Bush meat trade breeds new HIV Africa

[LauraK]

The HIV virus has jumped from primates to people on at least seven separate occasions in recent history, not twice as is commonly thought.

And people in Cameroon are showing up with symptoms of HIV, but are testing negative for both the virus and its primate equivalent SIV, the virus from which HIV is thought to have evolved. That suggests that new strains of an HIV-like virus are circulating in wild animals and infecting people who eat them -snip-

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=11849

[dumpster_baby]

1. "Bush meat"? Hey, I hate the guy, but cannibalism is going too far! n/t

[JCMach1]

2. This is freakin scary

[The Backlash Cometh]

3. It's like an environmental curse.

I don't think that we were meant to gobble up all the resources on this planet. There sure does seem to be some unpleasant consequences when we do.

[blindpig]

9. the pity of it is

that this is not effecting the true perps of this tragedy, the multinationals whose greed for minerals and forest products are propelling is final rape of tropical Africa. The locals, while obviously doing the mayhem themselves, are in the larger picture just along for the ride. If the deep bush wasn't being opened for their pillage the problem would be much less.

[Nambe]

4. This is way out of my field of knowledge but,,,

It is rare that a blood virus is contracted through oral ingestion baring open wounds in the mouth or digestive track. More curious, the virus only survives for less than a minute in the open air (on the toilet seat, so to speak). If the meat is cooked, I can't imagine the format for infection. IMO, you would have to drink large amounts (4-10 fluid ounces) of blood from a living or freshly killed animal. Having anal sex with the animal would also be a possibility but I don't think there are any republicans in Cameroon.

[JCMach1]

5. That assumes the 'new' HIV is bloodborn

:(

[0007]

6. Hilarious! " I don think there are any republican in Cameroon"

[bemildred]

7. Butchering the animal would do the job I would think.

Rather well, too, esp. with a clumsy butcher. Better keep
Wolfowitz and Dumbsfeld away from there.

[NickB79]

10. Its not uncommon to cut yourself while skinning and gutting animals

I've done it several times while gutting out deer during deer season. I seriously doubt anyone is having sex with the animals to contract an HIV-like disease, and even then they would more likely have to be on the recieving end than the giving end. However, cutting your hand while elbow-deep in infected blood and guts from a dead antelope or ape would ensure ample fluid transmission and infection opportunity.

[SOS]

8. To see this vile and revolting practice

visit Karl Ammann's web site. Given the conditions of this trade, it's no wonder it's a disease wellspring.
Warning: these photos are sickening and brutal.

http://www.karlammann.com/gallery.html