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By Laura
Bird
Staff reporter
His life was a recipe for disaster. He was taking drugs and having
unprotected sex.
The idea it might be dangerous never occurred to him.
Then it was too late. At age 22 he was HIV positive.
Joe ( not his real name) has been living with HIV and hepatitis
B for nine years.
Today he is trying to stay as healthy as possible. He maintains
his health by walking at least once every two days and eating properly.
Joe is not alone. Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) have been
spreading and their patterns have changed in the last 20 years says
P.E.I.'s chief health officer Lamont Sweet.
Prince Edward Island has seen the diseases gonorrhea and syphilis
just about disappear while others are becoming more prominent.
"STDs are more common in people from the age of 15-24. People
at that age tend to have more partners and short-term relationships,"
said Sweet.
In 1987 in Prince Edward Island 32 people were infected with gonorrhea.
So far this year, there has been one.
Syphilis infected two people in 1987. There were no reported cases
on the Island so far in 2002.
On the other hand, the disease chlamydia has gone from infecting
106 people in 1987 to over 150 reported cases today. And it's difficult
to spot. The bacteria often produces no symptoms, leaving 50 per
cent of males and 70 per cent of females without any signs of disease.
Chlamydia testing didn't start until 1987-88. It is a less aggressive
disease and can be treated by taking four tablets of Azithromylin
orally in a single dose.
Syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia can all be cured by antibiotics.
Confirmed in P.E.I. as of December, 2001 there were 17 reported
cases of people who tested positive for the Human Immunodeficiency
Virus (HIV) and 17 cases of people with Acquired Immunodeficiency
Syndrome (AIDS).When Joe tested positive for HIV he knew little
about the different sexually tansmitted diseases. He had to learn
a lot in a hurry.
"It made me deal with things I never thought I'd have to deal
with."
Joe's medication to help the disease is very expensive. He said
the province does help but the costs keep climbing. There is also
extremely little coverage for his secondary medications which deal
with side-effects and drug interactions.
For people who have tested positive, AIDS P.E.I. is a place where
they can go to get information on how to avoid getting and spreading
STDs. The group also provides free condoms. Many students go there
looking for information on the diseases.
Dianne Birt is the health eduation co-ordinator at AIDS P.E.I. She
said they deal mainly with people who have HIV, AIDS and hepatitis.
"There are a lot of people out there who have no information
on STDs." HIV is becoming more common in women, said Birt.
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{Pamphlets
on STDs available at AIDS P.E.I.
(Bird photo)}
"It may
surprise people to know the rate of HIV in heterosexual females
is rising dramatically."
From 1995 to 2000 the number of females who tested positive has
almost doubled, from around 11 per cent to 25 per cent. Birt said
one reason why it's rising is people are becoming more aware and
being tested and people may be doing more injection drugs or getting
into prostitution.
Today it is five times easier for a man to spread HIV to a woman
than it is for a woman to give it to a man, she said.
"Sex is more instrusive on the woman." Maureen MacInnis-Wheatley
is the health centre nurse at the University of Prince Edward Island.
She screens people for STDs on a daily basis. The health centre
is open to all UPEI students.
"People usually want to keep the fact they have an STD quiet,"
she said.
If someone tests positive for an sexually transmitted disease, the
clinic will offer to do contact tracing for the individual, or the
person can do it themselves. They notify past and present sexual
partners to let them know they may have come in contact with a STD
without using the carrier's name.
MacInnis-Wheatley said it is worse for women to have the disease
sometimes than men.
"There's quite a bit of stigma associated with STDs. Because
of this it's harder for women to practice safer sex because it may
label them as being bad," she said.
"It is socially acceptable for men to be sexually active."
MacInnis-Wheatley said it is important to talk with your partner
and plan ahead. If both partners were sexually active before, they
should both be screened. When women go for pap smears at the clinic
they are routinely screened for chlamydia and gonorrhea.
If somebody does test positive for a disease it will remain confidential.
"There may or may not be a cure, you can only manage the symptoms,"
she said.
The most common diseases seen at the clinic are chlamydia and gential
warts. Warts are hard to detect and cure, said MacInnis-Wheatley.
There are many risk factors when it comes to sex-related diseases.
MacInnis-Wheatley said remember everybody is at risk.
"People think if they're not an IV drug user or homosexual
they're not at risk. It only takes once."
Condoms are very important, but people must keep in mind they are
not 100 per cent safe. If getting piercings or tattoos, ask about
sterilization methods. So far no one has tested positive for HIV
at the clinic on the UPEI campus.
Meanwhile for Joe turning 30 was a milestone in his life. "I
never thought I'd make it to my thirtieth birthday."
It is important for Joe to help others be aware of STDs so he talks
about his experience to others.
"I was too busy living my life to educate myself."
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