Among gays, young partiers spread HIV: study

By Tan Ee Lyn MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Younger men who binge drink and abuse drugs are the gays and bisexuals most likely to transmit HIV to others, and prevention programs should be developed to target them, U.S. researchers said on Thursday. The study, presented at an international AIDS meeting in Mexico City, also helps explain why the AIDS epidemic is starting to grow again among U.S. homosexuals. "When one drinks or uses other substances, inhibitions are lowered, making people more likely to engage in risky behavior like unprotected sex. This is particularly true for young people, who often take risks without thinking about the consequences," said Dr. Kenneth Mayer, an infectious disease specialist at Brown University in Rhode Island. Gay and bisexual men account for about half of all new HIV infections in the United... [read full story]