By Doctor Tandavan

In our first two articles on AIDS, we discussed the various ways that HIV may be transmitted and presented evidence suggesting the HIV virus was man-made and transmitted to people through contaminated vaccines. Indeed there are over 7,000-10,000 cases of full blown AIDS that have none of the usual risk factors for the disease. In other words, the way these people contacted the disease is totally unknown. Thus we can see that we do not know enough about its transmission.

There are some unusual things about HIV; for instance, there are 9000 to the fourth power (9000 X 9000 X 9000 X 9000) possible Aids viruses. The virus also has the ability to adapt and mutate whenever it enters a different host, whenever it is attacked by a different medication or to any change in its environment. Furthermore, it usually resides within the body's cells so is fairly well protected from direct onslaught. Since it also is entwined with the host cells genetic material, it is further protected from outside destruction.

It seems to be stimulated to more rapid growth as a reaction to the normal immune response of the body; thus a vaccine may cause it to replicate faster. As soon as AZT, a drug that inhibits HIV growth, is given to the patient the virus slowly becomes immune to its action. A three drug technique has been attempted in order to try to fool the virus into not becoming adapted to drug response. This has not shown the results to be as great as expected. Many virologists believe that a vaccine is impossible to prepare because of the number of variants and also due to the possibility that the virus would stimulate not only replication but also mutation.

We have also been told that AIDS does not kill, that the patients die from acquired infections. Just what does the virus attack within our bodies? First: it attacks the T cells of the blood, these are the first line of defense for our immune system. These cells are attacked and eliminated. Yes, this does make one prone to opportunistic infections that are fatal. Secondly, the virus can produce brain rot and nerve damage. It can also produce leukemia-like conditions. These patients are very prone to tuberculosis (TB) which accounts for the rapid rise in this disease that was almost extinct in the USA. The virus is highly resistant to our present TB drugs.

We have been told that the disease cannot be transmitted by food. Recent studies show that this is not true. The dendritic cells in the mouth and intestine can easily absorb the virus that may contaminate food. This contamination is possible by the food workers as well as the health field workers and rodents and other animals. The wastes of our pets may also transmit the virus. Although the pet is unable to contract the disease, it may transmit the virus.

I believe that mandatory testing for HIV carriers is necessary so that we can have some intelligent way to combat this plague. This should be amongst the food workers, health field workers, patients, teachers and anyone else that could readily transmit the virus.

Dr. Devananda Tandavan, MD, is a member of the American Medical Association, the International College of Surgeons, the Society of Nuclear Medicine, the American Federation of Astrologers, the International Reiki Association, the International Center of Homeopathy- and more. Send your questions to Hinduism Today, 1819 Second St., Concord, California, 94519 USA.