[Jack]

Can someone tell me HOW aids originated.

At the opening lecture at 5pm tonite Dr Beatrice Hahn talked about her reseaerch in Africa and how her research leads her to think that HIV was passed to humans from monkeys in West Central Africa. Her research leads her to believe that HIV was passed from other primates to monkeys thousands of years ago. And she believes that perhaps HIV was passed to humans through the business of hunting and selling bushmeat in Central Africa by humans. The humans were exposed to the blood of primates through catching, killing, and cutting up the animals. She and her team looked at 788 primates/monkeys and 16 species in Central Africa. 13 primate species had HIV-1/HIV-2; 20% of the animals had HIV (range 5-20% among the various species). 90% of the sexually active adults had HIV. She believes HIV was spread from one animal to another by the fighting of animals amongst themselves. Hahn developed a non-invasive way to check urine & fecal samples from the monkeys to test them for HIV. Hahn said that by identifying where AIDS came from and by studying the immune system of these monkeys who are able to handle AIDS (that is, coexist with AIDS), perhaps we can identify a strategy for vaccine and treatment.

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