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Mycoplasma in AIDS
Name: conniewood
Status: N/A
Age: N/A
Location: N/A
Country: N/A
Date: Around 1993
Question:
What role does mycoplasma play in the spread of AIDS? How are
Mycoplasma and HIV linked?
Replies:
I believe that one of the criteria for AIDS is the development of
a mycoplasma infection. Remember that HIV virus can cause little or noobvious
problems for many years for someone who is infected. AIDS is what happens to
someone with a compromised (poorly functioning) immune system who has been
infected with the HIV virus. The HIV virus is probably what damages the
immune system slowly to cause this. Mycoplasma usually do not cause
infections that are a problem unless a person has a compromised immune system.
psych
I agree with the last response, in that mycoplasma organisms do
not play a role in the TRANSMISSION of the virus that causes AIDS; instead,
they may contribute to the disease by infecting a vulnerable body. Our immune
system is like a big burglar alarm. For the most part, it senses the presence
of pathogenic "intruders" and summons the proper health enforcement officials
- White blood cells, antibodies, other supporting chemicals. HIV, the virus
that causes AIDS, disables the immune system, letting any old pathogen just
walk into the body and take over. Mycoplasma, cryptosporidia, salmonella,
etc., - there are lots of bugs just waiting out there for an opportunity to
loot our body's home.
mgn
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Update: June 2012
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