efficacy of condoms / path of tranmission

[Markx72]

I am a male who has had literally 100% condom usage; no breakage and no slippage; but have had multiple partners of unknown status some who may be considered risky. What are the chances I have been exposed to HIV. I am concerned that maybe condoms are not fully protective from HIV even when properly and consistently used.

Also, how do condoms actually protect exactly?  Can’t HIV penetrate on skin as there will still be some bodily contact even when a condom is properly used during intercourse? What is special about the head of the penis.

I guess another way to ask my question is in the case of transmission, how does the virus actually enter the body from female to male? I would love to read some explanation.

Teak, I would love to hear your comments.

Thank you,

[Teak]

HIV is not transmitted via oral sex saliva is not infectious. This question has been answered a million times. If you have anymore questions on Oral Sex send your questions to the Drs. Forum.

[Markx72]

"hiv enters the body through ...or through the mucous membranes (the foreskin and head of the penis being an example of this)"

Then, whey is unprotected Oral sex not (almost never as they say) a transmission risk given lips are mucous membrane?

Thank you

[longone]

We agree, now if we could get Lizzie to sing all will be well.

[ECN44120]

Sure abstinence is safest way but not the only one. both ways should be teached, and US is not the country that spends more in percentual values, netheir in absulote values 20B for 300 millions people, South Africa 431B for 47 million people, Brazil 385B for 185 millions people, and Brazil has the same prevalence (less than 1%) of the US. And all the ways of prevention should be teached Abstinence, condoms, testing, ect. period

[LIZZIE LOU]

i'm about to bust out with a lee greenwood song here...

[longone]

We [U.S.] spend more money on this than anyone peroid. As far as abstinence, the radicals freak out any time it is mentioned. Why should it not be mentioned? It is the safest way period. Should it be taught over real world protection,NO but it should be encouraged if the real aim is to stop infection.

I think alot of people want to simply promote a lifestyle rather than encourage all forms of protection. Even religion has its place at the table but not according to the radicals.

[ECN44120]

Just another thing, AMERICA is whole continent from Canada and Alaska in the north to Argentina and Chile in the south, so the country is USA, not America, in America there are more than 600 million people and more than 2.5 million people living with HIV.

[ECN44120]

I was researching again, and i found a lot of places, and the abstinence over condom use was promoted since 2000, (Bush elected president rare coincidence) it wasn`t before, the page you refer to is 1 month ago, and I quot  *Since Florida law requires abstinence-based education, 6th-graders in the past have learned about sexually transmitted diseases and taught how to resist pressure to engage in sexual behavior, the report said.* BUT NOT HOW TO USE CONDOMS, they are just know teaching them,

And proving that US push abstinence over condom use, and comparing to most Estearn Europe countries, australia, even the UK, had reduced almost every year the infection rates with good prevention campaign, in schools and colleges, since there is no cure for hiv know, the best way to control this pandemic is prevention, and learning about the disease, becouse another prove that the prevention campaign is not working, is the thousands of post asking if they can get hiv, by using a public toilet, a used towel, shaking hands, eating at macdonal`s, ect. my first post just wanted to clarify that there are better prevention campaigns than the ones used in the US and in another countries.

[snippets69]

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=56391

Kablam.

[Teak]

Call what you want snippets do you live in the US? I have for 52 years and I know that the US pushes abstinence over condom use and has for years. Guess you didn't watch much television while you were in the US now did you. Have you read anything on the Abstinence Program that the US ran.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/18/education/18abstain.html

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2006/02/24/us_to_end_funding_of_abstinence_program/

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2006-10-30-abstinence-message_x.htm

[snippets69]

From 1988... Yes. '88.

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=940DE7D7113DF937A2575BC0A96E948260

[snippets69]

I'm calling bullcrap on you teak.  I've never in my life been taught abstinence over condom use. Every country has religions that don't believe in condom use.

[Teak]

You are incorrect. The US does push abstinence over condom use. It has, for many years. The you also have Religions that don't believe in condom use and yes that is right here in the US.

[snippets69]

There is tons to be done.  But our governments can only do so much.  Plus the people need to WANT to listen, which is not always easy.  Try unaids.org .  If you felt REALLY strongly about it, you might go to Africa, or volunteer in the inner cities in America to teach about condoms and diseases.

[ECN44120]

Ok you are right then, but can we agree that is a lot that can be done on prevention?

[snippets69]

It's an ok source of information.  But you can't determe whether or not America is "teaching abstinence over condom use" from a Dr. at   thebody.com.

[ECN44120]

It seems like you know something I dont, Please why do you think Dr. Frascino and thebody.com is not a good source, I thought it is reliable good source, probably they arent but I dont know?

[snippets69]

from THEBODY.COM's question archive answered by Dr. Fracino? Is where you got the idea that America is teaching abstinence over condom use..


I don't even know where to begin....

[ECN44120]

Yes he doesnt need to test, I agree on that, but I dont think I`m lying its my believe that America is teaching that, and here is where I got my believes.

http://www.thebody.com/Forums/AIDS/SafeSex/Current/Q191571.html
http://www.thebody.com/Forums/AIDS/SafeSex/Current/Q191476.html
http://www.thebody.com/Forums/AIDS/SafeSex/Archive/Thanks/Q191424.html

And my point was that instead of using 400000B a little of that money can be used in seraching and develompent of posible cures, new meds, and prevention, and Markx you DONT NEED TESTING the only reason to test would be tu put you fear away.

[snippets69]

I don't want a fight either.  But if you say something I believe is false, I'm going to tell you I think you're wrong. There are gray areas I realize, but you saying America teaches abstinence over condom use is not true.  

And if this guy used a condom that didn't break, he doesn't need to test....He needs to know he couldn't of caught HIV from protected sex.

[ECN44120]

I`m probably mistaken, but I studied in the US 10 years ago, and have travel a lot over there, I know the America is huge, and has 300 million people living there, but the abstinence over condom use is national policy of the actual goverment, is a fact, is not that Im saying that, if you dont beleive me ask Dr. Frascino of thebody.com, or just read all the CDC (politicaly managed) and you can figure it out, when I studied in the US in high school and  first year college, I received sex education in the school and was very usefull, they never told us not to have sex, just to have safe sex, but know is different, I hope all the contries of the world the powerfull and the very poor ones, give a very good sex education to all, (it sounds like  a dream) but 6000 million people in this world can be reached by education if it properly managed. Please snipets69, I`m just giving my ponit of view not want a forum fight, just wanted to help.

[snippets69]

Ok...I'm sorry...

You're somewhat mistaken about America teaching abstinence over condom use.  That's not true.  

You have to realize too that America is huge. It's not as easy or cheap to come up with and implement solutions that best suit the entire country, let alone other parts of the world.  Say for example the needle programs.  Most of that type of stuff needs to be left up to individual counties or city.  Most needles in major cities can be bought very cheaply at pharmacies anyways.  It is left up to the individual pharmacist.

If you use a condom properly, you can not catch HIV from the sex act itself.

[ECN44120]

Sorry about the sentences and grammar but english is not my first lenguage,

[snippets69]

I think that's one of the biggest sentences I've seen in my life.