SUPER-AIDS?

What to make of the fact that two patients in two cities have acquired an HIV viral strain that appears resistant to a majority of the current anti-HIV drugs and seems also to be accelerating progression to AIDS in one of the cases? The answer: so far, not much. We know that HIV can and will resist drug treatments – it’s a mutating retrovirus. We also know that progression to AIDS varies dramatically from patient to patient. We know that the interaction between the genetic make-up of a particular HIV strain and a person’s own unique immune system makes a huge difference in how people respond to the illness. We know that use of crystal meth accelerates the decline of someone’s immune system to a phenomenal degree. Any or all of these factors could explain the New York case. To infer from one case a new species of “super-AIDS” is speculation – but one that has now prompted several major articles in the New York Times in a few days. I have to say I’m obviously concerned but also skeptical. Previous scare stories were at least always based on actual peer-reviewed studies of groups of people – not one or two cases presented at press conferences. Some epidemiological context: in San Francisco, the epicenter of the epidemic, AIDS deaths last year were 182, compared to a peak of 1,633 in 1992; AIDS cases were 245, compared to a peak of 2,327 in 1992. Both numbers were far lower than in 2003. Of course, this reflects what has happened in the epidemic, not what will or may happen. But HIV infection rates have also remained stable. We should not be complacent. But we shouldn’t panic either.

METH IS THE ISSUE: The real problem in the gay male epidemic right now is the use of crystal meth (it is hurting the health of people already HIV-positive just as much as it is contributing to the infections of people who are HIV-negative). This drug has rampaged and is coursing through straight rural America and parts of gay urban America. As many of you know, I’m a libertarian when it comes to recreational drug use (and what consenting adults do in private). But I draw the line at this drug. It’s evil, potent beyond belief, it’s destroying people’s minds, careers, lives and souls. If we don’t get a grip on it, it may undo all the progress we have made against HIV in the gay world. We gay men shouldn’t simply fund advertizing or ask health authorities to help (although that’s necessary). We should start insisting privately on zero tolerance of this drug among our friends and loved ones. We should do this informally, socially, privately – out of love and concern for one another. We should encourage every addict to get treatment. (Here’s one resource. I’ll happily post more if contacted.) We have risen to the occasion before and we can do so again. Not by stigmatizing, blaming or ostracizing. But by confronting, persuading, begging one another to overcome this menace.