[extropy-chat] BIO: Interesting HIV research

[deimtee]

Robert J. Bradbury wrote:

>On Fri, 5 Mar 2004, David wrote:
>
>  
>
>>It would be even better if we created a virus that would do this.
>>    
>>
>
>Probably not -- if you can guarantee that the white blood cells
>that leak into the vagina for one reason or another (which I believe
>they can do under several conditions) and stay there you might be
>able to do this but if doubly infected blood cells get back into
>the blood stream you are going to have an unhappy immune system.
>But it takes several weeks for the immune system to respond --
>in the meantime the infected cell(s) may have multiplied
>making the problem worse.
>
>I think using bacteria which your immune system already knows
>how to deal with is a perfectly reasonable strategy.  Most bacteria
>that have evolved to be skin flora tend to stay skin flora -- those
>that get into your blood stream (think a cut that becomes infected)
>the immune system is in general already trained to respond to.
>
>If I'm missing something you will need to explain in more detail
>where you think the new virus would act (inside the mouth or vagina),
>inside the bloodstream, inside the cell, or inside the nucleus.
>Once inside any of the last 3 places you are probably setting
>yourself up for problems.
>
>Robert
>
>
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>  
>
Actually  I was referring to Kevins suggestion that finding a naturally 
occurring virus
would be great.  From a pro-technology meme point of view it would be 
better to
have science create a cure/preventative than to find a 'natural' one.  
As to the actual
mechanics of it, I am definitely not an expert.

-deimtee