Of Myths and Mischief

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1994. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

Of Myths and Mischief

Discover (12/94) Vol. 15, No. 12, P. 36
Weiss, Robin

The search for a cure for AIDS has created myths of blame and myths of denial, writes Robin Weiss in a commentary appearing in Discover magazine. Myths of blame are created by people who want to find a scapegoat for AIDS. One theory is that HIV is man-made--that it is a combination of two other retroviruses, human T-cell leukemia virus (HTLV) and the maedivisna virus of sheep. Even though none of the genetic sequences of HIV match those of HTLV or the sheep virus, the theory continues to survive because of the argument that HIV is so genetically variable that it might have quickly evolved from its parent viruses. An example of a myth of denial is the proposition that HIV does not cause AIDS. Peter Duesberg, a molecular biologist at the University of California at Berkeley, says that AIDS is not an infectious disease and is caused by both recreational and medical drugs. Until we understand more about how HIV causes AIDS; where it comes from; and how to prevent it; writes Weiss, the myths will continue.

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