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XMRV: infectious through saliva? (comparison with HIV)

Messages
6
I've done some internet research on the ratios of HIV/AIDS and CFS.

CFS first discovered around 1930.
HIV first discovered around 1960.

Both were officially recognized by science at around 1980.

Current estimated ratio of HIV positive and AIDS in total population:
1-500 (Belgium)
1-250 (France)
1-300 (US)
1-100 (Somalia)
1-12 (Namibia, Zimbabwe and Zambia)
1-6 (South Africa)
1-4 (Botswana SA)
1-4 (Losotho SA)
1-4 (Swaziland SA)

Current estimated ratio of CFS in total population
(not taking into account, the healthy XMRV+)
1-285 (US)
1-250 (UK)
1-315 (BELGIUM)

Current estimated ratio of XMRV+ in healthy NON-CFS people
1-25



Both HIV and AIDS have been around since the same time,
And XMRV is only now starting to be banned from blood supply,

If XMRV would be infectious through saliva,
i would expect the ratio of healthy people with XMRV to be higher than the ratio of people with aids,
in the most infected countries like those in South Africa.

Or maybe in africa they just have so much more unprotected sex,
that it makes the level of HIV/AIDS higher than the healthy XMRV positives who gotten it through many routes, incl. saliva
 

Jemal

Senior Member
Messages
1,031
There might be many factors that limit the infection rate. It could only be infectious during certain times, it might infect only certain people (with certain genes), etc. I think it's too early to say if this virus can be spread by saliva (or not). I think it's still a possibility.

Also XMRV is part of a group of viruses. We might have only found a couple of the variants, not all... so the amount of people infected could be much higher.
 

ukxmrv

Senior Member
Messages
4,413
Location
London
Psyma,

CFS was not invented in 1930. There were however outbreaks of epidemic M.E. starting at around that time. ME was recognised by the World Health Organisation in 1969. There are lists of the epidemics on the internet.

CFS was invented in the late 80's. There are huge arguments over if the CFS definitions are equal to ME. This started at the time. I had ME then and patients hated the name CFS and the criteria right from the start.

There is a lot that we don't know about as yet about both AIDS and XMRV. Transmission may have been through other agents like vaccines, insects /African use of sex workers/other co-infections etc etc. Too soon to make any assumptions.

You are also "only" measuring CFS. We don't know how many of your group would meet a criteria of CFS that have been tested for XMRV. Don't forget that the XMRV is being linked to other diseases. It may be a much bigger group.
 

omerbasket

Senior Member
Messages
510
Perhaps you should change the title of this thread to something less "convincing", like: "XMRV and infectiousness through saliva - my thoughts". I mean, I would so much want that XMRV and other HMRVs would be found to not be infectious threw saliva, sweat and other things - believe me, I would very much like that, especially since I'm young and, you know, kisses and stuff - but I'm still arfraid that it might be infectious threw saliva, and I think that NO ONE knows right now if it is or it isn't, so we should know that and make our decisions with that knowledge.