Publisher's Synopsis
Since the HIV virus was first identified as the cause of;AIDS, basic research and epidemiological information have accumulated as dramatically as the numbers of cases of the disease itself. Yet with all that is now known about the virus and its host cell interactions and its spread among either homosexual males or abusers of IV drugs, surprisingly little is known about the heterosexual transmission of AIDS. This text examines the sexual mechanisms of transmission of this viral infection, including HIV interactions with sperm, in semen and in cervical and vaginal secretions. The book explores the principal risk factors in the heterosexual transmission of HIV and how sexual behavior changes the risk of HIV transmission.;Authoritative information on the routes of HIV transmission in heterosexuals is offered and the impact of specific contraceptive methods in controlling the spread of disease is discussed. To enable a complete understanding of AIDS transmission, this compendium includes an overview of the biology of retroviruses and their pathogenicity and describes animal models useful for investigating HIV infection mechanisms and the prevention of virus transmission.
