HIV: Consistency, Color, Infection?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the physical properties of isolated HIV, including its consistency, color, and potential for infection through skin contact. Participants explore theoretical aspects of the virus's behavior outside a host, as well as the genetic variability among viruses of the same species.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions the consistency of isolated HIV, suggesting it might be slimy or greasy but is uncertain.
  • Another participant asserts that viruses of the same species are not completely identical due to mutations that occur during reproduction, which is relevant for vaccine development.
  • A different participant argues that if HIV could penetrate the skin, healthcare workers would be at high risk of infection, noting that HIV does not survive long outside a host and may be dead when in contact with skin.
  • Another contribution mentions that HIV does not survive intact outside a host for long periods and speculates that dry HIV might form a sludge or powder, drawing a comparison to other viruses like the tobacco mosaic virus that can crystallize.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the consistency and survivability of HIV outside a host, with no consensus reached on these aspects. There is also disagreement regarding the identity of viruses within a species, with some participants suggesting variability due to mutations.

Contextual Notes

Limitations include assumptions about the physical state of HIV outside a host and the lack of empirical data regarding its consistency and color. The discussion does not resolve the complexities of viral survival and infection potential through skin contact.

Helicobacter
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Suppose you fill up a beaker with 1 mole of isolated HIV.
What would be the consistency of this collection of HIV? Slimy? Liquid? What color would it have? If you would put your finger in it, would it infect you if you have no open wounds on your finger, i.o.w. does it penetrate through your finger skin?

Are all viruses of a certain species totally identical (considering no artificial manipulation and no mutation)?
 
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I don't know about the first part. I'm pretty sure it wouldn't be liquid... slimy/greasy is my best guess considering the chemical makeup of a virus, but i could be way off.

for the second part, my understanding is that they would not be identical -- there are always some mutations when anything reproduces... if viruses didn't keep changing we wouldn't need to keep coming up with new vaccines for the same virus.
 
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if HVI could soak into your bloodstream via skin contact, all workers in the hospital were already infected. HIv is not Herpatitis, it can't live long outside, when you put your naked finger in the beaker, they might be already dead :cry:. I don't know about virus culture anyway.
Study glycoprotein. gp120, 41 are cool tools for HIV research.
 
FWIW - HIV doesn't survive intact outside of a host for very long.

For viruses that do survive well outside the host (mostly plant viruses) consider:

tobacco mosaic virus can be crystallized.

Like other complex molecules that better fit our conventional notion of "chemical". eg., sucrose. Crystallized TMV stored away from light for years can still infect tobacco plants.

I would guess that dry HIV would form some type of dry sludge or possibly a dusty powder based on tiny crystalline forms.
 

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