The phrase "Deadly virus, origins unknown" has become relevant again with the emergence of a new deadly lung disease called SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) which is probably caused by a variant of the corona virus which normally infects animals. In humans the corona virus leads to the common cold, pneumonia and diarrhoea.
Under the category "mysterious viruses" we are concerned with Ebola, HIV, amongst others. This is where the million dollar question pops up: Where do these dangerous new viruses come from?
The Spanish Flu
We know that viruses mutate all the time. Sometimes they mutate radically and cause sicknesses which kill a great number of people. In 1918 between 20 and 30 million people died in Europe from a radically mutated A-influenza virus which was called The Spanish Flu.
Influenza
The hotbed for many of these big influenza epidemics is China. Here there is influenza virus in wild fowl. These birds infect domesticated birds, pigs and humans that live closely together in villages in southern China. During the course of just six months, such an epidemic could spread throughout the world.
Ebola
This disease was first discovered in 1976 when it emerged in Sudan and Zaire. It is without currently the most deadly viral infection known to man. If infected with the deadliest strain of the virus, the mortality rate is 90 %. Ebola is thought to have emerged from hiding in the shrinking African rainforest, in a host animal not affected by the virus. After years of searching, in 2005 an unremitting group of researches found evidence that the virus lies dormant in fruit bats.
HIV
HIV was first isolated in 1983 by the French scientist Luc Montagnier. The HIV-virus is also thought to come from Africa. The host animal is supposedly a species of green monkey, which has come into too close contact with humans. The same species of green monkey has the dubious honour of being the most commonly used research animal in medical experiments in the 1960's and 70’s.
Conspiracy Theories
Both in the case of Ebola and HIV there are those who believe that the official explanations about these diseases are not true. Many believe that these viruses have been engineered in laboratories where, in a Frankenstein-manner, the most evil parts of existing viruses have been put together to create the deadly viruses we encounter today. Others find it doubtful that the necessary gene technology would have been available at the time Ebola and HIV emerged, but in any event, there are still various alternative theories as to how these viruses came to be.
Researching Gene Therapy
Today genetic engineering is used for other things than creating biological weapons. We know that research is being conducted in the field of gene therapy as a tool in fighting diseases. It is hoped that an easy way to insert gene-sequences in DNA can be found. Viruses are good at this. Some evidence points to the fact that the most dangerous viruses are the best for the job. For example, there are rumours that American researchers have conducted experiments with a virus that contained gene sequences from both Ebola and HIV, but without containing the deadly characteristics of these viruses.
Some say that there are, however, other and more plausible explanations for the emergence of new dangerous viruses.
Agricultural Land Poor in Selenium
In some parts of the world the ground is very poor in selenium. In areas of the USA where the soil is poor in selenium a higher death rate from HIV has been proven. In Zaire in Africa the soil is also poor in selenium and China has some of the most selenium-poor soil in the world. Some researchers have found it strange that some of the most deadly viruses come from areas like the ones mentioned.
Keshan Disease
This disease is named after most selenium-poor province in China. The illness strikes especially children and young women. It causes a malicious, deadly heart disease. When it was discovered that selenium supplements helped against the disease, it was practically eradicated. Later it was found that the disease was caused by a virus (Coxsackie B3).
Research has shown that the body metabolizes large quantities of antioxidants during a viral infection. Especially vitamin C and selenium are used. During the course of a short period of time the immune defence system confiscates half of the blood's content of selenium.
Selenium and the Mutation of Viruses
The researcher and virologist Melinda Beck made an interesting study with her co-workers in 2000 which showed that mice deficient in selenium that are infected with a harmless Coxsackie virus get an infection of the heart. This infection is similar to Keshan Disease and many of the mice died. Mice with an adequate reserve of selenium did fine.
What was especially interesting was that mutated Coxsackie virus was found in the selenium-deficient mice, but not in those not deficient. However, when researchers took the mutated virus from the dead mice and infected the healthy ones, they too died. Afterwards the researchers found six mutations created in the selenium-deficient mice.
A vitamin E deficiency also seems to make otherwise harmless viruses mutate.
Ebola and HIV virus have been called "the revenge of the rainforest", and maybe they really are in a very subtle way, but these viruses could theoretically originate from various vital nutrient deficiencies in animals and possibly humans. The research indicates that this is a lead worth following.
