title: HIV antibodies: further questions and a plea for clarification.
abstract: The existence of specific antibody/protein reactions is the crucial assumption underlying proof of HIV isolation, proof of HIV infection and the causative role of HIV in AIDS. However, since 1. antibodies which react with the 'HIV' proteins arise following allogenic stimuli in non-HIV-infected animals and humans, as well as in mice and humans with autoimmune disorders; antibodies to antigens from both mycobacteria and yeasts cross-react with HIV env and gag proteins; 2. individuals belonging to the AIDS risk groups are subjected to allogenic stimuli and have high levels of autoimmune antibodies, while the vast majority of patients in the AIDS risk groups are infected with either or both mycobacteria or yeasts; the evidence for the existence of HIV and its putative role in AIDS must be reappraised.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Physics, Royal Perth Hospital, Western Australia.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Papadopulos-Eleopulos
authors.forename: V F
authors.initials: VF
authors.lastname: Turner
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Papadimitriou
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Causer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015483:HIV Antibodies / Q000276:immunology*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012703:Serotyping; D019562:Viral Load; D014776:Virus Cultivation
chemical_list: D015483:HIV Antibodies