A new Virulent strain HIV

[rainman::|:|]

First things first. "The gift" and the underground bug-chasing scene... There has been a great deal of coverage of this, and it makes it sound like a whole world of people trying to get AIDS. I think in reality it's no more than a few dozen idiots hardly worth the attention.

But it does draw an informative picture. I'm not trying to blame straight people for this, but the fact remains that one of the causes of risk-seeking behavior is the self image inflicted upon young gay people... When you know you're a monster, what is your life really worth? Plus, while monogamous gay relationships are hard to hide (from families, work, and the world), one-night-stands are very easy to hide, so many gays seem to avoid monogamy without realizing it. These are all things we need to examine as a society if we're going to move forward. I think Chip is right, the government's opposition to gay people does play a part in this kind of behavior... It serves to legitimize the belief that gays are a worthless fringe group that doesn't even deserve to survive. AIDS will never be under control in the gay community until this is rectified. That's not even mentioning the other minority groups that are especially hit hard with HIV... But as was said, minority groups are not the cause of this disease, they're just having harder times coping with it.

 

[deryk]

My rant

I have work for the past ten years in HIV/AIDS care and prevention. The main differnce between someone having HIV and AIDS is the following: Anyone infected with HIV has HIV. An AIDS diagnosis is not given until someone has an opportunistic infection and his or her CD4 cell count (an immune system cell) drops below 250 per milliliter of blood. The reason that an AIDS diagnosis is separated out from HIV infection is that treatment is vastly different with someone whose had an opportunistic infection and someone who has HIV. An opportunistic infection is an infection that usually only people with HIV or other people with compromised immune systems have. People who have health immune systems will most likely never have these infections ever in their life.

HIV is predominantly a hetrosexual disease when one looks at infection rates worldwide. In the United State, homosexuals are the largest population infected with HIV. However, this is starting to change. Over the past few years, heterosexual women of color are being newly diagnosed with HIV at an increasing rate.

There are many reasons why people place themselves at risk for HIV. Most people logically know how HIV is transmitted through sexual activity and through needle sharing. However, a recent study from the National Institute of Health shows that a vast majority of newly affected people in the United States place themselves at risk due to having been raised in homes where they were sexually abused or experience severe domestic violence. (It is important to note that not everyone raised in these situations places her or himself at risk.) The study also points out that these people who are placing themselves at risk are in need of professional mental health services, which are oftentimes not available or affordable for these people.

 

[Chip NoVaMac]

The study also points out that these people who are placing themselves at risk are in need of professional mental health services, which are oftentimes not available or affordable for these people.

Also lets not forget the stigma that seeking mental health care has in the the US at least. Jobs and insurance can and has been denied to those that sought treatment.

 

[chanoc]

Leykis 101 Rule #13

13. USE A CONDOM DURING EVERY ENCOUNTER. NO EXCEPTIONS!
* Even if she says she's on birth control. You don't want the crap she brought home, and you don't want to pay child support for 18 years right? NOTE: When your done, get rid of the condom good....some chicks are just crazy enough to remove the contents.

 

[iGary]

Also lets not forget the stigma that seeking mental health care has in the the US at least. Jobs and insurance can and has been denied to those that sought treatment.

And let's not forget that most of the psychiatrists in this country have major issues themselves. It took me 12 doctors until I found one (which I have to pay out of pocket, because they don't want to be in the insurance-mill business) that helped me with a long-running major medical depression, which I am happy to report is mostly over.

The mental health/crisis system in this country is a JOKE.

On anonther note, there are some really good HIV/AIDS center out there. Whitman Walker is an excellent one here in DC.

 

[Peterkro]

Its a well know in joke in the medical profession that those that can't hack it go into the psychiatry branch and most have "issues" themselves.

 

[athens]

Can someone please explain to me what the difference between AIDS and HIV + is?

I have always thought that they were the same thing...

HIV is the virus
AIDS is the medical condition

Cant be any more clear about it.

Also if your Black, Chinese, East Indian your chances of a faster death is high. New reserch has shown that some europeans have a genetic defect that makes them immune to HIV/Aids and others only get sick but never get the full blown aids. ANy one that has releatives that survived the black death in the dark ages might have this mutation. If you have a single copy of the mutation you carry, infect but prob wont die or wont die fast. If you are both mutations from both parents you wont catch it.

 

[athens]

That is one of the most disturbing things I have ever heard of. Why would any human being wish a death sentence upon themselves?...

Some gay men rather get it sooner then later so they dont have to worry about it.

 

[sushi]

this is definitely a scary thing, im glad that i practice safe sex when i do get some, which isnt often anymore, but thats another story

...just remember, it only takes once!

Additionally, there are other ways to catch the virus besides having sex, be it protected or not.

Sushi

 

[Moof1904]

At the almost certain risk of being flamed to death here, I have to ask if anyone has taken a moment to seriously question the HIV/AIDS model? By this I mean, there is a signifcant number of researchers out there who believe that the currently held model that HIV (a real virus) and AIDS (a very real disease) are not linked and that HIV is an essentially harmless passenger virus that does not cause AIDS. HIV is real and AIDS is real, they argue, but their position is that HIV does not cause AIDS.

