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From: rob@ptsfb.UUCP (Rob Bernardo)
Newsgroups: net.motss
Subject: Re: Antibody testing
Message-ID: <332@ptsfb.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 19-Mar-86 09:03:29 EST
Article-I.D.: ptsfb.332
Posted: Wed Mar 19 09:03:29 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 22-Mar-86 04:48:59 EST
References: <1678@decwrl.DEC.COM> <40@spdcc.UUCP> <237@isl1.ri.cmu.edu>
Reply-To: rob@ptsfb.UUCP (Rob Bernardo)
Organization: Pacific Bell, San Francisco
Lines: 23

In article <237@isl1.ri.cmu.edu> cycy@isl1.ri.cmu.edu.UUCP writes:
>I think a person has the obligation to tell somebody else if he has AIDS
>if he is planning to be sexual with him. I am in a monogomous relationship,

The originally posted question was whether you have ought to tell a sexual
partner if you had a positive HTLV-III test. A positive antibody test does
*not* mean you have AIDS.

>of us test positive). But if I were single, or (God forbid) to break up
>with my s'other, I would get tested before I carried on sexual relations
>with another person. It's a painful thing, but I believe it's a responsibility.

To whom? What would be the benefit? If you tested negative, you *still* should
practice safe sex, for your partner's sake (since some people who shed the
virus test negative on the antibody test) and for your own (since
your partner may infect you). If you tested negative and you had
other-that-safe-sex, the test results would no longer be valid.

As far as our current knowledge of the significance of the test, I can
see only one reason for being tested, that being reassurance that one
has not been exposed to AIDS.

Rob Bernardo, San Ramon, CA    (415) 823-2417    {ihnp4|dual|qantel}!ptsfa!rob