Disease Info
HIV/STD INFO
WHAT’S HAPPENING WITH HIV & STDs AMONG GAY/BI MEN IN THE PORTLAND AREA?
In 2004 in Multnomah County, at least:
–88% of all infectious SYPHILIS cases were among gay/bi men; most of them 30-50 & 50% of them HIV+
* Syphilis cases have doubled among MSM every year for the last 4 years (2000-2003), but in 2004 have finally started to level off (we believe because of regular testing in bars);
–72% of all HIV cases were among gay/bi men
* New HIV cases have remained high among MSM for the last 5 years
* Only 27% of publicly-funded HIV tests were among MSM
–48% of all male GONORRHEA cases were among gay/bi men; most of them aged 20-34
* The number of gonorrhea cases among MSM has climbed steadily for the last 7 years
– 65% of HIV- gay/bi men and 95% of HIV+ gay/bi men are estimated to be infected with HPV (Human Papiloma Virus), which is causes anal warts and/or rectal cancer, and which most gay men don’t know they have because symptoms are usually painless & hidden. Men should get a anal pap smear every two years to assure they aren’t infected with HPV. There are several excellent vaccines in clinical trials.
– Use of CRYSTAL METH and other party drugs (especially ECSTASY) have increased dramatically in the last 5-6 years among sexually active gay/bi men in the Portland area, according to anecdotal reports from local law enforcement and drug treatment professionals
* National studies confirm this rise in the popularity of Crystal and Ecstasy among sexually active gay men is associated with the rise in barebacking, HIV, syphilis, & LGV (a new aggressive form of Chlamydia)
– BAREBACKING: The Oregon DHS Snapshot Study of the risk behaviors of men who have sex with men indicated that in 2003:
* 50% of gay men reported having barebacked the last time they had anal sex
* 50% of gay men said they only sometimes use a condom for anal sex
* 30% of gay men did not know their partner’s HIV status at their last sexual encounter, and 58% of gay men said they were not totally sure of their partner’s status
– NEW, DANGEROUS STDs are being identified in gay men in San Francisco, Seattle, Vancouver, BC, and NYC, including:
* LGV (Lymphogranuloma Venereum) which is an aggressive form of Chlamydia spread primarily through barebacking, and which can cause rapid, permanent, and massive damage to the cock and/or rectal canal, and which can cause serious illness or death if not treated. Men with LGV in SF reported multiple partners who live in Portland. LGV is especially dangerous for men living with HIV.
* HIV new strain that is resistant to almost all AIDS drugs and which progresses rapidly to full-blown AIDS (in a matter of months, not years). First case reported in NYC 2/05.
* MENINGOCOCCAL C MENINGITIS: 19 cases of a new form of meningitis were reported in gay men in Vancouver, BC last year. This infection can be spread through saliva, and in October 3 of 6 gay men newly diagnosed died from this outbreak.
– RELIGIOUS RIGHT & MEDIA ATTACKS ON GAY MEN: Recent front page stories in most newspapers in the country and big stories on TV & radio news have been covering the new strain of HIV in New York City and the new LGV & syphilis epidemics among gay men, as well as the rise of crystal meth use, barebacking, and multiple anonymous sex among gay men. For the last year these articles have portrayed gay men as sex-obsessed, drug-crazed spreaders of dangerous diseases. These articles are being used by the religious right to justify banning gay marriage, rolling back civil right protections based on sexual orientation, and inspiring the faithful to hate homosexuals (and blame them for the decay of moral values in the nation and threatening the family). This epidemic of negativity is harming the gay community politically and personally. It is justifying homophobic attacks on us. Gay men need to make this a story about our leadership in preventing these epidemics.
Below are links to information about what you can do to protect yourself and your partners from each of these epidemics. Please check out Manifest’s list of programs and calendar of events to find out more about what you can do here in the Portland area. The Hot Links section of this website also have lots of links to information about how to protect yourself from these epidemics.
HIV/STD PREVENTION INFORMATION
Manifest is compiling a list of the best articles and links to information about the following sexually transmitted diseases that are affecting Portland area gay/bi/queer men (listed in alphabetical order by disease name). This list of HIV/STD links is far from complete. If you know of links to great HIV/STD information specifically for gay/bi/queer men, please them. If you would like to help us research great online information on these diseases, please or call 503-223-8822. Lastly, if you have questions that aren’t covered by the information below, please call our Wellness Info Line at 503-223-8822 and we’ll see if we can help you answer your question(s).
