"Lolakana223" <jordan@boytoy.com> wrote in message

Melbourne HEALTH NEWS Thursday Oct 12 02:10 AEST
STDs on the rise in Australia: report
Thursday Oct 12 00:23 AEST

Chlamydia rates have soared fourfold in the past decade and other sexually-transmitted diseases
are climbing at an alarming pace, a new national report has revealed.

A paper released by the National Centre in HIV Epidemiology and Clinical Research (NCHECR)
shows the number of new HIV diagnoses increased 41 per cent between 2000 and 2005.

The rate of diagnosis of gonorrhoea doubled over the past 10 years. And syphilis rates doubled
in NSW and Victoria between 2001 and 2005.

But chlamydia was the most frequently reported notifiable condition in 2005 with 41,311 cases -
a fourfold increase since 1995.

And substantially higher rates of all three diseases were recorded among Australia's indigenous
population.

The report, launched at the Australasian Society for HIV Medicines Conference in Melbourne, is
the first to map the long range trends in the country's sexual health.

Professor John Kaldor, deputy director of NCHECR at the University of NSW, said some increases
could be due to more people coming forward for diagnosis.

"But it's very possible that people are just not prioritising safe sex as they maybe used to in
the very serious HIV/AIDs era," Prof Kaldor said.

"It could be that safe sex has become less recognised as a social norm and if so ... that's
very worrying."

Increases in chlamydia were the most dramatic, as it was felt across both genders, several age
groups and Australia-wide.

The federal government announced a $12.5 million program announced last year to increase
awareness, improve surveillance and develop a pilot testing program for the disease.

"There's certainly a momentum to try to do something about it but only time will tell whether
it's sufficient to make a serious impact," Prof Kaldor said.

The increases in gonorrhoea, syphilis and HIV/AIDs occurred predominantly in the gay community.

"It might be here that improvements in HIV treatments have lessened the motivation for people
to protect themselves sexually," Prof Kaldor speculated.

He said these three diseases needed to be treated differently with relevant and understandable
strategies that targeted the most vulnerable people.

With HIV/AIDS, the data shows a rise in new HIV diagnoses from 656 cases in 2000 to 930 in
2005, a 41 per cent increase.

Queensland had the highest increase - 48 per cent - followed by Victoria with 40 per cent,
South Australia with 34 per cent and NSW with 20 per cent.

Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations executive director Don Baxter criticised the
governments "static" funding in the area and said it must urgently invest more.

"In 2006 we are on track to record more than 1,000 new HIV infections," Mr Baxter said.

"These will add at least $500 million to PBS (Pharmaceutical Benefit Scheme) drug costs in the
future, yet we're investing less than $20 million on HIV prevention now."

©AAP 20069 NEWSWATCH

Alex, even I don't believe these overinflated rates. They bear little
relationship to the reality.

But you see what happens - someone with an agenda or through ignorance
of the situation pronounces a 50% seroprevalence, and then when proper
studies show it is "only" 15%, the denialists claim: "See! We told you
there is no epidemic!"

"Alex" <avdeelen.REMOFETHIS1@wanadoo.nl> wrote in message

That must be...LOL, or better yet, please God, don't let it be.

( If ) frogs had wings they wouldn't bump their a.s every time they hopped

Still batting zero with your whine I see, but thanks for playing.

http://www.africadaily.com/

more tears snipped