Low Rate of AIDS Virus in Philippines Is a Puzzle

NY 'Slimes ^

[HumanaeVitae]

ANILA — Public health officials say they are stumped by a paradox in the Philippines, where a very low rate of condom use and a very low rate of H.I.V. infection seem to be going hand in hand.

AIDS-prevention efforts often focus on the use of condoms, but they are not widely available here — and are mostly shunned — in this conservative Roman Catholic country.

Without that first line of defense, experts can only guess at the reasons for the low infection rate. No more than about 10,000 people are believed to be infected with H.I.V., the virus that causes AIDS, in a population of 84 million, and the relatively low rate is not thought to be a case of underreporting.

"It's quite perplexing," said Zahidul Huque, who heads the United Nations team group on H.I.V./AIDS for the Philippines. "We've been talking about it a lot and frankly, we don't know why it's low. The potential for an explosion is there."

[HumanaeVitae]

Some excerpts:

As of January, government figures showed that just 1,810 people had tested positive for H.I.V....The word condom is almost taboo in a country where the Roman Catholic church is both conservative and politically powerful...other factors may be the small number of intravenous drug users and a low prevalence of ulcerated sexually transmitted diseases — like syphilis and herpes — that facilitate transmission of the AIDS virus. Anal sex also appears to be less common...

Note to the NYT: I think you may have missed the 800-pound gorilla in the room--he's the one saying the Rosary.

[HumanaeVitae]

Ping.

[SwinneySwitch]

"...conservative Roman Catholic country."

UN, HELLO!

[Atlas Sneezed]

"Anal sex also appears to be less common..."

That was the obvious answer to me, even before I looked at the article.

There is little evidence that HIV is sexually transmitted otherwise (except in cultures where both partners having open genital sores is routine.)

Then again, they might just be using condoms.

[FairOpinion]

"Note to the NYT: I think you may have missed the 800-pound gorilla in the room--he's the one saying the Rosary. "

----

You didn't expect them to admit that abstinence and monogamy are the best way to prevent AIDS? I also bet there aren't too many homosexuals there either.

[Wright is right!]

Any evidence to indicate that gays may constitute a smaller percentage of the population there than in the US or some other areas?

Michael

[Redbob]

Hellooooo!
Is anyone home?

[motexva]

Also, I believe that intravenous drug use is very rare in the Phillipines.

Anal sex and iv drug use are the only real spreaders of AIDS.

[MD_Willington_1976]

Maybe they are just better at keeping it in their pants...

[epluribus_2]

and maybe there is so much malaria that HIV does not have a chance.

[G Larry]

Anybody want to guess what the WHO has been promoting in Africa as "birth conrol"??

[nothingnew]

Isn't there a very large and terrorist muslim group in the Philipines? Maybe hiv-pos people get their heads removed very quickly there.

FMCDH

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

very low rate of H.I.V. infection

conservative Roman Catholic country

The liberal media is just absolutely baffled by this. What does that tell you?

Low AIDS rate, conservative Roman Catholic country?! Don't worry folks, it's gotta be just a coincidence. The low AIDS rate couldn't possibly be a result of the people being conservative Roman Catholics. The experts are studying this and they may never find an answer to this wild baffling mystery! /sarcasm

[MD_Willington_1976]

..Maybe hiv-pos people get their heads removed very quickly there.

..now that would be an occupational hazard for the person doing the chopping wouldn't it!!

[Bigg Red]

The low AIDS rate couldn't possibly be a result of the people being conservative Roman Catholics.

Nah! Coincidence, of course. What clymers! Can the UN people really be this dumb? It boggles the mind!

[The Old Hoosier]

Anal sex is less common in the Philippines? Don't worry, the UN will fix that soon enough with the education programs you're paying for.

[Pyro7480]

The Abu Sayyaf and Moro Islamic Liberation Front aren't that big, compared to other groups. It's just that the Phillipines don't have the resources to protect themselves, like Israel can. Most of the Muslims live in the southern Phillipines, in particular on the island of Mindanao, where my father and his family are from. One cultural rule from where he is from is to never trust a "Moro" (a Muslim). It's good advice in this instance.

[nothingnew]

It's good advice in this instance.

Indeed, and thanks for the reply.

FMCDH

[TheCrusader]

"Isn't there a very large and terrorist muslim group in the Philipines? Maybe hiv-pos people get their heads removed very quickly there" No, there is not a "very large" Muslim population in the Phillipines that removes the heads of Catholics with AIDS. But there is a small population of them that blows up Catholic women and children at bus stops and shopping markets. Now tell me joker, who removed YOUR head?

[steplock]

Conservative Catholics AND conservative Muslims.

The Muslims would "off the heads" of that type of perpatrator of AIDS.