HIV-positive porn star calls for compulsory condom use in films

LONDON - Adult film star Derrick Burts, who tested positive for HIV, is calling for mandatory condom use in the industry.

The 24-year-old performer, who is known as Derek Chambers in gay films and Cameron Reid in straight films, admitted that he was the unnamed actor diagnosed with the sexually transmitted disease in October.

Burts, who reportedly identified himself as ‘Patient Zeta’, found out on October 23 from a check-up at the Adult Industry Medical Healthcare Foundation in Sherman Oaks, California, that he had contracted the virus, reports the Daily Mail.

The clinic reportedly told him that they had traced the infection to someone he had performed a scene with, but could not reveal the name due to ‘patient confidentiality’.

Burts said he believed he might have contracted the disease during a gay film shoot in Florida.

However, the clinic claimed in a statement that Patient Zeta contracted the virus ‘through private, personal activity’.

Burts told the Los Angeles Times that this was ‘completely false’ as he had only had sex with his girlfriend in his personal life.

The actor said he wanted to speak out in favour of enforcing mandatory condom use in porn productions.

He now said he wished he had known more about the risks of contracting sexually transmitted diseases in the industry.

“Making $10,000 or $15,000 for porn isn’t worth your life. Performers need to be educated,” Burts added. (ANI)