As originally reported in Reuters, an Australian study found that powerful new AIDS drugs do not reduce transmission rates as previously hoped.
70% of HIV-positive Australian men are currently treated with new AIDS drugs which reduce the virus in the blood to such a low level that it is undetectable in three quarters of these men. Unfortunately, these drugs did nothing to reduce transmission rates during unprotected anal sex.
Infection rates were calculated based on a study of 1,427 men who had sex with another man at least once in the past five years. These men were interviewed regarding their sexual activities twice a year and were tested for HIV every year. During this period, 53 men contracted HIV.
This article appears in Feb 24 – Mar 2, 2010.