AIDS/HIV
www.thebody.com/index.shtml
Probably the best single source of information about HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, and research
www.gayhealth.com
This website is owned by gay medical doctors and is sex positive and accurate.
www.aidsinfo.nih.gov/
This government-owned website is a pretty good source of information about clinical trials of HIV drugs, information about approved HIV drugs, and a comprehensive glossary of HIV-related terms and research articles
www.cdc.gov/hiv/sitemap.htm
The CDC is the federal agency most directly responsible for preventing HIV, and this map to their HIV website is a compilation of some of the best prevention information. The site isn’t very user-friendly, but there is lots of current information about what is going on with HIV prevention and research.
www.aegis.com/
Comprehensive database of information about all aspects of HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, research, & policy.
www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/public/press05/pr016-05.html
This is the press release from the New York City Public Health Department announcing the first case of a new strain of HIV that appears to rapidly progress to full-blown AIDS and that appears to be resistant to most HIV drugs.
www.champnetwork.org/
CHAMP is probably the best-informed network of community-based prevention & treatment activists and researchers. They have published excellent critiques of NYC’s hype about the so-called new strain of HIV that appears to rapidly progress to AIDS, and which appears to be resistant to most HIV drugs. CHAMP is the best network of activist fighting for comprehensive and community-based HIV prevention efforts.
Amebiaisis/Amebic Dysentery
www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dpd/parasites/amebiasis/factsht_amebiasis.htm
CDC fact sheet on Entamoeba Histolytica, one of the most common parasites that is spread through rimming (oral-anal contact).
www.emedicine.com/ped/topic80.htm
This is way more information on Entamoeba Histolytica, a parasite spread through rimming (oral-anal contact) than most people will ever need, but if you like reading long, complicated medical reports, this is a thorough one.
Anal Warts/HPV
www.mcg.edu/news/2004NewsRel/ferris3.html
Information about the first study of a mult-strain HPV vaccine in men. This is the largest study of HPV vaccines in men in the world.
www.gayhealth.com
Excellent fact sheet on HPV’s role in causing anal warts and/or rectal cancer in gay men.
www.cdc.gov/std/hpv/STDFact-HPV.htm
www.cdc.gov/std/hpv/default.htm
Two different CDC fact sheets on HPV and anal warts.
www.niaid.nih.gov/factsheets/stdhpv.htm
National Institute of Allergies & Infectious Disease fact sheet on HPV and anal warts.
Chlamydia
Crabs
Entamoeba Histolytica
www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dpd/parasites/amebiasis/factsht_amebiasis.htm
CDC fact sheet on Entamoeba Histolytica, one of the most common parasites that is spread through rimming (oral-anal contact).
www.emedicine.com/ped/topic80.htm
This is way more information on Entamoeba Histolytica, a parasite spread through rimming (oral-anal contact) than most people will ever need, but if you like reading long, complicated medical reports, this is a thorough one.
Giardia Lamblia
Gonorrhea
Hepatitis A
Hepatitis B
Hepatitis C
Herpes
HIV
www.thebody.com/index.shtml
Probably the best single source of information about HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, and research
www.gayhealth.com
This website is owned by gay medical doctors and is sex positive and accurate.
www.aidsinfo.nih.gov
This government-owned website is a pretty good source of information about clinical trials of HIV drugs, information about approved HIV drugs, and a comprehensive glossary of HIV-related terms and research articles
www.cdc.gov/hiv/sitemap.htm
The CDC is the federal agency most directly responsible for preventing HIV, and this map to their HIV website is a compilation of some of the best prevention information. The site isn’t very user-friendly, but there is lots of current information about what is going on with HIV prevention and research.
www.aegis.com
Comprehensive database of information about all aspects of HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, research, & policy.
www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/public/press05/pr016-05.html
This is the press release from the New York City Public Health Department announcing the first case of a new strain of HIV that appears to rapidly progress to full-blown AIDS and that appears to be resistant to most HIV drugs.
www.champnetwork.org
CHAMP is probably the best-informed network of community-based prevention & treatment activists and researchers. They have published excellent critiques of NYC’s hype about the so-called new strain of HIV that appears to rapidly progress to AIDS, and which appears to be resistant to most HIV drugs. CHAMP is the best network of activist fighting for comprehensive and community-based HIV prevention efforts.
HPV
www.mcg.edu/news/2004NewsRel/ferris3.html
Information about the first study of a mult-strain HPV vaccine in men. This is the largest study of HPV vaccines in men in the world.
www.gayhealth.com
Excellent fact sheet on HPV’s role in causing anal warts and/or rectal cancer in gay men.
www.cdc.gov/std/hpv/STDFact-HPV.htm
www.cdc.gov/std/hpv/default.htm
Two different CDC fact sheets on HPV and anal warts.
www.niaid.nih.gov/factsheets/stdhpv.htm
National Institute of Allergies & Infectious Disease fact sheet on HPV and anal warts.
LGV
NGU/NSU
Parasites
Scabies
Syphilis