Agenda - Council - 05/28/1991 - Laserfiche WebLink

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A I D contact with a patient's body fluid through spills or being accidental~ stuck with a needle. Upon testing these 750, only 3 who had accidentally stuck themselves with a needle had a positive antibody test for exposure to the AIDS virus. Because health workers had much more contact with patients and their body fluids than would be expected from common everyday contact, it is clear that the AIDS virus is not transmitted by casual contact. Control of Certain Behaviors Can stop C. urt~er O~read of AZDS Knowing the f~cts aboutAiDS can prevent the spread of the disease. Education of those who risk infecting them- selves or infecting other people is the only way we can stop the spread of AIDS. People must be responsible about their sex~al behavior and must avoid the use of illicit intrave- nous drugs and needle sharing. We witl Oescribe the types ofbeha~or that lead to infection by the AIDS virus and the personal measures that must be taken for effective protec- tion~ Ifwe are to stop the AIDS epidemic, we all must under- stand the disease- its cause, its nature, and its prevention. Precautions must be taken. TheAI. DS virus infects persons who expose themselves to known risk behavior, such as certain types of homosex-ual and heterosexual activities or sharing intravenous drug equipmenL Although the initial di~cove~ was in the homosexual com- munity, AIDS is not a disease only of homosexuals. AIDS is found in heterosexual people as weLL AIDS is not a black or white disease. AIDS is not Just a male disease. AIDS is found in women; it is found in children. In the furore AIDS will probably increase and spread among people who are not homosexual or intravenous drug abusers in the same manner as other sexually transmitted diseases like s~philis and gonorrhea. .,, i E s_ 5ex Betu~°en Men I Men who have sextml relations with other men are espe- daily at risk. About 70 percent of AIDS vim throughout the countrr are male homosexuals and bisexuals. This I percentage probably will decline as heterosexual transmis- sion increases. Infection results from a sm'ual relattonsbip with an infected person, I T~e r~k of infection increases according to the number of sexual parmem one has, ma/e orfema/a The more partners you have. the greater the risk of becoming infected withthe,~, ~s, I Vulrwrable r~.tum lining,provides 15