Scientists find new strain of HIV

[dipsydoodle]

Source: BBC News

Gorillas have been found, for the first time, to be a source of HIV.

Previous research had shown the HIV-1 strain, the main source of human infections, with 33m cases worldwide, originated from a virus in chimpanzees.

But researchers have now discovered an HIV infection in a Cameroonian woman which is clearly linked to a gorilla strain, Nature Medicine reports.

>

Before moving to Paris, she had lived in a semi-urban area of Cameroon and had no contact with gorillas or bush meat, suggesting she caught the virus from someone else who was carrying the gorilla strain.

Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8175379.stm

[phantom power]

1. That's great. That's just what we need.

x(

[Xipe Totec]

2. It's just evolution at work

don't worry, as a species, we will survive.

[and-justice-for-all]

4. Yeah, but to what extent?

eventually, maybe not in my life time or even the next generation, there will be mass extinction. Be it from a rock from space or mother natures revenge.

[Xipe Totec]

5. You make it sound like that's a bad thing...

:hide:

[harmonicon]

6. we're in the middle of a mass extinction - it's just that we're the cause

HIV is in fact a result of the mass extinction that we are carrying out. We may well fall prey to the same extinction by a series of causes and effects.

[Xipe Totec]

7. Extinction is too strong a word

I believe we are evolving. Still.

Anything that is not 100% lethal applies evolutionary pressure through natural selection.

[CLANG]

9. Evolution is not good or bad - it just is. Nature has rules ya know.

[Xipe Totec]

10. Exactly

This too shall pass.

[harmonicon]

11. no, it's really official science-y stuff

We are in the middle of a mass extinction. That's the by-the-numbers fact.

[Xipe Totec]

12. Of Humans?

I don't think so.

[harmonicon]

13. no, that's not what mass extinction means

Extinction is the complete annihilation of a species - we're wiping them out every single day. MASS extinction means this sort of wide-sweeping series of extinctions within a short period of time. The same kind of thing that killed off the dinosaurs.

[Xipe Totec]

14. From HIV to mass extinction is a giant leap

I thought we were talking about the threat of HIV to humans.

I'm well aware there is a mass extinction going on as we speak (I do know the meaning of the term).

But that is separate and apart from the threat of HIV to Humanity's survival, which is marginal.

[harmonicon]

15. no, I was linking the extinction with the cause of HIV

That is, HIV came into the human population through the consumption of endangered primates. This new strain brought into the population through gorillas is just another effect from out destruction of other species.

[Xipe Totec]

16. Other species are adapting as well

to pressures brought on by humans.

Fish are getting smaller, to escape our nets.

Elephants are growing smaller tusks, to become less interesting to poachers

Hawks are moving into urban areas, to prey on human fed pigeons.

Bacteria are growing resistant to antibiotics...

In the game of evolution, we are amateurs...

[CrispyQ]

18. That's what worries me.

x(

[Voice for Peace]

3. people need to leave those gorillas alone

[Robb]

8. That is the understatement of the year. nt

[RedCloud]

17. Score another one for science! Religion, your turn is way past due!

[The Backlash Cometh]

19. Hopefully this news will put an end to the blackmarket for Gorilla hands.