A.I.D.S. warning sounded

Press, 1 July 1985, Page 12

A.I.D.S. warning sounded

PA Wellington Most of the people exposed to the A.I.D.S. virus will eventually suffer from the deadly disease, accord-

ing to the head of disease prevention in the Health Department, Dr John Clements. Close to 100 per cent of all people in high-risk groups, such as intravenous drug-users and promiscuous homosexuals, would in the long run become infected by the virus, Dr Clements told health workers at the Wellington Clinical School. Dr Clements said it was originally thought that when

a person was exposed to the virus that caused acquired immune deficiency syndrome, several results were possible. It had been believed that some of those exposed would have no health problems, that others would suffer some impairment of their immune system (leading to swollen lymph glands and general malaise), while only a small proportion would get A.I.D.S. proper, which has a 90 per cent mortality rate within two years. The latest indications were that the A.I.D.S. virus

was a very slow-acting one, but one that was virtually impossible for the body to get rid of. Therefore, once infected, a person was on an inevitable, though possibly very drawn-out, decline to full-blown A.I.D.S. Dr Clements emphasised that there was no evidence this would occur, but it was his own belief based on current knowledge. “Unless steps are taken by people about their general sexual attitudes and behaviour they will be exposed to A.I.D.S. at some time in the future,” he said.