Monday, May 4, 1987
6afe sex9 imt feoliM
Daily Nebraskan
AIDS from Page 1
ment, said the number of cases proba
bly will double every year, following the
national pattern.
AIDS is believed to be caused by a
virus (HIV) which attacks the
body's immune system, and is
found in body fluids such as blood,
semen and saliva of people who have
been infected.
Health Center Medical Director Dr.
Gerald Fleischli said people must under
stand that someone infected with the
HIV will not necessarily contract AIDS,
although that person could transmit it
to others. The incubation period for
HIV is unknown, but officials estimate
10 to 25 percent of those with it will
develop AIDS within five years.
The health center tests for the HIV
virus.
Fleischli said he did not know of any
AIDS cases diagnosed at the health
center, but people have tested positive
for the HIV virus. It is reported that last
year two people were diagnosed as hav
ing a milder form of AIDS, AIDS Related
Complex. Fleischli said a complete
report on such cases should be com
piled next year.
Between 1.5 and 5 million people in
the United States are infected with
AIDS or the HIV virus but show no
symptoms.
But AIDS and the HIV virus are
not highly contagious. A person
cannot get AIDS by being around
or touching an AIDS patient or giving
blood.
AIDS is known to be transmitted
through the exchange of body fluids,
usually in sexual intercourse, blood
tranfusions and intravenous needles.
The infections of many AIDS patients
are not ones that persons with normal
immune systems would get, Fleischli
said.
Although AIDS can be transmitted
by blood and semen, there is no con
clusive evidence that the disease can
;be acquired by contact with saliva,
perspiration or tears.
Still, the possibility exists that AIDS
and other sexually transmitted dis
eases could spread when any body
fluids are exchanged.
Nellis said "safer sex" teaching
must be emphasized since AIDs cannot
be treated. She said the word "safer"
should be used because "safe sex"
implies that the methods used are
foolproof.
ellis said people may have to
change some of their concepts
about sexual activities. She
said couples might have to consider
other forms of intimacy that do not
include intercourse.
"The only thing besides a long-term
monogamous relationship that is fool
proof is abstinence," Nellis said.
Bell said people should be educated
about safer sex, but the education
should show ways to practice safe sex
in a fun way or no one will listen to the
advice. For example, he said, the Uni
versity of California-Stanford gives out
a "Safe Sex Explorers Action Packed
Kit" filled with condoms, brochures
and other sex aids.
A pamphlet produced by the Ameri
can College Health Association called
"Making Sex Safer," which probably
will be distributed at UNL next fall,
describes in detail the differences
between safe, risky and dangerous
sexual activities.
Safe or possibly safe sex practices
include things such as dry kissing,
masturbation on healthy skin and
intercourse with a condom. Risky prac
tices include wet kissing, oral sex
without a condom and the use of speed,
amyl nitrate (poppers), alcohol or any
mind-altering drug. -
"h-v angerous activities include
I ) unprotected intercourse,
i- sharing a needle to inject
intravenous drugs and physically rough
sexual activities, which could cause
microscopic tears in mucous mem
branes that may allow the exchange of
bodily fluids.
The safer sex pamphlet recommends
that partners should-share health and
sexual histories, agree to practice safer
sex, not engage in high risk activities,
use condoms correctly to prevent
exchange of bodily fluids and get help
if they think they might have a sexually
transmitted disease.
In February the GayLesbian Re
source Center handed out about 700
condoms at Broyhill Fountain and dis
tributed pamphlets, brochures and other
information to try to educate students
about "safe sex."
Bell said he hopes the stigma att
ached to condoms will disappear. He
said many campuses have condom
vending machines in the men's and
women's restrooms as well as safer-sex
kits, games and speakers.
N
1 us
-a-Bc
the '80s maybe the condom
users will come out of the closet."
i-Bell said.
Nellis said she worries that while
students realize that AIDS and other
sexually transmitted disease are be
coming a problem, they are not heeding
advice.
Nellis said a freshman Foundations
class was informally polled about sex
ual activity. She said that of 83 pecent
who reported being sexually active
only 25 percent said they had used a
condom the last time they had in
tercourse. Yet many people support education
in theory if not in practice.
A recent Gallup poll reported in
Newsweek 51 percent of 500 adults and
106 teenagers questioned advocated
sex education to combat the spread of
AIDS.
James said the Nebraska Depart
ment of Health is trying to educate the
general public, gay and bisexual men,
intravenous drug users, heterosexuals
with multiple partners, minorities,
children and health-care providers
through presentations, workshops and
pamphlets. Money and time are obsta
cles, he said.
University Health Center 472-7477
Lincoln-Lancaster County Health
Department 471-7800
Nebraska AIDS Project 342-4233
GayLesbian Resource Center 472-5644
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