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- $Unique_ID{BRK01489}
- $Pretitle{}
- $Title{Is AIDS the Most Widely Spread Disease Linked to Sex?}
- $Subject{sex venereal diseases vd aids acquired immune deficiency syndrome
- infections infection blood genitourinary lifestyle lifestyles syphilis
- gonorrhea penicillin sexually transmitted disease std acquired immune
- deficiency syndrome virus viruses viral retrovirus hiv human immunodeficiency}
- $Volume{A-7, J-23}
- $Log{
- AIDS is Sexually Transmitted*0001005.scf
- Sexually Transmitted Disease: Syphilis*0006402.scf
- Pathways of Infection of PID*0007902.scf}
-
- Copyright (c) 1991-92,1993 Tribune Media Services, Inc.
-
-
- Is AIDS the Most Widely Spread Disease Linked to Sex?
-
-
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-
- QUESTION: We have a little wager going on this one. My friend says that with
- all the publicity about AIDS, he is sure that it must be the most widely
- spread disease linked to sex. I think he is wrong and am sure that syphilis
- is once again the most common. Could you please tell us which of us is right?
-
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- ANSWER: Sorry, you are both wrong. While it is true that the number of cases
- of syphilis being reported is the largest in forty years, it is gonorrhea that
- is far and away the most commonly reported disease. There were over 46,700
- cases of syphilis reported to the Centers for Disease control for the 12 month
- period ending March 31, up from 41,209 reported last year. In the same period
- of time, a whopping 725,519 cases of gonorrhea were noted, down somewhat from
- the 744,011 cases in 1989. AIDS cases reported have gone up as well,
- totalling 37,554 this year over some 32,762 reported in 1989. The sad part
- about these statistics is that both syphilis and gonorrhea can be easily
- treated and even more easily prevented. Thanks to penicillin, it was thought
- that syphilis had received a knock out blow, and to see its mounting numbers
- is discouraging. It is clear we must devote more time to educating everyone
- about all the diseases that are transmitted by sexual contact.
-
- ----------------
-
- The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace
- the counsel and advice of your personal physician. Promptly consulting your
- doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical
- problem.
-
-