Originally Posted by Archangel

We ...see the health consequences as a NATURAL PROGRESSION to living in rebellion against God's Laws.

This is an unfounded statement.

Bad things happen to some people. When chaste devout Christians get cancer, do you draw similar conclusions that these are consequences to living in rebellion against God's laws? You are drawing this conclusion on your own. When wonderful things happen to gay people, is this God's doing as well, and is this a consequence of the homosexuality?

And our disapproval [is based] on a sincere concern that you embrace and defend a lifestyle that is so personally harmful and self destructive.

That is unfounded statement.
It is merely your misinformed opinion that being gay is personally harmful and self-destructive. You are free to hold inaccurate opinions, but keep them to yourself.

And we are also concerned for the negative effects that lifestyle has on our Civilization as we see it lowering the bar on our National moral center as a whole.

That is an unfounded statement.

You have no evidence to conclude that the existence of gay people has a negative effect on our civilization or morality. This again, is only your misguided opinion.

You cannot make statements such as these as thought they are facts. It is my opinion that you are a gasbag, but I can't submit that as a fact. Although there is PLENTY of evidence on this forum to support that statement.

http://www.365gay.com/Newscon08/01/012308cdc.htm

CDC Disputes Study On Staph Infection Among Gays

(Atlanta, Georgia) The Centers for Disease Control is disputing the results of a study that claims a drug-resistant bacteria, MRSA, is now being found primarily among gay men in major cities.

The study which appears in the online version of the journal Annals of Internal Medicine was released last week. (story)

The researchers examined records from outpatient clinics and found that methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, is showing up in large numbers among men who have sex with men in New York, San Francisco, Boston and Los Angeles.

In San Francisco the bacteria was found to be 13 times more likely in gay patients than other people in the city.

The researchers said the bacteria appears to be spread through sexual contact.

But in a statement the CDC says that sex and sexuality appear to have nothing to do with transmission.

"It is important to note that the groups of MSM in which these isolates have been described are not representative of all MSM, so conclusions can not be drawn about the prevalence of these strains among all MSM," the CDC statement said.

"The groups studied in this report may share other characteristics or behaviors that facilitate spread of MRSA, such as frequent skin-to-skin contact ... There is no evidence at this time to suggest that it MRSA is a sexually-transmitted infection in the classical sense."

The statement also provided ways of ensuring that MRSA is not passed on.

These include keeping hands clean, keeping any open wounds bandaged, and not sharing utensils.

The study also has been criticized by LGBT rights groups who said that the researchers were attempting to portray the disease the way HIV/AIDS was at the onset - as the "gay cancer".

Henry Chambers, one of the study's authors and a professor of medicine at UCSF, said he regretted that the study has been made a political issue.

"We deplore negative targeting of specific populations in association with MRSA infections or other public health concerns ...[We were] "looking at this from a scientific point of view and not projecting any political impact."

Originally Posted by robbie0517

http://www.365gay.com/Newscon08/01/012308cdc.htm

CDC Disputes Study On Staph Infection Among Gays

Hi robbie, do you have a link for the actual CDC Study that this article is based on? I tried to find it but couldn't. Thanks in advance.

Staph lives on the skin of most people, and is mainly spread by skin to skin contact. A handshake will do it. If the skin is broken then the bug may infect that wound. Mrsa is resistant to the drugs normally used to treat staph infections. No sexual activity of any gender is necessary to the process.

Just for the record, here is the CDC's statement on the MRSA "gay plague" story:

CDC Statement on MRSA in Men Who Have Sex with Men

MRSA is a common cause of skin infections throughout the United States. These infections occur in men, women, adults, children, and persons of all races and sexual orientations, and are known to be transmitted by close skin-to-skin contact. In this issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine, Diep et al looked at isolates of MRSA - USA300 strains containing a particular plasmid associated with additional drug resistance. The paper shows that multidrug-resistant USA300 has emerged as an important source of disease among men with have sex with men in 2 geographically distinct communities.

The strains of MRSA described in the recent Annals of Internal Medicine have mostly been identified in certain groups of men who have sex with men (MSM), but have also been found in some persons who are not MSM. It is important to note that the groups of MSM in which these isolates have been described are not representative of all MSM, so conclusions can not be drawn about the prevalence of these strains among all MSM. The groups studied in this report may share other characteristics or behaviors that facilitate spread of MRSA, such as frequent skin-to-skin contact.

CDC’s extensive and continuing study of invasive MRSA in 9 US states indicates that these strains are rare. CDC continues to monitor resistance patterns and strain characteristics in MRSA isolates submitted to CDC for a variety of investigations. Bacteria are able to acquire resistance to antibiotics. It is concerning that these bacteria are becoming resistant to more antibiotics than the typical community associated-MRSA strains because this limits the available treatment options. Fortunately, there are still effective choices available to treat infections when antibiotics are required, including those antibiotics given by mouth. It remains important to do what we can to prevent transmission of these strains and of MRSA in general.

MRSA is typically transmitted through skin-to-skin contact, which occurs during a variety of activities, including sex. There is no evidence at this time to suggest that it MRSA is a sexually-transmitted infection in the classical sense.

Therefore, CDC believes that our recommended prevention measures for CA-MRSA in general are also the most appropriate response to the strains described among MSM. [good, general advice on prevention follows]

In short, this form of MRSA is not new, it is not restricted to gay men, and it is not a new "gay plague" carried by irresponsible homosexual demons that once again threatens the innocent, Christian heterosexual community. It is also worth repeating that the incidence of this form of MRSA in NY and SF among sexually active gay males in STD clinics is considerably lower than it was in previous outbreaks in non-gay communities, such as military camps and sports teams.

Time to get over it, but this won't stop the spreaders of lies in the fundamentalist anti-gay Christian community.

And here is the report of the reaction of UCSF to the comments by one of its researchers, and the subsequent media frenzy:

Researchers contrite over gay MRSA story

In a new statement on their website, the University of California at San Francisco's (UCSF) Department of Public Affairs states they "regret that our recent news report about an important population-based study on MRSA USA300 with public health implications contained some information that could be interpreted as misleading."

[...]

The UCSF Department of Public Affairs said:

"We deplore negative targeting of specific populations in association with MRSA infections or other public health concerns, and we will be working to ensure that accurate information about the research is disseminated to the health community and the general public."

In other words, owing to some admittedly irresponsible initial publicity by the researchers and the university, the whole story became just more anti-homosexual hype and spin by the religious right, a tempest in a teapot that they will expend every effort to keep frothing.

While the University of California and the CDC have published retractions and rebuttals, we need not expect to see outfits like the Concerned "Women" of America or the other Christian anti-gay groups following suit. They will continue to spread lies and disinformation fer Jesus. You can't break the habits of a lifetime, I guess, and I never expect to find any intellectual honesty or integrity in their ranks.

Just for the record, the press is doing some backtracking on its sensation gay MRSA stories. The NYT has this:

Resistant Bacteria, Football Players and Gay Men

It assesses the situation a little more soberly than the original stories, though doubtlessly it will not be quoted by right-wing Christians in their onslaught on gay people.

The Columbia Journal Review, an excellent little source on how the media treat facts and spin, has this story:

The MRSA-Gay Connection

The press performed a minor mea culpa over the weekend, explaining that a new multidrug-resistant and especially virulent strain of MRSA staph infection, USA300, is not the new “gay disease.”