Porn Comes With A Risk

An adult-film performer has tested positive for HIV at a Sherman Oaks clinic frequented by those in the porn industry, according to clinic staff.

"We do have a confirmed adult-industry performer who tested positive for HIV. We are quarantining and testing all exposed partners to the individual who tested positive for HIV," said Jennifer Miller, HIV/STD counselor at the AIM clinic in Sherman Oaks, where the person was tested.

Miller would not say the gender of the person, what companies he or she worked for, when the person was tested or whether AIM had notified state and county health officials.

"We’re doing what we can to notify the individuals involved," Miller said.

Many professional porn actors do get regularly tested, but tests are not commonly done for ALL available STDs. Some porn actors may be tested through their own doctors or clinics, whereas some may be tested through the business that employs them. I do not know if there are standards for such testing, or if video companies comply voluntarily with such standards. It is not an easy profession to regulate!

The positive HIV test is the first reported since last year when an adult-film actress, who industry officials said had worked rarely, was infected with the virus. No one else in the industry was infected as a result.

Porn actors that have HIV:

Mark Anthony (born 1967) British pornographic actor.

Brooke Ashley (born 1973) South Korean born American pornographic actress.

Bianca Biaggi (born 1964) Brazilian adult film actress.

Dawson (born 1973) American pornographic actor.

Jessica Dee (born 1978) American pornographic actress; see Darren James entry.

Tricia Devereaux (born 1975) American pornographic actress.

Karen Dior (1967–2004) American transvestite pornographic actress.

Casey Donovan (1943–1987) American pornographic actor.

John Holmes (1944–1988) American pornographic actor; one of the most famous male porn stars of all time.

Darren James (born 1964) American pornographic actor; transmitted to Lara Roxx, Miss Arroyo and Jessica Dee, causing an international pornography-industry AIDS scare.

Lisa De Leeuw (1958–1993) pornographic actor

Wade Nichols (1946–1985) American pornographic actor and soap opera actor; committed suicide after receiving HIV diagnosis.

Scott O'Hara (1961–1998) American pornographic actor, poet and editor/publisher.

Al Parker (1952–1992) American pornographic actor, director and producer.

Johnny Rahm (1965–2004) American pornographic actor.

Lara Roxx (born 1982) Canadian pornographic actress; see Darren James entry.

Aiden Shaw (born 1966) British pornographic actor.

John Stagliano (born 1951) American pornographic actor; best known for his Buttman series of films, which is credited with sparking the gonzo adult film genre.

Joey Stefano (1968–1994) American pornographic actor; was a model in Madonna's book Sex.

Marc Wallice (born 1959) American adult film actor.

Mason Wyler (born 1984) American pornographic actor.

In much of the world vaginal sex is the most common way the virus is transmitted. HIV can be found in the blood, semen, pre-seminal fluid ("pre-cum"), or vaginal fluid of a person infected with the virus. The lining of the vagina can tear and allow HIV to enter the body. Direct absorption of HIV through the mucous membranes that line the vagina also is a possibility.
Through vaginal sex the male is at less risk for HIV transmission than is the female. However, HIV can enter the body of the male through his urethra (the opening at the tip of the penis) or through small cuts or open sores on the penis, making infection with HIV possible. The risk of HIV infection increases if you or your partner has a sexually transmitted disease (STD).

HIV can pose a small risk for both the active (person giving the oral stimulation) and receptive (person receiving oral stimulation) partner.

Transmission from an HIV positive receptive partner to an HIV negative active partner may occur when the active partner gets sexual fluid (semen or vaginal fluid) or blood (from menstruation or a wound somewhere in the genital or anal region) into a cut, sore, ulcer or area of inflammation somewhere in their mouth or throat. The linings of the mouth and throat are very resistant to viral infections such as HIV, so infection is unlikely if they are healthy.

Transmission from an HIV positive active partner to an HIV negative receptive partner is generally believed to be less common. This is because HIV is normally only present in saliva in very low levels that are not sufficient to cause infection. The only risk in this scenario would be from bleeding wounds or gums in the HIV positive person’s mouth or on their lips, which may transfer blood onto the mucous membranes of the other person’s genitals or anus, or into any cuts or sores they may have. Hepatitis C can also be transmitted this way.

An outbreak among performers in 2004 occurred when an HIV-positive male porn star, Darren James, infected three female performers with whom he'd filmed sex scenes. James, who had recently worked outside the U.S., was not aware of his positive status at the time he performed.

Dozens of performers who had contact with James and the three women needed additional testing, shutting down production for a month in the spring of 2004.

The case announced Tuesday may fuel the continuing controversy over whether the industry does enough to protect performers.

Much of the testing for sexually transmitted diseases and HIV is done at the AIM clinic.

Clinic officials, together with porn industry leaders, have long promoted regular testing of porn performers for sexually transmitted diseases an an effective way to prevent the spread of disease.

But Los Angeles County public health officials and state occupational health officials say the widespread lack of condom use on porn sets puts performers at risk for contracting HIV and other diseases.

HIV/AIDS, hepatitis A, B, and C, herpes, human papilloma virus (HPV), and syphilis, for example, all have variable incubation periods. Gonorrhea & chlamydia usually show up very quickly, within a few days after exposure, but the symptoms may be very mild and unnoticeable. And, if the tests are not done correctly, than someone may think they are okay when in fact they are infected with a test that came back "false negative." These are all potentially serious risks, and everyone must therefore weigh the benefits (usually monetary) against the risks which can be lifelong and chronic.

State officials are considering strengthening rules requiring condom use in adult movies filmed in California. The next meeting on the issue is scheduled for Oct. 25 in Oakland.

Although state officials maintain condoms already are required under workplace rules concerning the transmission of bodily fluids, they are rarely used in straight porn films because producers say they depress sales.

It's Gonna Be BEDLAM!