February 5, 2001
6:20 AM   Subscribe

A new strain of the HIV virus has been discovered and may already be spreading.
posted by hijinx (12 comments total)
 
And Zero Transmission by 2000 was just a passing motto. . . dammit.
posted by Dreama at 8:29 AM on February 5, 2001


What I don't get is how the new version can have "a totally different gene structure." Then it's not HIV, is it?
posted by Mo Nickels at 9:47 AM on February 5, 2001


Well, the article suggests that it's a sub-strain of HIV-1. But it could also be an HIV workalike that originated in the same way as the others, possibly by SIV (Simian) jumping from monkeys to humans. This virus may have existed in a very isolated area for years, but like AIDS, economic activity has only recently allowed it to reach the rest of the world.

HIV is just a name for a class of viruses. It already has two main strains (HIV-1 and HIV-2) and each strain has several subtypes identified.

It may seem scary, but paradoxically, it's actually better to know that the virus is evolving. That suggests it's having to try hard to survive and spread.
posted by dhartung at 10:28 AM on February 5, 2001


Just to be nitpicky, "HIV virus" is as redundant as "PIN number".

I'm getting tired of seeing the latter and want to prevent the former from gaining a foothold. :-)

-Mars
posted by Mars Saxman at 10:03 PM on February 5, 2001


oops, Mars. :)

I'm sorry, but when I inputted my PIN number into the ATM machine the other day from the A/C conditioning of my SUV vehicle, I didn't think twice about it.
posted by hijinx at 4:22 AM on February 6, 2001


Does "NIC card" bother you, too?
posted by crunchland at 8:08 AM on February 6, 2001


Did that ATM machine have an LCD display?
posted by kindall at 12:01 PM on February 6, 2001


Now that this thread is thoroughly off track, my favorite redundant name is DSW Shoe Warehouse. That's right: Designer Shoe Warehouse Shoe Warehouse.
posted by Aaaugh! at 1:20 PM on February 6, 2001


Please consider this a Cease & Desist & Cease & Desist order from the Department of Redundancy Department.
posted by bradlands at 2:23 PM on February 6, 2001


"I'm sorry, but when I inputted my PI number into the AT machine the other day from the A/ conditioning of my SU vehicle, I didn't think twice about it." "Did that AT machine have an LC display?"

Uh-uh.

posted by rodii at 5:10 PM on February 6, 2001


Oh geez. I'm sorry. This *was* an interesting article.

-Mars
posted by Mars Saxman at 7:25 PM on February 6, 2001


I think I'll just go visit the La Brea Tar Pits.

(That would be the The Tar tar pits.)
posted by Tin Man at 8:42 PM on February 6, 2001


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