| Donor Viral Load | Transmission Fluid | Receiving Fluid | Length of Contact | Barriers/Recipient's Resistance | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fluid Type | IgA/Carotin Concentration | Lesions or Sores? | Barrier | Narcotics in the Bloodstream | Other Infections | Nutrition | Rest | |||
| Organ | Blood | Antimicrobials? or Nothing | ||||||||
| Blood | Rectal Mucosal Lining | |||||||||
| Semen | Vaginal Mucosal Lining | Low IgA Antibodies in Fluids | Sheepskin Condom | |||||||
| Vaginal Fluids | High IgA Antibodies in Fluids | Dental Dam? | ||||||||
| Mucosal Area Around Penis |
Foreskin, Uncircumcised (rich in 'HIV-target cells,' according to a 2002 study!) | Polyurethane Condom | ||||||||
| Breast Milk | Foreskin, Circumcised | Latex Condom | ||||||||
| Saliva | Saliva | |||||||||
| Dry Skin | Dry Skin | |||||||||
Transmission of HIV = (Donor Viral Load) * (Transmission Fluid Concentration) * (Receiving Fluid Concentration) * (Length of Contact) / (Donor Resistance)
Transmission ranges from highest at the top of the table to lowest at the bottom!
The higher the viral load of the donor, the more likely that HIV will be transmitted.
Viral load is highest when a person is first infected, and, again, in end-stage AIDs, when the virus has overwhelmed the person's immune system. Viral load also varies from day to day, rising and falling according to the individual's health and ability to fight the virus.
Lesions or sores in the mucosal linings open directly into the bloodstream, increasing the chance of infection.
Lesions or sores can be caused by rough intercourse. For the recipient partner, there tends to be tearing of the mucosal linings, even with normal intercourse.
Lesions or sores can also be caused by infection in the genital and reproductive area, the rectal area, or the mouth.
Narcotics in the bloodstream are not unnoticed by the immune system. The lymphocytes--the immune system cells in the bloodstream--that have been exposed repeatedly to opiates such as heroin bear receptors to the opiates they are exposed to, as the body's immune system attempts to fight off the invasion of heroin. The result? The lymphocytes are occupied with drugs when microbes enter, and do not respond as well to the microbial threat. (Garrett [1994]: Distant Thunder; Chapter 10 in The Coming Plague: 277.)
In addition, users of injecting drugs who share needles and syringes are often exposed to other people's cells. As a result, according to Laurie Garrett (1994: 277), author of The Coming Plague: Newly Emerging Disease in a World Out of Balance, their lymphocytes have tons of receptors, are constantly stimulated, and are overexcited. Thus, the CD4 cells are hyper-stimulated, a situation ideal for HIV, as HIV exploits overstimulated T-cells.
Options for Persons Using Narcotics What can you do to minimize your chances of getting infected with HIV or another illness if you use narcotics? Find options here.
STD's and other microbial infections not only cause lesions or tears that open the body's mucosal linings (linings in the mouth, area around the penis, vagina, or rectum) to the bloodstream. These infections also stimulate and occupy the immune system cells in ways similar to narcotics, resulting in an increased chance of hyper-stimulated CD4s' being infected by HIV, and a decreased ability of the immune system to combat the infection.
often cause lesions and increase rather than decrease the likeliness of contracting HIV, particularly, nonoxynol-9 (N-9) . However, some kinds of antimicrobials, for example, sodium lauryl or laureth sulfate, a common ingredient in gentle shampoos, have been shown to be gentler than nonoxynol-9; nevertheless, microbiocides provide very limited protection!!! Sodium laureth sulfate may also be still too abrasive for regular use. Currently, seaweed is being studied (with a grant from the Gates foundation) as a potential microbiocide element! Microbiocides continue to be of interest because a water-based microbiocide might provide additional protection with a condom (or very minimal protection for persons whose partners will not accept condoms); microbiocides also might one day provide an option for HIV-discordant couples (where one is HIV positive and one negative) who wish to conceive without using in-vitrio fertilization, and are willing to take some risk--providing the microbiocide does not also kill sperm!!!
According to a report to the American Urological Association by Chicago investigators (Orlando, Florida; Reuters Health/Medscape, 2002), foreskin contains high numbers of the immune system cells HIV infects, including the CD4, CD68, and Langerhan's cells, cells which line the mucous membranes. According to the researchers, this may mean an increased risk of contracting HIV for uncircumcised men.
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