Abstract
Unfortunately, evidence concerning the efficacy of efforts to support the maintenance of exclusive safe sex among gay men throughout the population over long periods is also disheartening. Studies from several different cities around the world have described widespread patterns of inconsistent safe sex over time (R Gold, second international conference on AIDS impact, Brighton, 7-10 July 1994)¢RF 1-3¢ as well as an increased prevalance of rectal gonorrhoea4 among gay and bisexual men. Perhaps most worryingly, the prevalance of HIV seropositivity among gay men in San Francisco aged 26-29 in 1993 approached that among men aged 26-29 in 1984 - a level reflecting sexual risks taken before the threat of AIDS was recognised (W Winkelstein et al, IX international conference on AIDS, Berlin, 6-11 June 1993).