Is HIV in Our Genes?
Now there's a Question Worth Asking
A small minority of researchers think that HIV may not be a
foreign body that causes AIDS after being introduced in a human. Rather,
the virus may be produced by our own bodies when our genetic material
is broken down by other toxins.
By Nicholas Regush, ABCNEWS.com
(1999)
SURPRISE IS a word used too often
by scientists and physicians, as in, "The results really surprised
me." When I hear this in interviews, I wonder, "Why is this
researcher so surprised? Did he not consider the wider possibilities
of the available science? Did she not read the two decades' worth
of alternative thinking on this subject?" Not all surprises are
signs of incomplete scientific homework, but often expressions of
surprise in science are a dead giveaway that Joe or Sally have been
sucking on their fingers rather than tracking where their fingers
may be pointing.
At some time -- perhaps in just a few years -- the science on
AIDS may finally begin to write off the theory that HIV is a virus
that attacks people like a bullet from hell. In fact, what we call
HIV could be a product of the body's own genetic material.
Imagine the process this way: Each one of us carries
genetic remnants of ancient infections in our genome. These remnants
are usually referred to as human endogenous retroviruses or HERVs.
It's now recognized that HERVs are likely involved
in a number of biological processes, including the way cells in
the body differentiate. Preliminary evidence also shows that HERVs
may be involved in some disease processes that affect the body's
immune system.
HIV Could Be Harmless
There is also evidence that HERVs can be activated
by a variety of factors such as chemicals, radiation, and viruses
to form particles, some of which might be infectious. In other words,
if cells get damaged by toxic insults, HERVs may awaken from their
ancient slumber. HIV may well be a byproduct of that type of cellular
damage.
If this turns out to be the case, should it be a
surprise? No. A careful scrutiny of the substantial HERV literature
suggests this is a distinct possibility. It would only be a surprise
because AIDS researchers have become so fixated on one theory of
what HIV is.
Let's take this to the next step. If HIV is indeed
produced inside our bodies, does this automatically mean it is the
cause of AIDS? No, we shouldn't assume anything of the sort. It
may well be that a human-produced "HIV" is pretty much
harmless.
The HIV antibody test might simply be picking up
on human-produced "HIV" material. In this case, a positive
test would mean that cells of the body had been sufficiently damaged
to generate a reaction. A positive test would be a marker of disease
-- not necessarily that "HIV" is the cause of AIDS.
Consider -- and Debate -- All Theories
As I indicated in last week's column, there are
a variety of theories about how AIDS might develop, theories foolishly
ignored by the scientific mainstream. These are theories that should
be widely debated.
Would it surprise me if HIV turns out to be human-produced and relatively
harmless genetic material? No, it would not.
And should AIDS scientists be surprised if a breakthrough
in this direction occurs? No, they should not -- certainly not if
they have diligently read the wide variety of scientific opinion
that focuses on AIDS.
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