Why are some caucasians immune to AIDS?

[Theben]

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).

He asked why Europeans acquired the traits while other groups in Eurasia and elsewhere did not. And despite trade to the Africa coasts and Ghana it rarely penetrated to the sub-saharan interior.

I can guess that temperature and the drier climate of the Africa coast may have been less favorable to either bacteria or their carriers, so that may have caused less stress on those lands and provided a barrier to lands to the south. I do know that the plague did ravage eastern lands prior to its arrival in Italy in 1347. I would guess the general state of hygiene amongst Euros at the time must have been significantly worse than other lands east.

[Heraclitus]

He asked why Europeans acquired the traits while other groups in Eurasia and elsewhere did not.

No I distinctly remember him taking this example for people "elsewhere". He said the difference between Euros and the Chinese was geographical. China's terrain made it easier to for monolithic empires while Europe's encouraged medium sized countries compeating with each other.


Old world peoples (the civilized ones) where on average about as resistant to European diseases as Europeans. And Europeans where not resistant at all to local diseases in Africa.


The Indians and several other non-Eurasian peoples died off in the millions due to disease something the Indians and Chinese never experienced with European contact.

[Theben]

Another interesting question is we know that middle eastern, South Asian, and East Asian cities which just as crowded and disease filled as European cities so why hasn't this genetic immunity popped up in those populations?

This.


What you wrote has been covered before.

[chequita guevara]

As for the follow up questions, I'm not sure but I think Jared Diamond said something about this in Guns, Germs, & Steel.

Jared Diamond = liar

http://louisproyect.wordpress.com/?s=jared

[Theben]

I haven't read The Third Chimpanzee or Collapse! so I can't comment on those, but even your source agrees with the basic premise of GG&S.

[ZEE]

i knew this was an Oerdin thrade without even looking, reading the OP, or second guessing myself.

[Theben]

You must be proud.

[Blaupanzer]

Where is the 10 % immunity/resistance claim made? Who makes these claims? Based on what body of work? Any epidemiological work been done on other populations?

[Ben Kenobi]

Not sure, I wouldn't be surprised to see complimentary immunities/vunerabilities.