This is such a controversial area that it is probably best left to the
experts.  A little bit of error can lead to some very serious
consequences for people.  That being said a piece of Joyce's post made
my hair stand on end:

> The quick and dirty is that we now know that we can keep the HIV virus from
> developing into the later stages of the disease with drugs like AZT.
>
> The difference in the two tests is that one tests for the virus, and one
> tests for the antibody to the virus.  It may take several months for the
> antibodies to show up.  I asked my professor why we test for antibodies
> instead of the virus--her guess was that it was due to cost (big gasp!)
>

Um...yikes.  Having been involved in HIV related litigation since 1988,
I had an audible response to this assertion about the tests.  There is
considerable, if controversial, evidence, that this virus does not even
exists.  The tests used to test for anti-bodies (ELISA, etc.) did so
because for many years no one could find the virus.  I am not sure what
is meant by "the later stages of the disease" though I think I can
assume you mean what is currently referred to as AIDS.  AZT is about
symptoms.  You may be thinking about the protease inhibitors.  Some say
the so called "cocktail" of AZT and protease inhibitors staves off
critical immune deficiency but there are lots of studies and a
relatively small population taking the cocktail.

It this is indeed the info you are getting from your professor, this is
very very scary.  It harkens back to the days when I would find social
working giving classes to at risk women and talking about "ARC" or AIDS
related complex which was supposed to be something like Catholic limbo -
maybe you will die and maybe you won't, maybe you are sick and maybe you
aren't.  "ARC" had been eliminated as a diagnostic category almost
before it made it into the brochures.

Rant over but it does make me sad.

Jake
--
Jake Marcus: freelance writer and editor; lawyer; homeschooling
work-at-home mom to Luca (7/94), Nicholas (5/97), & Aidan (3/00).
mailto:[log in to unmask]
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