From the Washington Post "New research suggests that people of African descent are much more likely to have a genetic trait that makes them more susceptible to infection with the HIV virus. Scientists estimate that the trait — which also provides protection against a form of malaria — might account for 11 percent of the HIV cases in Africa, the continent hardest hit by the AIDS epidemic. Overall, the finding shows how the past history of evolution and disease still affects people today, said study co-author Matthew J. Dolan, of the Wilford Hall United States Air Force Medical Center and San Antonio Military Medical Center. 'The benefit that the Africans got from a mutation that gave them some resistance to malaria has, statistically at least, rendered them some increased susceptibility to HIV,' he said."
Thanks, Ike.
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A good friend of mine did part of her PhD research in Africa. Several months ago we had a convo during which she told me that about 6% of the world's population present some sort of natural immunity to AIDS, so it wouldn't surprise me if the opposite is possible.
Wow another stereotype to deal with! Whatever.
*Waits for this to be debunked*
Agree with Not Sold.
Arg!! To clarify this, people of African descent are less likely to remain unaffected by the HIV/AIDS virus despite being positive–not they are genetically susceptible to it. Based on studies, because of the varied genetic pool of African-Americans, about 2% of the African-American population has an immunity to the effects of HIV/AIDS. :eyeroll: There goes the media trying to make what happens to blacks genetically encoded their "DNA." So ignorant.
Sickle cell trait??
I know I sure don't have it because it seemed like any time a mosquito bit me, I was on that chloroquine. A classmate of mine died in 3rd grade from it. Until then, I wasn't aware that malaria could be fatal. Of course, several weeks later, I had my worst case yet and was in the hospital for a while thanks to a malaria and the resulting jaundice.
I know they were doing research on some prositutes from a country with some absurdly high HIV/AIDS rate (it wasn't SA, but in southern Africa). They have definitely been infected multiple times but their bodies kill the virus. One had a boyfriend who was dying of AIDS.
Kenya. I think it was Kenya. My best friend there's father was an Aids researcher. They were called the Howa women or something like that. It was a long time ago. I dont quite remember.