Private MD News - HIV

When most people think of ways to prevent contracting sexually transmitted diseases, they probably think of the basics - practicing abstinence, using condoms and regularly utilizing STD testing services. For decades, researchers have been searching for other ways to help reduce the risk of STDs, and one that has been discussed for a number of years is circumcision.

While circumcision is usually a cultural or personal choice that parents make, some healthcare professionals have said that it may also be based on health risks. Recently, researchers from the Translational Genomics Research Institute conducted a study which found that circumcision may change the bacterial community on the penis, effectively reducing the risk of contracting HIV.

A complicated issue... Full Story

Sexually active individuals in non-monogamous relationships should seek out STD testing services to protect against infections, particularly because the presence of one condition may increase the risk of another.

For example, a recent study conducted by researchers from the Fox Chase Cancer Center has found that women with HIV have a higher risk than others of contracting the types of HPV that can cause cancer, and current HPV vaccines do not protect against these strains of the virus.

Many strains ... Full Story

The best ways for people to prevent spreading HIV or a sexually transmitted disease are to practice safer sex and use STD testing services regularly to learn their status. However, research has shown that not everyone wears condoms during all forms of sexual activity, so researchers have been trying to come up with another way that people can reduce their risk of contracting HIV. For example, scientists have an anti-HIV gel for vaginal use that may help decrease risk , and now researchers have reformulated this gel for people who practice anal sex.

Researchers from the U.S. National Institutes of Health tested a reduced glycerin formulation of tenofovir gel and found that it was effective in preventing the spread of HIV, and deemed acceptable by the men and women who used it during anal sex.

Making it safer ... Full Story