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The Human Immunoefficiency Virus is a human retrovirus ( lentivirus ) that is widely believed to be the single causative factor in AIDS ( Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome ). A great deal of controversy surrounds the HIV retrovirus theory. For our purposes, however, these controversies are clinically irrelevant. Formal clinical diagnosis of AIDS is performed as follows:

 

1. The individual tests positive to HIV antibodies ( ELISA test conducted twice ).

2. The Western Blot test is then used to determine the presence of HIV proteins in the blood.

3. When all three tests return positive, the individual is considered "HIV Positive".

The progression of the disease ( AIDS ) is then determined by medical staff. One indicator is the actual viral load in the blood. The test to determine viral loads for HIV is currently determined by measuring HIV RNA. The RNA is the replicating substance of the virus. The viral load test is formally called the Amplicor HIV-1 Monitor test, also known as the PCR test ( there is an "ultra sensitive" PCR test that is more reliable ). The results are given either as the number of HIV RNA in .05 ml of blood, or as a "standard" result ( multiplying the RNA times 20 for the end number used ). The viral load is considered a good marker for disease progression. According to one major study¹, those with a viral load of less than 20,000 have a 1% chance of disease progression during the 60 week period of the testing time. The same study concluded that those with a viral load of greater than 20,000, if the viral load could be reduced by 70% in an eight week period, reduced the chance of disease progression by 50% over the period of study ( approximately 1.5 years ).

The HIV virus is widely accepted as causing a breakdown of the immune system, leaving the individual open to a host of secondary viral, bacterial, fungal and parasitic infections, as well as specific forms of cancer. The immune system breakdown is caused, at least in part, by the reduction of T-cells resulting from virus replication. The T-cell count of a healthy individual is roughly one million per one milliliter of blood. Formal diagnosis of AIDS includes a T-cell count below 200,000.

 

Bacterial Infections Associated with AIDS:

1. Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) - Normally a bacterial infection occuring in the lungs, but with advanced HIV and a CD4 lymphocyte count of less than 50, the infection can be systemic
2. Tuberculoses - Most commonly a lung infection
3. Salmonellosis - Acquired from contaminated foods
4. Bacillary angiomatosis - Most often occurs as bright red/purple splotches on the skin

Viral Infections Associated with AIDS:

1. Cytomegalovirus (CMV) - Herpes Virus
2. Viral Hepatitis - Liver infection
3. Herpes Simplex Virus ( HSV ) - Genital Herpes
4. Human papillomavirus (HPV) - Warts/Genital Warts
5. Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML ) - A severe infection occuring in the brain

Fungal Infections Associated with AIDS:

1. Candidiasis - Causes inflammation of mucous membranes, affecting the tongue, mouth, esophogus, and/or vagina.
2. Cryptococcal meningitis - Infection of the spinal cord and/or brain

Parasitic Infections Associated with AIDS:

1. Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) - Parasitic lung infection
2. Toxoplasmosis - Parasitic infection that causes brain lesions
3. Cryptosporidiosis - Infection causing severe diahrrea

Cancer associated with AIDS:

1. Kaposi's sarcoma - Skin Cancer
2. Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma - Lymphatic cancer that usually originates in the lymph nodes

Defining a Cure for AIDS

1. Eliminating secondary infections resulting from the destruction of the immune system, which equals the restoration of normal health
2. Restoration or normalization of T4 cell counts
3. Restoration of measureable immune system function, including:
   1. Percentage of CD4 cells ( compared with all Lymphocytes ) between 35 - 40%
   2. CD4/CD8 ratio 2 to 1
4. Reduction of viral load to undetectable levels
5. Elimination of all measurable HIV proteins from the body
6. Final conversion of HIV Positive to HIV Negative

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05-12-02

(1) - Study conducted in tests with the use of a drug called Delavirdine

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