> The anti-HIV crowd do raise one good point: Kaposi Sarcoma IS NOT an
> indication of infection with HIV.
Apparently, Kaposi (an opportunistic infection) was quite prevalent in AIDS patients in the 1980s (60% or so), but has since declined significantly, to 20% or less:
http://hivinsite.ucsf.edu/akb/current/05derm/index.html
> Chimps: It is my understanding that chimpanzees CANNOT be infected
> with HIV--That is, they do not get sick.
They can be infected, but they don't seem to die of the disease unless their immune systems collapse, mostly because their immune systems work differently from ours. Chimps and macaque monkeys are, however, susceptible to SIVs (simian immunodeficiency viruses) which are quite similar to HIV (they both go after CD4 lyphocytes, e.g.). The latest on animal models:
http://hivinsite.ucsf.edu/akb/current/03vacc/index.html
(And, no, I don't know a damn thing about immunology, I just asked my bro who studies immunology at Scripps for the low-down).
-- Dennis