16 girls from 4 by 4 have been quarantined for HIV. Supposedly there was a porno star that frequented 4 by 4. He had bare back sex with some girls, and did some movies with some. He was also seen at Mea Pataca with a garota named Lebra. In March he tested negative, but in April he tested positive for HIV. I don't know if he had sex with 16 girls from 4 by 4, but 16 are quarantined. I got this information from a reliable source. Has anyone heard anything?

Hope your source is more "reliable" for this than for your Help rumour (well actually I don't as I wouldn't wish HIV on anyone). I'm sorry but I find it hard to believe, given your previous limited posts, that you have the inside track on 4x4.

I was with Lebara two years ago and whilst she is a high mileage, anal loving garota she was a consumate professional and always very careful about using a condom. IME it's the newbies or semi-pros who are more likely to risk going bareback rather than Termas girls.

I saw this article on AVN.COM

http://www.avn.com/index.php?Primary_Navigation=Articles&Action=View_Article&Content_ID=80587


The Day After: Adult Industry Scrambles to Prevent Epidemic
By: Scott Ross
04-15-2004


LOS ANGELES - Yesterday, the day after veteran performer Darren James was confirmed as HIV-positive, the adult industry was attempting to ascertain how far the virus may have spread, knowing that certain knowledge that it the virus hasn’t spread won’t come until June.

No other HIV-positive results have turned up as of yet.

HIV ROUNDUP
JKP Announces Production on Hold Until June
AVN Suggests Stopping Production or Using Condoms Until June 8
Quarantine Extended to 60 Days; Moratorium Recommended
AIM Working to Contain HIV; Search for Second-Generation Continues

The number of women known to have worked with Darren James during the time he is suspected to have been working while HIV-positive stayed at twelve, where it is expected stay. The twelve women are known as the “first-generation,” signifying their status as having had sex with James, the person who unknowingly brought the virus into the industry.

Adult Industry Medical Healthcare (AIM) foundation is currently concentrating on identifying the second-generation, people that have worked with members of the first-generation on or after the date that James had worked with them. The list continues to grow.

Brock, Dominico, Mark, Sledge Hammer, Brian Pumper, Steven St. Croix, Alex Saunders, Tony Sexton, Brian Surewood, and L.T. Turner were added to the second-generation list yesterday.

Tony Tedeschi, Jim Beem, and Jay Ashley have also been reported as belonging to the second-generation by the production company that shot the scene, but have not been added to the quarantine list by AIM yet.

Talent placed on the second-generation list on Tuesday were: Carlos Mendes, Mark Anthony, T.T. Boy, Sean Michaels, Julian St. Jox, Mark Davis, Conrad Taylor, Duane Commings, Judy Starr and Marco T.

The odds of the second-generation having caught HIV by working with one of the members of the first-generation are less than one percent, but they are under quarantine in an effort to ensure the virus is contained.

A clerical error by a production company led to male performers Trevor and Brad Baldwin were erroneously listed as a members of the second-generation. Trevor and Baldwin performed on the same set the same day that one of the women in the first-generation did, but with another partner.

The women in the first-generation, those that worked with James during the time that he is believed to have had the virus, are under a voluntary quarantine. The women are: Jocelyn, Lauren Roxx, Annie Cruz, Banesca, Persia, Miss Arroyo, Kayla Marie, Jessica Dee, Skyler Banks, Patrice Petite, Candy Ray, and Desiree Clark.

First-generation performers are quarantined for 60 days, the amount of time it could take for HIV to appear in measurable quantities, before taking another PCR-DNA and a RNA HIV test. If those tests come back negative, the first-generation performers will be declared “clear,” and they will be able to return to performing.

The second-generation will be clear once the member of the first-generation that they performed with is clear.

Production Moratorium Suggested

There is still the possibility that members of the first-generation were infected, and that while it is unlikely that a woman would pass the virus to a man it is still possible. And that means that the virus could be still spreading within the industry, because third- and fourth-generation performers are not being quarantined; AIM simply lacks the resources to track that many performers that quickly.

For the reasons mentioned above AVN recommended a production moratorium until June 8; if no new HIV-positive cases have shown up by that date then the entire industry will be in the clear to safely return to their normal production schedule.

As we published this article Jill Kelly Productions was the only production company to have agreed to have a moratorium on production until June.

Jill Kelly, president of JKP, stated that she knew that some people were continuing to shoot despite the risks, and suggested that those that did so were “idiots with no regard to their talent or crew.”

