 |
|
|
|
|
|
| Back |
Previous on Jeremy Bosch Memorial HOF |
Next on Jeremy Bosch Memorial HOF |
|
chemosabe
(66.177.216.240) on 8/5/2007 - 5:14 p.m. says: ( 8 views
)
|
"I have avoided this because I don't think (long)"
|
|
you CAN be convinced of the errors in this conspiracy theory. But let me show some of the major holes in this. Like most conspiracy theories, it uses some elements of fact but greatly exaggerates others and seriously oversimplifies a very complex subject, namely how HIV is transmitted, and the nature of human HLA markers.
Facts which are true in this theory:
The primary mode for HIV to enter the cell is by binding to a 58 kDa glycoprotien on the outside of the mature T cell and other "antigen presenting cells" called CD4. HIV appears to bind at a variable region which corresponds to the HLA protein binding region used during antigen presentation in the "kick start" of the immune response. After interacting with the CD4 and HLA region, the virus is able enter the cell. (Please forgive me for oversimplifying this).
One could assume that, as these HLA regions are inherited and the variable regions may cluster in specific regions of the world, HLA homologies may correlate with risk of infection with HIV. A study of 125 couples in Zambia showed that the woman was more likely to acquire HIV if she shared the same HLA-B antigen as her HIV infected husband. So, HLA types, which roughly run in geographic familial clusters, DOES correspond to rate of infection.
But that is where the theory starts to leave the realm of facts and credibility.
#1 There is no biologic definition for "race". Race is a sociologic term. There is only one species of human currently living in this planet. Certain genetic traits ARE inherited in familial groupings, and these traits may be cluster in regions of the world where those families lived. But there is no HLA pattern which one could associate with being "Black" or "white". People commonly referred to as "black" are made up of many people, many ethnicities, and many sociologically classified "races". It is only our Eurocentered ingnorance which labels them all "black". It would be next to impossible to "target" a virus at a specific HLA region if one was contemplating genocide.
#2 Even knowing that the risk of infection was worse if the wives had the same HLA typing for the HLA-B antigens as their husbands, there was no specific HLA antigen identified. They could be ANY HLA B antigen type, just so long as both spouses shared it! Even then, the relative risk was only 2.2 for the increased rate of infection, a risk lower than that of other behaviors!
#3 CD4 is the primary route of cell infusion, but the HIV virus has multiple other ways to infect the cell independent of that. One of these ways is shared with the Yersinia bacteria that causes bubonic plague ( as your link points out). A certain genetic abnormality called CCR5 can block this mode of transmission. This gene has only been found in people who self identify as Northern Europeans. But what the article you linked fails to say, is that the individual must be HOMOZYGOUS for this gene to be protected from the "M" strains of HIV. That is, the individual musy have BOTH genes being the mutant CCR5. What is the prevelance of CCR5 in Caucasians? 10%. Only 10% of whites carry this mutant at all. Less than 1% have BOTH genes mutated and would be protected from the HIV virus strain (not ALL strains of HIV, just the susceptible ones). That is fewer than carry the genes for cystic fibrosis.
So, in a nutshell (no pun intended!), this conspiracy theory states that someone decided to create a virus that would kill 100% of Blacks and Asians, as well as 99% of whites, as a means of giving caucasians more "elbow room"? That is hard to beleive.
|
|
