AIDS Virus Now Estimated To Be 100 Years Old

ChazeFroy writes "A new study estimates that the AIDS virus, HIV, started to circulate in the human population between 1884 and 1924, with a more focused estimate at 1908. This is much earlier than the previously-held estimate of 1930. 'The new result is "not a monumental shift, but it means the virus was circulating under our radar even longer than we knew," says Michael Worobey of the University of Arizona, an author of the new work.' The article also speculates that HIV first began to spread in Kinshasa, Congo."

Comments

Re:What new diseases have crossed over recently?

[moderatorrater]

Obviously the QDP virus, and the OVB bacterium will have mutated by that point as well. Of course, after our bout with AFLP in 2048, we'll be much better equipped to deal with them, even with the smaller population. Overall, 2078 will be seen as a time when we've mostly re-conquered disease.

"Genetic analysis"

[Anonymous Coward]

Experts say it's no surprise that HIV circulated in humans for about 70 years before being recognized. An infection usually takes years to produce obvious symptoms, a lag that can mask the role of the virus, and it would have infected relatively few Africans early in its spread, they said.

Also AIDS itself only attacks the immune system, so death caused by secondary infections. And since the immune system depends on the general health of a person I would guess that with the progress in the last 100 years an infected person lived longer and longer, getting more time to spread the virus. Add to that the mentioned rise of cities and you have the long time lag between the first human infection and the worldwide spread.

Re:Wait, read much?

[R2.0]

You also might want to read the law that allows the government to experiment on its own citizens just about anytime it wants.

(b) Exceptions
                        Subject to subsections (c), (d), and (e) of this section, the
                prohibition in subsection (a) of this section does not apply to a
                test or experiment carried out for any of the following purposes:
                                (1) Any peaceful purpose that is related to a medical,
                        therapeutic, pharmaceutical, agricultural, industrial, or
                        research activity.
                                (2) Any purpose that is directly related to protection against
                        toxic chemicals or biological weapons and agents.
                                (3) Any law enforcement purpose, including any purpose related
                        to riot control.

You might have quoted Sections C and D which are referenced:

(c) Informed consent required
            The Secretary of Defense may conduct a test or experiment
        described in subsection (b) of this section only if informed
        consent to the testing was obtained from each human subject in
        advance of the testing on that subject.
        (d) Prior notice to Congress
            Not later than 30 days after the date of final approval within
        the Department of Defense of plans for any experiment or study to
        be conducted by the Department of Defense (whether directly or
        under contract) involving the use of human subjects for the testing
        of a chemical agent or a biological agent, the Secretary of Defense
        shall submit to the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate and
        the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives a
        report setting forth a full accounting of those plans, and the
        experiment or study may then be conducted only after the end of the
        30-day period beginning on the date such report is received by
        those committees.

Hardly "just about anytime it wants". So what else did you cherry pick from your other cites?

Re:Not knowing it's there doesn't mean it isn't.

[Mortiss]

Agreed. Few facts: First virus discovered - 1899; Tobacco Mosaic Virus http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virus
First electron microscopes to observe virions: 1930's (same source).
Hence it is entirely possible that HIV related deaths simply went unnoticed, plus the possibility that it was largely confined to the areas where humans had been in contact with apes and thus could become infected with the virus that was able to jump species (which would be a very rare event on its own anyway)