To the editors:
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First, you discussed “high-risk behavior” within “high-risk groups.” High-risk behavior is high-risk behavior, no matter who is participating! Many people who are perceived to be in “high-risk groups,” such as gay people who are women, are among the least likely to ever contract the virus that causes AIDS. Conversely, heterosexual people who have anal intercourse are participating in the riskiest of behaviors. And people who share needles, no matter what their sexual orientation, and no matter whether they are shooting illegal drugs, steroids at the gym, or insulin, are also in severe risk of contracting the virus that causes AIDS.
Finally, you said that “to avoid AIDS” one should “be picky about your partners.” I can assure you that “being picky” does not insure health. HIV infection is invisible. There are no outward signs that a person, any person, even bankers, teachers, legislators, ministers, accountants, might be infected. “Being picky” won’t save one’s life. Using condoms EVERY TIME a person is sexual, limiting the number of sex partners, and avoiding the exchange of bodily fluids are the best methods in sexually active people to reduce the risk of contracting AIDS.
(3) You missed the point of my remark about HIV not showing up in blood tests for ten weeks. What I was trying to get across was that testing negative doesn’t necessarily mean somebody has a clean bill of health, nor that having sex with that person is risk free. The tests miss a percentage of people who have HIV.
