Sir, - Your article on HIV/AIDS<
href="/80256fa1003e05c1/httppublicpages/f2cf1dc73dba8028802571c6003534be?opendocumentnews, 11 august) lacked one important aspect. no one dies from hiv/aidsbut from a complication, usually an infection, to which hiv/aids makes thesusceptible. the aids virus kills by smashing the immune system, leaving thpatient open to infectious organisms which the human body is not normally preto. probably the commonest of these is tuberculosi
&nbs
only one person in ten, with an intact immune system, and who is infectewith the tuberculosis bacteria, develops active tuberculosis. so far, i and onthird of the world's population who are infected, have not developed thdisease. but, if we were also to become hiv-infected, we would be odds-on tdevelop tuberculosis. but this should not be fatal, because treatment even ithe presence of aids is effective, and is virtually free in developincountrie
&nbs
treating the infectious complications of aids is much cheaper and simplethan treating the hiv virus, and, in the early stages of aids, may be all thais require
peter davi
professor of chest medici
secretary of tb ale
11 croft drive, west cal
wirral ch48 2jq) lacked one important aspect. no one dies from hiv/aidsbut from a complication, usually an infection, to which hiv/aids makes thesusceptible. the aids virus kills by smashing the immune system, leaving thpatient open to infectious organisms which the human body is not normally preto. probably the commonest of these is tuberculosi
&nbs
only one person in ten, with an intact immune system, and who is infectewith the tuberculosis bacteria, develops active tuberculosis. so far, i and onthird of the world's population who are infected, have not developed thdisease. but, if we were also to become hiv-infected, we would be odds-on tdevelop tuberculosis. but this should not be fatal, because treatment even ithe presence of aids is effective, and is virtually free in developincountrie
&nbs
treating the infectious complications of aids is much cheaper and simplethan treating the hiv virus, and, in the early stages of aids, may be all thais require
peter davi
professor of chest medici
secretary of tb ale
11 croft drive, west cal
wirral ch48 2jq