Well this was front page news on the metro 2day... I've copied the whole article...
Strain of superbug 'may be new HIV' Monday, January 14, 2008
A deadly new drug-resistant strain of the superbug MRSA could spread rapidly through the gay community, experts have warned.
The infection is already moving through parts of San Francisco in the same way as HIV and Aids did in the early 1980s. The bug, which can lead to a deadly flesh-eating form of pneumonia, is 13 times more prevalent among the city's gay men than other people.
But researcher Dr Binh Diep said: 'The potential widespread dissemination of the infection into the general population is alarming.'
The strain, a sub-type of the USA300 bug, is not caught in hospitals but spreads through a community, often by casual contact.
It causes tennis ball-size boils on the skin and, in severe cases, can lead to fatal blood poisoning or a necrotising pneumonia which devours the lungs.
There have been two cases of USA300 in Britain but Dr Diep's study has shown that one in 588 men in one predominately gay community in San Francisco has the new strain.
As it is resistant to conventional antibiotics, it is difficult to treat.
MRSA expert Prof Mark Enright, from Imperial College and St Mary's Hospital, London, said gay communities and drug users were particularly at risk. But it could also be spread by those involved in sports, such as wrestling, with skin-to-skin contact.
'Having a number of sexual partners and making skin contact with a large number of different people is how these infections are picked up,' he added.
Erm yeah, discuss...
__________________
Nic // LGBT Society Events Officer 05/06 // LGBT Assembly Chair 05/06 - NUS LGBT Society of the year 2006(winners) //
LUU honarary life member - Awarded 2006 // LGBT Assembly Mentor 2006 -Onwards.
Contact me at nicturner_85@hotmail.com
First, cool down. Everybody has spotted the trap. Sorry for wasting your time, but I m only going to say what everybody else can clearly see.
The article is not actually informative. Have you notice the tone of it? It wants to warn readers about the dangers from something terrible and fearsome. It actually uses 178 words to warn and alert about something the identity of which is not explained and described in a responsible medical way. The only really informative and essential point is given with 17 words. "But it could also be spread by those involved in sports, such as wrestling, with skin-to-skin contact" . It clearly says something about how it can actually be spread. It is not really explained what does it mean that certain communities such as wrestlers and gay people are in high risk. So, why do you need 178 words to prepare your readers for something you say with only 17 words? Obviously, the article does not aim to inform or really protect as it claims to do. It aims only to spread terror and hatred, because of the prevalence it gives to raising alert without offering clear information. I am not saying it is a bogus alert, but it has the same effect as a bogus alert. It allows fear and hatred go before information. Fear works better when it is goes with ignorance.
To conclude:
Here are some links that can help you see clearer.
First, the article site with a series of very interesting comments from readers: http://www.metro.co.uk/news/article.html?in_article_id=83921&in_page_id=34#StartComments
Second, an actual publication from Binh Diep: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-01/uoc--sag011008.php
Third, a comment published on The Berkeley Science Review: http://sciencereview.berkeley.edu/articles.php?issue=9&article=superbugs
Enjoy the reading.
A rough and modest conclusion of mine is that the virus targets people with weak immune system such as HIV infected individuals and can be spread through them in a way different than HIV. The reason certain communities are mentioned is because the so far statistics have led us there. It does not mean the mentioned communities or their lifestyle are responsible for spreading the virus. The whole matter is just an issue of high occurrence still under discussion. The virus is still being investigated. We should be cautious how we talk about such issues to the wider public. We, as students, bear the responsibility to spread the good word and defuse any fear.
the new hiv is a wee bit extreamist ues this virus is sever but it does still need an access port and also its not just hte gays that would suffer its any hands on individual contact sports. nurses doctors dentists councelors actors everyone who uses the tube so if it was as sever as the metro makes out we would be quarenteening the whole of the us
I must admit the first I heard of this MRSA strain was in a speech by an anti-gay campaigner, it's a line being used by them kinda folks atm "This is yet again proof to why our children need to protected from these dangerous lifestyles"... now although it's a pretty severe disease, i think apo (good lord help me) is right to question the articles intent... I do think that it isn't MUCH more than just unfortunate that the group affected by an outbreak are gay. Poor fellas! I despise how it implies directly that homosexuality = "Having a number of sexual partners"... shoddy shoddy shoddy!
I'll tell you what the new HIV is.... HIV is the new HIV!!!!
hmm like i said short of full bio suits we are all going to fall victim to some infection its actuallt infections that finish us all off.
il say this maybe the human race is finally evolved to the point we cat evolve any more and as a result everything is not picking us off oh well being nice knowing you all now lets say adios to the human race
bursts into sone we will all go together when we go we will all go together when we go universal berevement what an outstanding achievement cos we will all go together when we gooo
oh and fyi the religious nuts would utilies any oppertunity to blame us for the down fall of humanity if it wasnt hiv it would be an earthquake they would blame us for wait they already did that
