Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2003. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date. I was wondering if there was a connection between homosexuality and AIDS?
Is someone more likely to get it if they are homosexual? Do more homosexuals have AIDS or HIV then heterosexuals?
Rodger MacArthur, M.D.
Wayne State University
Division of Infectious Diseases
Acquisition of HIV occurs through contact with HIV-infected blood and sex fluids. Worldwide, there are approximately as many HIV-infected men as there are HIV-infected women. Men can acquire HIV-infection from having unprotected vaginal or anal intercourse with HIV-infected women, just as they can acquire HIV from having unprotected anal-insertive or anal-receptive intercourse with men. Exposure to HIV-infected blood during sexual activity likely increases the risk of HIV acquisition. Thus, if there is trauma as part of either anal or vaginal intercourse with an HIV-infected person, risk of HIV-infection is likely to increase. The risk of HIV acquisition also increases as the number of unprotected sexual encounters increases. There is no evidence to suggest that men who have sex with men have any more or less partners than men who have sex with women. Thus, there is no reason to believe that men who have sex with men are intrinsically more likely to acquire HIV than heterosexual men or women.
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