# A question about aids **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 15, 2001, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-aids/93575 "2001-11-15T18:47:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![whatever1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8dc957/32.png) [@whatever1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whatever1)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2001, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-aids/93575/1 "2001-11-15T18:47:09Z")
I don’t know if this has already been discussed,but I heard recently that HIV does not cause aids.And usually the reason people that have HIV get aids is because the drugs that they are given (AZT I think) Well anyways,I was wondering if anyone had any information about that,and if it doesn’t cause aids,Can you live forever with HIV then? ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2001, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-aids/93575/2 "2001-11-15T18:59:28Z")
Um, whatever. (it’s a pun on your name, get it?) I don’t have any specific facts, and I’m a little too busy to look up something on the internet, but here’s a question for you: If HIV doesn’t cause AIDS, it’s the drugs given to people with HIV, then how the heck did people get AIDS before people got treatment for it? ---
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2001, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-aids/93575/3 "2001-11-15T19:01:07Z")
There are people with real degrees and stuff who believe that HIV does not cause AIDS, but they are definitely not in the mainstream. And, while AZT and other drugs used to treat AIDS are no picnic, I’m sure, you will certainly recall that people were dying of AIDS long before AZT. There seems to be a lot of variability in how long a person can live with HIV, and I’m not sure that it’s very well understood. ---
**Author:** ![andygirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a9adbd/32.png) [@andygirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andygirl)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2001, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-aids/93575/4 "2001-11-15T19:06:22Z")
If you want the whole lowdown, look up “alternate AIDS theory.” ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2001, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-aids/93575/5 "2001-11-15T19:18:17Z")
This is one of the “theories” promoted by folks who think AIDS is a big bad conspiracy of the drug companies, US Gummint, and/or the Chartreuse Turtles from Planet Nutball. ---
**Author:** ![Zyada](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zyada/32/3028_2.png) [@Zyada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyada)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2001, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-aids/93575/6 "2001-11-15T21:02:52Z")
IANAD If it were the drugs causing AIDS, it wouldn’t be such a [problem](http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20011115/hl/hiv_51.html) in [Africa](http://www.unaids.org/epidemic_update/report/Table_E.htm) I was in college when AIDS first was discovered. AIDS was around a loooong time before they discovered HIV. HIV is the virus which causes AIDS and was a breakthrough, because they could identify people who had been exposed, and start devising therapies. And once they had therapies, they could start administering them before AIDS set in. Can you live a forever with HIV? No, none of us are going to live forever. 😛 Sorry, I couldn’t resist. I would say that it is theoretically possible that some percentage of people never develop AIDS after exposure. I believe it happens with other virus infections. However, there are no guarantees that any individual will dodge the bullet. From what I’ve heard, AIDS is a miserable way to die. Now a doctor will come along and tell you how wrong I am. ---
**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2001, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-aids/93575/7 "2001-11-15T22:14:54Z")
IANAMD either, but I’ve read that genes have a lot to do with whether one who is infected with HIV will develop AIDS. Some people live many years without any symptoms and a lower percentage of infected persons never develop AIDS. You probably can find out more if you search. IIRC, it has to do with the make-up of one of the genes, but I forget the details. ---
**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2001, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-aids/93575/8 "2001-11-15T22:20:57Z")
[This](http://my.webmd.com/content/article/1680.50172) gives a good summary of the course of the disease, but does not mention that some never develop symptoms. I believe there are a few that never do. ---
**Author:** ![JillGat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc29f/32.png) [@JillGat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JillGat)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2001, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-aids/93575/9 "2001-11-15T23:22:10Z")
> **[CDC Works 24/7](https://www.cdc.gov)** > > CDC works 24/7 saving lives and protecting people. [http://hivinsite.ucsf.edu](http://hivinsite.ucsf.edu) We have practically irrefutable proof that HIV causes AIDS. And when the protease inhibitors and other drugs became available in 1996, the case fatality rate from HIV disease dropped dramatically in this country. ---
**Author:** ![dasmoocher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@dasmoocher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasmoocher)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2001, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-aids/93575/10 "2001-11-15T23:49:21Z")
Off the top of my head and I haven’t done any research, but with regards to the genetic resistance… HIV needs to bind to a cell membrane receptor protein to gain access to the cell, AFAIK (and I don’t know much about it). If you don’t produce the receptor the HIV needs to bind to, maybe you get some resistance. Not having the receptor might give you HIV resistance, but I’m wondering what other immunological compromises might accompany that defect. ---
**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2001, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-aids/93575/11 "2001-11-16T02:34:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by 647 \* > \*\*HIV needs to bind to a cell membrane receptor protein to gain access to the cell, AFAIK (and I don’t know much about it). > > If you don’t produce the receptor the HIV needs to bind to, maybe you get some resistance. > > Not having the receptor might give you HIV resistance, but I’m wondering what other immunological compromises might accompany that defect. \*\* IIRC, it’s GP 40 and/or GP 160 on the CD4 lymphocyte that it binds to. However, I don’t believe that’s the variant gene that prevents one from getting sick. I believe it’s some variant inside the cell itself, but it’s all hazy to me now,having read it sometime ago. ---
**Author:** ![JillGat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc29f/32.png) [@JillGat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JillGat)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2001, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-aids/93575/12 "2001-11-16T02:38:06Z")
Certain people have a mutant gene, CKR5 (or “CCR5-delta 32”) that, if inherited from both parents apparently confers complete immunity from infection with HIV. When inherited by one parent, the person may be infected with HIV but have very slow progression of disease. It has been suggested that 1 in 100 persons is completely immune, and 1 in 5 is resistant to disease progression. The majority of persons with this mutant gene are of White European ancestry, and it is theorized that this genetic “defect” may also have protected their ancestors from bubonic plague when that epidemic ravaged Europe during the 14th century. HIV uses the CCR5 receptor to attach to immune cells called macrophages. With the mutation of this receptor site, infection is less likely - or unable - to occur. This is being studied for its implications for vaccine and treatment options. I’m not sure how much of the above is completely understood or proven. I’ve read about it in several medical journals. - Jill ---
**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2001, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-aids/93575/13 "2001-11-16T02:55:59Z")
That’s it, I believe JG, but I thought that HIV attaches to the CD4 T-lymphocyte, which is not a macrophage. Does it attach to macrophages too? ---
**Author:** ![Yeah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/dbc845/32.png) [@Yeah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yeah)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2001, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-aids/93575/14 "2001-11-16T03:25:19Z")
“…bitI thought that HIV attaches to the CD4 T-lymphocyte, which is not a macrophage. Does it attach to macrophages too?” "What is HIV’s target? "CD 4 + T helper cells mostly, but also macrophages, monocytes and CNS dendritic cells. gp 120 sees CD 4 on these cells and binds. " from [http://www.ttuhsc.edu/success/step1/fall/hiv.htm](http://www.ttuhsc.edu/success/step1/fall/hiv.htm) (Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center) ---
**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2001, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-aids/93575/15 "2001-11-16T13:51:43Z")
[http://www.sciam.com/2001/1101issue/1101haseltine.html](http://www.sciam.com/2001/1101issue/1101haseltine.html) This link is not what I was looking for, but does mention CCR5 and does give a good summary of the drugs used so far to combat AIDS. ---
**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2001, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-aids/93575/16 "2001-11-16T14:17:18Z")
[http://www.sciam.com/2001/1101issue/1101haseltine.html](http://www.sciam.com/2001/1101issue/1101haseltine.html) Another interesting article from Sci Am, but again not what I was after. I thought I read it in an old Sci Am article, but can’t find it.