mark

mark — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 13:02:53 -0800

Comment by mark

mark — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 13:04:03 -0800

shit, sorry for the double posting (now triple). stupid intenets.

Comment by butterw

butterw — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 13:08:27 -0800


Hot town, herpes in the city.
Back of my stuff gettin' rough and gritty.

Cue guitar solo...

Comment by shitbrain

shitbrain — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 13:16:15 -0800

Yeah, virion lysis of targeted cell types has nothing to do with pathophysiologic derangement. Get bit by a rabid animal and trust that your book is right over the fact that virions hitching a ride up the axons of your peripheral nerves are going to cause acute fatal encephalitis after several days. After the pathologist cuts out your brain, they'll find negri bodies (inclusions of rabies virus) just hanging out and just having a good time with no foul in your neuron cell bodies...good thing your book was right!

Keep living in fear of evil spirits if you want to. But until you start living healthfully, you're going to be susceptible to disease, no matter how many fancy words you can recite.

Comment by w7ngman

w7ngman — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 13:35:05 -0800

Your name is fitting, shitbrain.

And can we tone down the whole "circumcision prevents HIV" meme? Genital mutilation is not a valid solution to anything. It's like saying we should cut people's fingers off because it will help them avoid poking their eyes out.

Comment by Greg

Greg — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 13:35:10 -0800

@14: No, yeah, the raw foods diet is a great idea. Why destroy all those perfectly healthy bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi with heat when you can just use your brain to will away disease? It's like the universe wants you to be healthy.

Comment by d

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 13:53:23 -0800

amen, w7ngman. just think how low the percentages of HIV infection would be if we practiced more female circumcision, too!

Comment by Will in Seattle

Will in Seattle — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 14:15:40 -0800

@9 - reported figures, actually. Both Russia and China severely underreport HIV/AIDS. Everyone knows that.

Comment by beegee

beegee — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 14:46:32 -0800

World Health Organization's ESTIMATES of HIV infection rate in Africa (and elsewhere) were based on computer modeling which grossly overestimated the infection rate.

Comment by anonymous

anonymous — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 19:51:07 -0800

The Independent: "In the US, the rate of [HIV] infection among men in Washington DC is well over 100 times higher than in North Dakota, the region with the lowest rate. That is in one country. How do you explain such differences?"

It's a mystery because of course the demographics of Washington DC and North Dakota are exactly the same.

Comment by CP

CP — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 23:13:59 -0800

Sure, other diseases kill more people, but what other diseases affect our sex lives?!

STI's? When did these things become STI's? Didn't they used to be STD's? I think this was done by the committee of bureuacrats determined to sound all fancy 'n shit, once laypeople know about something (from the tee vee), the high priests have to change the name. Cat scan? Oh no, now it's a cee tee scan now. Take your wounded buddy to the ER? Oh no, that TV show ruined it, it's the ED now, the Emergency Department.

Don't mind me, I'm an old coot. I remember when large organizations had pesonnel offices, not "human resources."

I remember when an STI was a kick-ass Subaru, by gum!