Sir, - Dr Geoffrey Roberts (July 19th) has added to the confusion on the cause of AIDS. Exposure to the HIV virus is a necessary cause of AIDS. AIDS does not occur in the absence of exposure to HIV. This hypothesis has withstood repeated and rigorous attempts at refutation for over a decade. It is accepted by the overwhelming majority of scientists and clinicians worldwide.
Poverty, malnutrition, poor sanitation, inadequate health care and endemic parasitic infections create the environment in which the AIDS virus (HIV) flourishes. President Thabo Mbeki is therefore correct to highlight the fundamental role of poverty in the development of the AIDS epidemic in Africa. Poverty is a key determinant of health in both developing and developed countries. Thus, progress in tackling the AIDS epidemic will depend as much on political action and economic development as on developments in medical science. - Yours, etc.
Prof Ivan J Perry, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College, Cork.