When Did SIV and HIV Join Forces and How Did it Come to America?

SIV stands for "Simian Immunodeficiency Virus" and is a retrovirus that infects monkeys and apes. SIV has many different strains which are found in many primates. In their natural host monkey, SIV does not cause symptoms or severe illness. It is when species cross when SIV infects in manner which its normal function turns into disease, damaging the immune system. In the late stages of SIV, it develops into SAIDS " Simian acquired immunodeficiency syndrome".

How is SIV spread?

When species cross and the host monkey transfer SIV to another primate creating different strains of the Simian Immunodeficiency Virus. The strain of SIV in Sooty Mangabeys does not cause sickness or symptoms in that specific monkey, but if it crossed over into an African green monkey, then that monkey would get sick with SIV and eventually die of "SAIDS" (Simian acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). This is exactly what happened to the Chimpanzee when a strain of SIV from a host primate crossed species with the Chimpanzee, infecting the Chimpanzee and creating a new strain of SIV called "SIV cpz". Chimpanzees spread SIV to other Chimpanzees through eating them and through sex. SIV affects them the same way HIV affects humans. Eventually SIV develops into simian AIDS, causing death to the Chimpanzee.

What Strain of SIV is responsible for the creation of HIV

The Chimpanzee strain (SIV cpz) came from endangered wild Pan Troglodytes Chimpanzees living in the forests of Cameroon. It is this SIV strain that is known to have cross species from monkey to human. When the SIVcpz strain entered into a human's blood it affected humans the same way it affected the Chimpanzees, giving birth to HIV, the "Human Immunodeficiency Virus". HIV developed from the blood of monkeys with SIV and is basically the human version of "SIV" and "SAIDS".

When did SIV cross from monkey to human?

SIV cpz is believed to have transfer to humans as early as 1884, which is extremely surprising considering many people have never heard of HIV until the early 80's. This determination was made by taking the earliest known HIV-1 sample and comparing it to another through genetic sequencing, According to the NIH (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases); the comparison revealed that the amount of genetic divergence between two HIV sequences from 1959 and 1960 took more than 40 years to evolve.

The first discovered HIV case came from a man from what is now known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The second one came from tissues samples of deceased woman in 1960 also from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The samples from these two HIV-1 positive people were completely different genetically. This would back up the scientist's theory that the origin of HIV had to have happen long before 1959 in order to considering the time frame it would have taken to genetically divide from its common ancestor.

How did SIV cross from monkey to human creating HIV?

In the 20^th century it was common to hunt and eat Chimpanzees. SIVcpz was transferred to humans by eating them or after killing a Chimpanzee the money blood would come into contact with the hunter's cuts or wounds on his skin. There have also been practices of people drinking Chimpanzee blood, not knowing that Chimpanzee was infected with HIV.

If HIV originated in early 1900's, why did we not see it until the 1980's?

It would have been difficult for HIV to spread to the United States all the way from Africa in the early 1900's considering there were no planes then. It was the advances in international travel that brought HIV to the America. It became an epidemic when many young men contracted HIV in the early 80's. The transmission of HIV and AIDS continued to spread with IV drug users sharing needles and having heterosexual sex with infection persons.

The different strains of HIV

There are different strains of HIV just as it is in SIV; the strain developed from Chimpanzees to humans is believed to be HIV-1. The Sooty Mangabey monkey is suspected to be the root of the HIV-2 strain. There are many sub strains of HIV-1 and HIV-2 and have many divisions within its strain. HIV-1 is the most common strain and the most deadly. The sub groups of HIV-1 is M, N, O and the newly discovered P. HIV-1 M accounts for over 90% of all HIV and AIDS cases and is the most deadliest subtype responsible for the AIDS epidemic.

In HIV-1 the "M" strain stands for "Major", N is non-M and non-O which is limited to Cameroon, West Africa. Strain "O" stands for "Outlier" and is limited to West Africa. P is a new strain believed to have originated from gorillas. This new Simian Immunodeficiency Virus in gorillas is called "SIVgor". HIV-1 P is very new and has been isolated to one woman also from Cameroon.

Strain HIV-2

HIV-2 is not common in the United States and is rarely seen outside of West Africa. The first HIV-2 strain in the United States was discovered in 1987. HIV-2 is believed to come from the Sooty Mangabey monkey. HIV-2 seems to develop more slowly and to be a milder form of HIV. It also has been reported to be less infectious in the early stages. However, HIV-2 still develops into AIDS causing death, although at a much slower pace.

HIV-2 has gone undetected on HIV tests since the test was designed for the HIV-1 strain. There are now advance HIV/AIDS testing available and if you have been to anywhere in West Africa or came into sexual or pathogenic contact with someone from West Africa it is advised that you get tested for the HIV-2 virus also.

Man is his own worst enemy

Unknowingly man made the mistake of coming in contact with a monkey's blood or eating monkeys infected with SIV. This deadly mistake created the Human Immunodeficiency Virus. This man made epidemic that has taken millions lives, including my cousin's and my friend's young son. HIV/AIDS is here and most likely will be here for a very long time before there is a cure, if ever. All we can do is prevent a horrible mistake like this from happening again. Many people may say such a situation as of coming in contact with infected primates are impossible to prevent, but if millions of lives are at risk of being lost, isn't it worth a try?

Sources:

www.cdc.gov
http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/resources/factsheets/hiv2.htm
www.avert.org/origin-aids-hiv.htm
www.nih.gov
www.madsci.org
http://www3.niaid.nih.gov