Nexus - 0219 - New Times Magazine-pages

Page Content (OCR)

becomes paralysed. A vaccine like the Salk or Sabin polio vaccines stimulates the body to produce antibodies which neutralise the virus and thus prevent disease. The presence of antibodies, especially if live virus is absent or is present in low quantities, indicates that the body's immune system has succeeded in controlling the virus, thus preventing disease. Shortly after HIV infects the body the virus multiplics rapidly, sometimes causing flu-like symptoms.* Thereafter, the immune system goes to work producing antibodies which virtually climinate the virus. Only very low levels of the live HIV remain—so low they can only be detected with great difficulty by advanced PCR techniques—but antibodies per- sist and are readily detectable. Presence of antibodies to HIV (HIV+) in the blood has become a prerequisite for AIDS. But longstanding principles of virology” hold that when anti- bodies are present from any virus or retrovirus, this indicates that the immune system has rendered the virus harmless and the body is protected from further symptoms or disease. This is the principle of antiviral vaccination. A positive antibody test to HIV is the current clinical indicator for AIDS. There is no scientific precedent for an anti-viral antibody forccast- ing a viral disease. The following document is an overview of the viral and epidemiological contradictions and inconsistencies of the cur- rent HIV-AIDS hypothesis which have not been specifically addressed by our AIDS establishment. This document hopes to show that the American govern- ment and scientific community need to seriously reassess the current HIV-AIDS hypothesis and their AIDS research priori- ties. We hope this reassessment will lead to a more produc- tive AIDS hypothesis and investigations of other factors and/or causes of AIDS with or without HIV as a factor. Sete a ea ee Co The current HIV-AIDS hypothesis states that the retro- sist and are “readily detectable. Presence of antibodies to HIV virus,** HIV, infects and kills CD4 and T-cells. Depletion of (HIV+) in the blood has become a prerequisite for AIDS. these T-cells in the body is one of the hallmark conditions in But longstanding principles of virology" hold that when anti- People With AIDS (PWAs) and results in a weakened __ bodies are present from any virus or retrovirus, this indicates immune system, leaving the body susceptible to one or more __ that the immune system has rendered the virus harmless and of the 25 previously known diseases grouped together in a _ the body is protected from further symptoms or disease. This syndrome called AIDS. is the principle of antiviral vaccination. A positive antibody In the last eight or so years of intensive HIV research, it test to HIV is the current clinical indicator for AIDS. There has been proven that only 1 in 10,000 T-cells are actively is no scientific precedent for an anti-viral antibody forccast- infected with HIV,? even using the newly advanced technique _ing a viral disease. of detection called PCR.*** This degree of T-cell loss is equivalent to losing a drop of blood a day. Anyone could EPIDEMIOLOGICAL EVIDENCE afford to lose this quantity without developing any symp- Because no one knows of a mechanism by which HIV toms. The ongoing question in the scientific community is: could perform all the destructive activities associated with What is killing the billions of T-cells and depleting other full-blown AIDS, the HIV-AIDS hypothesis has always cells in the immune system such depended solely upon epidemio- as Natural Killer (NK) cells, seen << s logical evidence. in PWAs, if HIV is not solely Epidemiology is a branch of responsible? medicine studying the course a Even though we don't know the After more than 20 years of disease takes in a population. In exact mechanisms by which intensive research on retroviruses... short, epidemiology is a ‘soft sci- viruses cause disease, the current ence’ based on survey research. HIV-AIDS hypothesis claims that none has ever proven to cause The main reason for believing that HIV lies dormant in these T-cells ' HIV causes AIDS is statistical for up to 15 years. Then, by way disease. To date, there has been no correlation: most persons suffer- of some unknown mechanism, scientific evidence that explains ing from AIDS also test positive HIV is activated to destroy addi- thi * for antibodies to HIV. This corre- tional T-cells. This latency period why this retrovirus [HIV] should be lation is much less impressive is unexplainable by the scientific an exception. than at first appears. Indeed, to a community since no known virus : large extent it is a product of the or retrovirus takes 10-15 years or HIV hypothesis itself. AIDS is TIO £0 COSC (i505, 200 COU CoETETErEnrnDrnrnCooccwaaaa |: defined as prior HIV infection dicts other long-established principles of virology.” plus symptoms like T-cell depletion and diseases like In spite of its political notoriety, HIV is scientifically arun- Kaposi's sarcoma, pneumonia, candidiasis and so on. In of-the-mill retrovirus. It is genetically so similar to other many cases, HIV is presumed where the indicator diseases non-pathogenic retroviruses that no one within the scientific have been diagnosed, even though the HIV test has not been community can explain or show that HIV exhibits any char- performed. The statistical correlation of HIV and AIDS is acteristics that would distinguish it from any of the other thus built into the definition of AIDS. If the epidemiological retroviruses.‘ There are approximately 100 retroviruses in the —_ evidence is evaluated without a pre-existing bias in favour of human germ line. After more than 20 years of intensive the HIV hypothesis, however, many facts emerge which cast research on retroviruses (Nixon's War on Cancer), none has doubt on HIV as the sole and direct cause of AIDS. As for ever proven to cause disease.* To date, there has been no sci- example: entific evidence that explains why this retrovirus should be an 1) Predictions of the spread of AIDS based on the HIV exception. hypothesis are continually being readjusted.’ AIDS has not HIV VIRUS vs ANTIBODIES TO HIV significantly spread beyond the original risk groups and there are many fewer cases of full-blown AIDS than anticipated. The primary function of any virus or retrovirus is to repli- For this reason the ‘latency period’ has continuously been cate itself in the cells of a host organism, such as a human — extended. It is now up to 10-15 years and still growing. This body. Some viruses, like those responsible for polio and ‘latency period’ is a statistical product designed to reconcile hepatitis, kill cells in the process and thus cause disease. If the relatively low incidence of AIDS with the relatively high the polio virus kills sufficient neurons, the human host (body) —_ level of HIV infection.‘ The primary function of any virus or retrovirus is to repli- cate itself in the cells of a host organism, such as a human body. Some viruses, like those responsible for polio and hepatitis, kill cells in the process and thus cause disease. If the polio virus kills sufficient neurons, the human host (body) 40*NEXUS APRIL - MAY 1994 HIV-AIDS HYPOTHESIS EPIDEMIOLOGICAL EVIDENCE HIV VIRUS vs ANTIBODIES TO HIV