AIDS is a disease that is reaching pandemic levels across the world, yet most people in the world have misconceptions about the disease that can be harmful. In this article, we'll examine some of the most commonly misunderstood aspects of the disease in order to give you a better understanding.
One of the most dangerous misconceptions about the disease known as AIDS has been causing the disease to spread more and more to innocent victims. Since the sixteenth century, some Europeans have subscribed to the belief that when one is afflicted with a sexually transmitted disease, they can cleanse themselves from it by passing it on to a virgin by having sex with them. This terrible myth has caused many individuals to sexually abuse young women, infecting them with the disease while doing nothing to cure the AIDS in the person perpetrating the crime.
Another dangerous misconception that often occurs with respects to AIDS is that it cannot be passed on through oral sex. While there is a much lower risk of transmitting HIV from one individual to another via oral sex as opposed to anal or vaginal sex, there is still a risk there that needs to be addressed.
One myth that is commonly discussed when considering AIDS is the belief that the disease was spread by sexual contact between a person and a monkey. While it is possible that sexual contact could be responsible, it is very unlikely. Instead, many researchers have come to believe that the HIV virus was first passed to humans via blood contact with hunters and monkeys infected with the Simian Immunodeficiency Virus in the continent of Africa.
Some people actually believe that the HIV virus is not the agent that is responsible for AIDS. There are a variety of reasons that people may believe this, but one of the most common is the fact that some individuals can remain HIV positive without having AIDS for a long period of time. It is a disease the progresses at different rates throughout every individual, and treatment can greatly reduce the speed of the progression.
Some other important things to note when it comes to increasing your understanding of AIDS include the idea that not only homosexuals and drug users can become infected with the disease. Heterosexual transmission rates are on the rise for the disease and the risk unprotected sex poses with respects to AIDS can not be understated. Also, couples that are both infected with the HIV virus should know that they should still employ the usage of a condom when engaging in any sexual acts, as re-infection of the disease is possible which may cause it to progress quicker than it normally would. The more that you know about AIDS, the better off you will be when it comes to keeping yourself safe and your body healthy. Do your best to learn all that you can about the disease so that you can dispel the myths that are out there and get a true understanding of what it is all about.