Prevention of HIV transmission

With screening of the blood supply and effective heat and chemical treatment of blood product derivatives, the overwhelming majority of newly acquired adult HIV infections will result from consensual acts, through the exchange of blood or sexual secretions. Societal relaxation about discussion of sex, death, homosexuality, drugs, and abortion is essential to prevent further deaths. Careful partner selection, use of condoms in conjunction with nonoxynol-9 (a viricidal spermicide), and selected confidential HIV antibody testing could help decrease the number of infected persons. Efforts directed toward IV drug users to decrease initiation of drugs, make drug treatment more accessible, provide simple techniques for cleaning needles such as a quick rinsing with bleach and water, and emphasizing the risks of sharing needles could decrease the exponential rise of HIV infection in IV drug users. A substantial percentage of women infected with both HIV and hepatitis B are unaware of their infection. Information, counseling, and antibody testing of men and women prenatally with informed options could reduce infection in children. Health care providers must work through their own valid issues of fear and possible discomfort with various lifestyles to function effectively in the health professions.