A handful of companies have announced that they will halt production until the extent of the second generation is known. Cherry Boxxx Pictures, Kick Ass Pictures, The Red Light District, Sin City, and VCA are among the companies that have decided to hold production until more information is available.

“I’ve stopped production, I don’t intend to shoot for another couple of weeks until we see what’s going on,” Kick Ass Pictures owner Mark Kulkis told AVN.com.

What Happened?

Few details are known as of yet, but Darren James is believed to have contracted the virus during a trip to Brazil in March. AIM’s Dr. Sharon Mitchell estimates that James contracted the virus on March 10, while having unprotected anal sex with a Brazilian woman.

As noted previously, the chances of a man catching the HIV virus from a woman are very low, less than one percent. While in Rio de Janeiro, James was bitten by a spider that sources described as “extremely poisonous.” Mitchell admitted that the spider bite may have lowered James’ immune system, allowing the virus to spread easier, but stressed that it was simply conjecture at this point.

It is not known if James engaged in high-risk behaviors such as unprotected anal sex with men or sharing needles during drug use.

James is known to have been tested almost religiously every three weeks. His last two tests were on Feb. 25 and March 17 of 2004. Both tests were negative. On April James tested approximately every three weeks without fail. He tested on Feb. 25 and again on March 17, receiving negative results both times.

Mitchell has not had a chance to interview James regarding how he may have caught the virus.

(AVN Senior Associate Editor Jared Rutter contributed to this report)

Who were the 16 girls that are supposedly quarantined? I know he has slept with a mumber of terma girls in his movies, so I am really concerned about who he was with on his past trip.

I freaked out a little at this because my regular, who is also a friend, worked with him. Her name is Dahlia at 4x4. I don't know if she is quarantined or not now but I was with her just one week ago today. She was in a movie called "3 Black Dicks & 1 Spanish Chick." I was quite relieved to see the production date of 2003, well before the positive test. If you want to see what she looks like to see if you remember being with her, go to adultcdmovies.com, enter "3 Black Dicks", click on #3, click larger view, click back cover. She's kind of hard to recognize because, well, she's got 3 black dicks in her spanish chick face. Duhh. She's in the middle 4th frame down, with CD MOVIES over the picture. There are other shots with her fucking and anal but they are hard to see. (Not pictured...she has a bunch of tatoos including a big one on her waist.)Kind of an "I told you so!" situation here. I saw this box before my visit last week and when I went to see her I was screaming at her. I knew she did porno but I thought she always worked with a condom like they do in Brazilian movies. She said no but everybody was always tested. Great I said...unprotected anal sex with 3 guys who for a living fuck hundreds of whores worldwide in the ass without protection, and you are counting on tests every 3 weeks to be safe. I didn't know then about this guy's positive test. There's a whole lot of dangerous fucking that can be done in 3 weeks as we see. She quit doing porn, or so she says, in December. I sure hope so.
By the way it is not just 4x4. I was with Andrea of Termas 65, and she did a DP with this guy and someone else twice that I know of...Spanish Fly Pussy Search #10 and Big Butt Brazilian orgy. Bring up the boxes in the same way at adultcdmovies.com to see her. Easy to recognize on the cover. Dicks in her mouth and ass on the back. Very scary now. I always use a condom but I do enjoy DATY. I think my DATY days are over.
I hope the guys who bareback read all this and see how they are a danger to all of us.

Hey Ardgneas, sorry about the Help thing. Like I said, I heard it from someone. I am a newbie big time, but I am pretty sure about this.

A good friend here in San Diego works full time for an internet porn production gig, and told me a couple of days ago that his biz is shut down for one month while everyone goes and gets retested for HIV following some guy going to Rio and contracting the virus there (apparantly). He had used the guy for one or two shoots in LA. The story is true, what I don't know is what the situation in Rio is. Hey Trav, can you confirm that your Dahlia is not Delilah (as in Samson and Dehlilah) from 4x4. Speaks a little english, morena, long black hair. I did her last week. With condom.

Well, it's true, I just read on AP news about it although they did not mention the guys name. Apparently one of the girls in a porn film with him is also infected now. No studios are producing porn films until June 8 so that they can test anyone who might be affected.

Thank god I always use a rubber as I was in 4x4 two weeks ago.

