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The HIV rates in South Africa are among the highest, so does that mean that it's evolution following its course? The ones that react to the Virus would die and
by franciscop 10y ago
The HIV rates in South Africa are among the highest, so does that mean that it's evolution following its course? The ones that react to the Virus would die and the ones that ignore it survive, giving those people a (much?) higher chance of survival and reproduction. Similar to how the superbacterias that are popular now were created in the same place.
- mikeash 10y agoThere hasn't been enough time for evolution to act in this case. HIV has only been endemic for a generation or so. Bacteria can run through dozens of generations a day, so the process goes much faster there. Assuming HIV isn't cured, then this defense would probably form the basis of eventual widespread resistance to HIV in humans, perhaps centuries from now. But it didn't arise as a response to HIV.
- franciscop 10y agoBut with just one generation it should be enough, right? Some individuals are resistant and some others not; the non-resistant ones die and the next generation is of mostly resistant; the next one would be mainly individuals more resistant; etc
- mikeash 10y agoOnly if exposure is total and death before reproduction highly likely. Even in South Africa, the vast majority of the population isn't infected. Those who are infected still often pass on their genes before they die. Unchecked HIV will certainly increase the concentration of these genes over time, but with the current situation it'll take many generations.
- marcosdumay 10y ago> But with just one generation it should be enough, right? Only for diseases that kill or disable people fast.