The AIDS Epidemic: Western on the Move

AIDS has become ubiquitous in the past decades. We hear so much that it's over-looked more often than looked-over. Western Heads East (WHE), a group at the University of Western Ontario, is trying to change this. In an effort to promote awareness and be proactive about AIDS preventation, WHE has sent 2 interns to Mwanza, Tanzania; an area devastated by AIDS.

The vehicle for the project is an unlikley one: yogurt. The probiotic form of yogurt that is the basis for the WHE project is thought to have a disease-fighting bacteria beneficial to the preventation of AIDS. In a nutshell, the probiotic yogurt being used by WHE has an additional bacteria not found in regular yogurt. When ingested, the probiotic variety creates and maintains a high level of vaginal acidity, thereby creating an environment hostile to HIV. It may ultimately prove to be a very effective tool in preventing the disease. The interns currently in Mwanza are teaching the population about the uses and benefits of probiotics, and are creating a sustainable program that will be in existence long after the WHE interns return home.

The interns and WHE are hoping to make a difference not only in Mwanza, but also in the university community at Western.

For more information on probiotics:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=10442011

For more information on Western Heads East: http://www.uwo.ca/hfs/housing/westernheadseast/events.htm