Results of Study in England -- HIV/STD transmission and Oral Sex

[Justice]

http://www.phls.co.uk/news/bulletins/2001/010706id.htm

[Guest CZ]

While I share Justice's obvious belief that any sensible man will want to be fully aware of the risks of sexual activity (and stay au courant about the latest findings/opinions on same in expert circles), I have to say that this 'report' looks pretty inconsequential to me. It refers to no specific study, recent or otherwise; nor is it a meta-analysis of what has already been determined in the area. The only 'news' here is a seemingly fresh evaluation of the 'oral risk factor, stating--without any evidence at all--that the risk is 'higher' than is commonly believed. As hopelessly vague as that is, the second bit of news (that the oral route is thought to account for 3 to 8 % of all HIV transmissions) is just the opposite. And irresponsibly so, too. It's quite an assertion as worded, since, considering the global scale of the pandemic, the numbers implied are astoundingly high. And frankly, I don't believe it for a minute.

 

Despite the best efforts of researchers all over the U.S. to establish a meaningful connection between oral sex & HIV transmission, I'm pretty sure that the ONE instance of such transmission that can be scientifically verified happened two or three years ago--and involved a married couple, with the husband (who was +) infecting his wife after prolonged and repeated sessions of deep kissing--with both inflected with severe periodontal disease (constantly bleeding gums, etc.) Although a handful of other apparent transmissions had already been cited(in West coast studies), over time the 'proof' offered in each of this self-reported cases was fatally undermined by more reliable evidence and closer scrutiny of the facts as presented.

 

Anyway, coming back to this UK 'report,'--and with all due respect to Justice--I don't think it warrants any special attention, (though I'd dearly love to know the background on that '3 to 8 %' statement.)

[CT Dick]

My biggest question about oral sex is the issue of cumming in the mouth. The English report makes the following comment on that:

 

<<Although not ejaculating into the mouth of an uninfected person may also lessen the risk of HIV transmission, it will not eliminate it totally as pre-ejaculatory fluid is also capable of transmitting the HIV virus.>>

 

In my life, I have decided to draw the risk line here: I participate in unprotected oral sex short of ejaculation.

 

Dick

[guyinsf]

If you click some of the links on that page, you will find references to a few studies. Unfortunately, the details are still sketchy and the studies flawed. The 3-8% figure seems to come from some study done in the US, however.

[+ Charlie]

This is the only time I have ever seen a claim that pre-ejaculatory fluid could transmit HIV.

[Guest jockluver]

No, this not the first report that precum does contain HIV. I thinks that is generally accepted to be true. It is a "body fluid", just as saliva contains the virus. Whether or not the concentration is high enough to lead to infection via this route I understand is controversial still.

[+ Charlie]

All body fluids are not the same, and to the best of my knowledge saliva has never been found to contain high enough concentrations of the virus to be infective. If it did, safe sex guidelines would warn everyone not to kiss, which none of them do (at least not the non-crackpot ones).

[Guest Tampa Yankee]

According to my primary care physician, an infectious disease specialist in Boston, precum contains the virus in much lower concentration that ejaculate and in higher concentration that saliva. There is some risk in precum but he stated much less concern about it than he did about accepting ejaculate orally.