Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/07/17
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]OK. Lets clear the air. First: Henry is innocent. I wrote the paragraph about the lake. Second: You will note that the paragraph (quoted below) did not say that Aids was spread by mosquitoes. I said that I had been told that that it was NOT spread by mosquitoes. Finally: Previous posters in this string were honestly trying to discuss a puzzle. Both B.D. and the esteemed physician below (who should know better) tell us not to discuss the question. Phooey. If you are experts, share your expertise by adding insight and information. Example: You might have said that the reason that mosquitoes transmit malaria is that the parasite lives in the mosquito's gut, and is ejected at the beginning of the bite when the mosquito injects (rather than sucks) and anti-coagulant to make the blood easier to collect. This mechanism doesn't seem to work for AIDS since there is no evidence that the AIDS virus can live in the mosquito long enough to be transmitted that way. Your statistical argument is also silly. Several diseases ARE spread by insects. The fact that there aren't tens of millions of cases of those is not because the insect cannot spread the disease, but rather because the conditions for transmission are rarely met. Although I fervently share your desire to have more Leica content on the LUG, I don't agree that mosquitoes are off topic. They (and other nasty things that attack while you are preoccupied) are an occupational hazard of photography and a legitimate concern for photographers. Mike Quinn Steve Barbour wrote: > As a physician,and infectious disease specialist, I want to concur with > BD's statement, and conclusions, based on his long and expert experience, > that mosquitos no more spread AIDS than they use Leicas. Let's stick to > images and the leica.....Steve > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "B. D. Colen" <bdcolen@earthlink.net> > To: <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us> > Sent: Monday, July 16, 2001 7:05 AM > Subject: [Leica] DR. BLACKTAPE IS TRULY HORRIFIED - but not surprised - > > >> ...that 20 years into the AIDS epidemic someone would still be repeating >> this canard in any form... >> >> There is NO evidence, anywhere, that AIDS can be spread by mosquitos or >> any other form of insect. PERIOD. >> >> Were AIDS spread by mosquitos, there would be 10s of millions of >> infected children with non-infected parents - AND THERE ARE NOT; there >> would be 10s of millions of infected adults who never had sex with, >> shared a needle with, or received blood from an infected individual - >> AND THERE ARE NOT. >> >> How about sticking to photography, folks - something the people on this >> list know something about? >> >> >> (And while it's true I only play a Doctor on the LUG, I was a newspaper >> medical writer for 17 years and covered AIDS on a regular basis >> beginning with the publication of the first reports in the summer of >> '81.) >> >> >> >> >> Henryp@bhphotovideo.com wrote: >>> >>> At 07:27 PM 07/15/2001, you wrote: >>>> Years later I noticed in a report that the area around that lake had an >>>> unusually high incidence of AIDS. I'm told (but have trouble > believing ) >>>> that mosquitoes aren't a vector for that disease. Still I'm glad we > escaped >>>> with only a few score punctures... >>> >> >>> <<MY OPINION, not my employer's>> >>> >>> hp >