Have the so called 'AIDS Experts' finally realised that HIV does not cause AIDS?

Is HIV evolving to become less deadly and less infectious, or, have the so called 'AIDS Experts' finally realised that HIV does not cause AIDS?  It's unlikely in the extreme that they would ever admit to this and are trying to rationalise it.

AIDS is full blown Miliary Tuberculosis (Definition) which can be contracted sexually.  Miliary TB weakens/destroys the immune system and the HIV virus and other infections are contracted as a result.

HIV's ability to cause AIDS is weakening over time as it evolves, study finds

HIV's ability to cause AIDS 'Weakening'

Can the TB test used for badgers differentiate between active TB and antibodies to the TB vaccine?

I understand that cattle are not vaccinated against TB because the current test in use would become invalid if cattle were vaccinated.   I assume this is because the test is unable to differentiate between antibodies to the vaccine and active TB.  The same would surely apply to badgers as well.

Should badgers be tested for TB prior to vaccination?

Yes.  It is misguided and dangerous to vaccinate against TB without prior testing.  I believe that vaccinating already infected badgers could result in the emergence of a new stronger strain of the disease.  Also, these already infected and vaccinated badgers will continue to infect other animals, and their future cubs could be born with the disease and the cycle will continue.

TB has remained a major problem in many Third World Countries even though they have been fully implementing the World Health Organisation (WHO) TB vaccination program for decades.  All babies are vaccinated against TB without prior testing.  Therein lies the problem, that babies born with congenital TB are vaccinated instead of being treated.  On the other hand, polio has been eradicated in countries which fully implement the WHO vaccination program.  This program also vaccinates without prior testing.  However, the enormous difference is that polio is an obvious disease, is easily seen and the babies are treated not vaccinated if they have the disease.  TB is not an obvious disease.  It does not become obvious until it is quite advanced and that usually takes a long time.

Should taxpayers fund the badger TB vaccine program?

Yes, because TB and its prevention are public health issues.  The cost of a well managed program will be astronomical (trapping, testing, holding in captivity pending test results, then vaccinating or culling.  After which, vaccinated badgers would have to be chipped or tagged).  Hopefully funds could be diverted from Foreign Aid.

Why is TB infected meat being sold into the food chain?

It seems that this has been done to recover the costs of culling TB infected animals (including compensation to farmer's).  Times are hard, money is short and it's accepted that funding cuts have had to be made. However, this is a health risk.  Perhaps some of the foreign aid could be redirected towards TB prevention.

 Bovine TB in milk as well as beef

Cattle with TB sold as food by government department

Badger cull and the TB meat scandal

What caused the recent spate of domestic cat TB?

Its possible that the official badger culls as well as anti badger farmers who acted on their own may have resulted in the recent transmission of TB to domestic cats, and from the cats to humans.  Shooting badgers is inhumane and also dangerous from a health point of view.  Escaped, shot and wounded TB infected badgers on the run would have been leaking infectious body fluids.  Under threat in their normal habitat some of them may have sought refuge close to, or, in urban areas.  In pain, frightened and defensive they would have been more likely to attack if they felt threatened by other animals, including domestic cats and dogs.  Even if they didn't attack, their body fluids would have posed a risk.

I also believe that TB vaccination of badgers without prior testing is misguided and dangerous.  Vaccinating an already TB infected badger could result in the emergence of a stronger strain of the disease.

 Injectable Badger Vaccination

Cat to human TB link

First cat-to-human TB infection