Does HIV cause AIDS?

[Denchi]

So a professor of mine has decided to turn a Logic class into a class, more or less, about AIDS. We're using a lot of studies on AIDS and HIV to dissect and analyze.

One of the articles we've been delegated to Analyze is Peter Gallo 1984, which is supposed to be the original article proving that the HIV (then called HTLV-III) virus causes AIDS. The article itself doesn't seem to provide strong evidence at all....and it's rather baffling how it because so widely accepted in such a short about of time. One of the main problems that isn't apparent is that that article he wrote based on his data was not submitted for peer review, which seems to be a scientific no-no. Also the article itself showed only about a 50% correlation with having HTLV-III and having AIDS, which doesn't suggest a strong correlation at all, even less a cause.

Aside from our class exercise, we're watching a video about a man who we also read about, Peter Duesberg, who has consistently disputed the evidence the fact that HIV causes AIDS since Gallo's article was published. He points out many things, like the fact that HIV doesn't kill enough T-Cells to account for the drop in T-Cell count which results in AIDS, and also the way the HIV virus acts, which isn't consistent with the way that retrovirus' are known to act. He also points out the infection rate of this so called "Epidemic" is not like any epidemic we've ever seen, and the numbers do not correspond. The infection rate has been more or less growing at a consistent, slow rate, whereas "epidemics" are erratic, and cause high amount of infection in a short period of time, then die off. Also Duesberg believes that the medication cocktails such as AZT actually cause AIDS.

ANYWAYS. Aside from everything we've learned, I'm curious to know if anyone here studies this type of thing, or knows a lot about AIDS. The evidence against the idea that HIV causes AIDS seems pretty strong.... and I'm wondering if this is just something that has been disputed in the past, or if it's still something that's going on. We have plenty of dormant virus', and HIV seems to be no different. I'm curious!!

[Tricen]

I thought HIV was pre-AIDS?

[Priran]

hiv is a virus and aids is a disease.

[drwaffles]

HIV is AIDS for beginners.

[Krandor]

Inc Government Conspiracy

[Tricen]

Can you get AIDS, or do you get HIV, and then goes into AIDS?

[Katlan]

I thought HIV was pre-AIDS?

this. HIV is AIDS its the infant stage more or less

[Krandor]

Can you get AIDS, or do you get HIV, and then goes into AIDS?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HIV

As the page points out, 90% of people who acquire HIV and don't receive treatment will develop AIDS

[Mojo]

HIV is an infectious virus that, among other things, destroys the body's immune system. AIDS is a deteriorated state of the body's immune system. Untreated HIV will usually lead to AIDS.

[Tricen]

I am not reading all that at 2AM

[Tricen]

HIV is an infectious virus that, among other things, destroys the body's immune system. AIDS is a deteriorated state of the body's immune system. Untreated HIV will usually lead to AIDS.

So AIDS is like a side effect of HIV?

[aurik]

AIDS is a syndrome: acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.
It quite literally means, a deficiency in your immune system that was acquired (rather than naturally occurring)

HIV is a virus: Human Immunodeficiency Virus. As the name implies, it's a virus that causes immune deficiency in humans.

[Mojo]

More like the point where HIV has done so much damage to your immune system, something like the common cold can kill you.

[Zalius]

I am not reading all that at 2AM

i dont give a shit what time a day it is im not fuckin reading that

[Priran]

aids is just the disease that hiv causes. if you jammed it into a person with aids, you wouldn't get aids, you'd get an infection of hiv that would eventually cause aids.

[Tricen]

So it's not really the cure for AIDS, it's the cure for HIV? Kind of sounds like AIDS is when it's too late

[Denchi]

AIDS isn't a disease, it's a Syndrome (the "S"). I know all that stuff. I guess i'm trying to be more specific.

Calling all cell biologists?

[Tricen]

Well, it's often publicized that people are trying to find the cure for AIDS, which is misleading since AIDS isn't really curable (apparently?)

[aurik]

I think your answer is that 20+ years of research on the HIV virus has resulted in medicines that significantly slow the onset of AIDS, so it's pretty easy to come to the conclusion that the original paper was right, regardless of whether he crossed his t's and dotted his i's or not.

[Fistandantilus]

Well, it's often publicized that people are trying to find the cure for AIDS, which is misleading since AIDS isn't really curable (apparently?)

Basically all the medicines just slow down the onset of AIDS, yeah. Once you get full blown AIDS iirc you can get your T-Cell count back up to a somewhat manageable level but I may be wrong, haven't researched HIV for a while.