FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 1, 2005

STDs Increase HIV/AIDS Risk:
Action Needed on STD and HIV Prevention
as Nation Observes World AIDS Day

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC -- The risk of HIV infection is increased significantly for people who have other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) – and HIV infection also increases the risk of getting and transmitting other STIs.

“As we solemnly observe another World AIDS Day, we must all be aware that despite the progress in treatment for this infection, HIV and AIDS are still major health risks for many people in the United States and around the world,” stated James R. Allen, MD, MPH, President of the American Social Health Association.

“It is especially important for our young people to understand that having a sexually transmitted infection such as herpes or chlamydia significantly increases the risk of acquiring HIV infection if they are exposed to it,” he noted. “Most people do not understand or appreciate the ability of one infection to increase the risk of acquiring another infection – in this case, one that is much more serious.”

A person infected with an STI may be two to five times more likely to become infected with HIV if they are exposed through sexual contact.

World AIDS Day – which is observed on December 1 each year – was established by the World Health Organization eighteen years ago to focus global attention on the devastating impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

According to UNAIDS, 40.3 million people live with HIV/AIDS around the globe. The United States, like other nations, is greatly affected by HIV/AIDS. AIDS was first recognized in the United States as a unique disease in 1981.

More than one million people in the United States are estimated to be infected with HIV or living with AIDS – and 35,000 to 40,000 new HIV infections occur every year. Of people with HIV infection, approximately one in four have not been tested for infection and therefore are undiagnosed and unaware of their infection. Without being diagnosed, these people cannot be evaluated for the best therapy to manage their infection – and they may not be following recommended prevention measures.

The United States has the highest rates of STIs in the industrialized world. Every year an estimated 19 million new cases occur. Treatment of sexual infections can help reduce HIV transmission. But many people with STIs do not have symptoms or do not recognize the symptoms and are not aware of their infection. Further, many Americans have limited access to necessary health care services.

One way to reduce the risks for STI and HIV transmission is to facilitate early detection and treatment by making clinical STD/STI services more widely available through increased funding for state and county public health clinics and programs. Enhanced integration between HIV and STI treatment and prevention efforts are needed to more effectively manage both epidemics.

“World AIDS Day is an excellent time to recognize the progress that has been made in the control of HIV infection and AIDS both in the United States and around the world. But much remains to be done, and the interaction between HIV infection and other STIs must be recognized and incorporated into effective prevention programs,” Dr. Allen emphasized.

The American Social Health Association (ASHA) is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1914 to improve the health of individuals, families, and communities, with a focus on educating about and preventing sexually transmitted infections. ASHA's educational web sites include: www.ashastd.org , www.iwannaknow.org (teen site), and www.quierosaber.org (Spanish language teen site).