This is pretty scary. I am very familiar with the industry and this could be very significant if more than one other person gets infected.
If you ask me all this anal shit (no pun intended) is out of control.
I hope you guys are all ok and play it safe.
Good Luck
Milkman

One of the other articles on that AVN site:
http://www.avn.com/index.php?Primary_Navigation=Articles&Action=View_Article&Content_ID=80694
refers to a report on 20/20 that says 96% of the prostitutes tested in Brazil were HIV-positive.

What's up with this?

I was just looking at CDC site that said 8% of all new HIV infections are orally transmited.

Yikes!!!

Does this surprise anyone?

Rio de Janeiro is making its mark as an international prostitution center, and with it, comes a whole basket-full of STDs. Anyone who thinks termas are safe because they 'test' their girls is being naive. Don't even have to mention quality-control *or lack thereof) at Help.

I imagine that the most important thing in this moment is to use the head, but in this last article on AVN we can find sentences that appear to me a little too much to really believe.

I mean saying ".....“Everybody is learning what I learned on 20/20, that 96 percent of the prostitutes tested in Brazil were HIV-positive. ........"

This would mean that almost all our partners are/have been HIV positive, and so should be a large part of those among us who love BBFS....

I'm really scared right now, my enamorada could be..

In any case, as she says ".. Que merda es todo isso.."

Good luck to everybody.

Tiber222

".....“Everybody is learning what I learned on 20/20, that 96 percent of the prostitutes tested in Brazil were HIV-positive. ........"

What's the source data like for this statement? Saw that on the AVN site too, and then saw Innocent's post on oral transmission of HIV--any MDs have any idea on the reliability of these stats and/or studies?

Have DATYd a few chicas, and have received my share of BBBJs . . . I'd just like to get some real information about transmission rates and probabilities of infection, esp. in light of all the clamor/turmoil about Darren James.

Maverick...I am not sure if it is Dahlia of Dehlilah. She is short, speaks very little english, awesome ass, shoulder length black hair, and the most identifiable characteristics, many tatoos. The most obvious one is large and on her stomach, you couldn't have missed it if it is her you were with.

Has this hit the news in Brasil? Its all over the internet and mainstream news coverage in the states, but I am interested in Brasil's response.

I wonder if he identified the girls he was with while filming in Rio.

Timeline:

Feb 25: Darren James tests HIV-

-->Darren James goes to Brazil for filming-->

March 17: Darren James tests HIV-

March 24: Darren James has Sex with Laura Roxx

April 9: Darren James tests HIV+

April 13: Darren James confirmed HIV+

April 15: Laura Roxx tests HIV+

Facts:

All tests are DNA/PCR: False negatives are almost non-existent. False positives are rare (false positives twice are almost non-existent). Period after infection for test to work: Typically less than 10 days, very rarely more than 3 weeks.

Statistics:

1. In one bareback encounter with an HIV+ female, the chance of a male getting infected is (ballpark) 1 in 1000. In one bareback encounter with an HIV+ male, the chance of a female getting infected is (ballpark) 1 in 100.

2. On given days of the initial HIV infection (seronegative window), a person can be about 5 times more infectious than in the steady state.

Analysis:

1. Darren infected Laura: Assuming Darren got infected on March 8 (9 days before his last HIV- test), it would be 16 days later that he infected Laura.

2. Laura infected Darren: Not out of the question since there are 16 days before their sex scene and Darren testing HIV+ for the first time. Depends on the date of Laura's last HIV- test.

The sex scene between Darren and Laura on March 24, and the sex scenes between them and other people over the past 6 weeks, as well as who among those tests HIV+ or HIV- now, are the best documented case study of HIV infection I can imagine.

I read an article that said DJ thinks he caught the virus on march 10th while filiming an anal scene without a condom. That would be about 4 weeks before he got tested on April 9th. (From what I understand it takes 3 to 4 weeks of infection before you can have a positive result)

I hope they divulge who the girls are that he was filming with while he was in Rio. I called one girl yesterday who I know from Monte Carlo to tell her that she needs to go get tested because she was in an orgy scene with him during his last trip. She was shocked when I told her about DJ. She is still working at MC (matter of fact she was at MC when I called her)

Hey Ardgneas, sorry about the Help thing. Like I said, I heard it from someone. I am a newbie big time, but I am pretty sure about this.

No problem, in fact it's probably me who should apologise. Sometimes I can be overly sceptical although I'm still not sure why 16 girls in 4x4 would need to be quarantined. Thanks for bringing this to your attention and initiating an important thread. This and the BBFS thread have prompted more honesty and soul searching than I've seen on CH in a while. Both are essential reading for any Rio bound monger.

Thanks also Sabio for introducing some hard facts and analysis. Although well-informed I didn't know HIV would show up so quickly now in tests. I also hadn't considered possibility 2, that she could have infected him. BTW, I also found this line in the initial report quite interesting.

It is not known if James engaged in high-risk behaviors such as unprotected anal sex with men or sharing needles during drug use.

anyway to get the names of the girls quarantined at 4x4????

http://www.cdc.gov/nchstp/od/gap/countries/brazil.htm

According to the organization that publishes this report, the incidence of AIDS in Brazil is about 11 per 100,000, or 1 in 10,000.

If termas garotas are 10 times more likely than the average populace to have AIDS, then 1 in 1,000 is infected.

If Sabio's statistics listed above are correct in saying that "In one bareback encounter with an HIV+ female, the chance of a male getting infected is (ballpark) 1 in 1000.", then this means that the chances of the average termas goer contracting AIDS is now 1 in 1,000,000.

I am not writing this to in ANY way condone unprotected sex, but rather to merely highlight the fact that the real odds that any of us has contracted AIDS from a terma since March is still extremely low.

I do not practise anal sex, with or without a condom. But if I did, me thinks I would always wrap the rascal.

And as for the odds of catching AIDS from a BBBJ? That's gotta be a VERY miniscule factor.

IMHO, the more pressing reason to always use a condom is the greater risk of catching a STD.

I am on the ground here and there really does not seem to a scare at 4x4 or anywhere else...no evidence for or against 16 girls quaranteen but talked with a few of them and nothing really expelled from them...

how do they know that he contracted it there?had he abstained from sex six month prior to the rio trip?
iggy sca

I'm in Rio as well and the garota grapevine is quiet on this subject. We brought it up at 65 yesterday and the girls hadn't heard the story. I'm hitting 4x4 on Monday and will check with some of the vets to see what's up.

Bottom line guys, and this is not to sound negative or anything, but as a guy who has fucked everything everywhere, I think it's good policy to "assume" (not the best word really) that every woman you meet is HIV+. This will help keep your condom usage at 100% and will lead you to do a better visual inspection of the girls.

Again, this isn't meant to sound morbid or anything, or to sound paranoid. I don't think at all about contracting HIV because I have it drilled into the furthest reaches of my brain that sex=condom. Just last night, I was showering with a Help pickup and she started to put my dick in her snatch au natural(hey, I love shower sex!). Luckily I keep my auxillery condom supply in the front zipper of my shaving bag and just opened the shower door and grabbed one.

I fully think that a good percentage or garotas will do BBFS. I don't go for it, but I guarantee a lot of guys do. It's a tough thing to pass up sometimes, but you simply must.

Jimminy Christmas! am I the ONLY fucking gringo who is NOT in Rio right now?

Don't u guys have lives???

As doG is my witless, this much I promise:
3. to finnish my divorce and get on a plane to some erotic destination... AND SOON;
2. to personally test each and every terma garota for HIV or genital warts; (i'm patenting a test strip just like the ones we use to test the chemical levels in our pools and jacuzzis. Just dip the strip in the garotas pond, and look at the color coded strips to see if it's safe to swim!)
1. to publish those results here on CH and on the CDC website, and
0. to personally see that GCL's diet includes PLENTY of chopped nuts. With any luck, he'll develop such gastric and intestinal problemas that he'll no longer be able to session due to stomach cramps. HEAVEN forbid that he should have to jack off on Brazilian soil while recovering.

Iggy:

Darren James is now doing a viral load test to pin down the infection time more precisely. However, with the DNA/PCR tests that have already been done, the time ambiguity is much less than 6 months. Given the information we know so far, as I detailed in my previous post, it is possible that he got it from Laura Roxx, rather than the other way around.

DG,
I am not in Rio now, but I will be in 4 days. I have had the test strip my whole life, it resides in my mouth.
CG

For those of you who are interested in more details about the time frames for HIV testing and infections, I posted the information in the thread

Men's Health-->Safe Sex-->Test Kits for Safer Sex

where many of the references had alraedy been posted.

Our faithful hombre GCL really is sick it seems...from peanuts I dont know..have you placed a spell on him DG??

Layne

Part one of the hex is accomplished. With gastric problems, he'll be too repulsive for the garotas.

Now it's just a matter of time before he takes matters into his own hands... muahahahahaha

Vengeance is mine

GodGringo

CortoGringo

4 days till you're back in Rio? I'm jealous. I hope you and your lingual unit both have a blast!

While on the plane down, don't forget to collect all the packages of nuts you can for GCL. One of the FEW pleasures I have left in life is picturing him doing the Peptoshuffle past half dressed garotas on his way to the shitter.

DogGringo

DG,

Blissman and I are making a Fernanda run, er, I mean a 4x4 run, this afternoon. Hopefully the little spinner I picked up at TA last night will actually wake up by then so I can go.

Cat
Try to get her before Layne does, or all claims that she's a 'tight' little spinner will be null and void.

I am not an overly religious sort, but these past several months have given me profound spiritual insights of what purgatory must be like. At least I have GCL's digestion troubles to keep a smile on my face. When he starts feeling better, could someone bake him some chocolate cookies using ExLax as the main ingredient?

Only now have I had the strength--or will, to respond to this dribble. First of all, to all my friends (you know who I am talking to then DG?) I am feeling better today. I have been diagnosed by one of the most respected professionals in Rio as having Dengue fever. Sudden onset of fever, musle aches, joint aches, pain around my eyes and my bones actually hurt. I suffered nausea, but only serious digestive disturbances when thinking about certain board members--but I digress... I could not even tolerate crossing my legs the pain was so intense. High fever can be dangerous in young adults, so I spent a considerable amount of time taking tepid showers.

The fever broke last night and today I am feeling almost well, except that the idea of beer makes me ill, and I havent enjoyed so much as a nocturnal erection in 5 days.

Okay, here is the real purpose of my post... Sure there are HIV positive girls in Rio, as there are in every place on earth except for the campus of Oral ROberts University. Have we had sex with girls that are HIV positive? Probably. But never fear, condoms are very effective at preventing the spread. Now, I want to say one more thing...I dont believe the story about 16 girls being quarantined from 4x4. They test once a month and if they dont pass they are let go, but they dont publicize it, so how does someone know for sure? You would have to either 1. take the word of some garota who herself is prone to sensationalism, or 2. count the number of girls before and after testing days and do the math. In my opinion.... hogwash.

Wear your rubbers. Remember that the love of your life is loving others while you are away...count on it. You only consolation is that while you are stateside, I for one will insist your wives use condoms while I am banging them.

Dengue? Damn! You got to remember that you are theone to put your PICA in, not vice-versa. Take care of yourself...

As for the 4x4 and Darren James story, I've refrained from commenting till now becuase I wanted to gather information. First of all, absolutely nothing, zip on the usual brazilian news-sites about this. But the story itself is on AP, AVN, etc., just as reported here. My suspicion, totally without evidence, I'll admit, is that this is yet another instance of "blame Brazil first". So easy to do - no, I didn't catch HIV from someone else in the industry, no, I'm not bi - I got AIDS in Rio! The spider story is just icing on the cake (where better ot get bit by a poisonous spider than Rio?). Obviously, I don't wich HIV on anyone, dunno this guy at all (I guess I don't watch enuf porn), but it's so typical to blame the third world country rather than admit to your own problems. And yes, I'll admit that I'll always be defending Brazil.;-)

However, as GCL and others pointed out, AIDS and other STD's are a reality in Rio - as they are the world over. Cover that puppy!

BS

Dengue? That's terrible. NObody deserves that - not even an oversexed insurance agent turned pornpeddler. Get well soon, ya poor bastard.

Five days without an erection will give you plenty of time for intrinsic self-evaluation. Feel free to lend a helping hand to your failing libido, should the need arise.

Five days without beer is unthinkable. A toast to your speedy recovery.

During my last trip to Rio, I heard of several garotas who were inflicted with Dengue. Does anyone know :
1. How it is contracted? and
2. How it can be avoided? ie proactive Vitamin C, or Cephlax, etc...

(Message edited by DonGringo on April 19, 2004)

A couple years ago, while I was in Thailand, I heard that mosquito bites can transfer the fever.

You do get it from a Mosquito bite. So the ways to avoid it are to avoid areas of high mosquito infestation and to wear insect repellant. Vitamin C, Cephlax, IV Gentamycin, or even Pavulon will not help. However, a versed drip will make the memories of the experience more pleasant.

ERECTION UPDATE -- I know everyone is on the edge of their chair waiting on the latest knews about my erection. Well I woke up sporting full wood this morning. I still didnt want beer (drank coffee) so am not 100%. However, I plan to have a personal trainer give the little guy a work out this morning at 10 am sharp. I STILL havent jerked off in Rio.

