Myths
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We all have some ideas about sexually transmitted infections in our heads. But they are not always correct. |
One of these ideas is that AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases exist among homosexual men only. This idea stems from the 1980s, when the AIDS epidemic began and the disease was first observed among homosexual men only. Actually every person having sex with someone whose HIV status is unknown, is at risk to become infected with HIV. It is correct that the risk of infection is higher in the group of men having sex with men, but this simply has to do with sexual practices.
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History of HIV/AIDS In 1981, suddenly a high number of infections were observed that usually only occur in humans with a weakened immune system. But these infections then hit young – homosexual – men in Los Angeles that had been completely healthy before they caught these infections. In 1982, scientists already suspected an acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. When various cases of infection were observed among heterosexual drug addicts and people who had received a blood transfusion, it became clear that the disease had nothing to do with homosexuality. By the way, in Germany the first case was diagnosed in 1982. After some years of investigation, science discovered that it is a certain virus that causes AIDS. In 1986, the name HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus In 1985, the first Worldwide AIDS Conference took place. In the 1990s, the medical science made remarkable progress, for example by developing the so-called combination therapy. This development remarkably increased the quality of life and the life-span of people infected with HIV. Since the beginning of the 1990s, the red AIDS ribbon has been a symbol for solidarity with HIV positive and AIDS patients all over the world. Until the end of 2004, about 73,000 people had been infected with HIV in Germany since the beginning of the epidemic. 46,500 were still alive at that time. The annual rate of new infections has been increasing again since 2002. In 2005, it was about 2,600 new cases per year. Worlwide, nearly 33,2 millions of men, women and children are living with HIV/AIDS. |
Many people also believe that the number of sexually transmitted infections is decreasing. Unfortunately, this is not the case: in many countries, the rates of new infections are rising, e. g. for syphilis and HIV / AIDS.
The notion that sexually transmitted infections cannot be transmitted by petting or oral sex is also very common. This is unfortunately not true either; it rather depends on the situation and on the germ. The risk of infection may be lower with oral sex, but if you have small wounds in the mucosa of your cheeks or in the gingiva, or an infected throat, or if the penetrating partner has an infection of the urthra, then the risk of infection is increased. Should the mouth come in contact with menstrual blood or infected vaginal fluid, an infection can be transmitted as well.
Many people think that sex with a condom is not nice or not cool. That’s actually only a question of attitude, in boys as well as in girls. Women and girls may often think: „If I insist on a condom, he might not want to sleep with me any more.” There are so many kinds of condoms nowadays, however, e. g. ultrasenstitive ones. You should only decide to have sex without a condom in a stable relationship and in mutual agreement. A HIV test taken together may be the starting point.
„If I don’t feel anything, I have no infection“– that’s an attitude which is not helpful with sexually transmitted diseases. Many infections proceed for days, weeks, months or years without any symptoms. This is one of the differences to other diseases that we know. Another particularity in sexually transmitted diseases is the fact, that it is often not suffice that only the one person that shows symptoms gets treatment. Usually it is necessary that the partner gets treated as well.
