The HIV virus was once known as SIV (Simian Immunodeficiency Virus) and was found in Chimpanzees. It is believed that the virus was transmitted from chimp to human via blood transmission during the act of hunting as well as butchering the chimps. The evidence that supports this theory has to do with the several different strains of HIV with a slightly different make up. These different strains were only different in the since that one was contracted by chimpanzees and the other by humans. In a sample of 1099 individuals in Cameroon, ten of those were infected with SFV (Simian Foamy Virus) which was thought to only be contracted by primates, this helped back the theory that the virus was coming from chimps. This theory is known as the 'hunter' premise and i find this theory to be extremely plausible.
Another rather controversial theory contended that HIV was transferred iatrogenically, one particularly well publicized article states that vaccination of polio played a roll in the transmission. This oral vaccination needs to be cultivated within living tissue. It's believed that a kidney from a chimp is used for the cultivation of this vaccine. I am not so sure that this is plausible theory given the fact that your mouth as well as your throat act as a great barrier to your blood stream. An oral vaccination wouldn't be that prominent in the transmission of HIV.
I was extremely shocked at first to hear that the HIV virus was thought to have come from primates, however given the theory of evolution I understand how this could come to be. Another theory that I didn't find hard to believe was the contaminated needle theory. If one were to be injected with a needle that had been used on several different people prior, the HIV virus could easily be transmitted.
To go along with the 'hunter' premise,
I believe that it is extremely important to get to the bottom of where the HIV virus truly came from. I don't believe that it would help in the since of addressing it to the people, however I do believe that it would help to find a cure. Where the HIV virus truly came from may never be known, however i hope that the conspiracy theory does not turn out to be true.
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The Conspiracy Theory is very scary, and I also hope that it does not turn out to be true in the future. Finding out were this deadly virse came from could help the medical community extremely. I hope one day they can find out where it came from, so they came maybe eradicate it.
ReplyDeleteMyself as well as many other people believe the needle theory to be a very plausible way of HIV transmission. It is no wonder that target people who are at higher risk of transmitting HIV are those who share needles when abusing drugs. The theory though said that it were hospitals that were trying to reduce costs of supplies, at that is why they would re-use needles on multiple patients. It makes sense to me that drug users and fiends alike would re-use needles but for hospitals? I'm not convinced that this is plausible reasoning. Hospitals are created to prevent disease transmission at ANY cost. This goes against everything that they strive to do as an organization which is why I don't think the hospitals are even close to the ones to be blamed, not even in poorer countries.
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