Why are some caucasians immune to AIDS?

[DaShi]

That's chronic lyme disease.

[Ben Kenobi]

You're talking about evolution.

Evolution? This is just differentiation.

[DaShi]

That' what evolution is made of.

[Heresson]

Because Europeans are the best

[asleepathewheel]

If you are uber-wealthy, these days you can live forever as HIV+.

Have you seen Magic lately? Good god he looks great for 18 yrs of HIV+

[Theben]

Mutations aren't just waiting around in the entire population to be switched on by an event. It was very likely a non-harmful mutation that just happened to confer immunity to plague. When the plague swept through Europe, where the mutation existed, those with the mutation survived, and were thus, better able to pass on their genes.

If an individual it put under enough environmental stress it can cause transposon activity as well as methyl markers that can alter genetic expression at the DNA level. Given enough stress in a population, you can have a phenomenon that will trigger an eventual mutation.

[Lefty Scaevola]

Why are some caucasians immune to AIDS?

Because we are GODS, walking among ye pitiful mortals.

[duke o' york]

Yeah, 10% of white guys won't get aids, but none of us can jump.

[BlackCat]

If an individual it put under enough environmental stress it can cause transposon activity as well as methyl markers that can alter genetic expression at the DNA level. Given enough stress in a population, you can have a phenomenon that will trigger an eventual mutation.

Yep, Lysenko spoke teh truth .

[Krill]

If an individual it put under enough environmental stress it can cause transposon activity as well as methyl markers that can alter genetic expression at the DNA level. Given enough stress in a population, you can have a phenomenon that will trigger an eventual mutation.

You're a biologist?

[duke o' york]

No, but Lysenko is apparently. Never seen him/her post here though.

[BlackCat]

No, but Lysenko is apparently. Never seen him/her post here though.

I don't hope that the original Lysenko starts posting here - if so, we would have a zombie problem at this site

[Theben]

To answer the OP a bit better, a gene has been found, CCR5-^32, that appears to impact the spread of HIV. If you have 1 copy of the gene you have some resistance and 2 copies is almost total immunity. It's rare to find these genes in Africans but about 5-10% of Caucasians (mainly west Europeans) have them. It's thought the rise of this gene was in response to plagues like the Black Death but there's no direct correlation as of yet.

As for the follow up questions, I'm not sure but I think Jared Diamond said something about this in Guns, Germs, & Steel. Something about Europeans living in closer proximity to their livestock and being filthy unwashed types, IIRC.

[Heraclitus]

As for the follow up questions, I'm not sure but I think Jared Diamond said something about this in Guns, Germs, & Steel. Something about Europeans living in closer proximity to their livestock and being filthy unwashed types, IIRC.

You are a bit off. He didn't say this for Europeans but for "Old worlders" in general. Due to the many different domesticated species on the Eurasian continent there where many more opportunites for diseases to jump species. And since the entire landmass (+Africa) was populated and engaged in trade almost everyone was exposed to all the diseases that the old world produced (the exceptions are tropical diseases).

[DaShi]

Now the Chinese are building disease factories that only they can survive, while the West lives in its pristine coffin.