Viral Load levels of HIV and HHV-6A

[James Scutero]

warren.med.harvard.edu writes:
>          With regards to the HHV - immune deficiency theory of James
>          Scutero:
>
>          1. How can the poor correlation between HHV and AIDS be
>          explained?
>
Actually there is a very high correlation between HHV-6 and AIDS if you 
consider the fact that active infection with HHV-6 is twice that of CMV in
people who have AIDS. Knox KK, Carrigan DR. Disseminated active HHV-6 
infection in patients with AIDS. Lancet 1994;343:577-578.

Researchers estimate that 80 to 90 percent of people are infected with 
HHV-6 before they turn four years old. That is a very high correlation.

>          2. How can this theory explain the fact that screening blood
>          for HIV all but eliminates the spread of AIDS in blood
>          products?
>
AIDS is not spread in the blood; HIV is spread in the blood. 
AIDS is defined by immunosuppression plus HIV. If someone has 
immune system suppression due to active HHV-6A infection, and he 
does not have HIV, he is considered not to have AIDS.
HHV-6 is not screened from the blood supply. Wilborn, F et al, Detection of
herpesvirus type 6 by polymerase chain reaction in blood donors: random tests
and prospective longitudinal studies. British Journal of Haematology, 1994,
88, 187-192.

-James M. Scutero