A CONGA FROM THE CONGO

A CONGA FROM THE CONGO
-By James L. Bloor

Heard the latest? According to a recently published study that appeared in the October issue of NATURE, scientists have traced the HIV virus’ origins to about 1900! It was astounding enough when they first traced it back to a British sailor in 1959 (that study was published a decade ago). But now we know that this evil first surfaced at least a CENTURY ago. It has a huge head start on we mortals. That’s how long humanity has been dying of AIDS – a full century.

It’s fascinating, and a true marvel of our times, that we can track it back that far. This virus was ‘born’ in the Belgian Congo, according to the study authors. It was born in a fertile area (a steaming jungle in Africa during the colonialization of that region). As cities emerged where village had been, the resultant urbanization allowed the virus to thrive and perfect itself with each mutation. For science buffs this is heady stuff. In a sense, it is even “beautific”.

But for the common man, like you and I, this is a scary metaphor, and it’s an unwelcome reminder. This study tells us the virus is older and wiser than perhaps your great-grandfather. It is ‘smart’ enough to enact its dance of death across oceans. Born in a chimpanzee, carried by a bite, this bugger has been mutating, mutating, and MUTATING! Its energy and vitality is no less than a Conga line, where those furthest back in that line are tossed wildly among the spectators. What we only first pondered in 1981 already had an 81-year history of thriving.

I avail myself of every opportunity to “personalize” this virus. Knowing its scope, its malicious intent and assault, helps me in an intangible way to thwart its advance, as best as I and my doctor can. Knowing its scope does not at all lead me to helplessness, nor despair. In a sense, from a ‘know thy enemy’ stance, it emboldens me to push on with my own health regimen and prevention measures.

It makes larger a simple message first conveyed to me in 1986 when I tested positive.“This mutha-fucka is Hell-bent on destroying its host.” This little speck of neo-plasm cares more about living, reproducing, and adapting than those of us with brains and intellect. Quite frankly it will be easier than steering a hurricane away from Florida, if we are to succeed. Again the lesson here is nature trumps the best intentions of man. And this virus thrives still because it has harnessed itself to the passions and foibles of Homo sapiens. It doesn’t care about your blood type or the color of your skin. All of that stuff is chump-change, in the eyes of this virus. This virus is happy to commit suicide (kill its immediate host) within the larger goal of propagating itself.

It’s frustrating to think that the only way to thwart this virus is to fully embrace the basic principles of safe sex. We have no other tools than that simple precept. NONE. Unfortunately this virus will probably be with us for at least a century more, given the current pace of research and lack of progress in developing a vaccine. Polio and measles are still with us – but are rare, thanks to prevention measures and vaccines. But there is no vaccine in sight for this beast from the jungle.

Yet we have the tools to minimize. We can dance the maypole dance and not fall down. Slap a condom on your peewee and if you are the lovely and receptive host, then insist on one for the gentleman caller. Yes it’s a tired old mantra, but it’s all we have in the spectre of a virus that has spent a century forming and fomenting itself to kill us. The prevention prescription is simple and clear even though we are up against a virus with the mutating viral “wisdom” of the ages.
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