Fun facts you never asked for!

[clintswan]

• 18% of Blacks tested at the clinic are newly HIV+, the highest of all sub-groups
• Chlamydia is the most common STD in the United States (sorry Canadians)
• Chlamydia can be transmitted by dry-humping.
• Syphilis is becoming an epidemic in the southern US, actually confined to zip codes
(demographic epidemic)
• The rash to the hands and feet in the second phase of Syphilis are very infectious
• Syphilis can have a latent period of up to 40 years
• Due to the long latency, geriatric women are commonly misdiagnosed with dementia when it is
in fact they are suffering with Neurosyphilis (years ago they got it or their "monogamous"
husbands got it and passed it to them)
• Herpes lies dormant, after initial infection, near the spinal cord and periodically migrate
back out to the surface of the skin.
• 20-30% of the sexually active population in the US have HPV (Human papilloma virus) aka
Genital Warts
• HPV can be transmitted via towels and clothing
• There are vaccines for both Hepatitis A and B
• It is recommended that gay men receive the HEP A and B vaccines
• It is unknown at this time whether HEP C can be transmitted sexually
• The slides in this class where kinda gross *giggle*

Comments

[lfkbear.livejournal.com]

We might not have asked for the info, but thank you for thinking to share it. Most of it, I knew. Some, I didn't. All is worth pondering.

Thank you.

HPV

[ours-garou.livejournal.com]

That HPV statistic doesn't accurately represent all demographics, though. Gay men have a much higher infection rate for HPV. For instance:

Approximately 60 percent of men without HIV and over 90 percent of men with HIV who have sex with men carry HPV in their anal canals and most don't even know it.

(Taken from Gayhealth.com (http://www.gayhealth.com/templates/102425485885814124019700002/common/condition.html?record=12&searchwords=HPV).)

This is why gay men should have regular rectal exams. There's also growing evidence gay men should have regular pap tests, as some strains of HPV can cause cancer.

Re: HPV

[clintswan.livejournal.com]

Actually that statistic does accurately represent all demographics.

It includes all peoples - gay, straight, bi / white, black, asian / young, old / men, women.

Just doesn't reflect the higher rate in gay men.

The tidbits were for the general population.....very few of the bits were orientation specific

neener

[clintswan.livejournal.com]

Was it an overshare?

Re: HPV

[ours-garou.livejournal.com]

Broad, sweeping averages lie like a rug, though. For example:

Fifty to 75% of sexually active men and women acquire genital HPV infection at some point in their lives.

(Taken from the CDC (http://www.cdc.gov/nchstp/dstd/Fact_Sheets/FactsHPV.htm) website.)

20-30% just sounds way too low. I think someone did some mathemagical fudging on that figure.

[lfkbear.livejournal.com]

Anything that makes us pause and consider the ramifications of our actions, in my opinion, is worthwhile... not an overshare. And if reading it makes anyone uncomfortable, then there might be another issue for that person to ponder... again, in my opinion. To be a catalyst in that is a brave move. Again, thank you.

Re: HPV

[clintswan.livejournal.com]

diferent stats for different segments

my stat was for people currently.

your stat was for all people over their entire lifetime.

both are correct.....not lying - different info

[bearboy.livejournal.com]

I don't think the heading of this journal entry is exactly 'Fun'.. I don't find these facts the least bit 'fun' :)

[clintswan.livejournal.com]

tongue in cheek.....so to speak

[orgelcub.livejournal.com]

Ewwwwww....if and when I ever make it to the States, I'll be descending in a double-polythene bag and a gas-mask.

I don't suppose it's much better here

[loganbeary.livejournal.com]

Probably worse there.