liz@ai.mit.edu (Liz A. Highleyman) (04/25/91)
> MALE-TO-FEMALE SEXUAL TRANSMISSION OF HIV > In Africa, HIV infection has been evenly distributed between > men and women. Male/female sexual intercourse has been the > main means of transmission of HIV. A recent study in the > Journal of Infectious Diseases affirms that the cofactors for > male-to-female transmission of HIV in Africa are the same as > those in Europe and North America... The authors point to the > presence of genital ulcers, to Chlamydia infection and to the > use of oral contraceptives. There do not appear to be ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ > cofactors unique to Africa. I'm clueless. I had not heard before that use of oral contraceptives might be a cofactor in the development of HIV disease. Do they just mean `use of oral contraceptives *instead of condoms*' increases one's risk, or is there some additional way in which the pill affects HIV transmission? -Liz