Can oral sex cause AIDS ?
The risk of contracting HIV from oral sex may be greater than previously thought. It has long been known that the virus can be transmitted through oral sex – but the risk was thought to be minimal. However, research in the UK and US among gay men now suggests that oral sex may be responsible for up to 8% of HIV infections. Other sexually transmitted diseases, such as syphilis and gonorrhoea are also spread from person to person by oral sex. Public health experts fear that the public is unaware of the dangers associated with the practice because it remains largely a taboo subject. In addition, anecdotal evidence from other countries like the US suggests that people tend to reject messages advising them always to use condoms for oral sex. In fact, such messages can, in theory at least, put people off condom use altogether. Greater awareness A report by the Public Health Laboratory Service (PHLS) report concludes it is important for people to be more aware of the dangers and decide for th
