Where Did The AIDS Virus Come From?

People are naturally curious. When an epidemic begins oftentimes our first questions are: where did it come from and how can I avoid getting it? The February 1, 1999 issue of Nature contains an article by Dr. Beatrice Hahn. In this article her research group has demonstrated that a certain kind (subspecies) of chimpanzee found only in Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, and Gabon carries an HIV-1 virus like virus (HIV= Human Immunodeficiency Virus; AIDS virus) called SIVcpzUS (SIV= Simian Immunodeficiency Virus). This HIV-1 virus is very similar to the HIV-1 virus seen in humans today. The chimpanzees do not appear to get sick from this HIV-1 infection either.

People living in these countries have for years and years hunted these chimpanzees. They were used as meat for these peoples. The meat is called bush meat. It is postulated that the people who hunted these chimpanzees were often infected by the virus and eventually died. They would get cut when they cut up the animal and some of the chimpanzee's contaminated blood would infect the hunter. Since few people ever went into these rain forests there was little chance of the disease spreading.

After World War II many more people have come to these west African countries. The logging industry has cut roads into the rain forests and made access to the rain forest easier. Bush meat hunters now kill the chimpanzees and take them to neighboring towns and villages to sell them for money. Unfortunately for us and the chimpanzees, these hunters are killing the chimpanzees to extinction.

If the slaughter of these animals could be stopped researchers might be able to determine why the chimpanzees do not become ill when infected with this virus. Chimpanzee's immune systems are very similar to ours and if further studies could be done we might be able to find a way to treat HIV-1 infections in humans.

Knowledge is Power. For more Power go to:
The ABCNEWS story: The Beginning of AIDS.
Find out how to reduce your chances of being infected: Counseling to Prevent HIV Infection and Other Sexually.
Transmitted Diseases from the National Institute of Health (United States).
More information from HIVPOSITIVE web site.
The Body: An AIDS and HIV Information Resource.

Take Care and Think Microbiologically!

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