Disclaimer: Please note that this is in no way a personal attack on anyone with AIDS, nor is it intended in any way to trivialize the very real suffering of those afflicted, nor is it intended to suggest that as a society we should so anything other than aggressively pursue treatments and cures for any affliction, especially one so devastating as AIDS. This is merely a concern that the current HIV model may not be supported by sound research and that the mainstream establishment is steamrolling the HIV/AIDS model and is choking off legitimate research into other possible causes of AIDS.

There is a huge body of published works out there by legitimate people who cast serious doubt on the purported role of HIV in AIDS. These are not people who wear foil on their heads or belive AIDS is punishment for a lifestyle or any whacko stuff like that. One of them is Kerry Ellis, the Nobel prize winning scientist who invented the PCR (polymerase chain reaction), the test that is currently used to identify HIV viral fragments in patient's blood.

There is signifiant evidence offered by those in the anti-HIV camp that argues that there is huge financial motivation in propogating a viral-centric model for AIDS propagation and that the mainstream's exclusionary tactics against any researcher who wants to investigate a non-HIV/AIDS model of the disease does the scientific and medical communities and the entire world a grievious disservice.

Flame me if y'all must, but I hope that amoungst a crowd that embraces the philosophy "think different," this would be a safe haven for offering such a thought.

 

[Blue Velvet]

There is signifiant evidence offered by those in the anti-HIV camp that argues that there is huge financial motivation in propogating a viral-centric model for AIDS propagation and that the mainstream's exclusionary tactics against any researcher who wants to investigate a non-HIV/AIDS model of the disease does the scientific and medical communities and the entire world a grievious disservice.

Evidence that argues about a financial motivation is not the same as demonstrating an alternate model that is subjected to peer review.

Personally, I'd rather listen to the WHO than a bunch of people on the fringe. Thabo Mbeki seems also to have changed his mind...

 

[wdlove]

This is the first time hearing about this theory. Do you have a link to the research?

 

[MongoTheGeek]

There is a huge body of published works out there by legitimate people who cast serious doubt on the purported role of HIV in AIDS. These are not people who wear foil on their heads or belive AIDS is punishment for a lifestyle or any whacko stuff like that. One of them is Kerry Ellis, the Nobel prize winning scientist who invented the PCR (polymerase chain reaction), the test that is currently used to identify HIV viral fragments in patient's blood.

There is someone else. Another nobel laureate. Big name who says that AIDS is not caused by HIV. It is difficult to prove causality but the correlation between the two is uncanny.

 

[Moof1904]

The site http://www.virusmyth.net/aids/ seems to have a ton of links. Duesberg.com has information, as well. His book "Inventing the AIDS Virus" first caught my attention on the matter.

Velvet, I'm not going to suggest that you should "listen to" anyone other than whomever you choose. I'm only suggesting that there's an inherent danger, with any topic, of merely listening to anyone. The subtext of my post is that those concerned about the very real issue of AIDS not hesitate to roll up their sleeves and dig further into the matter and not form an opinion on something as globally important as AIDS based on sound bites.

I'm also suggesting that unbiased research, open discussion, and research and treatment motivations other than financial gain, fame, political agendas, and the like, are key in eradicating this disease. Sadly, it seems that such ill fated motivations are present in a broad spectrum of supposed AIDS experts.

 

[gwangung]

This is the first time hearing about this theory. Do you have a link to the research?

Duseberg. Crackpot. On the same level as creationists (and backed by some of the same people).

 

[leekohler]

The problem is that HIV/AIDS is such a touchy subject. The community that is most at risk had become complacent recently because the current drug cocktail has worked so well. Lives have been extended and given a false sense of security to many. Hopefully this news will be a wake up call as mentioned in the article. The problem of drug resistance is serious for the HIV Virus and a growing number of bacteria.

Yes- this makes me sad. Did I really survive the 80's just got go through it all again? I went for a few years not knowing anyone infected and now the number is growing rapidly and they're all younger than me. I buried a 26 year old friend of mine this past fall. Drugs don't fix everything. I don't care how good it feels, wrap those rascals kids!

 

[Moof1904]

Duseberg. Crackpot. On the same level as creationists (and backed by some of the same people).

Thanks for clearing that up, G.

And here I thought that the thousands of researchers from all over the world who share the concern that the HIV/AIDS model is flawed might actually be worthy of a voice.

 

[Chappers]

One of them is Kerry Ellis, the Nobel prize winning scientist who invented the PCR (polymerase chain reaction), the test that is currently used to identify HIV viral fragments in patient's blood.

That would be Kary Mullis.

PCR is not a test. It is a method (basically) of taking a small amount of DNA and making lots of copies so that you have an amount large enough to work with.

 

[Moof1904]

Yes, it would have been more accurate for me to state that PCR was the process upon which the viral test was based. And I suck at remembering people's names. Thanks for the correct name.

 

[Chappers]

I know its anal to point it out, but if I had invented such an important process then I would want people to remember my name.