ARMS 0 Posted September 30, 2006 Smokers may be at a greater risk of HIV infection, research suggests Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
youbroughtheryouRiker 2 Posted September 30, 2006 Ok.... not quite sure how they arrived at that. The STD one though...well, smoking's usually done afterwards (according to the old joke)! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ARMS 0 Posted September 30, 2006 People share them Smoking can lower bodies resistance. God I'm using microbiology outside work Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Theunicornhunter 2 Posted October 1, 2006 Smoking does all sorts of things to your body - it lowers your ability to heal - it ages your skin. Don't smoke if you're ever going to have surgery. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wishfire 2 Posted October 1, 2006 Smoking does all sorts of things to your body - it lowers your ability to heal - it ages your skin. Don't smoke if you're ever going to have surgery. Oh, dangit, and I was hoping to get breast implants... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
youbroughtheryouRiker 2 Posted October 1, 2006 ok, I admittedly know very little about microbiology, but isn't HIV a disease that lowers the body's natural resistance, or am I thinking of only AIDS? sorry if I can't explain myself too well. I've always thought that HIV was a disease that would take effect to a victim no matter what the resistance level. That is...there is no natural resistance within the human body to/from the HIV virus, and that only knowing to avoid or protect oneself from the few forms of contact that can spread HIV is the only "resistance" to HIV. As opposed to the cold. Some of those exposed to the disease won't get the cold, but pretty much everyone who engages, even if inadvertently, in a method of transferring HIV is practically guaranteed to contract it, thereby smoking would not have any bearing on the spread of HIV. Is that right or not? Ugh, I can't think clearly right now. Did that make sense, even if incorrect? I mean, I understand how a person with HIV would compound their problems by smoking since both weaken the immune system, but one actually helping to cause the other? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wishfire 2 Posted October 1, 2006 ok, I admittedly know very little about microbiology, but isn't HIV a disease that lowers the body's natural resistance, or am I thinking of only AIDS? sorry if I can't explain myself too well. I've always thought that HIV was a disease that would take effect to a victim no matter what the resistance level. That is...there is no natural resistance within the human body to/from the HIV virus, and that only knowing to avoid or protect oneself from the few forms of contact that can spread HIV is the only "resistance" to HIV. As opposed to the cold. Some of those exposed to the disease won't get the cold, but pretty much everyone who engages, even if inadvertently, in a method of transferring HIV is practically guaranteed to contract it, thereby smoking would not have any bearing on the spread of HIV. Is that right or not? Ugh, I can't think clearly right now. Did that make sense, even if incorrect? I mean, I understand how a person with HIV would compound their problems by smoking since both weaken the immune system, but one actually helping to cause the other? I may be mistaken, but I always thought that HIV was the dormant "version," which is way many people don't know they have it until it's too late. And then AIDS is the active "version." Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Theunicornhunter 2 Posted October 1, 2006 HIV is a the virus responsible for AIDS (at least the majority of the medical community believes this - some theories still claim this isn't so). With treatment not everyone that contracts HIV develops AIDS. Once AIDS develops it destroys the bodys immune system - the ability to mount a response to an infection - until that point the body retains some immune system ability. There are apparently some individuls with a natural immunity to HIV and I vaguely remember reading other articles that indicate basic health can affect a persons susceptibility to contracting HIV when exposed. But given the severity of AIDS - one shouldn't take any chances. Apparently, this article suggests the possibility that smoking lowers your basic healthy immune response that would affect your contractiong HIV. However, it also offers several plausible alternative theories to the correlation between smoking & HIV. Still it's another good reason to give up smoking. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ARMS 0 Posted October 1, 2006 Right, people share smokes, if one has HIV they can pass it to another who's immune system is coping with smoke damage, therefore lowering resistance to inactive strains. HIV can become AIDS any time after contraction. Someone could pass it without feeling the effects, this is how the virus survives to be spread, if the person died right away the virus would go with it, a successful virus doesn't want to kill 1 host, they want them all. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Theunicornhunter 2 Posted October 1, 2006 Sharing cigarettes is not a known way of transmitting HIV - unless the medical profession knows something they're not telling us. According to the professionals you can drink out of the same cup as someone with HIV without spreading it - that saliva would only transmit the virus if you had an open wound in your mouth. (I think there's only one documented case of spreading the virus by kissing and it was a rather complicated kiss) Of course even though they tell me this I still wouldn't share a cup. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KIMIMELA 1 Posted October 1, 2006 Smoking does all sorts of things to your body - it lowers your ability to heal - it ages your skin. Don't smoke if you're ever going to have surgery. Oh, dangit, and I was hoping to get breast implants... :lol: B) I think thats the funniest thing we've had here in a long time Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
youbroughtheryouRiker 2 Posted October 2, 2006 Thanks TUH. I had never heard about people with the natural immunity to it. And yeah, I've known about saliva not being a way to transmit the disease. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
youbroughtheryouRiker 2 Posted October 2, 2006 Smoking does all sorts of things to your body - it lowers your ability to heal - it ages your skin. Don't smoke if you're ever going to have surgery. Oh, dangit, and I was hoping to get breast implants... Hey man, you have a right. I won't think any less of you if you do. Unless you get a poor job done. Then I might think a little less of you for not going to a more reputable surgeon. But I'd still be there to silently support you in your time of agony brought by botched surgery. Cuz that's the kind of friend I am. I'm there for you, bro. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
He Who Shall Not Be Named 2 Posted September 7, 2010 But what if you share smokes while wearing condoms? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites