Keith,

I did not say there was an epidemic in the straight population. I said that the numbers were rising steadily year on year, which has to be worrying.

I speculated that as the number of carriers rises, it could lead to an exponential rise, an epidemic. As a scientist you will know that this is possible. It remains, however, a speculation.

"Although most new diagnoses in the UK heterosexual population are thought to have been acquired outside the country, the numbers of domestic heterosexual infections are also rising and as the pool of carrier grows so the rate of infecton amongst those being unsafe will increase. Exponential rise on the horizon.

Were my exact words.