100 Million Dead
 

With in the next decade or so the death toll in Africa from AIDS is projected to be 100,000,000 People....or the greatest plague mankind has ever known.

It's weird how it was unheard of as soon as in the late 70s and in such a short time, is the biggest plague ever.

It's sad that this is transmitted by sex and blood, because if it was transmitted another way, I think more people would care, as they do of other diseases. I think subconsciously, many people think these people "deserve" it or something.

Thankfully it hasn't mutated to a stage where it spreads by airborne means...

The precise cause of AIDS is still being debated.
http://www.mindfully.org/Health/2006/Why-I-Quit-HIV3mar06.htm

Indeed, there appears to be a non-viral cause.
http://www.ias.ac.in/jbiosci/jun2003/383.pdf

it's being debated by about 5 people. The rest continue working on the problem...

In the HIV world, alchemy reins, and is highly profitable for some folks.

you would know this because...you're a research scientist working in the field?

No, of course not...he's an ER nurse!

Ain't that the truth. I've had patients bring me "scientific" articles that claim tuberculosis can be cured with spinal manipulation. Beautiful.

As for non-viral causes; complete rubbish. The CRITERIA FOR DIAGNOSIS include HIV infection. That means that , by definition, no virus=no AIDS.

Definition: The most severe manifestation of infection with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lists numerous opportunistic infections and neoplasms (cancers) that, in the presence of HIV infection, constitute an AIDS diagnosis.

misery is always profitable. But seriously, there are *thousands* of papers on the subject...the data is pretty clear. And then there are a few outlyers who know if they say the right buzz words somebody (who doesn't understand science) will pick up their "results" and run with it.

I always trust a mathematician to provide me deep knowledge on biochemstry/molecular biology/immunology...

And here I thought it was God's judgement on an aberrant lifestyle.

I don't see what's so difficult about not using IV drugs and having unprotected sex. I don't feel the urge to go share some needles and then bang random whores.

or have transfusions

I guess that would make the Pope the greatest indirect killer in the world, considering his take on condoms.

I think in Africa HIV has become so widespread that it isn't something you get just from needles, man-on-man, and whores anymore. Some of the governments haven't helped things either. Wasn't it South Africa's President who is still denying that HIV and AIDS are connected? Finally, in some of those countries people are struggling to find enough to eat, water to drink, wood to cook with, or safety from civil war. AIDS education, even basics like condoms, must be taking a back seat.

About 10 years ago now a friend told me that Aids was a Bio-warfare virus that got out of the Lab...his implication was it was started on purpose in Africa. At the time I dismissed the story, and now only offer it for speculation. Later events concerning my friends source leave me wondering.

Without rehashing the story my friends source was a Bio-warfare researcher for the US govt. BTW this story reads like a Tom Clancy novel, except that its true.

I don't want to get into the mumbo jumbo of conspiracy theorys concerning Aids. Latest evidence shows that it came from one species of Chimps in Central Africa in the 50s and took many years of hit and miss for it to reach the world stage.

I mentioned it because it is a human tragedy unfolding...quiet possibly the depopulation of a contient ...Mother Natures birth control mechanism.

Supposedly AIDS in chimps isn't harmful - that only humans respond this way to it. Since AIDS permanently tweaks your DNA, some think there may be no cure...

That would be a terrible way to go out. I'd have to off myself, but not before taking the person who gave it to me. ;)

rjp

Pretty much...

Fastpat has a point. Look at stomach ulcers and how that doctor for years said it was bacterial. He even gave himself ulcers and cured them with antibiotics. This went on for many years.

But until the exclusive portion of the patent ran out on Tagamet (is that the drug?) and then went over the counter, the doctor was ignored. Only when Tagamet went over the counter did the medical community start treating ulcers with antibiotics.