Can you Believe This???

Solly · May 20, 2003, 11:18

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3042893.stm

Quote:

Researchers have discovered that a small group of Ugandans seem to have natural protection against HIV.

The two dozen or so individuals have not contracted the virus despite having unprotected sex with partners who are HIV positive.

Studying how their immune systems keep the virus at bay could help scientists develop an effective vaccine against Aids.

ANyway, close this but just thought it was a great coincidence!

Ming · May 20, 2003, 11:22

Since this isn't just another of your racist or bigotted trolls, I'll leave this one open.

JohnT · May 20, 2003, 11:22

You ok today, Bods?

Az · May 20, 2003, 11:23

this is nothing new. Around 10% of europeans have total immunity to HIV, as well. IIRC, it's a mutation called Delta-23.

Monk · May 20, 2003, 11:25

Somebody around here (Ramo? I could be mistaken) once said that if my ancestor survived some sort of plague, I'm HIV-resistant - not immune, I think, but somewhat safer. But I've only saw it on Apolyton.

Gibsie · May 20, 2003, 11:29

I previously saw on the telly that there are some African prostitutes that are immune to the disease.

C0ckney · May 20, 2003, 11:31

well lets hope they can get something out of this

reds4ever · May 20, 2003, 11:31

Quote:

Originally posted by Gibsie
I previously saw on the telly that there are some African prostitutes that are immune to the disease.

Now thats what I call a good business strategy!

Az · May 20, 2003, 11:42

Quote:

Somebody around here (Ramo? I could be mistaken) once said that if my ancestor survived some sort of plague, I'm HIV-resistant - not immune, I think, but somewhat safer. But I've only saw it on Apolyton.

That's the gene. IIRC, it's the "Black Death", and if you have two copies of the mutation that prevents it, you're completely in the clear.

PLATO · May 20, 2003, 11:59

A decendent of a plague survivor of the 1300's could be HIV immune? This mutation would probably evidence itself in other ways as well, wouldn't you think? It sounds like we have a group of people running around with "super immune" systems.

C0ckney · May 20, 2003, 12:02

i'm no expert but wouldn't that mean that the plague and HIV are somehow linked?

Dauphin · May 20, 2003, 12:04

Quote:

Originally posted by C0ckney
i'm no expert but wouldn't that mean that the plague and HIV are somehow linked?

Only in their methods.

Az · May 20, 2003, 12:08

HIV is a virus ( du-h! ), and the Plague was a bacteria, IIRC.

but they both attack the immune system, and both did it through the same means.

Gibsie · May 20, 2003, 12:10

One being a virus and the other a bacterium, I can't see much potential for any significant link...

Az · May 20, 2003, 12:15

Gibsie, there is.

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/secrets/case_plague/clues.html

Japher · May 20, 2003, 12:15

Not that anyone here has, but don't you hate it when ppl say "HIV virus"?

Urban Ranger · May 20, 2003, 12:20

What, would you prefer "human immunodeficiency virus" instead?

Arrian · May 20, 2003, 12:24

No, I think he's saying it should just be HIV. HIV + Virus is redundant, and clearly redundancy is a pet peeve.

Right, Japher?

By the way, is there really a decent chance this could lead to a cure?

-Arrian

Japher · May 20, 2003, 12:29

I hate redundancy because it just reveals their ignorance...

This may lead to a cure, but sooner it could lead to a vaccination. Very good discovery to find it in people. Didn't they find it monkeys some time ago?

Az · May 20, 2003, 12:32

Why was retroviral engineering research discontinued?

They tried it on kids, and it worked, until one of them, #15, died of complications. This is obviously terrible, but that doesn't mean we should stop research into this.

Urban Ranger · May 20, 2003, 12:41

I much rather they make nanomachines that attack the viruses.

orange · May 20, 2003, 12:51

Let me guess Bodds...they're this way becuase they've been possessed by the devil, just like all Africans?

Sava · May 20, 2003, 12:52

We should test to see if Bod's has this gene... we'll find you a nice African girl

Ming · May 20, 2003, 13:09

Now now folks... enough

Az · May 20, 2003, 13:35

Quote:

I much rather they make nanomachines that attack the viruses.

I'd rather have little gnomes attack the viruses, but that's not feasible.

Seriously, This is easier. plus, a shitload of viruses already change our genes all the time, why should this be different?

Oerdin · May 20, 2003, 13:42

I've never heard of this mutation occuring in pure blooded black people before. I had read the mutation arose in Europe after the fall of Rome when civilization and city sanitation systems broke down resulting in hundreds of years of endemic outbreaks of every sort of illness.

If you kill most people who don't have the mutation then the people left are much more likely to have the mutation. I guess the mutation didn't occur in Europe but the break down of civilation resulted in a strong selective pressure which increased the genes appearance in the population.

Lorizael · May 20, 2003, 14:54

I think the mutation is Delta 32, not 23.

Az · May 20, 2003, 14:57

Correct, I always get them confused.

Lorizael · May 20, 2003, 15:02

Does that mean you know what Delta 23 does? The only reason I know it's Delta 32 is because I just saw a show about this the other day.

And boy was that program boring. So repetitive. I could have learned the same amount of information in about a tenth the time by just reading a news article on the subject.