Is the Sub-continent immune to SARS menace?

HindustanTimes.com ^ | ,April 23, 2003 | Shakti Sharma

[xrp]

That would make the SARS virus racist. I betcha there will be tons of lawsuits over this.

[Centurion2000]

Actually it would be a VERY good indicator that it is in fact a bioweapon.

Interesting though.

[Bigg Red]

Could it also be that conditions of hygeine are such in India that the populace has superior immunity strengthened by constant exposure to pathogens?

[VeganFreeper]

PEople here in the USA, which is largely Anglo-Saxon, seem to be experiencing milder symptoms than Asians. This phenomenon is probably not due to poor hygiene in the USA.

[akash]

WEARING MY TIN-FOIL HAT

.... but this article could be part of a strategy. Spread the insinuation that the virus is race specific, so that one country can accuse another of having invented the virus. The quarreling countries get into a fight and a monkey comes to divide the bread among the fighting cats. Nice deal. Not difficult to see who might have a motive in doing this. Only look for who benefits from this exercise

[ClearCase_guy]

If hygiene in India helped create superior immunity, I think the same would hold true in China. Since it does not hold true in China, I would be surprised if hygiene related immunity were a key determinant in India.

I read an article (in Omni magazine, IIRC) years ago that discussed the possibility of germs targeted at racial or ethnic groups. It didn't seem like very good science, but it was still intriguing. The article focused on germs that would be especially deadly to certain groups. But a strategy using germs that would be especially harmless to certain groups would be equally effective.

[Bigg Red]

I seem to recall a discussion just about 2 or 3 years ago regarding attempts at developing a race specific bioweapon. I think it was in reference to Israelis vs. Palestinians. The scientists quoted rejected the feasibility of such a proposal. They were saying something about there not being enough genetic variation among groups.

At any rate, it sounds pretty far-fetched to me.

[FITZ]

This phenomenon is probably not due to poor hygiene in the USA.

Not necessarily poor hygiene but there can be exposure to animal ---especially dog and cat viruses which don't make us very sick but we might still build up antibodies that would give us some cross-immunity. There could be a lot of factors other than race.

[mikeIII]

It may have more to do with diet. Indians are mostly vegetarian; Chinese don't have much milk or lactose products in their diets. They are also big on some "uncommon" meats, unlike here in the US.

It may all come down to garlic!

[theFIRMbss]

>I read an article (in Omni magazine, IIRC) years ago that discussed the possibility of germs targeted at racial or ethnic groups. It didn't seem like very good science, but it was still intriguing. The article focused on germs that would be especially deadly to certain groups.

More than fifty years
ago [!] Mengele, along
with many other

"top researchers," did
extensive and well-funded
experiments on

twins at Nazi camps.
Their genetics "research" was
unbounded by things

like decency or
and standards or ethics.
All of their results

were confiscated
by the Russians or by us,
or became used as

strong barginning chips
by unrepetent Nazis
cutting post-war deals.

Either way, there was
a lot of detailed data
about genetics

available more
than two generations back.
Black op labs can make

a lot of progress
in the course of five decades...
Those who say they doubt

that SARS could target
population genetics
seem like people who

don't know much about
history, and don't know much
about the passion

many seemingly
"educated" people feel
for a "pure" bloodline...

[Born to Conserve]

"It may all come down to garlic!"

Koreans eat more garlic than Italians. I don't know about other Asians.

[RussianConservative]

Are there any out breaks in Vladivastok? Seems there are none in Russia...maybe Slavs are immune?

[RussianConservative]

Chinese are also unable to process as much fatty meats as Indo-Europeans.

[aristeides]

Lots of garlic in Chinese food: its characteristic flavor base is the result of the combination of garlic, ginger, and soy sauce.

I don't know how common garlic is in Indian cooking. I certainly almost always order garlic nan when I go to an Indian restaurant.

[aristeides]

I've read that Koreans think they're protected from SARS by the kimchi that they eat.

[IvanT]

The majority of severe cases here in Canada have been Canadians of Asian origin - because of our previous connection to Hong Kong, and our gov'ts accepting of Asian immigrants, we have a sizeable group from that area of the world.

[aristeides]

Australia to infect animals with SARS in crucial tests.

[IndianChief]

I don't know how common garlic is in Indian cooking.

Very common, except for the Jain community who dont eat anything which grows underground, like onion, garlic, potatoes etc.

[Dog Gone]

We already know that SARS can be given to monkeys, because the Dutch did it while trying to identify the virus.

It will be interesting to see what other animals can get the disease, but I think the suggestion that some race or ethnic group among humans is immune, is crazy. They've just been lucky so far.