Super Humans : What created them?

Do you wonder why some people have HIV virus in their blood but do not get AIDS? Key is having delta-32 mutation, a genetic mutation that is passed to their children. Mutation in general refers to malfunction of gene. But sometimes this malfunction is good. As in the case with delta-32 mutation. History goes to epidemic in Europe (1347-1350) known as Black Death (Bubonic plague or some other virus). Almost one quarter of people died and it’s believed to have modified European gene pool. Higher number of survivors developed a mutation called delta-32 (CCR5-delta 32 mutation) and their children still carry it today. An estimated 10-12% of European white population have this mutation and are immune to HIV.

Both Plague and HIV target same cells in human body (WBC) and uses same channel to enter the cell. Delta 32 mutation prevents pathogens to enter into host cells and human with this mutation became immune to AIDS, even though HIV is present in the body. Recent studies have shown that these people are also resistant to smallpox as well. Indeed they are super humans in this regard. But be careful, these super human can still pass on HIV to others.

Some people still not convinced that Black Death was because of Bubonic plague. (http://www.cambridge.org/uk/catalogue/catalogue.asp?isbn=0521801508) . If it was indeed plague, how it spread so quickly? On an average 2 miles a day. Observers at the time, do not mention rat’s at all. Was it something else? Some kind of Virus? Medieval descriptions of the Black Death - where dark spots appear in the skin - sound more like viral hemorrhagic fever, similar to modern day Ebola. Evidence comes from village of Eyam (in England), where Black Death suddenly struck this tiny village in September 1665. The town's rector persuaded the villagers to quarantine themselves to prevent the disease from spreading through the region. During the period of isolation, food was left for the villagers at a well on the parish boundary high up on the hill above the village, and paid for by coins which were dipped in vinegar to disinfect them. It seemed to work, because none of the surrounding areas were affected by the Black Death. Unfortunately there were no blood tests in those days to prove what caused the Black Death. In 1996 studies by NIH shows high number of deta-32 mutation in descendents of Eyam. According to Duncan and Scott(University of Liverpool) viral haemorrhagic fever in Europe caused Black Death.