Alcohol may boost HIV risk from oral sex
Key points
- Lab experiments show that cells that line the mouth become more susceptible to infection with HIV when they're exposed to alcohol.
- The finding suggests that drinking alcohol may facilitate HIV infection by oral sex, say Dr.
- While alcohol consumption has been linked to HIV infection, the researchers note, most studies have focused on its effect on risky sexual behavior rather than any direct effect on the mechanism of infection.
- To investigate, they exposed cells from the lining or epithelium of the mouth obtained from HIV-negative individuals to various concentrations of alcohol, and then to a strain of HIV modified with green fluorescent protein in order to make the detection of infection easier.
Lab experiments show that cells that line the mouth become more susceptible to infection with HIV when they're exposed to alcohol.
The finding suggests that drinking alcohol may facilitate HIV infection by oral sex, say Dr. Jun-ying Zheng of the UCLA Dental Institute and colleagues.
While alcohol consumption has been linked to HIV infection, the researchers note, most studies have focused on its effect on risky sexual behavior rather than any direct effect on the mechanism of infection.
To investigate, they exposed cells from the lining or epithelium of the mouth obtained from HIV-negative individuals to various concentrations of alcohol, and then to a strain of HIV modified with green fluorescent protein in order to make the detection of infection easier.
Oral epithelial cells exposed to 4% ethanol for 10 minutes showed three- to six-fold greater susceptibility to infection with HIV strain, Zheng's team reports in the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes.
They note that the ethanol concentrations they tested are similar to the alcohol content of beer, "the most widely consumed alcoholic beverage of Americans."
SOURCE: Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes, December 1, 2004.
Written and revised by
Gerald Hurowitz, M.D.
Our doctors write and review articles for accuracy and keep them up to date.
health.am provides general information, not medical advice. Always consult a qualified health professional about your own health.
Explore health topics
More in this topic
Infections, HIV & STIs →
NewsTaking HIV prevention pill may not encourage risky sex: U.S. study
Taking a pill as a preventive measure against HIV infection may not encourage people at high risk for the disease to engage in risky sexual behavior, according to a new U.S. study meant to address fears about its use.…
19 December 2013
NewsPlaque composition, immune activation explain cardiovascular risk in HIV-infected women
A Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) research team has discovered a possible mechanism behind the elevated risk of cardiovascular disease in women infected with HIV, a risk even higher than that of HIV-infected men.…
16 December 2013
NewsHigh HIV knowledge and risky sexual behavior not associated with HIV testing in young adolescents
Having high knowledge about HIV and engaging in risky sexual activity do not make high-school-aged teens more likely to get tested for HIV. Those are the findings of a new study by researchers at Montefiore Medical…
