While many HIV+ men are serodating, that is, POZ dating POZ, bareback,
three problems are occurring.

The first and most obvious problem is the explosion of STDs other than
HIV. While antibiotics are still the mainstay of treatment, frequent
use of them decreases their efficacy, and some people, who have been
over-exposed to antibiotics, aren't responding at all. What then?

The second and more subtle problem is the sharing of each other's
strain of the virus. Many people are alarmed to discover over 50,000
strains of HIV have been identified. While the first strain to infect
an individual often seems to bar other strains subsequently infecting,
it isn't foolproof. People have been infected by more than one strain,
which only complicates treatment.

The third and equally important fact is that sharing of each other's
semen also involves sharing each other's HAART therapies. Of course,
the amount of the antiviral or protease inhibitor in the semen is very
small, but apparently the slightest exposure to these drugs tends to
create a response in the recipient. Once the response is initiated,
the body responds to the drug just as if it were an actual dose. Thus,
people who would ordinarily respond to the drug find that it fails to
work. The incidence of this happening is only now becoming apparent
outside the AIDS network.

No one likes the use of condoms, but given the three circumstances
above, might it not be appropriate to use them at least for the first
couple of dates? Then, if true romance and a longer involvement are in
order, each being genotyped will help inform both as to the risks of
barebacking with a partner.

Many of us have a short fuse when it comes to prophylaxis. For one
thing, what we really know about HIV is still very limited, and what
we know about long-term survivors even less so. Almost any
generalization about HIV always has exceptions. Many of us are only
too well informed of the side-effects of antiviral therapy, but we
submit to them because they work. If we didn't desire prolonging our
mortality, we'd just let nature take its course. So, if we're
concerned enough to take these toxic drugs to survive, we might as
well maximize their usefulness. Not over-using antibiotics, not
exchanging other's strains of the virus, and not depositing our
particular HAART therapy in others are no less necessary strategies if
we intend to prolong effectiveness and survival.

___________________
D. Stephen Heersink
The Gay Species
(www.gayspecies.blogspot.com)