§ Mr. StrangTo ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the current state of scientific knowledge on the efficiency of transmission of HIV in the heterosexual population.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyIt is well established that HIV infection can be and is transmitted by heterosexual intercourse, though research into the efficiency of this mode of transmission is difficult to conduct in such a way as to produce conclusive and reliable results. Transmission through heterosexual intercourse is the most common mode of transmission worldwide.
However, most studies of long-term partnerships carried out in Europe and north America have reported that 10 to 30 per cent. of female partners of known infected males have themsleves become infected, and 4 to 15 per cent. of male partners of infected females.
This was one of the issues discussed at the expert epidemiological symposium organised by the Department of Health and the Health Education authority on 24 November this year, the proceedings of which will be published in the new year.