Mosquito infestation?? You mean there was pooled, standing water in the crotch of one of those Sao Paulo garotas? Ah well, I guess you just might not have noticed unless her toes were underwater.

Actually, I would have had to have been bitten 4 to 7 days prior to my first onset of fever, which makes the mosquito in question a carioca.

I'm rather surprised that you didn't set up a vidcam on yourself while you were writhing in agony from Dengue. You could've just crawled into any cabine and lay nude there in the background, SURROUNDED by sexxxy toes and feet, with your limp bisket pooled in sweat and TOTALLY unresponsive.

There MAY just be people out there who would payperminute to watch this stuff...

(Message edited by DonGringo on April 20, 2004)

All I have to say on the HIV subject is, if they quarantined 16 garotas it must have been the 16 ugliest. We made a run there yesterday and the talent was excellent, with a ratio of garota-monger of at least 2.5x1.

Of course, there are two holidays in Rio this week, and 4x4 is closed on Wed and Fri, so the girls need to get in 5 days of fucking in 3 days. Not unlike GCL making up for lost time!

I dont know if DJ caught the virus in Brasil or not, but I know for a fact that he was working. I saw and spoke to him inside of Help the first week of March, he was scouting for talent.

I feel very bad for a couple of my "friends" because I know they did an orgy scene with him a few days after I left. They both work in Monte Carlos, I will tell them to go get tested when I arrive this weekend. I don't think the girls know that this guy is HIV positive.

Am I the only one who finds it a bit puzzling that nobody is running around trying to figure out which Garota's fucked this guy while he was in Brazil. They have this big damn list of all the US Porn Stars. It would seem to me to be the humane thing for this guy to try and contact the girls he slept with while he was in Brazil.

I realize that this could be difficult, but I am sorry, if you put his name up and describe the guy, I would think that the girls would realize they were with this guy and at least be able to go get checked.

I also realize that the testing in Brazil is not exactly PCR-DNA. I am by no means a physician, but I understand that this one of the very most accurate system and this test identifies people who have the virus within weeks of contracting the virus. The former standard method, which I believe the Termas all use currently might not pick up the virus for up to 6 months. So perhaps this all really doesn't matter, but I think it should.

Seems like Brazil is getting overlooked completely.

Kenmore, you are right on the money. I have been trying for a week solid to find out who he was fucking back in March. I have been calling guys that I know who live there as well as girls that I know who worked with him in the past. I just sent an email to a guy I know who directs some of his films to ask him if he knew what girl might have given DJ the virus.

Its gotten so much press here in the states but not a peep in Rio, unreal. I think he has a HUGE duty to inform all the girls he shot with in Rio, that he is now HIV positive!!

Kenmore, I have one of my crack staffers calling labs to determine which tests they offer. I plan to ask a couple of the termas too to see what answers I get.

However, I still dont believe the 4x4 story.

GCL:

You give your staffers crack? So that's why they stay! I was wondering....

BS

Well, the story of the guy having a heart attack and dying in Luomo a few weeks ago is pure bullshit. The recently posted story about the garota who "quit" Centaurus because two girls were positive there and kept working (and how the fags from the gay terma/bathhouse infected them on purpose) is complete bullshit. I tend to agree with GCL that the 4x4 story is bullshit as well. Are there garotas there that are HIV positive? I would think so, but this story about 16 girls is a complete fabrication.

By the way, today was medical inspection day at my favorite Centro terma. All the girls had to spend some time upstairs, getting blood pulled and PAP tests and whatnot. They were all walking around with little bandaids on their arms from the needles.

Brazil does indeed have the PCR-DNA tests..

I was talking to Marc Davis at the internext convention in Vegas back in January. He told me he will never shoot in brazil because when he went to have the test here, the doctor asked him "What do you want the test to say?"

Now look at him.. he's on the 2nd gen list...

Dengue Fever is a virus. It's typically passed by mosquitos, although I suspect it probably could be passed person to person by an infected individual as can most viruses. All the meds in the world won't keep you from getting it, or make it go away any faster. (At least I'm not aware of any anti-virals that have an effect on it yet.) There is no vaccine either, although the Thais are working on it.

And here's one more happy thought - it's already showing up in Sonora, Mex. Probably won't be long till it reaches Nogales (may already be there), and I wouldn't be too surprised to see it someday in TJ and San Diego. The good news for you northerners is it seems to be a tropical thing - I guess the mosquitos that transmit it just don't do well where winters are harsh.

Here's what the CDC has to say about it: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/dengue/