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Old 07-12-2005, 04:52 PM   #41 (permalink)
MSD
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Perhaps the reason that AIDS is so widespread in Africa is that the diagnosis criteria are not a blood test for the HIV virus, but the following symptom analysis chart:

Major Signs:

Chronic Diarrhea for more than a month.
Weight loss of 10% of body weight
Intermittent or constant fever for more than a month.

Minor Signs:

History of herpes zoster.
Persistent cough for more than a month.
Generalized itchy skin rashes.
Thrush.
Chronic progressive or disseminated herpes virus infection.
Swollen lymph glands.

Two major signs and one minor sign are sufficient evidence for a diagnosis of AIDS. It is worthwhile to note that Tuberculosis or other serious diseases without a compromised immune system can bring about the same symptoms. I hope that my cynicism turns out to be well-founded and that an influx of medical aid and supplies into Africa in the next decade shows that a significant portion of AIDS diagnoses are actually treatable illnesses and not HIV infections.
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