Hi Everyone:
   In the Sept/Oct 1998 issue of Mothering Magazine, there are several
articles about HIV, AIDS, Breastfeeding, and AZT that everyone should read. As
with anything in life, there is more than one side to a story and this
magazine presents another facet that is sure to provoke thoughts.
'   For example: there a number of respected scientists that are not convinced
that HIV causes AIDS. There are a number of people in the world with every
symtom of AIDS, who are also HIV-.  Pregnancy is but one of a number of
conditions (including recent vaccination) that results in a false positive
antibody test. There are questions about the accuracy of the Western Blot and
ELISA tests; one study found 4,000 people with two positive ELISAs and a
negative WB.  The tests are not standardized and labs make mistakes; the same
blood sample,  sent to three different labs, got a large number of different
results, most were HIV+, some were indeterminate, and one was -. It was all
from the same blood sample.
   There is an unanswered question about HIV causing AIDS,  as HIV has not met
the three Koch criteria. There are more than 4,000 documented cases of HIV-
free AIDS. HIV is difficult to culture.
    The "Pregnancy Registery" assessing the toxicity of AZT used in pregnancy,
is partly under control of the company that makes AZT. There may be an
association between AZT use and some birth defects; some researchers say that
the safety of AZT use in pregnancy has not been established.
    I could go on and on, but the jist of this post is for everyone to check
out these articles and realize that there is much more to HIV/AIDS than the
mainstream party line. Mothering has an email address <[log in to unmask]>
and a website:<http://ww.mothering.com>.
    Warmly, Nikki Lee