I wonder how controlled the living conditions of these experimental
chimps is? Are they fed an optimum diet? Are they regularly seen by a vet.
I assume the answers to these questions has to be yes. I then wonder how
does the living environment and exposure to opportune pathogens of these
chimps relate to that of people exposed to or infected with HIV? However
cruel it may seem I think the living conditions,diet, environment etc. of
the chimps should simulate that of the people at risk and
then expose the chimps to HIV to see if the symptoms associatedwith AIDs
develop. This experiment if not already done (appologies if this strategy
has been adopted with the chimp exps) may help address the question
of co-factors. It could
however be that the chimp lymphocytes while infected still function. I
expect that this exp. has been carried out. Just some thoughts - did you
get much feed back to this question- I hope so? Regards, Janet.
On 17 Dec 1994, Naomi Gayle Housman wrote:
>> I have been doing some preliminary reading on HIV-1 infection of
> Chimpanzees. I was wondering if anyone has any insight into why
> chimpanzees don't develop AIDS after infection with HIV-1, despite the
> relatively high viral burden in lymph nodes and PBL???
>> Thanks in advance,
>>nhousma at unix.cc.emory.edu>>
