Ed. Note: Aidsmap has a better analysis than the San Francisco Chronicle, linked to in this entry, as is often the case.
For those who have wondered why African and African American individuals seem to have higher levels of HIV infection no matter where they live or were born or for that matter whether they are circumcised or intact, researchers seem to have found clues to that question.
An international team of AIDS scientists has discovered a gene variant common in blacks that protects against certain types of malaria but increases susceptibility to HIV infection by 40 percent.
Researchers, keen to find some biological clues to explain why people of African descent are bearing a disproportionate share of the world's AIDS cases, suspect this subtle genetic trait - found in 60 percent of American blacks and 90 percent of Africans - might partly explain the difference.
Ironically, other researchers are downplaying the results saying that a single study showing an apparent 40% greater susceptibility is insufficient evidence to conclude that this gene variant causes a higher rate of infection. Yet, similar percentages seemed quite alright to conclude that circumcision is the great savior of humankind from HIV/AIDS. I agree with the scientists' position that more research and consistent results will be necessary before concluding that those of African descent are genetically predisposed to higher rates of HIV infection. That said, the chances seem great that genetic differences in humans account for at least some of the differences of infection rates around the world.
Link to sfgate.com (San Francisco Chronicle): Researchers find genetic trait that increases HIV danger for blacks.
