Australia: Link suggested between HIV infection and speed use

The head of the Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations says there may be a link between an increase in the HIV infection rate and the popularity of a type of speed.

Speaking on World AIDS Day, Don Baxter says last year saw the national infection rate increase for the first time in a decade.

He says more gay men are taking risks by occasionally having unprotected sex, and crystal methamphetamine may be a factor.

"What we are now concerned about is there seems to be, although in very small figures, a bit of an association between crystal meth use and where it's injected and really rampant sex,"

"We are concerned that a number of these new infections actually come from episodes of crystal meth bingeing."

Newshawk: http://www.napnt.org/amphetablog.html
Source: Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Pubdate: 01 December 2003
Copyright: 2003 Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Email: comments@your.abc.net.au
Website: http://www.abc.net.au/